Gilbert & Sullivan's
The Gondoliers
or, The King of Barataria

Feb. 3, 4, 10 & 11, 1995 at 8pm
Feb. 5 & 12, 1995 at 2pm

Directed by Barry Morley
Music Directed by Michael Plant

Cast

The Duke of Plaza-Toro, Grandee of Spain - John Perine
Luiz, his attendant - Greg Robertson
Don Alhambra del Bolero, The Grand Inquisitor - Gordon Brigham
Marco Palmieri, Venetian gondolier - Bruce McClelland
Giuseppe Palmieri, Venetian gondolier - Todd Long
Antonio, Venetian gondolier - Lyle Jaffe
Francesco, Venetian gondolier - William G.S. Brown
Giorgio, Venetian gondolier - Anton Quist
Alfredo, Venetian gondolier - Tom Campbell
Rigoletto, Venetian gondolier - Ira Haber
Sparafucile, Venetian gondolier - Andrew Klein
The Duchess of Plaza-Toro - Shirley Friedman
Casilda, her daughter - Jennifer Robertson
Gianetta, contadina - Ellen Myers
Tessa, contadina - Anna Hurwitz
Fiametta, contadina - Kristina Lively
Vittoria, contadina - Julia Lukas Gorman
Giulia, contadina - Lisa Fisher
Inez, the King's foster-mother - Kimi Whipple

Chorus of Gondoliers and Contadine - Stephanie J. Anderson, Don Benson, Stephanie Brigham, Tom Campbell, Lynne Claflin, Fran Fleming, Julia Frank, Gaye Freese, Tom Fuchs, Virginia Garber, Ira Haber, Leta Hall, Laurie Issembert, Donna Jaffe,     Charlie Johnston, Andrew Klein, Gina Nowacki, Debbie Peetz, Maureen Roult, Judith Rubinstein, Mary Salander, Andrea Schewe, Deborah Sugarman, Rusty Suter, Jack Wells

Orchestra

Violin - David Friedlander*, Catherine Thompson, Norman Baker, Allie Laban, Henry Plotkin, Carolyn Larson, Martina Greif, Lynne Allen
Viola - Patrick Femiano, Amanda Laudwein
Cello - Sheryl Libman, Charles Finney, Liz Ryan
Bass - Dave Ross
Flute - Louise Hill, Pauline Summers
Oboe - Mary Ann Ruehling
Clarinet - Sue Shapiro, Gene Sober
Bassoon - Wilbert Leonard, Cortelyou Payne, Courtney Gorham
French Horn - Douglas Fox, Don Hunter, Lorin Krusberg
Trumpet - Bernard Rappaport, Harold Wendt
Trombone - Michael Steadman, Earl Zastrow
Percussion - George Huttlin

*Concertmaster

Production Staff

Producer - Diana Fortuna
Artistic Director - Rosalie Santilhano
Stage Manager - Pam Hodges
Assistant Stage Managers - Mollie Toms
Set Design - Fred Hetzel
Lighting Design, Technical Director & Assistant to the Producer -  Scott Lord
Lighting Execution - Shannon Mangialetti
Choreographer - Marjorie Perine
Costume Design & Construction - Edith Livingstone
Technical Director (Rockville Civic Center) - Lewis Dronenburg
Technical Crew - Tony Dwyer, Dave Elmore, Jenny Farley
Orchestra Managers - Bernard Rappaport, Mary Ann Ruehling, Gene Sober
Rehearsal Pianists - Jenny Bland, Mary Linkleter
Make-Up - Malinda Lloyd, Rusty Suter
Tickets - Caroline Hummel
Program - Leta Hall
Publicity - Kent Woods
Set Construction Manager - Shannon Mangialetti
Set Construction - Kevin Kisicki, Lee Sweet
Set Execution - Tony Dwyer, David Kaysen
Videotaping - Falls Church Cable Television
Photography - Joel Hoffman
Refreshments - The Wooden Shoe Pastry Shoppe
Costume Storage - Donna & Lyle Jaffe
Set Storage - Gordon & Stephanie Brigham, Harry Leet,
                        Rockville Civic Center

Special Acknowledgements
  • Illustrations from Victorian Pictorial Borders, Carole Belanger, ed; Dover Publications, Inc., NY
  • Music stands and lights courtesy of Rockville Musical Theatre and Christ Congregational Church
  • Bass drum courtesy of the Naval Surface Warfare Center
  • Tympani courtesy of the Earle B. Wood Middle School.

