Gallery: Arcadia High's 'Guys and Dolls' Ready for Opening Night

Last week was the last hurdle of “hell week” rehearsals for drama students in preparation for Tuesday's opening night of their production of the Tony Award-Winning Broadway musical Guys and Dolls.

These students--all members of Mr. Steven Volpe’s Advanced Drama and Theatre Two classes--have worked hard for six weeks, rehearsing five hours a day, five days a week, after their seven hour school day and sometimes even on weekends, to be the best gambling guys and darling dolls of New York's 1940s street scene.

“I chose Guys and Dolls because it has a classic Broadway feel, and my last show was very modern. I really want to give students the opportunity to perform different genres,” said Mr. Volpe, who teaches all the theatre classes at Arcadia High while also managing stage crew, technical director and director responsibilities.

Also multi-managing are the students, balancing their academic, and for some, even athletic schedules, along with their drama duties.

“This is my first year in the production, so this is my first time actually being on stage. I’m looking forward to all the reactions that I get from the audience," said Ryan Campbell, who plays the bully antagonist of the play, Big Julie. "It should be a lot of fun.”

Campbell, a junior, doesn’t just act: He’s also a member of the Varsity Football team. Campbell is joined in the production by another footballer turned thespian, Gabriel Rousset Jr.

Rousset plays Sky Masterson, the highest roller in New York and the emotional center of Guys and Dolls. Masterson falls in love with the Christian mission doll Sarah Brown, played by senior Angie Possemato, and the clash between their two polar opposite worlds, the high life and the holy life, and Masterson’s struggle to change for the woman he loves are what move the drama in the smash musical.

Off stage, Rousset’s sees parallels in Masterson's growth in his own life.

“The growth from day one till now has just been incredible. Growth everyday, as a personal goal... it’s really important,” said Rousset.

Some of the actors in the production aren’t just growing, they’re saying goodbye. Lead actress Angie Possemato will take the Arcadia High stage for the final time and is looking forward to performing in front of her family and friends, “I’m really excited just to show them all what we’ve all been working on,” Possemato said. “Being a senior, it’s like a last hurrah.”

Senior Angeline Nassif shared the same sentiments, “I’m just looking forward to everybody appreciating the hard work we put into it. It’s my last production here after three years in Advanced Drama. I’m really excited, but I’m really sad at the same time,” she said.

It’s not just the opening of Guys and Dolls that Nassif and the rest of the cast and crew should be excited about though.

At this year’s Fullerton Theatre Competition, Nassif captured first place Contemporary Dramatic. The stage crew received second place, and as whole, the drama team won second place in the state, having the most amount of scenes make it into final rounds compared to competing schools.

Their successful year will continue Tuesday night at the Arcadia High School Little Theatre.

Guys and Dolls runs March 29-April 2 at Arcadia High School's Little Theatre. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the door and online by clicking here.