Gilbert & Sullivan's
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Cast
Major General Stanley - John Perine
The Pirate King - Fred Houghteling Samuel - Craig Channel (June 12,14,20), Bob Ashby (June 13, 19, 21) Frederic - Nathaniel Wilson Sergeant of Police - Omar Pancoast Mabel -Shirley Markham Edith - Terry Wyland Kate - Pamela Leighton-Bilik Isabel - Laurie Hubbard Ruth - Rosalie Santilhano Pirates and Policemen - Bob Ashby, Dave Bock, Ed Blau, Craig Channel, Ray DuJack, Tom Fuchs, Greg Grenier, David Harris, David Holley, Jim Hummel, Richard Lorr, Michael Scarduzio, Jeff Schuler, Wanda Spence General Stanley's Wards - Gail Bock, Susan Donelly, Jane Donovan, Elizabeth DuPont, Helen DuPont, Sandra Gilbert, Austin Jones, Frankie Lewis, Karen Lewis, Edith Livingstone, Pamela Owen, Shirley Santilhano |
Production Staff
Producers - Susan Frampton, Lyle Jaffe
Technical Director - Dennis Jelalian Rehearsal Accompanists - Frances Hraster, Oksana Protenic, Beth King Stage Manager - Mike Lewis Set Design - Keith Keller Set Construction - Keith Keller, Lyle Jaffee, Tom Fuchs, Richard Lorr, Dave Bock, Ed Eggleston, Austin Jones , Dennis Jelalian, Ed Blau, Roberta Smit , Connie Lew Lighting Design - Dennis Jelalian Lighting Crew - Gil Thompson, Don Johnston, Dennis Jelalian, Jim Dement, Cynthia Simon Properties - Mary Sue Merrit (Manager), Sandra Gilbert, Aileen Lindberg Costume Design - Laura M. Hubbard Costume Construction - Sandra Gilbert, Edith Livingstone, Denise Wood, Gail Bock, Marion Scodari, Mary Sue Merrit Makeup - Carol Arkwright (Manager), Lois Richmond, Steve Welsh, John Riley Publicity - Greg Grenier, Ruth Burdette, Laurie Hubbard, Susan Frampton, Marion Scodari, Steve Behrens, Bob Ashby Publicity Photographs - Elsa Nessler Program - Bob Ashby, Marion Scodari, Laurie Hubbard Tickets - Jim Hummel, Caroline Hummel House - Caroline Hummel (Manager), Caroline DuPont Call Boy - Kevin Lewis Acknowledgements - Hortensia Fonseca (Maryland Youth Ballet); Joy Nelson (Fantasy Costumes); Joseph Hubbard (for maintaining our mailing list); Roberta Smit (for providing costume and set storage and construction space) ; Kalmus Music Company (for orchestra parts); Sandy Spring Friends Sc hool (for providing the billy clubs); Takoma Park Junior High School (for rehearsal space); Don Johnston, Dorothy Gallo and the music and drama departments of Paint Branch High School; Interlocking Curriculum School; Wooden Shoe Bakery; Bethesda Theatre Supply; Dunkin Donuts (Wheaton). |
Program Note
The current Joseph Papp production, in which Linda Ronstadt receives top billing, has made Pirates a major hit on the New York stage this season. It isn't the first time. The Pirates of Penzance opened in New York on New Year's Eve, 1879, the only Gilbert and Sullivan production to have its first performance in the United States. It was not only the popularity of H.M.S. Pinafore in this country that led to the staging of Pirates here. Gilbert and Sullivan were extremely concerned about another kind of pirates--the sort who mount unauthorized productions of popular shows. In 1879, there were eight pirated productions of Pinafore in New York alone, with another six in Philadelphia and four in Washington . The looser copyright laws of those days made it very easy for anyone in the United States to copy a production or score performed or printed in England. A U.S. performance was needed to prevent this result, and, amidst great secrecy and security , Gilbert and Sullivan completed and rehearsed the new opera . Despite an attempt to bribe a violinist to pirate part of the score, security was maintained. Other problems continued bedevil the production, however. Sullivan, who had gotten off on the wrong foot by leaving many of his notes for the score in London, was in poor health as the opening approached. The orchestra threatened to go on strike. The first dress rehearsal was a disaster. Sullivan was up until 5:00 a.m. before opening night to finish the overture, and felt quite ill all day. Nevertheless, the show opened to critical and popular acclaim, and was so successful that Gilbert opened productions in six additional cities. The success has lasted 102 years.
