Guys and Dolls

New York, NY

Based upon the classic short stories of Damon Runyon, Frank Loesser's "Guys and Dolls" is arguably the finest American musical ever written and composed, and my nomination for American Icon.

The story, pitting charming rascals and borderline criminals and their dolls against less-charming and far less imaginative disciplinary authorities, is quintessentially American, and the score, featuring timeless songs such as "Luck be a Lady Tonight" and "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat," are some of the finest entries in the American songbook. And there are some incomparable love songs in the score as well, such as "I'll Know" and "If I Were a Bell."

"Guys and Dolls" is constantly being revived on Broadway and beyond, and I'm surprised it hasn't had the longevity of London's "The Mouse Trap."

David