With a building made of uneven bricks in competition with another made of rounded stone, there is texture everywhere that commands the attention of viewers. An old Coca Cola bottle and an ancient rotary pay phone add atmosphere. The set is simple, but impressive, with large elements in the foregeround and background set to frame the events to come.

The technical components are only the first of many impressive elements in the Booth Street Players' (the theater group at Reno High) production of the musical comedy "Guys and Dolls." Throughout the play the viewer is struck with marvelous touches: A line delivered perfectly, a gesture straight from ganster-era New York.

And then there's the music. A few of the group songs are slightly muddy and a few notes seem just a little strange, but - overall - the music is strikingly clear and occasionally haunting.

Of particular merit is Tiffany Greene (Adelaide) who's bitter over her long 14 year engagement. Greene combines cuteness in giggle and action with a brassy New York accent and a surprisingly powerful voice and delivers a first-rate performance. Her rendition of "Sue Me" with Patrick Russell (Nathan Detroit) is both aggressive and dependent. Nick Ball, playing the love-sick gambler Sky Masterson, has the other outstanding voice in this production. Ball sings with depth and sensitivity. As Nicely Nicely Johnson, Manuel Mederos enlivens the play with his servile and ironic manner.

In the scenes in which guys and dolls conspiratorially discuss the opposite sex, the performances are masterful. Every manly cuff on the shoulder and every titter of commiserating laughter puts the battle of the sexes in stark relief.

With a cast that resists overacting, the comic lines in "Guys and Dolls" are delivered with rare form. The prolonged pauses for laughter seen so often in other venues is not present. A gangster (John Frugoli) tells a policeman that in Chicago his profession "was scoutmaster" with just the right touch of contempt; then the play moves on. Actors know their lines are funny, sometimes uproarious, yet feel no need to hit viewers over the head.

Since each group seems impervious to the other, the show's conflicts between sinners and reformers comes off as especially hilarious. The choreography by Tova Ramos is terrific. The dance sequences and staging are both thoughtfully handled.

This is not a Broadway production. There were a few problems on opening night. Some missteps resulted in a few pieces of scenery crashing down, a few voices seemed somewhat shaky, the mission scene is too barren and sometimes the lighting made the depths of night seem like broad daylight. The orchestra was competent but seemed uninspired, especially in the slower more subtle songs. While the scenes themselves moved along at a lively clip, the pauses between left much to be desired.

None of this damages the overall impressiveness of the production. The Booth Street Players have created a real musical with many of the dynamics of a professional show. The company should be proud and "Guys and Dolls" should be seen.

Jeff Davidson is a senior at Reno High School. Jeff is an honors student and plans to attend Stanford University as an English major.