For Doron Chester, there’s something pretty spectacular about warming up and performing on Sydney Harbour. The actor, singer and writer last performed on the Sydney Harbour stage as Gladhand in Opera Australia’s West Side Story. He’s now set to take the stage again in the company’s production of Guys and Dolls as Big Jule.
“I’ve always known the film, and I’ve always known the music,” Chester told The AJN. “It’s really great to be going back to the harbour. Warming up with the sun setting in the background over the Sydney Harbour Bridge is spectacular, especially when it’s good weather. It’s lush,” he laughed, explaining that the production itself is fantastic.
“It’s such a great show. It’s hilarious. This production will have a lot of originality to it. It’s different to West Side Story, where you have to do the exact choreography. With Guys and Dolls, it’s original stuff which is really wonderful.”
Whether you watched the original production, the film or no version of it at all, most people would be familiar at least with the music of Frank Loesser’s Guys and Dolls, from the title song to the anthemic Luck Be a Lady or the toe-tapping Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.
“It’s going to be really nice to work with some people who I’ve worked with before, people I haven’t worked with before and people I’ve wanted to work with…” Doron Chester
The score is one of the classic Broadway musicals, with its roots in jazz – including Gershwin, Kern and Porter – propelling the drama forward. What’s interesting with Guys and Dolls is that while usually the music is written to the story, in this case it was the other way around. While Jo Swerling was the original book writer, he was fired during the process, with radio comedy writer Abe Burrows brought in to finish the job. He was forced to work back to front, creating a new story around Loesser’s songs.
The five-time Tony-winning musical premiered in 1950 on Broadway, where it ran for 1200 performances. There have been several revivals throughout the world and in 1955, the story was adapted for film, staring Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons and Vivian Blaine.
The 2025 Opera Australia production is a new staging, created specifically for the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour stage, which Chester acknowledges is the biggest he has ever worked on.
“It’s a massive stage,” he said. “It’s also on a rake, so it’s on a bit of an angle which is interesting as well. You’re also dealing with the elements which you have to take into consideration. For part of my costume, I wear a hat. So if it’s really windy one night, that’s going to be fun.”
Guys and Dolls follows Sky Masterson – a gambler willing to bet on anything – as he looks to win big, as he crosses paths with missionary Sister Sarah Brown. Weaving through Sky and Sarah’s story is the tale of Nathan – a veteran street hustler – and his fiancee Adelaide. It’s chock full of big hits, incredible costumes and the hustle and bustle of New York City.
Joining Chester on stage is singer and former competitive singer Cody Simpson as Sky, Annie Aitken as Sarah, Bobby Fox as Nathan and Angelina Thomson playing Adelaide. Chester said he’s thrilled to be working with the cast.
“Obviously Cody Simpson, we’re very excited for. And I’ve worked with a lot of the people in the cast. There are some returning West Side people, I have a few friends. It’s going to be really nice to work with some people who I’ve worked with before, people I haven’t worked with before and people I’ve wanted to work with,” he said. “Having Cody lead the cast is wonderful because he’s really keen and it seems like this is a big dream come true.”
Indeed it is. Simpson, who told media that the running joke is that he can’t get away from water even when he is performing as a singer on stage, said he was over the moon to land the role of Sky, which was made famous on screen by Marlon Brando. “I fell in love with the crooners – Dean Martin, Sinatra etc,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald. “And then I found the Guys and Dolls movie through my exploration of anything and everything Sinatra had done in his life,” going on to say that he knew the songs very well prior to auditioning.
For all the cast and crew, performing such an classic show at such an iconic venue is a wonderful experience. “Everything about it is larger-than-life and that is the great excitement, and challenge, of directing a production for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, especially when we’re building something brand-new. How do you fill the space as well as hold the intimacy?” director Shaun Rennie told The AJN. “Audiences can expect to be transported to the streets of New York City, on a magnificent set by Brian Thomson, and exciting new choreography by the brilliant Kelley Abbey set to all their favourite, toe-tapping Guys and Dolls tunes, newly arranged by Guy Simpson for our 26 piece orchestra.”
Chester said it’s “pretty special” to be part of the show. “It’s only done in Sydney, there’s nothing else like it, especially on the water. The show is iconic.”
Guys and Dolls be on the Handa Opera stage at Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquaries Point from March 21. Book tickets.
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