The Grand Duke opens next week! We are beyond excited to bring you this funny and brilliant operetta, and we're excited about our latest cast interview with Meribor Matusow!

Name
Meribor Matusow

What's your role in The Grand Duke?
Chorus- Soprano

What made you decide to get involved with The Grand Duke?
I love performing and I love Gilbert and Sullivan (even though the lyrics are tongue twisters), I just can't believe I didn't find VLOC sooner.

What are you enjoying most about working on The Grand Duke with VLOC?
I love the rehearsals because singing makes me happy but I can find that anywhere. What I can't always find are those 10 minutes in the middle of rehearsals where the cast socializes. Every rehearsal I get to talk to kind and friendly people who love the same thing I love, singing. Everyone there is super encouraging and great to talk to (They also have an affinity to Star Trek like me).

What is your dream role/job?
I want to be a professional opera singer.

What is the first musical/opera/play you ever saw and what effect did it have on you?
The first opera (and live performance) I ever saw was The Magic Flute. I learned about the opera at school and when I finally got to go see it, I was hooked. The Queen of the Night was by far my favorite character with the best music. I met her after the show. To me, she was gloriously decked out in silver, majestic and regal when in reality, a lot of the silver was plastic and she was just wearing five inch heals. Either way, she was and still is the reason I fell in love with opera.

When you're not performing in community theatre, what do you do? (job, hobby, family, etc.)
I am about to start my freshman year of college at Montgomery College where I am studying as a music major.

Thanks Meribor! The Grand Duke is only showing on August 30th and September 1st, so get your tickets! Call the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre 240-314-8690 or get your tickets online HERE. We hope to see you at the theatre! 

The Grand Duke ​opens on August 30th, and there are only 2 chances to catch this concert-version gem! Find out more about Bob Gudauskas, who sings the role of Lugwig in the show. Snag your tickets soon so you don't miss this hilarious show!

Name
Bob Gudauskas

What's your role in The Grand Duke?
Ludwig

What made you decide to get involved with The Grand Duke?
After having been introduced to VLOC and Gilbert and Sullivan in 2017, my life in the theatre has taken a sharp turn. Once I discovered that G&S operettas were basically my favorite genres mixed together, I was hooked. Working with VLOC on The Mikado and Patience happened to be all the convincing I needed to audition for The Grand Duke.

What are you enjoying most about working on The Grand Duke with VLOC?
I am absolutely ecstatic about the huge chorus, especially for a show like The Grand Duke. This piece has some of the most impressive choral work that I've heard yet out of Gilbert and Sullivan, and to see such a large and talented group fills me with excitement. I get chills at some of the amazing sounds this group has produced so far. Also ... sausage rolls.

What is your dream role/job?
Being in a professional Gilbert and Sullivan troupe for a living would be a dream come true. Granted it's a new dream, but that's okay, right?

What is the first musical/opera/play you ever saw and what effect did it have on you?
It's hard to put my finger on the very first thing I've seen, but it would be a toss up between Willy Wonka (1971) or Little Shop of Horrors. Both of these were movie versions, but they changed me from an early age and put me on the path toward singing in musical theater. 

When you're not performing in community theatre, what do you do? (job, hobby, family, etc.)
I moderate teleconferences and webinars with Intellor Group based out of Gaithersburg, MD. It gives me a chance to use my voice and acting experience, which I am extremely thankful for. Of course, I am always looking to take the next step with my acting. I do take on the occasional paid work in film here and there, but ultimately, there is nothing quite like live theatre.

Thanks, Bob! Call the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre at 240-314-8690 or go online HERE to get your tickets to see The Grand Duke. Bonus - the September 1st show includes a sing-through (sans dialogue) of The Pirates of Penzance as part of the 6th Great Gilbert & Sullivan Sing Out!

The Grand Duke is opening soon, and we are getting excited to bring you this super fun show! We're also excited about our newest cast interview with Ryan Carroll - check it out!

