Mrs. Chef scored some tickets to see the current touring show of Guys and Dolls next week, but they’re on a night when she’s working late. Normally under those circumstances, I’d take my 8-year-old daughter, the Youngest Theater Hag In The World – but in the past when Lil’ Miss Sous-Chef and I have gone to see a musical together, I’ve always known the show beforehand, and I’m not too familiar with G&D.
Those of you who’ve seen it, would you say it’s appropriate to take a girl of eight to see this show? She’s pretty advanced… musical theater she’s seen and enjoyed include such shows as Wicked and the movie versions of Little Shop of Horrors, Hairspray, and Rent (Edited to add: She hasn’t seen the whole movie of Rent, but she’s heard the whole soundtrack many times and has seen parts of the movie.)
Nathan Detroit* and Adelaide have been “engaged” 14 years, but a physical relationship is merely a safe assumption, not waved under the audience’s nose. There is, of course, gambling, and that’s the worst wickedness with which Save-A-Soul seems to be concerned. Sarah gets drunk on one occasion, there’s no drug use. That’s all, nothing racier. Entirely family-friendly.
Whom I once played in a community theater production.
Wikipedia has an excellent, detailed plot summary, if you’re curious.
Some of the guys may be degenerate gamblers, and some of the dolls may be somewhat less than virtuous, but these qualities can only be guessed at. You might want to be prepared for questions, though–after my first viewing of Guys and Dolls (and I must have been eight or nine myself), I well remember peppering my Dad with questions concerning how to play craps, what “the morning line” was, and what “five to nine” meant.
But overall, there’s a good story, lots of hummable songs, and fun dance numbers, all in what I’d say is a family-friendly show. Take your daughter and have a great time!
Aside to Brain Glutton: I’m another community theatre G&D veteran–Benny Southstreet here.
It might be a little long for some 8-year-olds, but there’s nothing in the content of the show that’s inappropriate for a kid that age.
I think I first saw the movie when I was around 8. Seen the show several times since, was in a production once in college. I love that show. I still sing the songs. Take her - she’ll love it.
There are some burlesque show numbers, but they’re really tame. It’s a great musical, and even if she lacks context for some things I’m sure she’ll have a fun time anyway. The music and the overall show is really pretty upbeat.
ETA: The first time I saw Guys and Dolls was in high school when I worked backstage. I didn’t play a part, but helped with set construction and got to watch rehearsals. The cast was really amazing for a high school production.
How young is too young to go see “Guys and Dolls”?
Seventy-one.
The gambling, cons, seductions … meh. But I found the implied & expressed attitudes to marriage and gender roles appalling.
Great songs, great characters, but I would not want my grand-daughter to see it until she was writing her thesis on “The Changes in Women in American Theater”.
I say fine, because it’s your daughter, not your son.
I saw it at about the same age, and my fourth grade teacher sent me to the principal because afterward I was addressing all the girls in class as “doll.”
Oh, my son’s coming too. He’s 17, so I didn’t figure I needed to worry about his tender innocence. And BELIEVE me, there’s zero chance of him calling his female classmates “doll”… he’d have to work up the nerve to talk to one of them first.
I’m sure most of that stuff will go over her head, but whenever I let her see a show that’s above her pay grade (I’m looking at YOU, Rent!), I always make time to discuss with her anything she found confusing or anxiety-inducing.
Really. G&D was based on newspaper columns from a hundred years ago. It is not offensive, even to your great-grandmother. Unless she didn’t like gambling. I don’t know because I didn’t know mine. Or yours.
G&D is totally safe. If she’s got the attention span to sit through it, it’s one of the most harmless and kid-friendly shows out there. As noted above, some of the gender roles are a little antique, but a moment of conversation with her afterward should clear that up. Few Broadway shows are appropriate than this.
