Guys and Dolls takes place at a time and in a place that may not be familiar to many people in 21st century Ann Arbor.

The musical is based on some of the short stories of Damon Runyon, a prominent New York City sportswriter and reporter in the first half of the 20th century. Runyon based them loosely on a variety of colorful characters he met while wandering the streets of New York—and especially Broadway, then and now the main theater district of the city. He captured (and exaggerated) their strange nicknames, their unique use of the English language, and their strong addiction to gambling in its many forms.

Here's a guide to some of the more colorful expressions in the fabulous script.