Gilbert & Sullivan's
Trial by Jury
and
Burnand & Sullivan's
Cox & Box
Jan. 21, 22, 28 & 29 at 8pm
Jan. 23 & 30 at 3pm

Directed by Peter Kline
Music Directed by James Perdue

Cast

Trial by Jury
The Learned Judge - Jon Riley
Usher - Charles Sheridan
The Defendant (Edwin) - Michaele Sparacino
Counsel for the Plaintiff - Gene Galvin
Foreman of the Jury - Fred Houghteling
The Associate Counsel - Max Ben Aria Maynard
The Plaintiff (Angelina) - Emily Gruss
The First Bridesmaid - Mary Vincent
The Other Woman - Susan Hirtz

Bridesmaids - Laurie Hubbard, Syril Lessans, Mary Ruth Reis,
                       Mary Riendeu
Jurymen - David Ehrhart, Greg Grenier, John Hagedorn, John Harrison,
                   Neal Plotkin, Andy Sheets, Brian Vance, Stephen Welsh
Spectators - Ruth Burdette, Laura Cline, Liz DuPont, Frances Fleming,
                    Teresa Martese, Pamela Owen, Shirley Santilhano

Cox & Box
Cox - Jon Riley
Box - Michaele Sparacino
Bouncer - Gene Galvin

Production Staff

Artistic Director - Marion Scodari
Producers - Susan Frampton, Susan Hirtz
Technical Director - Don Johnston
Stage Manager -  Gil Thompson
Assistant Stage Manager - Mike Lewis
Orchestra Coordinator - Helen DuPont
Orchestra Managers - Tom Fuchs, Lyle Jaffe
Rehearsal Pianists - Beth King, David Ritchie
Set Design - Ted Bennett
Set Construction - Ted Bennett, Tom Fuchs, John Hagedorn, Lyle Jaffe,
                            Vern Dabolins
Costume Design -  Laurie Hubbard, Mary Sue Merritt
Costume Construction - Caroline Burk, Mary Sue Merritt,
                                      Marion Scodari, Roberta Smit
Program - Steve Behrens, Marion Scodari
Publicity - Ruth Burdette, Judy Boynton, Gen Fourier, The Hagedorns,
                Susan Hirtz, Marion Scodari
Props - Roberta Smit, members & friends
Lighting Design - Don Johnston
Lighting Crew - Don Johnston, Gil Thompson, Jim Dement,
                          Paint Branch crew
Makeup -  Steve Welsh, Syril Lessans
Coiffures - Steve Welsh, Brian Vance
Tickets - Caroline Hummel, Jim Hummel
House - Susan Frampton

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Synopses

Trial by Jury by William S. Gilbert and Sir. Arthur Sullivan was first performed in 1875 at the Royalty Theatre, London. Approximately 45 minutes in length, it is the only G. & S. opera which has no spoken dialogue. The scene is set in a court room where Edwin, the defendent, has been summoned on a breach of promise of marriage to Angelina, the Plaintiff. In the court room, the spectators and the jury are almost immediately subjected to a long homily by the Usher. Once he has taken his seat, the colorful Judge is quick to inform all present what a very splendid person he is and how well suited to be a Judge. After the Jury is sworn in, Angelina, in full dress, together with her bridesmaids and her counsel, presents her sad case to the very biased Jury. Edwin in turn conducts his own defence, admitting that he is quite willing to "marry one lady today and the other tomorrow." A dilemma ensues, which the Judge finally solves in typical Gilbertian fashion.

Note: In this 1983 production, VLOC presented the opening night version of Trial by including the third verse of Edwin's song in its original form.

Cox & Box by Sir Francis Burnand and Sir Arthur Sullivan (based on a work by J. Maddison Morton) was first performed in 1866 in Manchester -- its London Theatre premiere not taking place until 1869.

The cast of three is made up of Mr. Cox, a hatter by profession, Mr. Box, a printer and Sergeant Bouncer, a retired soldier. The scene is set in a sitting room in Bouncer's boarding house. Bouncer, anxious to make as much money as possible, rents the room by day to Box (who works all night) and by night to Cox (who works all day). Neither tenant is aware of the other's existence until one day Cox is suddenly granted a day's holiday by his employer and returns home to find Box. After several burlesque-type scenes, during which Bouncer, in an attempt to cover his embarrassment take refuge in singing about his military past, Cox and Box find that they have both considered marriage with a particular lady from Margate. This in turn leads to a fierce quarrel, during which Bouncer is asked to produce pistols so that a duel can be fought. The final outcome will not be disclosed here lest we spoil the effect of the comic outcome of this delightful farce.