Guys and Dolls - July 9-21

Robert Cuccioli, a CLO favorite and Broadway veteran, will star as gambler Sky Masterson in this hilarious musical treat. From last year's charming CLO production of Bells Are Ringing and 2000's The Pajama Game, Mr. Cuccioli made his Broadway debut as Javert in Les Miserables and created the Broadway role of Jekyll and Hyde. He also boasts an impressive list of off-Broadway credits including And the World Goes 'Round which earned him an Outer Critics Circle Award.

Making his CLO debut as Nathan Detroit is Justin Deas probably best known as Frank "Buzz" Cooper, Sr. from CBS's "Guiding Light." Mr. Deas is a six-time Emmy award winner for his roles on daytime's "As the World Turns," "Santa Barbara" and "Guiding Light." A Connellsville native, he has been seen on Broadway in The November People and was Kenickie in the first national company of Grease.

Kate Suber from the original Broadway casts of Titanic and The Phantom of the Opera will join the cast as the saintly Sarah Brown. A graduate of CMU, her regional credits include New York's The Fantasticks, On the Town, Side By Side By Sondheim, Sunday in the Park with George and Blood Brothers.

After a triumphant performance in last season's Bells Are Ringing, Victoria Clark will return to the CLO stage as Nathan's long-suffering girlfriend, Adelaide. An actor, teacher and director, Ms. Clark's Broadway credits include Fraulein Kost in Cabaret, How to Succeed… with Matthew Broderick, and Adelaide in Guys and Dolls. Ms. Clark also created the role of Alice Beane in the Tony-Award winning musical Titanic. Her voice is also familiar from the soundtracks of many animated movies including "Beauty and the Beast" and "Aladdin."

Nicely Nicely will played by musical theater veteran Wayne Pretlow. Mr. Pretlow, who was previously nominated for a Helen Hayes Award for his portrayal of Nicely Nicely, has been seen on Broadway in A Christmas Carol, and as Exter Thomas in Civil War

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Returning to the Benedum stage for this production will be Jeff Howell (Brannigan), Daniel Krell (Benny Southstreet), Paul Palmer (Big Jule) from CLO's summer 2001 productions of Brigadoon and Bells Are Ringing Gene A. Saraceni (Arvide Abernathy) whose numerous CLO credits include last summer's South Pacific, Iva Saraceni (Cartwright) from CLO's Carousel and Scott P. Sambuco (Harry the Horse) from CLO's A Musical Christmas Carol, Bye Bye Birdie and Crazy For You.

This fun-filled production is a "sure bet" with Pittsburgh CLO Executive Producer Van Kaplan in the Director's chair. Guys and Dolls will mark Mr. Kaplan's directorial debut at Pittsburgh CLO. Prior to assuming the role of CLO Executive Producer, he spent 17 years at Casa Mañana Musicals in Fort Worth, Texas. His directorial credits include the critically acclaimed production of the Kopit and Yeston's Phantom at the North Shore Music Theater, On the Town, Sheer Madness, Ruthless, Sweeney Todd with Candy Buckley, Nunsense starring Jo Anne Worley, Guys and Dolls starring Georgia Engel and South Pacific starring Cathy Rigby. Mr. Kaplan has worked with such celebrities as Betty Buckley, Tony Bennett, Bill Cosby, Natalie Cole, Carol Channing, Jerry Seinfeld, Johnny Mathis and Debbie Reynolds. As a producer, Mr. Kaplan has also successfully produced and launched touring productions of the North American tour of Barry Manilow's Copacabana, Joseph and the Amazing Colored Dreamcoat, Phantom, Singin' in the Rain, Chess, Grand Hotel, City of Angels, Evita, Brigadoon and the first national tour of Nunsense II starring Jo Anne Worley.