Ruddigore (2000)

Gilbert & Sullivan's
Ruddigore
or, The Witch's Curse

June 9, 10, 17 & 17, 2000 at 8pm
June 11 & 18, 2000 at 2pm

Directed by Catherine Huntress-Reeve
Music Directed by Jocelyn Jackson

Cast

Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd, Disguised as Robin Oakapple, a Young Farmer - Joshua Paul Redmond
Richard Dauntless, His Foster-Brother, a Man-o'-War's Man - Don Corin
Sir Despard Murgatroyd, a Wicked Baronet - Gordon Brigham
Old Adam Goodheart, Robin's Faithful Servant - Jay Tilley
Roderic Murgatroyd, the 21st Baronet - Matthew Lepold
Rose Maybud, a Village Maiden, - Ellen Kliman
Dame Hannah, Rose's Aunt - Linda Nadeau
Mad Margaret, Disappointed in Love - Shirley Santilhano Friedman
Zorah, a Professional Bridesmaid - Marilyn Macy
Ruth, a Professional Bridesmaid - Jill Vohr

Chorus of Professional Bridesmaids, Villagers, Gentlemen, and Ancestors - Edward Byrdy, Chris Colburn, Les Elkins, Gaye Freese, Lisa Freese, Virginia Garber, Jennifer Gavin, Barry Hilton,
Alexandra Huntress-Reeve, Deborah Jacobson, Ralph Johnson, Charlie Johnston, Emily McCullough, Debbie Peetz, Shawn Perry, Christine Smit, Joe Sorge, Julie Stevens, Rusty Suter,
Matthew A. Weitz, Kent Woods

Orchestra

Violin - Bonnie Barrows *, David Friedlander, Carolyn Larson,
Martin Brown, Otto Willem
Viola - Amanda Laudwein, Francine McCutchan
Cello - Liz Ryan, Joanna Taylor
Bass - Harry Hurt
Flute - Judy Bajema, Jackie Miller
Oboe - Jane Hughes
Clarinet - Carl Gardner, Laura Langbein
Bassoon - Bill Jokela
French Horn - Nancy Bell-Utley, Lorin Krusberg
Trumpet - Tom Gleason, Bernard Rappaport
Trombone - Frank Rusco, Bill Fraize
Percussion - Jim Sylvester

* Concertmistress

Production Staff

Producers - Bill Rippey & Mollie Toms
Artistic Director - Rosalie Santilhano
Stage Manager - Pamela Hodges
Assistant Director - Ira Haber
Lighting Design - Ayun Fedorcha
Set Concept - Catherine Huntress-Reeve
Scenic Artistic Designer - Jessica Sherlock
Master Carpenter - Matthew A. Weitz
Scenic Artist - Elizabeth Brooks
Costumers - Gaye Freese, Lisa Freese, Jennifer Gavin, Leta Hall,
Deborah Jacobson, Maureen Roult, Rusty Suter, Denise Young
Light Board Operator - Kerry Freese
Rehearsal Standby for Old Adam, Roderic, & Despard - A.G. Murphy
Technical Director (Rockville Civic Center) - Kim Haug
Technical Crew - Tony Dwyer, William Kolodrubetz, Sean Perry,
Bill Rippey
Rehearsal Pianists - Jenny Bland, Deborah Jacobson, Gay Hill,
Dave Larko, Gwen Stamper
Make-Up - Renee Silverstone
Tickets and Box Office - Merle Haber
Program - Leta Hall
Publicity - Bill Rippey
Set Construction/Painting - Lynn Anslow, Ed Byrdy, Tony Dwyer,
Les Elkins, Lisa Freese, Virginia Garber, Jane Gardner,
Barry Hilton, Deborah Jacobson, Dave Kaysen,
Ralph Johnson, William Kolodrubetz, Alex McDonald, Debbie Peetz, Josh Redford, Bill Rippey,
Gwen Stamper, Julie Stevens, Mollie Toms, Kent Woods
Properties - Roxanna Frey, Linda Nadeau
Photography - Joe Razza
House Management - Caroline Hummel, Gina Nowaki,
Denise Young
Costume Storage - Donna & Lyle Jaffe
Set Storage - Maureen Roult, City of Gaithersburg,
Rockville Civic Center
Printing - Quick Printing, Inc.

