Gilbert & Sullivan's
Trial By Jury &
The Sorcerer
June 8, 9, 15 & 16, 2012 at 8pm
June 10 & 17, 2012 at 2pm
Trial By Jury - Capital Fringe Festival 2012

Directed by Ali & Pete Oliver-Krueger
Music Directed by Joseph Sorge

Cast

Trial by Jury
The Learned Judge - Blair Eig
The Plaintiff (Angelina) - Courtney Kalbacker
The Defendant (Edwin) - David Merrill
Counsel for the Plaintiff - Denise Young
Usher - Bennett Umhau
Foreman of the Jury - Rand Huntzinger
Solicitor for the Defendant - Gary Sullivan

The Sorcerer
Sir Marmaduke Poindextre, an Elderly Baronet - Tom Mirenda
Alexis, his Son - David Merrill
Dr. Daly, Vicar of Ploverleigh - Tom Goode
John Wellington Wells, of J.W. Wells & Co., Family Sorcerers - Gary Sullivan
Lady Sangazure, a Lady of Ancient Lineage - Carla Rountree
Aline, her Daughter--betrothed to Alexis - Kellie McHugh
Mrs. Partlet, the Vicar's Housekeeper - Syril Kline
Constance, her daughter - Emma Jensen
Notary, a lawyer - David Bradley
Hercules, a typical teenager - Zachary Korn

Ensemble - Peggy Dennis, Julia Frank, Noah Friedlander, Lena Goldweber, Tuyet Gunter, Ralph Johnson, Carlton Maryott, Jane Maryott, Stevie Miller, Josh Milton, Sherry Mitchell, Barbara Semiatin, Julie Stevens, Maria Wilson

Orchestra

Violin 1 - Steve Natrella (CM), Bonnie Barrows, Irv Berner, Carolyn Larson
Violin 2 - Peter Mignerey, Cathy Thompson, Marion Richter, Virak Pich
Viola - Amanda Laudwein, Andrew Nixon
Cello - Michael Stein, Sheryl Friedlander, Tom Zebovitz
Bass - Pete Gallanis
Flute - Jackie Miller, Louise Hill
Oboe - Gwen Earle
Clarinet - Laura Langbein, Laura Bornhoeft, James Bensinger
Bassoon -  John Hoven, Paul Chassy
Horn - Lora Katz, Adam Watson, Kathy Bartolomeo
Trumpet - Tom Gleason, Curt Anstine
Trombone - Steve Ward, Frank Eliot, Al Potter
Percussion - George Huttlin

Production Staff

Producer -  Denise Young
Assistant Music Director - Jenny Craley Bland
Stage Manager - T. Tamura Gardner
Set Designer - Rebecca Meyerson
Costume Designer - Denise Young
Lighting Designer - Dawson Smith
Makeup/Hair Design - Renee Silverstone
Master Carpenter - Rebecca Meyerson
Senior Carpenter - William Kolodrubetz
Set Construction - Peter Finkel, Tony Dwyer, Les Elkins, Ernst Harmse, Dave Kaysen, Mike Lewis, Ali Oliver-Krueger, Pete Oliver-Krueger,
Scenic Artist - Rebecca Meushaw
Set Painting - Rand Huntzinger, Ralph Johnson, Carl Maryott, Jane Maryott, Doug Maryott
Audition Pianist - Jenny Craley Bland
Rehearsal Pianists - Jenny Craley Bland, Addie Edelson, Debbie Grossman
Props - Carlton & Jane Maryott
Photography - Harvey Levine
Program - Denise Young
Surtitles - Douglas Maryott
Cover & Poster Art - Erika White Abrams
Publicity - Ed Vilade
House Management - Cassandra Stevens
Set Storage - Rockville Civic Center

Special Thanks to Bethesda Presbyterian Church, British Players, City
of Rockville, HST, Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, HST Cultural Arts,
Julie Stevens, Rockville Little Theater, Rockville Musical Theater, West-
lake Corner Bakery Cafe

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Trial by Jury was presented as a part of the 2012 Capital Fringe Festival, a program of the Washington, DC non-profit Capital Fringe.

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Directors' Note

When we first paged through Trial by Jury and The Sorcerer, we were struck by themes in both shows: the unrealistic expectations we sometimes have for our partners in love; the cynicism that can erupt when romance fails; the fear that we’re not going to measure up in our lover’s eyes, or that this time is going to be like the last time we loved and lost. These are themes we see everywhere today, in pop psychology, books, movies, and increasingly in social media as we process our private hurts and anguish in public arenas. With that in mind, we’ve moved the action to our present time, and have taken our inspiration from pop culture and current events:

Trial By Jury “He’s Just Not That Into You”
From the Victorian era to today, people remain fascinated with courtroom spectacle. We have countless courtroom reality shows, prime-time law dramas, and an endless cycle of news coverage for celebrity trials. Angelina, a famous movie star, sues Edwin, her ex, for standing her up at the altar. The Plaintiff drives herself crazy trying to understand why the Defendant would do this to her? The truth of the matter is that … he’s just not that into her.

