We know it's cold outside, but The Gondoliers rehearsals are really warming up, and things are coming together beautifully! We're happy to bring you another cast interview, as well - please welcome David Jeffrey!

Name
David Jeffrey

What's your role in The Gondoliers?
In The Gondoliers I am enjoying playing Giorgio, a passionate gondoliere.

What made you decide to get involved with The Gondoliers?
I had just finished playing The Usher (as part of an innovative usher trio!) in Trial By Jury with the Georgetown Gilbert and Sullivan Society when I heard from some of the cast that VLOC was producing The Gondoliers. Musical theater is a relatively small world once you enter it and some singers who had previously sung with VLOC recommended the experience highly. The fact that the opera is set in beautiful Venice, which I have had the pleasure of seeing while seated in a magnificent gondola, expertly piloted by un gondoliere, and is one in which I had not previously performed, made the decision an easy one, which I am thoroughly enjoying.

What are you enjoying most about working on The Gondoliers with VLOC?
Joining any theater company brings with it a heady mix of excitement and energy combined with numerous questions such as “how will I remember all these names?” and “what is the particular style of the group?” My first impressions of VLOC were that it is most welcoming to newcomers and very well organized, which greatly facilitates absorption into the group. I am particularly enjoying being amidst performers and production staff who are so passionate and knowledgeable about Gilbert and Sullivan’s operas and who help make the work done in rehearsal so much fun and equally satisfying as the performance itself.

What is your dream role/job?
One day I would love to play the role of the Lord Chancellor in Iolanthe, with its wonderful of take on both the political and legal establishments and such lively lyrics as:
“For you dream you are crossing the Channel, and 
Tossing about in a steamer from Harwich,
Which is something between a large bathing machine and
A very small second class carriage”.

What is the first musical/opera/play you ever saw and what effect did it have on you?
The first musical I saw on stage as a child was Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music in Sydney, Australia with one of its many themes being the universal power of music, not only to entertain but also to inspire and uplift, whatever the situation. It led me to study music and theater and to share in the joy of helping to tell stories through song. 

How do you think 21st Century audiences can benefit from seeing Gilbert & Sullivan performed today?
Audiences today seem to readily identify with the many institutions and personages the subjects of Sir W.S. Gilbert’s satire in what is perhaps an even more topsy-turvy world than the one for which he and Sir Arthur Sullivan were writing. I think today's theatergoers can benefit from seeing how Gilbert’s rich and clever language helps to shape beautifully nuanced characters. And what a perfect partnership he entered into with Sullivan, whose melodies do so much to create moods ranging from high comedy to searing pathos, as well as emulating many styles found in grand opera. Their works say so much, not only about their crafts but also the challenges and rewards of collaboration, whatever the project. So perfectly do the lyrics and music mesh that, as many others have observed, G&S operas appear to flow from one pen.

When you're not performing in community theatre, what do you do? (job, hobby, family, etc.)
Apart from performing in musical and other theater I am a Docent at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC, conducting tours of the building and assisting with theater workshops for children, do voiceover work, enjoy writing poetry and short stories, sing with church choirs and do voluntary work for the United Nations where I worked for many years in international law.

Thank you, David! Opening night of The Gondoliers is coming up fast, and it will only be open for 2 weekends! Tickets are on sale HERE, and you can also purchase from the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre box office by calling 240-314-8690.

Boy, time flies - it's now just under a month until The Gondoliers opens, and opening night will be here before we know it! Do you have your tickets yet? We're pumped to bring you another cast interview this week to get you excited - welcome Anabel Milton to the cast interview series!

Name
Anabel Milton

What's your role in The Gondoliers?
Vittoria & Tessa understudy

What made you decide to get involved with The Gondoliers?
My dad and I performed in VLOC's H.M.S. Pinafore just under 10 years ago, my first and only show with the company. I met my very first voice teacher in our cast. Since then, Dad has returned to VLOC to perform in over 20 more shows. He created a beloved tradition of writing collections of parody songs following each and every production to celebrate the run and the folks involved. Every time I would come home from college to attend a show, VLOC has always been there and has served as such a steadfast, joyous beacon for my father. The community has been like family to us ever since we first encountered it, and during this new and often confusing post-graduation period, it's lovely to feel reconnected to the folks who opened my eyes to a new world of music and a fortified passion for singing from the very beginning. Gondoliers also holds a special place in my heart after I performed the role of Casilda during my senior year of high school alongside some of my dearest friends. It's been wonderful getting reacquainted with one of G&S's most exquisite scores. 

What are you enjoying most about working on The Gondoliers with VLOC?
Like I said, the atmosphere is so familiar and comfortable - it truly feels like coming home and reuniting with family in a lovely way. There is an enormous amount of talent in our cast. I find myself constantly inspired by vocal technique, virtuosity, and comedic energy; it makes me excited to continue working and growing as a performer. It's always wonderful to be surrounded by artists from whom you can learn a lot. I'm also surprised by how much I'm enjoying the dancing portion of our show! Our brilliant choreographer and assistant director Helen has really created a beautiful and fun movement aesthetic for the cast and it's been so fun to slip into the flirtatiousness of the styles. 

