Gilbert & Sullivan's
Ruddigore
or, The Witch's Curse

May 29 & 30 and June 5 & 6, 1987 at 8pm
May 31, 1987 at 3pm

Directed by Marion Scodari
Music Directed by Barry Morley

Performed at
The F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre
Rockville, MD

Cast

Richard Dauntless - Bill Curtis
Mad Margaret - Deena Glass
Old Adam - Jim Hummel (5/29, 5/31, 6/6)
                    Ed Wiot (5/30, 6/5)
Sir Despard Murgatroyd - Mike Kostrzewa
Rose Maybud - Laura Leach
Zorah - Syril Lessans
Sir Roderic Murgatroyd - Andrew Margrave
Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd - John Perine
Dame Hannah - Shirley Santilhano
Ruth - Jenny Tapper

Orchestra

Violin - Florence Anfinsen, Bonnie Barrows, Carolyn Larson,
            Omar Manuar, Sarah O'keefe, Sharon Thomas
Viola - Harriet Gushkin, Sylvia Kniel, Amanda Laudwein
Cello - Jennifer Binkes, Robert Martin, Ruth Parr
Bass - Willie McDonald, Dave Ross
Oboe - Carl Gardner
Bassoon - Bob Rusk
Flute - Buzzy Hill, Paulene Summers
Clarinet - Aaron Ruvinsky, Gene Sober
Cornet - Andy Leech, Bernie Rappaport
French Horn - Carol Baxter, Ellen Jay
Trombone - John Hohmann, Earl Zastrow
Percussion - Tom Christy, Bonnie Hilditch

Production Staff

Producer - Ed Wiot
Set Design - Ellen Sherfey, Bill Curtis, Bob Rusk
Costume Design - Paula Funk, Mary Sue Merritt
Lighting Design - David Jubb
Choreography - Dee Carlstrom, Roger Riggle
Assistant to the Director/Stage Manager - David Jubb
Assistant to the Producer - Lou Wiot
Rehearsal Pianists - Judy Gardner, AI Neumann, Fran Hraster
Costume Construction - Paula Funk. Mary Sue Merritt,
                                    Edith Livingstone, Penny Lubarsky, Lou Wiot
Set Construction - Bob Rusk, Ellen Sherfey, Gary Pricer,
                             Mike Kostrzewa, Donna Jaffe, Lyle Jaffe
Lighting Execution - Sean Doherty, D. Hanessian, Gayan Kamal,
                                Daren Smith
Posters, Program Cover Design - Bill Curtis
Makeup Design - Bob Rusk
Hair Design - Judy Burke, Pamela Grady
Properties - Ken Schatz
Refreshments - AI Santilhano
Tickets - Caroline Hummel
Publicity, Public Relations - Helene Kram, Ruth Burdette,
                                            Marion Scodari
Program - Syril Lessans, Gary Pricer, Marion Scodari, Melanie Smith,
                Helene Kram, Stephanie Klinel
Set & Costume Storage - Mr. & Mrs. AI Rupel.
Photography - Donna Lenco

Special Acknowledgments - Rainie Broad, Michael Critzer,
                Mary Sue Merritt, Robert Giesy, Our Lady of Lourdes School,                  Rockville Music Theatre, Gene's Costumes, 
                Seneca Valley High School, Wooden Shoe Bakery,
                Wedding gown courtesy of "I Do, I Do Bridal Boutique"

Program Graphics courtesy of Dover Publications "Fanciful Victorian Initials" (Decorative letters from "PUNCH") edited by Carol Belanger Grafton and William S. Gilbert's "Bab Ballads"

Program Notes

In celebration of the centenary production of Ruddigore which premiered in London on January 22, 1887, VLOC has restored some of the music and lyrics of the original version which were frantically cut when the opera received less than favorable notices (Victorian sensibilities having been somewhat offended)! A portion of the original 'Basingstoke' finale which is included, has been scored for the orchestra by our own Andrew Margrave who plays Sir Roderic in this production.

Synopsis

Time - Early in the 19th Century
Act I - The Fishing Village of Reddering, in Cornwall
An early Baronet of Ruddigore had a witch burned at the stake, and she cursed him and all his line. dooming them to commit at least one crime a day, under penalty of dying in unspeakable agony. Dame Hannah narrates this legend to the Chorus of Professional Bridesmaids, gathered around the cottage of Rose Maybud, an attractive young damsel who has not yet found a husband. Robin Oakapple, a young farmer, is in love with Rose. but is too bashful to declare his passion. We now learn thorugh Adam, an old retainer, that Robin is really Sir Ruthven (pronounced "Riven") Murgatroyd, the true Baronet of Ruddigore, who has fled from the Curse, leaving it, with the title and estates, to his younger brother, Despard. His foster-brother. Richard Dauntless, who has just returned from the sea, also knows Robin's true identity. Learning of the deadlock in Robin's love affair, Richard volunteers to see the lady and clear up the situation. On meeting Rose, however, he too falls in love with her, and, as his guiding principle is to obey "the dictates of his heart", avows his love to her, and is accepted. But when Rose learns of Robin's love for her, she promptly transfers her affections to him, remarking that while Richard is a penniless sailor, Robin is a prosperous farmer.

Mad Margaret enters, and we learn that she had been in love with the present bad baronet, Despard. In a song, Despard reveals the depths of his infamy, but notes that he makes a point of atoning for every bad action by following it with a good one. Richard, still obeying the "dictates of his heart", reveals to him that his brother, Sir Ruthven, is alive, and is in this very village, masquerading as Robin Oakapple. Robin now enters with his promised bride and the Chorus of Bridesmaids to celebrate the nuptials. But the wedding is rudely interrupted by the revelation that Robin is really the Bad Baronet. Rose promptly offers herself to Despard, who declares that he. being no longer the Bad Baronet but a virtuous person, will be true to Mad Margaret. So Rose, not at all abashed, once more falls back on Richard, and a dance ends the first act.

Act II -The Picture Gallery in Ruddigore Castle
The second act takes place in the gloomy Picture Gallery of Ruddiore
Castle, where the portraits of his ancestors look grimly down upon a sadly changed Robin. Richard and Rose dance in with their train of Bridesmaids to ask Robin's consent to their marriage. After some trouble, they obtain it, and depart. Robin then makes an impassioned appeal to his ancestors to relieve him of the necessity of doing a daily crime. Stepping down from their frames, and led by his uncle Roderic, they accuse him of evading the terms of the Curse, and order him to do something really wicked--carry off a maiden that very day. When he refuses, they give him a sample of the "agonies" they have the power to inflict, and he is compelled to yield. The ancestors return to their frames. and Robin orders Adam to go at once and bring him a maiden---any maiden!

A reformed Despard and Margaret now appear, soberly attired, and describe themselves as District Visitors engaged in charitable activities. They have come to implore Robin to foreswear his wicked ways. He declares he will do so, when, upon their departure, Adam enters with the "maiden"' he was sent to abduct. She turns out to be none other than the mature Dame Hannah, who proves so well able to protect herself that Robin has to call upon his uncle Roderic for help. Roderic steps down from his frame, and we learn that he and Hannah were once lovers. Robin is summarily dismissed, and the reunited pair indulge in a sentimental duet. Their reuinion is interrupted by the excited entrance of Robin---he has the solution of the whole business. Pointing out that, as a refusal to fulfil the terms of the Curse amounts to suicide, and as suicide is itself a crime, is follows that the Curse is inoperative! So Roderic finds that he must still be alive, Rose at once becomes the bride of a reformed Robin. Richard appropriates the chief bridesmaid. and all ends in general rejoicing.

(Courtesy of G. Schirmer)