Aiken theater audiences have waited as long for the return of Guys and Dolls as one of its main characters, Adelaide, the showgirl with a heart of gold, has waited for gambler Nathan Detroit to marry her.

"It's not been done in 14 years," Debbie DiBona, a member of the Aiken Kidney Benefit board, said about the show.

Auditions for the benefit show will be at 3 p.m. Aug. 17 and 7 p.m. Aug. 19 at the Aiken Electric Co-Op on Wagener Road in Aiken. The large cast features many male roles. Singing and dancing are required for many of the parts.

Mrs. DiBona said the selection committee chose Guys and Dolls for several reasons.

"It's a great show that just recently was back on Broadway," she said. "It's got great music."

The play will be performed Nov. 7, 8 and 9 at the University of South Carolina Aiken's Etherredge Center.

The Aiken Kidney Benefit started in 1992 as the Aiken Diabetes Benefit. When the diabetes benefit ended, the kidney benefit took over, according to Mrs. DiBona, who played Adelaide in the benefit show 14 years ago.

The kidney benefit was a natural extension of the diabetes benefit because many kidney patients also have diabetes, she said.

The Aiken Kidney Benefit raises money for patients in Aiken, Barnwell and Edgefield counties who have kidney disease and rely on dialysis treatments.

"They have to come for treatments three to four times a week or they would die," she said.

Because of the disease and treatments, many are unable to work.

The benefit raises about $30,000 a year, which goes toward nonmedical expenses such as utility bills, food and gas to get to treatments. The money is distributed by social agencies. The Aiken Kidney Benefit is a nonprofit organization.

For more information, e-mail the show's director, David Culp, at d.culp@hotmail.com or visit www.aikenkidneybenefit.com.