Name
Ryan Carroll

What's your role in The Grand Duke?
Dr. Tannhäuser, a Notary

What made you decide to get involved with The Grand Duke?
I've always had a deep appreciation for the musical talent of Gilbert and Sullivan. Sullivan's rich sense of musicality and Gilberts appreciation for absurdity resulted in so many weirdly wonderful works. The Grand Duke, though perhaps less successful during its time, does not disappoint on either front. It is the kind of ridiculousness you come to expect from them, and it's paired with incredibly exciting and charming music. I always said if a posting for the show ever came up near me, I would audition. It did, I did, and I could not be happier.

What are you enjoying most about working on The Grand Duke with VLOC?
There are not many works that challenge singers and actors like those of Gilbert and Sullivan. This production features so many talented singers and gives me the chance to work on some excitingly difficult music. 

What is your dream role/job?
I am lucky enough to say that I have found my dream job, working as a music therapist and providing group music psychotherapy for mental health consumers in the Washington, DC area. If I were to have chosen a different path in life though, I think I would probably be baking bread and pastries in a small community bakery. As for a dream role, I am still hoping to one day join a production of Andersson and Ulvaeus "Chess".

What is the first musical/opera/play you ever saw and what effect did it have on you?
I grew up watching home taped copies of The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins on repeat, the performing my own versions of them for any family member who stood still long enough. It was not until I was older that I saw my first staged show. I am not entirely sure, but my best guess is that it was most likely A Christmas Carol.

When you're not performing in community theatre, what do you do? (job, hobby, family, etc.)
I work as a music therapist and serve as the director of music training at a general adult and forensic psychiatric hospital in Washington, D.C. In addition to my clinical work, I have had the opportunity to present my research on cultural competent mental health care and the use of music to increase psychiatric insight.   In 2006, I worked with the Sister of Charity at Seton Hill University to co-found the Seton Art Service Corp, an organization designed to bring the art, theater, music, and dance to underserved youth in the Greater Pittsburgh Area. 

Thanks, Ryan! Tickets for The Grand Duke are on sale now - you only have 2 chances to see this semi-staged concert production! Call the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre box office at 240-314-8690 or go online HERE. We hope to see you at a show!

Are you getting excited about The Grand Duke and the 6th Great Gilbert & Sullivan Sing Out yet? Well, we have another Grand Duke cast interview for you to keep you pumped up! Welcome Christine Pash!

Name
Christine Pash

What's your role in The Grand Duke?
Chorus

What made you decide to get involved with The Grand Duke?
I had heard of the Victorian Lyric Company because I was involved in Rockville Musical Theatre, which shares a theatre with VLOC. A few years ago, as I was becoming more interested in classical music, I went to see VLOC's production of H.M.S. Pinafore. I absolutely loved it and decided to audition for The Grand Duke now that I am in the area more permanently.

What are you enjoying most about working on The Grand Duke with VLOC?
I love this show's music. It has some really colorful harmonies, but it is also catchy and fun to sing. I also appreciate the friendliness I've seen from other company members thus far.

What is your dream role/job?
If I could have any voice type/fach, I would love to sing romantic coloratura roles, like Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata.

When you're not per forming in community theatre, what do you do? (job, hobby, family, etc.)
In my free time, I run, swim and hang out with friends and family. My parents have two small dogs, who I adore.  The picture is from my study abroad in Milan and was taken at Teatro alla Scala, where I got to see several productions.

Thanks, Christine! Tickets are on sale for The Grand Duke now. Your only chances to see it are August 30th and September 1st, so grab your tickets now! Call the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre box office at 240-314-8690 or go online HERE. The September 1st performance will be part of the 6th Great Gilbert & Sullivan Sing Out, so you'll get a bonus post-show sing-through of The Pirates of Penzance that night! We hope to see you at the theatre!

We are happy to bring back our cast interview series for our upcoming production of The Grand Duke! Let's kick things off with Madeleine Adele Koon - welcome Madeleine!

Name
Madeleine Adele Koon

What's your role in The Grand Duke?
Soloist / Ensemble

What made you decide to get involved with The Grand Duke?
I've known about VLOC for most of my life. My mother sang the role of Princess Ida with them in 1991 while she was pregnant with me, and when I decided to move to this area after college it was one of the first companies she told me about. I knew I had to audition, just to say I did.

