Happy Holidays from VLOC! We've taken a quick break from Robin Hood rehearsals, but we'll be right back at it in a few days.  In the meantime, we're happy to bring you our next cast interview:  find out more about Sarah Koolbeck!

Name
Sarah Koolbeck

What's your role in Robin Hood?
Chorus 

What's your favorite part of the show?
I like "The Legend of the Chimes" best.

Why is operetta important to you?
Because it is loads of fun. 

Why should people come see this 19th century show about the 12th century in the 21st century?
It will be loads of fun! They will miss out if they do not come and see.

When you're not performing in community theatre, what do you do? (job, hobby, family, etc.)
I am a recent graduate and I work at Starbucks. 
I speak Korean and have been to South Korea twice. 
My favorite place in the world is London, my second favorite is Seoul.
I love to dance. I used to do competitive Irish Step dance and am training for competitions again. I have also been known to do ballroom performances and occasionally Zumba.
I also sing constantly, to the chagrin of my many brothers.
I read entirely too many books.

Thanks, Sarah! Don't forget to snag your Robin Hood tickets while you're thinking about it.  Call the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre box office at 240-314-8690 or go online to get your tickets HERE. And Happy New Year from VLOC!

The cast interview series continues!  Today we talk with long-time VLOC-er and comic baritone extraordinaire, Gary Sullivan!

Name
Gary Sullivan

What's your role in Robin Hood?
The Sheriff of Nottingham

What's your favorite part of the show?
I enjoy the scene where the merry men get the Sheriff drunk. He thinks he's being so crafty and clever....and he's so not! I never get to play the villain, so I'm having a lot of fun.

Why is operetta important to you?
I like how operetta doesn't take itself too seriously. There is a warmth and friendliness to it, where grand opera sometimes feels (to me) a little remote and intimidating.

Why should people come see this 19th century show about the 12th century in the 21st century?
It's such an interesting mix of perspectives: an American look at an iconic English legend, at a time in US history when the Civil War was still very much in people's living memory. You can really hear the 1890's in some of the music.

When you're not performing in community theatre, what do you do? (job, hobby, family, etc.)
I am continuing a long career with Marriott Hotels at the headquarters building in Bethesda. I love crossword puzzles, old movies on TCM, and snuggling on the couch with my wife (in our newly empty nest!) to catch up on Jeopardy.

Thanks, Gary! Be sure not to miss Gary and the rest of the talented cast when Robin Hood opens on February 25th.  

Still shopping for the theater lover in your life?  Give the gift of operetta!  We have single tickets to both Robin Hood and H.M.S. Pinafore and 2-show season tickets on sale!  Purchase online HERE or call the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre box office at 240-314-8690!

... and why haven't I heard of him before?"

Excellent question! His isn't a name that usually comes up when you think of operetta.  But why not?  Robin Hood is often considered to be the first great American operetta.  But when you consider the entire light opera repertoire, he totally gets overshadowed by names like Gilbert & Sullivan, Offenbach, and Strauss.  That's kind of a shame.  So let's find out a little more about this De Koven guy, shall we?

De Koven was born in Connecticut in 1859, but he ended up spending much of his life in Europe.  He spent years studying music and composition in England, Germany, France, and Austria, and he went on to write a grand total of 20 light operas throughout his career. 

But before he was able to devote himself fully to music, he came back to the U.S. to work in business to be able to make a living.  He first worked for a brokerage firm in Chicago, and later he started a dry-goods business that did extremely well.  With that success under his belt, he went back to music and started cranking out operas, operettas, sonatas, orchestral works, and even ballets.  And he didn't just stick to composing - he also worked as a music critic for major publications and was conductor of the Washington, D.C. symphony for a couple of years.  

Robin Hood was De Koven's biggest success, and it performed all across the U.S. after it opened in Chicago in 1890. Don't miss your chance to see VLOC's production of De Koven's most popular work!  Get your tickets online HERE or call the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre box office at 240-314-8690.