A classic musical returns to the stage this weekend as the drama department at Edgewood High School kicks off its performance of “Guys and Dolls,” the final production to take place in the current school building.

See the show on Friday, March 12, Saturday, March 13 and Sunday, March 14. Show times are 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets cost $5 for students and $7 for adults. It is reserved seating. All performances will take place in the auditorium.

“Guys and Dolls,” a traditional love story set in New York City in the 1940s, explores the relationships between characters from every walk of life.

Sky Masterson, a high-stakes gambler, falls in love with the heroine, Sarah Brown, a girl determined to save the world and her own soul. Meanwhile, Adelaide, a chronically ill nightclub performer, struggles in her relationship with her crap-shooting fiancée of 14 years, Nathan Detroit.

“It [has] a lot of hijinks, a lot of fun and a lot of dancing,” said Jeffrey Winfield, music teacher and director of the show, as he described why the musical has retained its popularity both on and off-Broadway.

This year’s cast of over 60 students is ideal for this particular musical, especially considering its abundance of male roles.

“We had a lot of guys this year,” Winfield said. “That’s an unusual luxury.”

This will be the 20th musical Winfield has directed at Edgewood High School.

The auditorium hosted its first production in 1968 and experienced a major facelift in 1999, when the curtains, seats and lighting systems were updated.

Winfield said that once the current theater is demolished, they will take what they can for use in the next one: “Bits and pieces will go with us. Some sets, props and lights.”

Still, for many parents and students, such as Ann Windsor and her son, Alex, who will play the role of Benny, knowing that the building will soon be gone stimulates feelings of sadness and sentimentality.

“My son said to me, ‘This is emotional for me knowing it is my last time on this stage,’” Ann said. “There is such a passion in these kids for doing this because it is the last production on the stage there.”

While there will not be any official ceremony commemorating the auditorium’s expansive history, some participants will be honoring the school in their own unique ways.

The pit band, which is made up mainly of Edgewood students, will feature the talents of a few alumni, including two who are currently teachers at the school.

“We have a lot of loyalty,” Winfield said, his voice choked with emotion. “It really does get me. When you think of all the places we have gone, looking at that stage, it’s a big deal.”

Taking place next weekend is Fallston High School’s own rendition of the classic comedy, “Little Shop of Horrors.”

Showtimes are Friday, March 19, and Saturday, March 20, at 6:30 p.m in the school’s theater.

Tickets are available in the building during the week and can also be purchased at the door.

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