Sydney University Musical Theatre Ensemble (MUSE) president Daniel Baykitch has responded to criticism that the society’s upcoming 2022 production of Guys and Dolls employs heteronormative gender stereotypes by stating, “Yeah. But it’s hilarious.”
The production team has brushed off criticism for casting leading roles Nathan Detroit (Oscar Seifried), Miss Adelaide (Claudia Redolfi), Sky Masterson (Tavis Bancroft), and Miss Sarah Brown (Belinda Thomas) based purely on talent and ability demonstrated during the audition process, without any apparent concern for increasing non-binary gender diversity.
Other major characters such as Nicely-nicely Johnson (Louis Vinciguerra), Benny Southstreet (Jesse Donaldson-Jarrett), Rusty Charlie (Kieren Gregory) and Big Jule (Graham Stoney) also appear to have been awarded based on merit without any attempt to address historical injustices that occurred long before any of them were born.
“It’s a musical comedy classic,” said Producer Gayathri Kathir, adding that they were just trying to put on a fun show for everyone and didn’t think gender would be such an issue for a comedy about how the two traditional genders traditionally related in the 1950s.
Director William Rogut pointed out that several cast members who did not identify as male were nevertheless cast in roles traditionally played by men, including Harry The Horse (Georgia Togher) and General Cartwright (Maggie Hartsuyker). “They’re doing a brilliant job of it too,” he said, while adding that casting Avide Avernathie (Andrew Smallbone) was obviously anti-ageist, as if this were somehow sufficient to satisfy the modern woke agenda.
Assistant director Daniel Sirmai highlighted the integrity of the casting process saying, “This is the best cast MUSE has assembled for any production of Guys and Dolls all year!”
When it was pointed out to choreographer Sophie Highmore that the Hotbox dancers (Lisa Kanatli, Johanna Kleinert, Paris Freed, Georgia Simic, and Caitlin Whiter) are all beautiful stereotypical cis females, she responded, “Yes, and their dancing is amazing!”
Musical director Kevin Wang pointed out that the show has arguably the best score of any Broadway musical. “That’s why I wanted to do it,” he said, adding that the rich dissonant harmonies of the crap shooter songs contrasting with the consonance of the mission tunes has stood the test of time.
Assistant musical director Rachael Pearson agreed, pointing to the lack of gender dysphoria in the show’s beautiful melodies.
Costume designer Caroline Xie said that the use of traditional heteronormative 1950’s costume styling is actually a positive thing, because it avoids confusing the audience and prevents characters being misgendered. “Nobody likes being misgendered,” she added.
Ensemble members Jack Fahd, Bonnie Fitzgerald, and Alice Kotowicz dismissed the controversy by saying that the rehearsals were so much fun that the show is bound to be a hit, while the actor playing Lt. Brannigan (John Vrionis) simply said, “I never saw crap shooters spend so much time in a Mission!”
Nevertheless, critics suggested that the inclusion of only two traditional genders and the focus on heterosexual attraction in the original 1930’s story by Damon Runyon, 1950 script by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows displayed a distinct lack of cultural foresight. The fact that the show is hugely entertaining in the way it deals with universal themes of love, loss, and redemption, and its parallels to Shakespeare’s classic Romeo and Juliet is no excuse.
Socialist Alliance have criticised MUSE for employing a capitalistic monopoly by charging money for tickets and making them available though only one vendor. “We’ve got to fund the show somehow, and at only $40 for adults or $35 for students the tickets are a bargain,” said MUSE secretary India Wilson adding, “At only $28 a ticket, I’m sure the socialists would love to make a group booking. That’s way cheaper than overthrowing the government.”
Gender diversity advocates have suggested that the best way to protest Guys and Dolls’ egregious assault on modern thinking is to buy all the tickets and stack the seats with your friends having robust ego integrity, to avoid any snowflakes being triggered by the show’s patriarchal suggestion that whatever a man does, “The guy’s only doing it for some doll.”
Whether MUSE will get away with this offensive act simply by putting on a show that’s hilarious and hugely entertaining remains to be seen. Find out for yourself by going along.
MUSE at USYD presents: Guys and Dolls
12th – 15th October 2022
ARA Darling Quarter Theatre
Buy your tickets here. Let your friends know by RSVP on Facebook.
GUYS AND DOLLS
A Musical Fable of Broadway
Based on a story and characters of Damon Runyon
Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser
Book by Abe Burrows and Jo Swerling
Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia).
All performance materials supplied by Hal Leonard Australia
Note: All the quotes in this article are made up. The people cited are all real, but they never actually said them. The show is also real, and the cast really are amazing. Go see it.
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