What is your dream role/job?
I will always love performing and definitely hope to continue my work as a singer/actress/theater artist, but I am also deeply passionate about trauma relief, crisis prevention, and promotion of mental health awareness, especially among young people. I would love to be an advocate for individuals struggling with depression and anxiety, perhaps through therapeutic arts education. 

What is the first musical/opera/play you ever saw and what effect did it have on you?
My family took a trip to NYC when I was 7 and we saw Sunday in the Park with George and Gypsy on Broadway in the same weekend. I was spellbound. I had never experienced anything like that kind of musical storytelling before and I remember feeling transported to another world and intensely curious about the ability of the performers to enchant the audience using little more than their bodies and voices. 

How do you think 21st century audiences can benefit from seeing Gilbert & Sullivan performed today?
G&S shows are a hoot! The stories remind me to embrace a kind of goofiness at which I often scoff when life gets particularly hard or stressful. In addition, I would be heartbroken to think that 21st century audiences were not being exposed to this music, because it is truly some of the most unique, intricate, and clever composition work in the classical world, and harmonizes comedy and operatic singing in a way that I believe many contemporary works struggle to. 

When you're not performing in community theatre, what do you do? (job, hobby, family, etc.)
I currently work part-time as a nanny and a third grade religious school teacher. In my spare time, I am continuing my classical voice training, auditioning for local and regional projects, and researching various graduate school programs in vocal performance, psychology, and social work. Otherwise, I can almost always be found in coffee shops, bookstores, or at the movies with my friends and family. 

Thank you, Anabel! If you don't have your tickets to see The Gondoliers yet, now is a great time to snag them! You can get them online HERE or call the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre box office at 240-314-8690. 

It's just one month until The Gondoliers opens - wow! We're so happy that this week's cast interview is with someone who has graced the stage with VLOC multiple times in the past, but never as a performer *in* one of our productions - until now. Learn all about one of our gondoliers, Ron Anzalone!

Name
Ron Anzalone

What's your role in The Gondoliers?
Chorus--a gondolier!

What made you decide to get involved with The Gondoliers?
This is my first real stage presence since college--sometimes you inch ahead, and occasionally you just have to make the leap! I had a music background, 25 years of choir singing, and a deep appreciation for witty lyrics and catchy tunes. I've also done a lot of historical reenacting, and got to know the folks at VLOC over the last decade while portraying 'March King' John Philip Sousa to help open four VLOC revivals of Sousa operettas. (Did you know he wrote successful operettas that played on Broadway and in the West End of London?) And I had sung a small role in Pirates of Penzance during the last two Gilbert and Sullivan "Sing Out" festivals. When I retired from my federal government job in historic preservation last spring, I told VLOC Music Director Joe Sorge that I finally thought I could make it to rehearsals for a full show. "Prove it,' he said. And here I am!

What are you enjoying most about working on The Gondoliers with VLOC?
I enjoy my talented fellow cast and production members. I also love being part of the creative process as rehearsals go ahead and the show starts to come together. I picked The Gondoliers in part because it was one G&S show that I didn't know. It turns out I really appreciate Sullivan's music, but also the word play and satire of Gilbert. While the story is (of course) silly and far-fetched in many ways as G&S tends to be--'topsy turvy,' the 19th century critics called their works--so are most operas! But the songs are witty and engaging. It's a treat to stand back occasionally and just watch what some excellent singer-actors can do with the material.

What is your dream role/job?
I enjoyed my many years as a professional archaeologist and historic preservationist, and I like to write song parodies and satirical verse. Not sure how good I am at it. As for dream roles, it's a toss up between the Pirate King from Pirates of Penzance, and Don Quixote from Man of La Mancha. 

What is the first musical/opera/play you ever saw and what effect did it have on you?
My mom and dad had many Broadway show recordings, and we listened a lot (and sang along) to Camelot, Fiddler on the Roof, and many others. I was in Brigadoon in high school. But the first full Broadway production I attended in NY was Man of La Mancha. Richard Kiley as Don Quixote was riveting, and although I had been a boy soprano he really made me want to sing bass-baritone parts. Eventually my voice changed!

How do you think 21st Century audiences can benefit from seeing Gilbert & Sullivan performed today?
Gilbert and Sullivan may be thought of as "old fashioned" or quaint by many, and I suppose they are. At the same time they're really fine, approachable ways to take in live musical performance in an entertaining and family friendly way. You can appreciate them on several levels, particularly as the operettas make fun of pompous characters, class distinctions, and related behavior that we can still appreciate today. There's a lot of great humor and satire, and of course some material (I am the very model of a modern Major General) has become part of modern culture even for many who know nothing else about Gilbert and Sullivan. The plays may not be Shakespeare, but let's face it, Will Shakespeare was also writing for the people and culture of of his time. 

