Local Theater Group Continues Family Tradition with Guys and Dolls

Caption: West (r) with love interest Richie Murden of Pleasantville; West as Lead Performer at the Hot Box Nightclub

Photo Credit: Andrea Minoff

This year’s Mount Pleasant Community Theater production of “Guys and Dolls” is special because Pleasantville resident director/choreographer Rose Cremonese-Norton’s daughter-in-law Rae West has come up from Virginia to play Miss Adelaide, Nathan Detroit’s fiancé.

West is Manhattan born and Carmel, NY raised, but has lived with her husband in his hometown of Salem, VA for more than 30 years. For West to have been given this opportunity to portray her version (infused with Cremonese-Norton’s artistic vision) of ‘Adelaide’ for MPCT’s summer production, is a dream come true! A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, in New York, Rae has performed in musicals, and non-musicals in professional and community theaters in SW Virginia. Her father, Mack works with the chorus and plays the piano for the production.

West plays opposite Richie Murden of Pleasantville, who claims to have been waiting for 34 years to play Nathan Detroit. Richie dates his involvement with MPCT back to 1981. He met his wife Gabby through the group which makes the recent addition to their family -- a baby girl -- an MPCT production in a manner of speaking.

Jim Stake, appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity, reprises the role of Nicely-Nicely Johnson, which he first played almost four decades ago at Valhalla High School.

“Guys and Dolls” will be presented on July 31, August 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8 in the John Whearty Theater at Westlake High located at 825 Westlake Drive in Thornwood, NY. Friday and Saturday night performances are at 8 pm, Sunday matinee at 2 pm, Thurs. night performance at 7:30 pm. Tickets can be ordered on-line at www.mpctshows.com. For further information, please call (914) 773-9171 or (914) 769-0958 or email mpctshows@gmail.com.

The 45th performance by the Mt. Pleasant group since its founding in 1970, “Guys and Dolls” has music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. The musical, revolves around Sky, a high stakes gambler whose luck never seems to run out, and his romance with Sarah, a Sergeant of the local mission, and a colorful group of gangsters, gamblers and other characters of the New York underworld. Based on stories by Damon Runyon, the show ran 1,200 performances when originally presented on Broadway, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical.

Other cast members in the show include:

· Robyn O’Brien of Eastchester as Sarah Brown

· Frank Accosta of Elmsford as Benny Southstreet

. John Wright of Hawthorne as Rusty Charlie

. Claudia Torzilli of Hawthorne as General Cartwright

· Chuck Buchanan of White Plains as Lt. Brannigan

. Gary Simon of Cortlandt Manor as Harry the Horse

. Chris Jamison of Yorktown as Katherine Abernathy

. Mark Firestone of Cold Spring as Big Jule

About Mount Pleasant Community Theater

Mount Pleasant Community Theater was founded in the summer of 1970 by Cremonese-Norton, owner of Rose’s School of Dance in Hawthorne, NY. Support has been provided by the community, including the Mt. Pleasant Recreation Department and the Thornwood/Hawthorne Chamber of Commerce. This year, the theater group has established a “Go Fund” to defray the cost of costumes. Any and all donations are much appreciated. The link is gofund.me/mpct_costume_fund.