‘Guys and Dolls’ rolls the bones at Aladdin

By Marilyn LaRocque

Monday, May 13, 2002 | 8:24 a.m.

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Nathan Detroit finds a Las Vegas home for "The Oldest Established Permanent Floating Crap Game" when multitalented Maurice Hines and the national touring company of "Guys and Dolls" roll into the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts on Tuesday for a six-day run.

With a book by Abe Burrows and score by Frank Loesser, "Guys and Dolls" was the fifth longest-running Broadway musical of the 1950s. The plot revolves around a bet that Detroit (Hines), organizer of the crap game, makes with fellow gambler Sky Masterson, a ladies' man.

The bet? That Sky can't make the next girl he sees fall in love with him.

It becomes a real challenge when the "next girl" is Salvation Army missionary Sarah Brown. Real-life newlyweds Brian and Diane Sutherland portray the pair of unlikely lovers. Alexandra Foucard, fresh from her starring role as Fantine in the Broadway production of "Les Miserables," is Miss Adelaide, Nathan's fiancee of 14 years.

The show is filled with hit songs, among them, "I've Never Been in Love Before" and "Luck Be a Lady."

During its original Broadway run, "Guys and Dolls" won five Tonys in 1951 for Best Musical, Best Director (George S. Kaufman), Best Choreographer (Michael Kidd), Best Actor (Robert Alda) and Best Featured Actress (Isabel Bagley). When the show was revived in 1992 it earned four more Tonys, including Best Revival.

Hines first starred as Detroit when "Guys and Dolls" opened at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., on December 29, 1999. The national touring company, with much of the cast from Washington, hit the road in August 2001. The tour finishes in June.

Hines began dancing at age 5. "I was very shy," he recalled, "and my younger brother, Gregory, was very gregarious. My parents thought tap lessons would get me out of my shell. We had a chance for some free lessons and signed up.

"Every dancer has some ability that sets them apart," Hines continued. "The teacher asked me what I could do. I said I could do a turn. She thought I meant a little kid's turn. But I stood on one foot and did a perfect pirouette. I didn't even know what the word meant."

Two years later the boys' talent was obvious. So their mother, Alma, started looking for a new teacher.

"Henry LeTang was very famous in New York," Hines said. "Everybody who wanted a professional career went to him. He's the best."

Maurice and Gregory began opening for Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald and Carol Channing. Hines described working with them, and knowing Lena Horne "as person, the ultimate in perfection," as the highlights of his life.

When the boys went on the road, their father, Maurice Sr., who has become a Las Vegas resident in recent years, joined them, playing drums and bantering with the boys. Their act became "Hines, Hines and Dad."

Maurice Hines' credits on Broadway, as an adult, include "Sophisticated Ladies," "Eubie!" and "Uptown ... It's Hot!," for which he received a Tony nomination.

Hines directed, choreographed and starred in the national tour of "Harlem Suite" and starred as Jelly Roll Morton in the national tour of "Jelly's Last Jam." He made his film debut in "The Cotton Club" and has directed music videos for Quincy Jones.

Hines also directed "The Radio City Spectacular" (the first black director for the venerable music hall), which also played in Las Vegas.

Hines' portrayal of Detroit has changed over time.

"At first, I played him for laughs," Hines remarked. "But as I became familiar with the character, I saw more layers. He knows a lot of ladies. He's a gambler. So now I play him with a little edge. After all, he's not a Sunday school teacher."

When Hines returns to New York, he has five projects waiting for him. His hip-hop version of "Alice in Wonderland," titled "Yo Alice," has already had a workshop production through Radio City Music Hall.

In June he's into "Hott Seatt," an all-Latin version of "The Red Shoes." He's also directing the life story of Fitzgerald, and in July he begins work on an independent movie. Also on tap is performing and directing a TV series with Phylicia Rashad.

There's also the possibility of staging "'Guys and Dolls" on Broadway, but Hines doesn't like the high ticket prices.

"They've made theater elitist," he asserted. "Theater is for everyone. On the road, ticket prices are lower, and you see all cultures in the audience."

However, Hines is working on the problem.

"I have to be in New York anyway," he said. "So, if I can get them to agree to having a block of cheap seats, I'll do 'Guys and Dolls' on Broadway."