The Sorcerer “She’s Out of My League”
We love The Sorcerer, but admit it’s not a fan favorite. And, the main reason is, well, traditionally, Alexis is a bit of a jerk. But what if we look at him in a different way? What if Alexis is not arrogant and bossy, but instead self-consciously all too aware of his own weaknesses? What if everything he does is motivated by a deep conviction that sweet, rich, beautiful Aline is way out of his league? Sure, she loves him now, but what happens when the romance wears off and she realizes that she’s a solid 10 and he’s a 6.5? What would Alexis be willing to do to hang on to the love of his life?

Victorian audiences, with their rigid sense of class structure, easily saw humor in the inappropriate couples created by the philtre. Lifting the show out of the Victorian era gave us an opportunity to examine where our social divides are today. What are the “right” matches? What are the “wrong ones”? We leave it to you to decide, and hope you enjoy our contemporary take on these classics.

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Gallery

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Synopses

Trial By Jury
As the curtain rises we see the interior of a court of justice on the historic occasion of Britain’s first televised trial. Members of the national and international press have flocked to the event. The Plaintiff, the famous movie star Angelina, is suing her playboy ex-fiancé Edwin, after he publicly and disgracefully left her at the altar. Angelina has vowed to get justice in court, and has hired a high-priced Counsel to plead her case. The Judge in this case is known for his orations and his quirky but effective style in the courtroom, so the audience is sure to get a great show. The Usher, tasked with maintaining the decorum of the court during this media blitz, advises everyone on proper courtroom etiquette. The Defendant is foolishly confident about his ability to handle this case on his own. His father has insisted that Edwin at least hire a Solicitor to advise him. The poor Solicitor already has his hands full, as the Defendant is late for court. Upon entering, the Defendant is immediately made aware that public opinion is against him. He sets to wooing the Jury, explaining he once adored the lady, but then she started to neglect him, until at last he became "another's love-sick boy."

The Judge enters the courtroom and tells the story of how he came to the Bar, to the delight and amusement of the Gallery. He then settles in to try this present breach of promise of marriage, but there is still no Plaintiff! Angelina and her bridesmaids enter in a flurry of media attention, as she courts their sympathies. Angelina’s Counsel proceeds to open the case. With bitter reproaches she assails the traitor whose heartless wile victimized her client. Angelina plays on the sympathies of the court to great affect, weeping and fainting most attractively.

Edwin now proceeds to state his case: he is merely following the laws of Nature, and can only offer to marry the lady today and then marry his new love to-mor-row. The judge suggests that this may be a fair proposition, but Counsel objects, on the grounds that "to marry two at once is burglaree." Angelina desperately flings herself at her former lover, and calls upon the jury to witness his callous depraved indifference to her. Edwin, ignoring his beleaguered Solicitor, retorts that she wouldn’t want him anyway because he is a drunk and a bully. The Judge suggests that, as the man declares that when tipsy he would thrash her and kick her, the best plan would be for them to make him tipsy and see if that argument has merit. Objection is raised to this on every side, until, exasperated, the Judge delivers an unexpected verdict: as nothing will satisfy the parties involved, he will marry the lady
himself. Much rejoicing closes this rare courtroom battle in which everyone wins.

The Sorcerer
ACT I: Noon – 5:00 p.m. The Follies in Ploverleigh Village Park.
The pleasant village of Ploverleigh is all astir. Society girl Aline Sangazure, Britain’s sweetheart and the pride of Ploverleigh, is marrying hometown boy Alexis Poindextre right here in the village. There hasn’t been a society wedding like this since last year’s wedding of Kate Middleton to Prince William; tourists, bloggers and the media are descending en masse to take in the festivities. The church Ladies’ Guild and the local vendors are determined to make the most of the occasion with a grand street party in honor of their hometown lovebirds. Constance Partlet, the church secretary, is hopelessly in love with the Vicar, Dr. Daly. Despite her best efforts to get his attention, Dr. Daly is clueless about her love, and sees her as the housekeeper’s little girl. Her mother, Mrs. Partlet, tries to snare the man for her daughter, but Dr. Daly remains clueless, convinced that he’s too much of an old fogy and time has passed him by.

