Character Description

Main Cast

Nathan detroit

  • Male role (tenor/baritone vocal range)
  • Nathan is at the center of the story of Guys and Dolls Jr. He is comedic and commands the stage. While Nathan sings very little, he has a large presence in the acting portion of the show with numerous lines. He is a gambler, but deep down his secret is that he does love Adelaide and want to marry her, but everything else is in the way.

Miss Adelaide

  • Female role (soprano/alto vocal range)
  • Adelaide is one of the lead female roles in Guys and Dolls Jr. What she lacks in perceived intelligence, she makes up with heart, charisma, and humor. Adelaide is often portrayed as having a convincing, thick New York accent that goes along with her exuberant personality. Adelaide should have dancing experience as well as a strong sense of vocal pitch.

sky masterson

  • Male role (low tenor/baritone vocal range)
  • Sky is the quintessential, smooth gambler. He is charming and calm. Sky is a large vocal and speaking role, so he should have the ability to command the stage with his singing, acting, and presence. Everything about Sky speaks to his confidence, including his soft spot for Sarah Brown.

Sarah brown

  • Female role (soprano vocal range)
  • Sarah starts the show as a reserved missionary, but with an adventurous side that is desperate to escape. Like Sky, Sarah is a large vocal and speaking role, so she, too, should have the ability to command the stage with her singing, acting, and presence. While she puts on a hard shell, she does have a soft spot for Sky.

Nicely-Nicely Johnson

  • Male role (tenor vocal range)
  • Nicely-Nicely is walking, talking Broadway comedy. His timing is perfect. He is a large vocal and singing part, even as more of a side character to Nathan Detroit. Like Nathan, he is a gambler but with an enormous heart. Nicely-Nicely must have comedic timing and the vocal chops to perform his showstopper at the end of the show.

Benny Southstreet and rusty charlie

  • Male or female roles (alto/tenor/baritone vocal range)
  • Benny has a speaking role and songs; Rusty Charlie has songs but is often on stage
  • Both of these characters are gambler sidekicks of Nathan and are often hanging around with Nicely-Nicely Johnson. They should be played by confident singers, as they open the show with a wonderfully harmonized song. Like most of the other gamblers in the show, these two are comedic.

Supporting cast

Arvide Abernathy

  • Non-singing role; could be played by either a male or a female
  • Arvide is Sarah Brown's grandfather/grandmother who plays the bass drum in the Mission Band. Arvide is played as a parental role, one who looks after Sarah and has her best interest at heart, while also deeply caring for the Mission.

Harry the horse

  • Ensemble role for singing/could be played by a male or female
  • Humorous character with several lines that portray that humor. Harry is a crapshooter who works closely with Big Jule.

Big Jule

  • Ensemble role for singing/could be played by a male or a female
  • Another humorous character that is billed as a menacing presence, but could be played by anyone. He is a big time gambler who is the major player coming in for Nathan Detroit's crap game.

LT. brannigan

  • Non-singing role/could be played by a male or a female
  • A police officer who is constantly outwitted by the gamblers. Brannigan is always around, yet can never seem to bust Nathan Detroit and his crap game. This is a great role for someone looking for a speaking role, rather than one that includes singing.

General cartwright

  • Singing and acting role/could be played by a male or a female
  • The leader of the Save-A-Soul Mission organization who threatens to close the Mission. This is a character that appears imposing.

Gamblers/crapshooters/guys

  • Singing/acting/dancing in various scenes/could be portrayed by both male and female actors
  • Named gamblers include: Angie the Ox (with a line of dialogue), Liver Lips Louie, Society Max, and the Lookout

Hot box girls

  • Female singers and dancers that work alongside Adelaide. Strong dancers and singers are needed for these roles to backup Adelaide during "Bushel and a Peck" and "Adelaide's Lament."
  • Named Hot Box Girl: Mimi (has speaking role)

master of ceremonies

  • Male or female role with a memorable, energetic line
  • The host of the Hot Box Club. Welcomes the audience to the performance of Adelaide and the Hot Box Farmerettes.

Dolls

  • Female roles that are not Hot Box Girls or the Mission Band members.
  • Non-speaking roles that are present in various scenes and take on the life of a variety of NYC characters.

Mission band

  • Male and female characters who sing and act in several scenes.
  • The tireless group that walks the streets of New York City asking citizens to come to the Mission and repent of their sins.
  • Named Mission Band Members: Agatha, Calvin, Martha, Bertha

Cops and street vendors

  • Male or female characters who help bring the whole city to life in an ensemble role