Fresh off the back of their record-breaking production of the Calamity Jane, raising over £12,300 for their namesake theatre, the Joseph Rowntree Theatre Company have left the Wild West and turned their sights East - to the glitz, glamour and gambling underbelly of 1950s New York City in their upcoming summer production of Guys and Dolls.

For eight years, the Joseph Rowntree Theatre Company has committed to bringing showstopping large-scale musicals to their local community every February - to the delight of their onstage players, backstage volunteers, and local audiences alike. These annual fundraising productions have long been complemented by creative summer concert offerings from the company - including 2025’s 90 Years in 90 Minutes, which revisited beloved tunes to transport audiences through the Theatre’s history - until now.

A new twist on the Oldest Established

Acting as the company’s first foray into a full-scale summer production, Guys and Dolls is set to be the Company’s most ambitious - and rewarding - project to date, guiding audiences through a tale of luck, risk and the transformative power of love this summer. 

Following the interconnected love stories of two New York gamblers - charming, high-rolling Sky Masterson, and endearing, struggling hustler Nathan Detroit - and their partners as they are brought together in an impossible bet, Guys and Dolls guides audiences to Follow the Fold through the seedy sewers of gambling rings, to the glitz of showgirl stardom, all the way to the heat of Havana, all the while posing the age-old question: what are you willing to gamble for love?

Taking on the role of Sky Masterson, is new JRTC member Callum Mathers - a seasoned actor across the Hull theatre scene, last seen on the Joseph Rowntree Theatre stage as Jonathan Harker in Stage Hammer’s Dracula. Joining him as the principled Sarah Brown is Rebecca Jackson, who recently appeared as Maria in NETheatre’s production of The Sound of Music. The duo are matched by Kit Stroud (Willy Wonka, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, NETheatre) as fast-talking Nathan Detroit, and Jennifer Jones (Belle, Beauty and the Beast, JRTC) as starlet and long-suffering fiancée, Adelaide.

Luck be a Lady

At the helm of the show is an all-female creative trio. Creative Director for the Joseph Rowntree Theatre Kathryn Lay takes the reins as Director; she is joined by seasoned Choreographer Lorna Newby. Returning to the company is founding Musical Director Jess Viner, following several months as Musical Director for the professional tour of Singing in the Rain in China.

Bringing together a wealth of production experience across the Joseph Rowntree Theatre Company and beyond, the powerhouse team of ‘Dolls’ have injected their own modern, creative vision into their take on the Broadway classic: incorporating their large, lively ensemble into a multitude of scenes and numbers to bring the hustle and bustle of New York City (and Havana!) to life, and creating space for their numerous female players to showcase their talents within a traditionally male-heavy production. Ensemble members dance between Havana gowns to sharp gambler suits, the ranks of the Hot Box Girls burst with talent, while gamblers Big Jule and Angie the Ox are fully gender-swapped into female Crapshooters.

“I love directing for the Joseph Rowntree Theatre Company because we have such a strong focus on our ensemble,” says Director Kathryn, “we’re lucky to have such a large cohort of committed players and they are ultimately at the heart of each of our productions.

“We’ve worked with each of them to bring the buzz of the world that surrounds these key stories to life, and I’ve loved creating opportunities to showcase everyone’s incredible talents.

“Each actor on stage has a role to play and a background character to convey - keep an eye on how their hidden stories unfold!”

About the Joseph Rowntree Theatre Company

As the ninth full-scale musical performed by the Joseph Rowntree Theatre Company since 2017, Guys and Dolls  joins a legacy of beloved productions from the group, including Kiss Me, Kate, Hello, Dolly!, Beauty and the Beast and February's Calamity Jane.

Based in-house at the Theatre, all profits from the Company’s productions fund the maintenance and development of the long-running community stage: allowing local performers, volunteers and audience members alike to come together and enjoy classic and contemporary theatre in a space of their own.

Since 2017, the diverse group of volunteer performers have raised over £60,000 for the theatre, with plans for future productions in 2027 already underway.

Book now!

Guys and Dolls runs from 8 - 11 July 2026, with a matinee performance on the Saturday. Tickets are £18 (£12 for U18s) and are available from the Joseph Rowntree Theatre box office online or on 01904 501935.

A £2 discount per ticket is also available for purchases of 5 or more tickets in a single transaction.

Aged 17-25? Sign up the Joseph Rowntree Theatre’s free membership programme to be able to buy two tickets for only £20 (or one ticket at £10).

Miss Adelaide (Jennifer Jones) and the ‘Hot Box Girls.’ From Left to Right: Sadie Sørensen, Maia Stroud, Lucy Freer, Jennifer Jones, Abigail Atkinson, Liz Campbell, Catherine Halton 

(Image credit: Georgia Davies)

Left to Right: Jess Viner (Musical Director) and Kathryn Lay (Director) lead a rehearsal with the cast of ‘Guys and Dolls’
(Image credit: Georgia Davies)

Sarah Brown (Rebecca Jackson) and the Save-A-Soul Mission Band. From Left to Right: Paul Blenkiron, James Etienne Herrenschmidt, Rebecca Jackson, Meg Badrick, Charlotte Wetherell  

(Image credit: Georgia Davies)

The cast of ‘Guys and Dolls’ perform group number, ‘The Oldest Established’

(Image credit: Georgia Davies)

From Left to Right: Kit Stroud (Nathan Detroit), Jennifer Jones (Miss Adelaide), Callum Mathers (Sky Masterson), Rebecca Jackson (Sarah Brown)

(Image credit: Georgia Davies)