Synopsis

Act 1, The fishing village of Rederring, in Cornwall
The village of Rederring in Cornwall possesses a corps of professional bridesmaids, but their services are not in demand due to Rose Maybud's reluctance to marry. Her aunt, ·name Hannah, is asked to get married simply to employ the bridesmaids. She refuses and relates how a witch roasted on the village green had cursed the baronets of Ruddigore - one of whom had been Hannah's suitor - so that each baronet must commit a daily crime or perish. Robin Oakapple, a young farmer in the village, loves Rose Maybud but, despite her own feelings, she refuses to declare her love due to her excessively correct behavior. Unknown to the villagers, Robin is really Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd, the true Baronet of Ruddigore. He refuses to take his title because of the curse attached to it. The only person who knows of this, apart from Robin's servant, Old Adam, is his half-brother, Richard Dauntless, a sailor who has just returned from sea. After recounting his adventures, Richard agrees to approach Rose on Robin's behalf. However, he falls in love with Rose himself and when Robin and the bridesmaids arrive, they find the two together. But when Rose learns more of Robin's and Richard's prospects, she rejects Richard and accepts Robin. Mad Margaret is also a resident of Rederring. Her madness is caused by her love for Robin's younger brother - Sir Despard Murgatroyd - who has become Baronet of Ruddigore, believing his older brother to be dead. Sir Despard rides into the village where he is approached by Richard, who informs him of Robin's true identity. The wedding of Rose and Robin is about to begin when Sir Despard interrupts and claims Robin as his elder brother and therefore the true heir to Ruddigore and its curse. Robin, now exposed, rushes off, leaving Richard to court Rose and Sir Despard to be reunited with Margaret.

Act II: The picture gallery in Ruddigore Castle
Robin and Old Adam have taken up residence at Ruddigore Castle, but neither relishes the prospect. In despair at his plight, Robin appeals to his ancestors, whose ghostly forms step from the picture frames in the gallery. Sir Roderic, one of these, demands an account of Robin's daily crimes but is not impressed by the trivial list. The ancestors insist that he should kidnap a woman or perish, and Robin has no choice but to comply. He sends Adam to carry out the deed and then receives visitors, Despard and Margaret, who have begun a reformed life together. They advise Robin to desist from his life of crime and he decides to defy his ancestors and suffer the consequences. However, he has forgotten about Adam's mission and is mortified to find that Adam has carried off Dame Hannah. She proves to be a handful for the two of them and Robin calls to Sir Roderick for aid, only to be further chastised when his ancestor recognizes Dame Hannah as his former lover! The situation is rectified when Robin realizes that a Baronet of Ruddigore can only die by refusing to commit a daily crime and such a refusal is the same as suicide which is itself a crime - so the baronets had no need to die at all! Thus, the curse is lifted. Rose returns to Robin, Roderic claims Dame Hannah, Richard approaches Zorah, the chief bridesmaid, and so three weddings are planned - to the delight of the many bridesmaids!

Musical Numbers

Act I

Fair is Rose (Women & Zorah)
Sir Rupert Murgatroyd (Hannah & Chorus)
If somebody there chanced to be (Rose)
I know a youth (Robin & Rose)
From the briny sea (Women)
I shipped, d'ye see (Richard)
Hornpipe (Richard & Women)
My boy, you make take it from me (Robin with Richard)
The battle's roar is over (Richard & Rose)
If well his suit has sped (Women)
In sailing o'er life's ocean wide (Rose, Richard, & Robin)
Cheerily carols the lark (Margaret)
Welcome, gentry (Women & Men)
Oh, why am I moody and sad? (Sir Despard & Chorus)
You understand? (Richard & Sir Despard)
Hail the bride (Ensemble)

Act II

I once was as meek (Robin & Adam)
Happily coupled are we (Richard, Rose, & Women)
In bygone days (Rose, Women, Robin, & Richard)
Painted emblems of a race (Ancestors, Robin & Sir Roderic)
When the night wind howls (Sir Roderic & Ancestors)
He yields! (Ancestors)
I once was a very abandoned person (Despard & Margaret)
My eyes are fully open (Robin, Despard, & Margaret)
Melodrama
There grew a little flower (Hannah & Roderic)
When a man has been a naughty baronet (Ensemble)

G&S Trivia

Question: Mr. Gilbert seemed to really like some names because he used them more than once. Do you remember in which shows these characters appeared? Zorah, Ruth, Kate

Answer: Zorah is the chief bridesmaid in Ruddigore and the first name of Mrs. Partlett in Sorcerer. Ruth is both a professional bridesmaid in Ruddigore and that famous piratical maid- of~all-work in Pirates. And Kate, when not climbing over rocky mountains in Pirates, is Dame Carruthers's niece in Yeomen.

Gilbert & Sullivan'sRuddigoreor, The Witch's CurseJune 9, 10, 17 & 17, 2000 at 8pmJune 11 & 18, 2000 at 2pm