Gilbert & Sullivan's
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Cast
Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd, disguised as Robin Oakapple - John Perine
Richard Dauntless, his foster brother - Joel Sorensen Sir Despard Murgatroyd, a wicked baronet - Larry Garvin Old Adam Goodheart, Robin's servant - Larry Bostian Rose Maybud, a vilIage maiden - Rose Drance Mad Margaret - Xina Lowe Dame Hannah, Rose's aunt - Shirley Friedman Zorah, a professional bridesmaid - Diana Veilleux Ruth, a professional bridesmaid - Leta Hall Sir Rupert Murgatroyd, first baronet - Himself Sir Jasper Murgatroyd, third baronet - Himself Sir Lionel Murgatroyd, sixth baronet - Himself Sir Conrad Murgatroyd, twelfth baronet - Himself Sir Desmond Murgatroyd, sixteenth baronet - Himself Sir Gilbert Murgatroyd, eighteenth baronet - Himself Sir Mervyn Murgatroyd, twentieth baronet - Himself Sir Roderic Murgatroyd, twenty-first baronet - Gordon Brigham Chorus of Officers, Ancestors, Bridesmaids, Villagers - Stephanie Brigham, Lynne Claflin, Mattie Condray, Janet de Lyon, Joy Foust, Gaye Freese, Tom Fuchs Virginia S. Garber, Jack Goldklang, Rebecca Green, Donna Jaffe, Lyle Jaffe,Bob Jacobson, David King, Robert Kinney. Jon Klein, Edith Livingstone, Walton Moody, Gail Okunski, Victor Hugo Porras, Maureen Roult, Judith Rubinstein, Eileen Scott, Kathryn Scott, Charles Sens, Sharon Stewart, John Veilleux, Martha White, Laura Whitmore, Kent Woods Orchestra
Violin - Cecilie Jones (CM), Catherine Thompson, Louise Hyde,
Allie Laban, Gail M. Henderson Viola - Otto Willim, Amanda Laudwein Cello - Liz Luck, Barbara Shellenberger Bass - Dave Ross Oboe - Mary Ann Ruehling Flute - Pauline Summers, Louise Hill Clarinet - Gene Sober, Steve Tretter, Kirt Vener (sub) French Horn - Lorin Krusberg, Don Hunter Bassoon - Bill Sniffin*, Paul Chassy** Cornet - Bernie Rappaport, Les Elkins Trombone - Earl Zastrow, Michael Steadman Percussion - Tom Christy, Bonny Hildith * 2nd weekend ** 1st weekend |
Production Staff
Producers - Pamela P. Hodges & Leta M. Hall
Lighting Designer - Jonathan Lawniczak Assistant Lighting Designer - Scott Lord Set Designer - Fred Hetzel Costume Designer - Edith Livingstone Technical Supervisor (Rockville Civic Center) - Lew Dronenburg Stage Manager - Pamela Hodges Assistant Stage Manager - Christopher Beach Technical Crew - Scott Lord. Mimi Clark, Tony Dwyer, David Kaysen, Erica McLean Rehearsal Pianists - Jenny Bland, Judy Gardner Make-Up - Malinda Lloyd, Rusty Suter Properties - Tony Dwyer Box Office - Barry Grinnell, Caroline Hummel, Isabella Sneary Program - Leta Hall, Pamela Hodges House Manager - Georgia Townsend Set Construction and Painting - Tim Briceland-Betts, Lynne Claflin, Fred Hetzel, Donna Jaffe Videotaping - Fairfax Cable Television Photography - Tom Fuchs Refreshments - Wooden Shoe Pastry Shoppe Costume Storage -Donna & Lyle Jaffe Set Storage - Gordon & Stephanie Brigham, Harry Leet, Rockville Civic Center |
Director's Note
Ruddigore is the perfect show for Halloween, not only for its complement of ghosts and spirits, but also because its initial run
was something of a nightmare for its creators.
Shortly after Ruddygore (the original spelling) premiered in 1887, an acquaintance of Gilbert angered the author by using the word "Bloodygore" interchangably with the show's title. "By that reasoning," snapped Gilbert, "my remarking that I admire ruddy complexion is the same as saying I like your bloody cheek. Well, it isn't, and I don't!" The very name of the piece was thought tasteless and unfit for decent society. (Gilbert insisted that it merely meant "red blood".) But this was the least of it.
Coming after the huge success of The Mikado, Ruddigore was considered a disappointment. In fact, when Gilbert and Sullivan took their bows on opening night, they were greeted with cries of "Bring back The Mikado!" (Gilbert angrily threatened to change the show's subtitle to "Not So Good As The Mikado".)
If Ruddigore is not as good as The Mikado (and what is?), it has many merits, including a full ration of what one of our company members refers to as "Gilbertian requirements": that is, the need the characters feel to act by compulsion. (Here, the love philtre, the exaggerated sense of duty, and the Mikado's laws of earlier operas are replaced by a witch's curse and a book of draconian etiquette.) Sullivan's score is marvelously atmospheric; the tenor's exhilarating first entrance contains sea music surpassing even that in H.M.S. Pinafore; there are two lovely duets; and the first act finale madrigal is better than its counterpart in The Mikado. Ruddigore has arguably the best female role of the whole series, Mad Margaret, and is unusual in that it is the only time the patter baritone gets the ingenue. And finally, Ruddigore contains possibly the single best scene Gilbert & Sullivan ever wrote, the "dead of the night's high noon."
And then again, who can resist a wicked baronet, an evil curse, and an entire portrait gallery of ghostly ancestors who step from their frames to torment their poor descendant? Gilbert's mordant humor runs wild here, and Sullivan's music matches him. So enjoy -- after all, it is Halloween.
was something of a nightmare for its creators.
Shortly after Ruddygore (the original spelling) premiered in 1887, an acquaintance of Gilbert angered the author by using the word "Bloodygore" interchangably with the show's title. "By that reasoning," snapped Gilbert, "my remarking that I admire ruddy complexion is the same as saying I like your bloody cheek. Well, it isn't, and I don't!" The very name of the piece was thought tasteless and unfit for decent society. (Gilbert insisted that it merely meant "red blood".) But this was the least of it.
Coming after the huge success of The Mikado, Ruddigore was considered a disappointment. In fact, when Gilbert and Sullivan took their bows on opening night, they were greeted with cries of "Bring back The Mikado!" (Gilbert angrily threatened to change the show's subtitle to "Not So Good As The Mikado".)
If Ruddigore is not as good as The Mikado (and what is?), it has many merits, including a full ration of what one of our company members refers to as "Gilbertian requirements": that is, the need the characters feel to act by compulsion. (Here, the love philtre, the exaggerated sense of duty, and the Mikado's laws of earlier operas are replaced by a witch's curse and a book of draconian etiquette.) Sullivan's score is marvelously atmospheric; the tenor's exhilarating first entrance contains sea music surpassing even that in H.M.S. Pinafore; there are two lovely duets; and the first act finale madrigal is better than its counterpart in The Mikado. Ruddigore has arguably the best female role of the whole series, Mad Margaret, and is unusual in that it is the only time the patter baritone gets the ingenue. And finally, Ruddigore contains possibly the single best scene Gilbert & Sullivan ever wrote, the "dead of the night's high noon."
And then again, who can resist a wicked baronet, an evil curse, and an entire portrait gallery of ghostly ancestors who step from their frames to torment their poor descendant? Gilbert's mordant humor runs wild here, and Sullivan's music matches him. So enjoy -- after all, it is Halloween.
