This spring semester, the Anselmian Abbey Players will present two opportunities for students and community members to get involved in the arts. This weekend, February 7th to the 8th is the 24-hour play festival. All students are encouraged to participate in or attend these performances which are written, directed, and produced entirely by students within 24 hours. The musical Guys & Dolls, directed by Professor Jesse Saywell, will be running on the weekends of March 28th and April 4th. 

Professor Saywell said of the spring musical that he is “so excited to have such a large cast of talented Anselmians and to get to work with so many new faces.” This previous fall, the Abbey Players put on the play 12 Angry Jurors which required fewer people onstage than a traditional musical like Guys & Dolls does. Saywell said that even though he is excited about the musical, “working with such a large cast always presents its own challenges – including the number of costumes!” 

For a director, casting a show is an intense process. Auditions require a panel to meet many new faces and remember each actor’s song well enough to gauge who would fit best in each role for the success of the production. The casting process for Guys & Dolls was certainly not an easy task, says Director Saywell. 

According to Saywell, during the initial process at the end of the fall semester, “We had over fifty people audition, and we saw so much incredible talent! I honestly would have loved to have cast everyone, but we simply don’t have the room in the Dana Center for a cast of that size, and as I mentioned earlier – costuming a show this big is a major challenge!”

One thing about Guys & Dolls that audiences don’t get to see traditionally in college performances is double casting. This is “exciting and challenging,” says Saywell, “several of the lead roles are double cast, giving more opportunities to showcase our talent while also meaning that each performance will be distinct and unique.”

Double casting multiple roles for the musical allows Saywell to allow more talented actors to shine onstage, as well as an extended length of time that the show will run. In recent years, the spring musical has only run for a single weekend. This year, Guys & Dolls will be performed for an additional weekend, allowing students and visitors to return to see the show done differently than before. 

Professor Saywell is finishing his second year at Saint Anselm as the director of the Abbey Players. Even though Saywell says “In many ways the approach is the same: I want to tell a compelling story,” he is aware of the differences in putting on a play versus a musical. 

“A musical requires a village in a way that plays often don’t,” Saywell says, “What I mean by that is that the director, music director, and choreographer all have to have a cohesive blend of their styles of storytelling, and it’s my job as the director to ensure that the story is communicated clearly to the audience.” Directing a show, and especially a musical, is no small challenge, which is why it means so much to the Abbey Players to have such a talented directing team that will help guide their rehearsals leading up to the show. 

Additionally, for those who want to see student-directed shows on campus, the 24-Hour Play Festival is a great opportunity to see student work. Saywell says “The 24-Hour Play Festival is awesome – it’s such a cool opportunity for the students to create amazing theatre in a short period of time. The thing that I love most about the event is that it requires collaboration on all fronts,  and it’s the sort of event that really brings people together.”

Those who remember “Saywell Sings” from the fall, where Director Saywell performed a selection of songs to fundraise for the Abbey Players, may be happy to hear that this performance may return again in the future. 

“I don’t expect that Saywell Sings will be happening again quite so soon,” commented Saywell, “but I’m open to doing it again in the fall if I think it can help the Abbey Players.”

Jesse Saywell says “We’re always looking for people to help with productions behind the scenes. And of course, attending the shows is the easiest way of supporting the Abbey Players.” Visiting  tickets.anselm.edu is the easiest way to purchase tickets to Guys & Dolls. 

“The Abbey Players are determined to be a group that welcomes everyone,” says Saywell, “If you’re interested in the theatre in any capacity, there’s a place for you, and we’re continuing to strive to provide more and more opportunities to showcase everyone’s talents and passions.”