Meet the Cast of Guys & Dolls: Nathan Detroit
Wavestage veteran Joe Adams will be hitting the stage as Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls this weekend at the Newmarket Theatre! We had a chance to talk to Joe about his thoughts on the exciting upcoming production! Read on to learn more:
What was the most difficult part of preparing for this role? Joe: "I've been working on posturing and trying to perfect the look of Nathan Detroit and that has allowed the rest of the character to develop. Trying to match the dialogue and songs and make it all seem natural has been the goal. Learning the dialogue and songs can sometimes seem like an uphill battle when you get to see how many of them there are, but once I really get to understand the script and discover the natural flow of the scene, everything just falls into place, and you understand why things are written the way they are. Sometimes the hardest part is making what you have practiced on your own time work when all the other actors are present. All the different energies can create a very exciting vibe, which can take a bit of extra effort to concentrate. However, once everything does fall into place, it seems magical.”
What is your favourite musical number? Joe: “I would have to say my favourite number is "Luck Be A Lady." I love how the lyrics are very indicative of the time Guys and Dolls is set in and parallels drawn in the song. Also, musically, the song is incredible with a big build-up to a powerful finish, and in my own biased opinion, I am a big fan of the men I get to sing the song with and our own power that we bring to the song.”
Do you relate to Nathan at all? If so, how? Joe: “I feel in some ways I do relate to Nathan Detroit, like trying to keep my illegal gambling activities two steps ahead of the police and looking so darned good in a double-breasted suit... But in all seriousness, I do feel that Nathan is a very thoughtful person who will not make a rash decision without first weighing the pros and cons, which is something that I am known to be like as well.”
What previous theatre experiences led you to this production? I first got involved in theatre at 16 and was happy to be in the ensemble of shows like Kismet and Man of La Mancha. I got my first starring role in Li'l Abner where I played Abner, which was an almost intoxicating experience and made me crave even more roles. Since then I have tackled shows like The Fantasticks (El Galla), Into the Woods (the Baker), You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Charlie Brown), You'll Get Used to It - The War Show (Dusty), Parade (Leo Frank) and Annie (Daddy Warbucks).