When you're not performing in community theatre, what do you do? (job, hobby, family, etc.)
I sing in my church choir, am involved in history and preservation through two local city boards, and from time to time portray historical characters through living history programs. I also enjoy conducting research to plan travel for us, and assist my wife with her gardening projects. Our extended family is spread out across the west, and now that I'm retired my wife and I hope to have more time to visit them in Wyoming, Washington state, and California. Luckily, though, our two sons live nearby with their families, and we can spend more time with them and our toddler and older grand-kids. We'll gather everyone at the beach for a fun- and sun-filled week this summer, which sounds particularly good considering the mid-January snow on the ground.

Thanks, Ron! You can catch Ron and the rest of the Gondoliers cast on stage starting February 22nd. Come join us as we venture to far-off Venice and Barataria! Purchase tickets online HERE or call the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre box office at 240-314-8690. 

For this week's cast interview, we are excited to introduce a fantastically talented new face to VLOC: please welcome (and learn more about) Jacob Mason, who sings the role of Giuseppe in The Gondoliers!

Name
Jacob Mason

What's your role in The Gondoliers?
Giuseppe

What made you decide to get involved with The Gondoliers?
I love Gilbert and Sullivan and VLOC seemed like a great opportunity to indulge in this. I had never listened to (or seen) The Gondoliers before the casting call for this show, and am grateful for the introduction to such a fantastic work.

What are you enjoying most about working on The Gondoliers with VLOC?
I do a lot of professional music, but the opportunity both to act and to work with other volunteers is a breath of fresh air. Everyone's attitude is great, and it has been a great outlet for creative energies.

What is your dream role/job?
I suppose I would love to play Strephon (Iolanthe) some time. There are few G&S lead roles for baritones or dramatic tenors.

What is the first musical/opera/play you ever saw and what effect did it have on you?
I am not sure I can recall the first show I saw, but I do remember growing up with Joan Sutherland's "Who's Afraid of Opera". In our household opera was very normal growing up and I have never listened to much popular music.

How do you think 21st Century audiences can benefit from seeing Gilbert & Sullivan performed today?
In some ways I think that Gilbert and Sullivan represent one facet of the zenith of a musical culture which spanned a thousand years of development in western civilization. Most of the mainstream or popular "classical" composers after the pair (indeed many of their contemporaries) to some degree embraced a modernism which necessitated rejecting certain essential principles of traditional musical theory. Because of this, I think there are few musical or theatrical compositions which are more naturally delightful than these. Anyone who is able to take the genre reasonably seriously (i.e. understand it within the ethos in which it was composed) can find much to enjoy. I consider it a great blessing that we are able to appreciate these operas in the language they were originally written!

When you're not performing in community theatre, what do you do? (job, hobby, family, etc.)
I am from a large family (ten kids) and grew up in Arlington and northern Loudoun county. I manage a psychology training clinic and do some systems development for a graduate school of psychology in northern Virginia. Additionally, I sing professionally with a couple regional groups and churches. Aside from that, I spend a decent amount of time on my bike.

Thanks, Jacob! The Gondoliers opens in just over 5 weeks. Tickets are on sale, so why not secure yours now? You can purchase tickets online HERE or call the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre box office at 240-314-8690. The Gondoliers shows Feb. 22nd through March 3rd!

Happy New Year from VLOC! Both 2019 and rehearsals for The Gondoliers are now in full swing, and things are looking and sounding fantastic! Speaking of fantastic sounds, we are thrilled to bring you a cast interview with a new face at VLOC - the wonderfully talented George B. Perry. Welcome George!

Name
George B. Perry

What's your role in The Gondoliers?
Luiz

What made you decide to get involved with The Gondoliers?
I have a friend who has been involved with VLOC in the past and had great experiences so I thought I'd see what all the fuss was about.

What are you enjoying most about working on The Gondoliers with VLOC?
The cast is a blast to work with and I couldn't ask for a better production team.

What is your dream role/job?
I don't have a dream role (yet!) but I have always wanted to work more in depth with Washington National Opera.

What is the first musical/opera/play you ever saw and what effect did it have on you?
One of the first live performances I ever saw was a recital by Renee Flemming. What an inspiration! Her artistry astounded me and made me want to have control over my voice and of the audience's hearts like she had.

How do you think 21st Century audiences can benefit from seeing Gilbert & Sullivan performed today?
Gilbert & Sullivan has themes throughout their works that can resound with modern audiences.

When you're not performing in community theatre, what do you do? (job, hobby, family, etc.)
I am a massage practitioner and a dog-walker (with a dog of my own to tag along).

Thank you , George! The Gondoliers opens in just about 6 weeks. Now is a great time to snag your tickets! And if you're interested in seeing our production of Princess Ida in June, you can pick up a 2-show season ticket and save on both. Call the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre box office at 240-314-8690 for  season tickets or individual tickets, or buy individual tickets online HERE. It's VLOC's 40th anniversary season - come celebrate with us!