VLOC Appreciates...
VLOC would like to extend it sincere thanks to Harry Leet,
Dick Meyer and the staff at Christ Congregational Church,
The Wooden Shoe Pastry Shoppe, Malinda Lloyd, Alfredo Pulupa,
Judy Gardner, Caroline & Jim Hummel, Gordon Brigham, and
Lou Wiot for their efforts on our behalf.

Synopsis

Act I: The Piazzetta, Venice
Venetian girls (Contadine) sing of their love for two gondoliers, Marco and Giuseppe Palmieri, two brothers who will choose brides. They choose Gianetta and Tessa, and everyone leaves for the wedding.

The Duke and Duchess of Plaza-Toro, arrive in Venice with their daughter Casilda, and a drummer-attendant Luiz, because, unknown to her, Casilda was married as a baby to a prince who is now the King of Barataria. The Plaza-Toros have come to find the king's, which is disastrous for Casilda, who has fallen in love with Luiz. Don Alhambra, the Grand Inquisitor, arrives and reveals that, years before, he had had the young prince stolen and hidden with the Palmieris. However, the elder Palmieri cannot tell the difference between his own son and the prince and inevitably mixed them up. The only person who can tell the difference is the prince's foster-mother, Inez, who is also Luiz's mother. She had been entrusted with the care of the baby prince by the King, and has now been summoned.

The wedding has taken place and the newlyweds are celebrating when Don Alhambra interrupts the proceedings to explain that either Marco or Giuseppe is King of Barataria. This pleases the gondoliers and their wives. Until the king's identity is made known, Don Alhambra has arranged for them to rule jointly, and the gondoliers leave for Barataria with fond farewells from the women they have just married but must leave behind.

Act II: Pavilion in the Palace of Barataria, three months later
At court Marco and Giuseppe reign over Barataria. They have given the other gondoliers positions at court, which is run on the principle of universal equality. The women have not been allowed entry but they suddenly arrive and a celebration is arranged. Don Alhambra appears and announces that the rightful king (whichever he is) is married to Casilda, and this makes either Marco or Giuseppe a bigamist.

The Duke and Duchess and Casilda arrive amid much splendor. The Duke is now the Duke of Plaza-Toro, Limited; and both he and the Duchess have been busy with celebrity endorsements. The problem of which brother is king is resolved by the arrival of Inez, who tells everyone that, to ensure the prince's safety, she had switched him with her son before the traitors came, and raised him as her own. So Luiz ascends the throne as king with Casilda as his queen, while the gondoliers bid farewell and gladly return to Venice and their wives.

Musical Selections

Act I
  • List and learn (Fiametta, Francesco, Giorgio, Vittoria, Guiulia, Antonio, Contadine, Gondoliers)
  • From the sunny Spanish shore (Duke, Duchess, Casilda, Luiz)
  • In enterprise of martial kind (Duke, Duchess, Casilda, Luiz)
  • O rapture, when alone together (Casilda, Luiz)
  • There was a time (Casilda, Luiz)
  • I stole the prince (Don Alhambra, Duke, Duchess, Casilda, Luiz)
  • But, bless my heart (Casilda, Don Alhambra)
  • Try we life-long (Duke, Duchess, Casilda, Luiz, Don Alhambra)
  • Bridegroom and bride (Contadine, Gondoliers, Tessa)
  • Kind sir, you cannot have the heart (Ensemble)

Act II
  • Of happiness the very pith (Marco, Giuseppe, Men)
  • Rising early in the morning (Giuseppe with Chorus)
  • Take a pair of sparkling eyes (Marco)
  • Here we are, at the risk (Contadine, Gondoliers)
  • Dance a cachucha (Contadine, Gondoliers)
  • There lived a king (Don Alhambra, Marco, Giuseppe)
  • In a contemplative fashion (Marco, Giuseppe, Gianetta, Tessa)
  • With ducal pomp (Men, Duke, Duchess)
  • On the day when I was wedded (Duchess)
  • To help unhappy commoners (Duke, Duchess)
  • I am a courtier (Duke, Duchess, Casilda, Marco, Giuseppe)
  • Here is a case unprecedented (Marco, Giuseppe, Casilda, Gianetta, Tessa, Chorus)