# Play script of Guys and Dolls? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 21, 2012, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525 "2012-02-21T14:14:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SecondJudith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@SecondJudith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecondJudith)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525/1 "2012-02-21T14:14:59Z")
Does anyone have an idea about how I might be able to get my hands on the play script of _Guys and Dolls_? It’s for academic reasons, not for a performance, but the only place I can find that seems to have it is [MTI](http://mtishows.com/), which licenses scripts for performance and will I presume be quite expensive. I’m in London (UK), if that matters. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525/2 "2012-02-21T14:36:57Z")
I don’t know if this might help, but here is the movie script: [Guys And Dolls Script - transcript from the screenplay and/or Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra movie based on the musical play](http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/g/guys-and-dolls-script-transcript.html) ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525/3 "2012-02-21T14:51:10Z")
Whenever I need a script, [The Drama Book Shop](http://www.dramabookshop.com/search/apachesolr_search/guys%20and%20dolls) in NYC is the place to go. There’s three pages of results in that link; you may consider phoning them for your particular request. Oops, just noticed that you’re in the UK. Maybe email them and ask if they can help you locate a copy where you are. ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525/4 "2012-02-21T15:13:16Z")
MTI, on the site you linked to, states that it makes up to three titles available as “perusal” copies. Most places that license the rights for plays and musicals have a similar policy so that people can read a copy of the show before deciding whether or not they want to license it for actual performance. ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525/5 "2012-02-21T15:47:29Z")
> [@postcards](#): > > Oops, just noticed that you’re in the UK. Maybe email them and ask if they can help you locate a copy where you are. I think the UK equivalent is [the Internet Theatre Bookshop](http://stageplays.com). The OP should be aware that for musicals, the script and the sheet music are usually distributed separately. [Amazon UK has several versions.](http://amzn.to/Ae7rOR) ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525/6 "2012-02-21T15:50:01Z")
IDK, and am in the US, but FWIW the first thing I’d try is asking at my local public library for assistance, they have access to all sorts of materials via interlibrary loan etc. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525/7 "2012-02-21T15:51:43Z")
Samuel French has a London store. They would have a copy if anybody would. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525/8 "2012-02-21T17:03:07Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Samuel French has a London store. They would have a copy if anybody would. But Music Theatre International licenses the show, not French. Which is probably why **SecondJudith** can only find it there. But she might try contacting the link in **anson2995** ’s post, which seems to be the UK equivalent to the Drama Book Shop in NY. ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525/9 "2012-02-22T00:24:33Z")
Theatre critic Eric Bentley put out a multivolume work called **The Modern Theatre**. Volume 4 includes Guys and Dolls. If your local library doesn’t have it or can’t get it, I noticed used copies on Amazon are going quite cheaply, though I suspect shipping will be a large percentage of the price you pay. ---
**Author:** ![SecondJudith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@SecondJudith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecondJudith)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525/10 "2012-02-22T09:43:21Z")
Oh brilliant, thank you **Julius Henry**! I’ve ordered a copy from Amazon, where happily there was one on Amazon UK for just 1p plus £2.80 shipping - I can’t imagine the condition is very good but the text is what matters. If it turns out to be actively unreadable I’ll get in touch with the bookshop **anson2995** mentions. Indeed, it’s been a bit frustrating as the vocal score is extremely easy to find, but I haven’t been able to get my hands on the text anywhere! ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525/11 "2012-02-22T17:42:53Z")
I’ll be recieving a copy of the movie tomorrow, love that show. What are you studying with the script? ---
**Author:** ![SecondJudith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@SecondJudith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecondJudith)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525/12 "2012-02-24T09:49:31Z")
Just looking at stage adaptations of relatively contemporaneous literature in the 1940s and 50s, especially ones with a lot of slang or vernacular - the Damon Runyan stories are easy enough to get hold of, and I particularly like that the Penguin edition has a photo of Marlon Brando as Sky Masterson looking smug on the cover. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525/13 "2012-02-24T13:39:38Z")
> [@SecondJudith](#): > > …especially ones with a lot of slang or vernacular… Guys and Dolls is interesting as the characters do not use any contractions in their speech, a fact I find annoying as hell when I watch the movie. Great soundtrack, though. ---
**Author:** ![SecondJudith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@SecondJudith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecondJudith)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525/14 "2012-02-26T12:56:43Z")
Just to say this came in the post yesterday and does indeed have the play script as promised (the copy I ordered didn’t have any information on the contents, so I was going on faith). Thank you again for the suggestion! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525/15 "2012-02-26T17:25:54Z")
Moving to Cafe Society. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-script-of-guys-and-dolls/613525/16 "2012-02-26T23:17:37Z")
“What’s playing at the Roxy?”