Gilbert & Sullivan's
H.M.S. Pinafore
or, The Lass Who Loved a Sailor
June 11, 12, 18, 19, 2010 at 8pm
June 13 & 20, 2010 at 2pm
The International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival USA 2010

Directed by Guillaume C. Tourniaire
Music Directed by Joseph Sorge

Cast

The Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Porter, K.C.B. - Gary Sullivan
Captain Corcoran, commanding the Pinafore - John Perine
Ralph Rackstraw, able seaman - Jacy D'Aiutolo
Dick Deadeye, able seaman - Blair Eig
Bill Bobstay, Boatswain's Mate - Tom Goode
Bob Becket, Carpenter's Mate - Alex Dennis
Josephine, the Captain's daughter - Jesica Abel
Cousin Hebe - Patricia Portillo
Little Buttercup, a Portsmouth bumboat woman - Melissa Kornacki

Sir Joseph’s Sisters and his Cousins and his Aunts - Molly Brigham, Peggy Dennis, Annie Gribbin, Tuyet Gunter, Tara Hockensmith, Laura Hubbard, Jane Maryott, Jaime McGaughey, Anabel Milton, Tina Munoz-Pandya, Madeleine Smith, Elizabeth Spilsbury, Guenevere Spilsbury, Julie Stevens

British Tars - Alex Desjardins, Noah Friedlander, Jonathan Guzman, Rand Huntzinger, David Jackson, Ralph Johnson, Carlton Maryott, Philip McLeod, Joshua Milton, Ed Vilade

Orchestra

Violin 1 - Steve Natrella (CM), Bonnie Barrows, Irv Berner, Carolyn Larson
Violin 2 -Martin Brown, Peter Mignerey, Andrew Schneider, Grace Brigham
Viola - Amanda Laudwein, Victor Ontiveros
Cello - Michael Stein, Laurie Brown, Sheryl Friedlander
Bass - Pete Gallanis, Kimberly Johnson
Flute - Jackie Miller, Louise Hill
Oboe - Gwen Earle
Clarinet - Laura Langbein, Laura Bornhoeft, James Bensinger
Bassoon - John Hoven, Steve Rennings
Horn - Joe Cross, Alex Rogers
Trumpet - Curt Anstine, Tom Gleason, David Helms
Trombone - Steve Ward, Frank Eliot, Al Potter
Percussion - George Huttlin

Crew

Producer - Felicity Ann Brown
Assistant Music Director - Jenny Craley Bland
Stage Manager - Ben Walsh
Choreographers - Jonathan Guzman, Carlton Maryott, Jane Maryott, Philip McLeod, Tina Munoz Pandya, Madeleine Smith, Guenevere Spilsbury, Guillaume Tourniaire
Set Design - Felicity Ann Brown
Scenic Artist - Rebecca Meushaw
Costume Designer - Linda Swann
Lighting Designer - Jonathan Zucker
Make–Up & Hair Designer - Renee Silverstone
Make-Up Assistants - Margie Perine, Alice Drew
Audition Pianist -Jenny Craley Bland
Rehearsal Pianist -Jenny Craley Bland
Master Carpenter - James Douglass
Carpenters & Painters - Felicity Brown, Tony Dwyer, Ed Vilade, Alice Drew
Props - Jane & Carlton Maryott
Photography - Harvey Levine
Program - Denise Young, Laura Hubbard
Surtitles - Douglas Maryott
Graphic Design - Denise Young
Publicity - Ed Vilade
House Management - Merle Haber
Set Storage - Rockville Civic Center

Director's Note

Welcome to our production of H.M.S. Pinafore, aboard the paddle steamer Victoria. We would like to share with you a couple pieces of history that led us to this concept:

“H.M.S. Pinafore had no…difficulties in establishing itself on [this] side of the Atlantic. In the absence of international copyright agreements, the opera was first performed in the United States by a ‘pirate’ company in Boston on 25 November 1878. Within a few months, Pinafore mania was sweeping the
States, and more than fifty unauthorized companies were playing the piece across the country. In New York alone, the opera was at one stage being performed simultaneously in eight separate theatres within five blocks of each other. There were all-negro and all-Catholic productions and performances on canal boats and Mississippi paddle steamers.”

This last mention sparked our idea for the locale. As an American company often performing the works of Gilbert & Sullivan, we decided to take on the guise of one of these “pirate” companies during Gilbert & Sullivan’s first American tour, in 1880.

“The first authorized performance of H.M.S. Pinafore in the United States opened at the Fifth Avenue Theater, New York, on 1 December 1879. Unbeknown to the audience, among the sailors disporting themselves on deck as the curtain went up was the librettist himself, complete with false beard, making a rare appearance in one of this own works.”