What are you enjoying most about working on The Grand Duke with VLOC?
I have greatly missed choral music, so it's been great to be part of a wonderful choral sound again. G&S has written some phenomenal music, and I believe The Grand Duke's chorus role is integral to the story and just a ton of fun.

What is your dream role/job?
Amalia in She Loves Me and Marian in The Music Man.

What is the first musical/opera/play you ever saw and what effect did it have on you?
I genuinely can't remember the first show I ever saw, but my parents got me involved at the age of 6 in children's opera choruses for shows they were in themselves, and it honestly felt like only a matter of time before I admitted to myself I wanted to do the same thing.

When you're not performing in community theatre, what do you do? (job, hobby, family, etc.)
I work as a professional actor, but when I'm not at my day job or in rehearsal, I love to sew. I've made my fair share of Halloween costumes from scratch!

Thanks, Madeleine! Tickets for The Grand Duke are on sale now - call the F. Scott Fitzgerald box office at 240-314-8690 or purchase online HERE. You only have 2 chances to catch this semi-staged concert version performance - Thursday, August 30th and Saturday September 1st.

The Sept. 1st performance also includes a post-show sing-through (sans dialogue) of The Pirates of Penzance as part of The 6th Great Gilbert & Sullivan Sing Out.

We are so excited to be kicking off our 40th anniversary season with the 6th Great Gilbert & Sullivan Sing Out and our semi-staged concert production of The Grand Duke as a part of it! You can catch The Grand Duke the night before the Sing Out starts (August 30th) and again during the Sing Out on September 1st. It's going to be a fantastic weekend full of fantastic music and people. Speaking of the people, behold our talented cast and directors for The Grand Duke!

Stage Direction by Debbie Grossman
Music Direction by Joseph Sorge

Rudolph, Grand Duke of Pfennig Halbpfennig - Blair Eig
Ernest Dummkopf, a Theatrical Manager - Rick DuPuy
Ludwig, his Leading Comedian - Bob Gudauskas
Dr. Tannhäuser, a Notary - Ryan Carroll
The Prince of Monte Carlo - Kenneth Derby
Herald - Michael Beder
Julia Jellicoe, an English Comedienne - Denise Young
Lisa, a Soubrette - Laura Fuentes
Baroness von Krakenfeldt, betrothed to Rudolph - Jenellen Fischer
The Princess of Monte Carlo, betrothed to Rudolph - Adia Evans

Girls - Madeleine Adele Koon, Christina Massimei, Chezelle McDade, Frances Mitchem-Diago

Chorus - Alexandra Burris, Bob Dennis, Peggy Dennis, Alice Drew, Noah Friedlander, Claire Gelillo, Goode, Tom Goode, Rand Huntzinger, Lyle Jaffe, Madeleine Adele Koon, Erik Kreil, Michael Keith, Arthur LaRue, Carlton Maryott, Jane Maryott, Marianna Martindale, Christina Massimei, Amanda Messinger, Joshua Milton, Jade Neal, Katelyn Neumann*, Susan O'Toole, Christine Pash, Dave Robinson, Bill Rogers, Maureen Roult, Rusty Suter, Ed Vilade, Michael Wolyniec

*Baroness & Lisa cover
​
The Grand Duke will only be performed twice, so don't miss your chance to see this wonderfully entertaining show! You can catch it on Thursday, August 30th at 8pm and again on Saturday, September 1st at 7pm. And as a bonus, your ticket also gets you a bonus post-show performance of The Pirates of Penzance (sans dialogue) as part of the Sing Out! Get more information and tickets HERE! You can also call the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre box office at 240-314-8690.

It's almost here - Patience opens this Friday! In today's interview, find out more about our talented show choreographer, Jackie Rogers!

Name
Jackie Rogers

What's your role in Patience?
Choreographer

What made you decide to get involved with Patience?
Usually when I am involved in shows it's as a performer, but since I love dancing I wanted to try my hand at choreographing a full-scale production. I have seen many VLOC shows and I have always been impressed with the quality of their performances. Patience interested me particularly because of the music and the important role of aestheticism, which provided inspiration for many of the dances and stage pictures. 

