Guys and Dolls delays first preview again, performances will now begin on 5 Feb

The first preview for Guys and Dolls has delayed its first preview at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre, scheduled for 4 Feb 2009, by one day. The musical will now begin previews on 5 Feb. Opening night remains 1 Mar 2009.

This is the productions second delay. Originally the musical was set to begin previews on 3 Feb, which was then pushed back to 4 Feb. The second delay is to allow for an extra day of needed technical rehearsal.

Audience members scheduled for the 4 Feb preview performance will be contacted and accommodated for another performance.

With music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, the musical marks the first joint Broadway project by two-time Tony Award winning director Des McAnuff ('Jersey Boys,' 'Urinetown') and choreographer Sergio Trujillo since their collaboration on the Tony Award winning musical 'Jersey Boys'.

Guys and Dolls brings to life the Broadway of the 1940's, inhabited by gamblers, nightclub performers and members of the Salvation Army, in search of sinners to cure. The score includes the songs 'Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat', 'Luck Be A Lady Tonight' and 'Take Back Your Mink'.

The musical is based on 'The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown' and 'Blood Pressure,' two short stories by Damon Runyon. It also borrows characters and plot elements from other Runyon stories, most notably 'Pick the Winner'.

Guys and Dolls stars Oliver Platt as 'Nathan Detroit', Lauren Graham as 'Miss Adelaide', Craig Bierko as 'Sky Masterson' and Kate Jennings Grant as 'Sarah Brown'.

The cast also features Titus Burgess as 'Nicely Nicely Johnson', Glenn Fleshler as 'Big Jule', Adam Lefevre as 'Lt. Brannigan', Jim Ortlieb as 'Arvide', Steve Rosen as 'Benny Southstreet' and Mary Testa as 'General Cartwright.'

Ensemble: Nick Adams, Andrea Chamberlain, Raymond Del Barrio, Melissa Fagan, Kearran Giovanni, James Harkness, Lorin Latarro, Benjamin Magnuson, Joseph Medeiros, Spencer Moses, Rhea Patterson, Graham Rowat, William Ryall, Jessica Rush, Marcos Santana, Jennifer Savelli, John Selya, Brian Shepard, Ron Todorowski, Jim Walton and Brooke Wendle.

Scenic design is by Robert Brill, costume design is by Paul Tazewell, lighting design is by Tony Award winner Howell Binkley (Jersey Boys) and sound design is by Steve Canyon Kennedy.

The Music Director is Tony Award winner Ted Sperling (The Light in the Piazza) and orchestrations are by Tony Award winner Bruce Coughlin (The Light in the Piazza).

Guys and Dolls was first produced on Broadway at the 46th Street Theatre, opening on 24 Nov 1950. It was directed by George S. Kaufman and starred Robert Alda, Sam Levene, Isabel Bigley and Vivian Blaine. The productioin won 5 Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Director, Best Choreography (Michael Kidd), Best Actor (Robert Aida) and Best Festured Actress (Isabelle Bigley).

The musical enjoyed an initial run of 1,201 performances, winning five 1951 Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Director, Best Choreography (Michael Kidd), Best Actor (Robert Aida) and Best Festured Actress (Isabelle Bigley).

The show was revived on Broadway in 1955, 1965, 1977 and 1995.