That last bit, as well as the fact that Gilbert & Sullivan were traveling the United States, led to one other conceit, which we hope you will indulge for its whimsy.

Lastly: “When Gilbert and Sullivan went to the United States in the winter of 1879 to present the authorized version of H.M.S. Pinafore, one impresario suggested that they should Americanize the opera, changing its name to U.S.S. Pinafore, hoisting the Stars and Stripes instead of the White Ensign, and anchoring the ship off Jersey Beach. Gilbert, who was appalled by the idea, humored the man (and himself) by suggesting a new version of the boatswain’s song. Needless to say, that version was never performed.”

That is, until now.

[Quotations from: Sullivan, Arthur, W S. Gilbert, and Ian C. Bradley. The Complete Annotated Gilbert and Sullivan. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. Print.]

Synopsis

Act I
Sailors work on the deck of the H.M.S. Pinafore off the coast of Portsmouth. Little Buttercup enters with her wares. Ralph enters and reveals that he loves Josephine, the Captain's daughter. Captain Corcoran enters, and the sailors cheer him. After the sailors leave, he confides in Buttercup that Sir Joseph wishes to marry Josephine, but she does not love him. Josephine enters, bemoaning her fate, and confesses to her father that she loves a common sailor. Sir Joseph arrives with his female relatives. He warns Corcoran not to patronize his men; all seamen are equal, and the fact that some are captains and some are sailors is a mere accident of birth. He gives Ralph and the other sailors a song to remind them of this fact. Emboldened by Sir Joseph's words, Ralph expresses his love to Josephine; but, knowing that she must marry Sir Joseph, she rejects him. He is about to kill himself out of grief, but Josephine reveals that she loves him after all. They plan to elope, although Dick warns them that such a plan will go awry.

Act II
At night, the Captain sings to himself as Buttercup watches him; he thinks to himself that he might love her, if not for the difference in their rank. She prophesies that changes will come for him. Sir Joseph expresses his disappointment in Josephine's behavior; Corcoran suggests that she is merely intimidated by Sir Joseph's rank. Josephine enters, anticipating her elopement with Ralph. Sir Joseph reassures her that a difference in rank is no impediment to a marriage, and she notes "how eloquently he has plead his rival's cause." Dick reveals Ralph and Josephine's plan to the Captain and they watch as the couple makes ready to leave. Corcoran confronts Ralph and becomes so angry that he swears. This distresses Sir Joseph, who sends Corcoran to his cabin. Ralph and Josephine reveal their love to Sir Joseph, who orders Ralph thrown in the dungeon. Ralph says farewell to Josephine. However, Buttercup steps forward to reveal that Captain Corcoran and Ralph were accidentally switched at birth, and so the Captain is merely a common sailor. Sir Joseph rejects Josephine on account of her low rank, and she and Ralph are free to marry. The Captain promises to marry Buttercup, and Sir Joseph promises to marry Hebe.

Musical Selections

Act I
  • We sail the ocean blue (Sailors)
  • I’m called Little Buttercup (Buttercup)
  • But tell me, who’s the youth (Buttercup & Boatswain)
  • The nightingale (Ralph & Sailors)
  • A maiden fair to see (Ralph & Sailors)
  • My gallant crew (Captain Corcoran & Sailors)
  • Sir, you are sad! (Buttercup & Captain Corcoran)
  • Sorry her lot (Josephine)
  • Over the bright blue sea (Sir Joseph’s female relatives)
  • Sir Joseph’s barge is seen (Sailors & Sir Joseph’s female relatives)
  • Now give three cheers (Captain Corcoran, Sir Joseph, Hebe, Chorus)
  • When I was a lad (Sir Joseph & Chorus)
  • For I hold that on the seas (Sir Joseph, Hebe, Chorus)
  • A British tar (Ralph, Boatswain, Carpenter’s Mate, Sailors)



  • Refrain, audacious tar (Josephine & Ralph)
  • Can I survive this overbearing (Ensemble)

Act II
  • Fair moon, to thee I sing (Captain Corcoran)
  • Things are seldom what they seem (Buttercup & Captain Corcoran)
  • The hours creep on apace (Josephine)
  • Never mind the why and wherefore (Josephine, Captain Corcoran, Sir Joseph)
  • Kind Captain, I’ve important information (Captain & Dick Deadeye)
  • Carefully on tiptoe stealing (Soli & Chorus)
  • Farewell, my own! (Octet and Chorus)
  • A many years ago (Buttercup & Chorus)
  • Oh joy, oh rapture unforeseen (Ensemble)