What is your dream role/job?
To be a Rockette (but I'm too short)

What is the first musical/opera/play you ever saw and what effect did it have on you?
I don't remember the first piece of live theatre I saw, but growing up I watched a lot of classic MGM musicals. Movies like Singing in the Rain inspired me to start tap dancing when I was three and my involvement in theatre has just kept growing since then. 

When you're not performing in community theatre, what do you do? (job, hobby, family, etc.)
Well, when I'm not at rehearsals for Patience I am at rehearsals for Rockville Musical Theatre's production of Anything Goes. However, while I love theatre, my professional interest is archaeology. I will be starting my Master's Degree in Bioarchaeology this fall at George Mason University. 

Thank you, Jackie! Don't miss all of the fantastic dancing and movement in this witty production (and don't forget the music!). Tickets are selling quickly, so get yours today! Call the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre box office at 240-314-8690 or purchase online HERE. All opening night (June 8th) tickets are just $14! 

We hope to see you at one of the shows!

We are getting excited that Patience is opening so soon! And we have another cast interview in hopes of getting you excited, too - please welcome Dave Robinson!

Name
Dave Robinson

What's your role in Patience?
Ensemble

What made you decide to get involved with Patience?
I've done other shows with VLOC and they are a fun and capable group. Shows keep me entertained and force me to memorize much.

What are you enjoying most about working on Patience with VLOC?
G&S is always clever and interesting music. Fun people and a challenging process.

What is your dream role/job?
Herr Scholtz in Cabaret and the Padre in Man of LaMancha

What is the first musical/opera/play you ever saw and what effect did it have on you?
That is far to way back.

When you're not performing in community theatre, what do you do? (job, hobby, family, etc.)
Swimming, cycling, skiing, travel, ballroom dancing and family.

Thank you, Dave! Tickets are going quickly for Patience, so grab yours today - call the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre box office at 240-314-8690 or purchase online HERE.

We are excited to kick off our cast interview series for Patience with a name familiar to pretty much everyone at VLOC - costumer, producer, soprano, and jack-of-all-trades extraordinaire, Denise Young!

Name
Denise Young

What's your role in Patience?
The Lady Jane

What made you decide to get involved with Patience?
I feel a certain affinity with Jane as I, too, am "stouter than I used to be" and have silvering raven hair. This is one of only two Gilbert & Sullivan shows that I've not appeared in on stage, and this seemed a perfect time to add this one to the list.

What are you enjoying most about working on Patience with VLOC?
The piece itself is delightfully wacky. Fraudulent aesthetes, sincere aesthetes and the most poetic and articulate of the bunch is the dairymaid. I think Jane falls into the somewhat fraudulent category. She's taken on the role of aesthetic maiden but she's a realist.

What is your dream role/job?
My dream role is still Lucia di Lammermoor, though I'm far too old to actually sing her on stage.

What is the first musical/opera/play you ever saw and what effect did it have on you?
I guess it started with the TV broadcast of Rogers & Hammerstein's Cinderella. I've been in love with musical theater since then and became active in high school. Then developed a love of opera when I saw the first Met broadcast of La Bohème.

When you're not performing in community theatre, what do you do? (job, hobby, family, etc.)
Banker by day and opera singer by night.

Thank you, Denise! Tickets are on sale for Patience now and are going quickly, so scoop yours up today, and don't miss Denise and the rest of this wonderful cast bringing this G&S favorite to life! Call the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre box office at 240-314-8690 or get your tickets online HERE. Patience runs June 8 - 17, so we hope to see you then!

Patience is, of course, known as a Gilbert & Sullivan opera. But did you also know that there's a movie version of Patience?

Indeed there is! In fact, there are two! Opera Australia made a movie version of Patience in 1995 with Christine Douglas in the title role. Although it got excellent reviews, it does not appear to be easily available for viewing.

The second movie was made in the UK in 1982 and was based on a production done by the English National Opera (formerly Sadler's Wells Opera). This version is available on DVD through Amazon. 

Have you seen a movie version of Patience? We'd love to know about it!

Tickets for VLOC's production of Patience are available now through the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre box office (240-314-8690) and online HERE. We hope to see you at one of the shows!