Sir Marmaduke Poindexter arrives with his son Alexis, the bridegroom-to-be. Marmaduke and Daly exchange elaborate greetings. Alexis gamely tries his hand at courtly speech, but is clearly awkward and uncomfortable about it. He is fully aware of his great good fortune in wedding Aline…deep down, he suspects that she’s a little out of his league. Marmaduke tries to advise Alexis, using his own romantic past as an example. Decades ago, Marmaduke cherished a love for Aline’s mother, the Lady Sangazure. It is a love he still secretly feels today. But these reveries are ended by the arrival of Aline, followed by Lady Sangazure, the press, and the entire village. Soon afterwards the marriage contract is signed and sealed in a public ceremony in the presence of the Notary. Amidst the hubbub, we learn that Lady Sangazure also loves Marmaduke passionately, but, like Marmaduke, dares not reveal her love.

All day, Alexis has been dying to spend just a few minutes alone with Aline, so he can tell her his great idea. Left alone at last with his betrothed, Alexis expounds on his theories that true love should break down all artificial barriers like rank, wealth, gender, beauty and age—a sentiment ardently supported by the members of the Occupy Ploverleigh movement who have gathered to hear him speak. Alexis plans to pull out all the stops to impress Aline and make his vision a reality: he has hired the great John Wellington Wells—of an old-established firm of family sorcerers--to secretly distribute liberal quantities of his patent love philtre amongst the villagers. Wells guarantees that whoever drinks it will fall in love with the first person he meets who has also tasted it, and his affection will be returned immediately. Over Aline’s fearful objections, Alexis deposits the philter into the tea for the Ladies’ Guild Street Party as Wells intones a spooky incantation. The villagers, tourists and media all gather for the street party and drink the tea. Hijinks ensue.

ACT II: Midnight – 5:00 a.m. The Follies in Ploverleigh Village Park and Deep in the Woods.
Everyone groggily wakes up, affected in different ways by the “love philter”. The church ladies and other pillars of the village seem to have wandered off, while others find the loves of their lives in seemingly random and odd matches. Constance is bewildered to find herself inexplicably in love with the old, deaf Notary. Everyone else appears to be delighted, and so Alexis screws up his courage to ask Aline to drink the philter. He is convinced that after the first bloom of love wears off, Aline will realize that she is way out of his league… after all, she’s a solid “10” while Alexis figures he’s maybe hovering at a “6” or “7” on a good day. Alexis is convinced that the only way he can keep Aline’s love is if she drinks the philter now while she’s still in love with him. Aline, shocked by Alexis’ lack of faith in her, refuses, and the two break up in a bitter, angry fight. Then, as if the night couldn’t get any worse, Alexis learns that his father is at last boldly declaring his love—but for the wrong woman! Instead of falling for Lady Sangazure, Marmaduke is head over heels with the lowly Mrs. Partlet! Lady Sangazure meanwhile has been following the church ladies as they cavort through the woods in a wild bacchanalian revel, stopping only to lavish their affections on Wells the Sorcerer. Sangazure immediately falls in love with Wells, and is nearly suicidal when he rebuffs her. Aline, witnessing her mother’s despair, decides to drink the philter to prove her love for Alexis. She drinks, and falls instantly for—Dr. Daly. Alexis is outraged by his lover's betrayal, and at last has very serious doubts about the excellence of his theories and the wisdom of the sorcerer's spell.

By 5:00 a.m., things have gotten so hopelessly twisted up that the disastrous spell must be broken at all costs. But to reverse the spell, either Wells or Alexis must sacrifice his life to the demon Ahrimanes. Who will it be?

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Musical Selections

Trial By Jury

• Hark the hour of ten is sounding (Usher, Chorus)
• Is this the Court of the Exchequer? (Defendant, Chorus)
• When first my old, old love I knew (Defendant, Usher, Chorus)
• All Hail, great Judge! (Usher, Judge, Chorus)
• When I, good friends, was called to the bar (Judge, Chorus)
• Swear though the jury! (Counsel, Usher, Defendant, Judge, Jury)
• Where is the Plaintiff? (Counsel, Usher, Bridesmaids, Plaintiff)
• Oh, never, never, never (Judge, Foreman, Plaintiff, Usher, Jury, Chorus)
• May it please you (Counsel, Plaintiff, Usher, Chorus)
• That she is reeling is plain to me! (Judge, Foreman, Plaintiff, Counsel, Chorus)
• Oh, Gentlemen, listen, I pray (Defendant, Women’s Chorus)
• That seems a reasonable proposition (Judge, Counsel, Jury, Usher, Chorus)
• A nice dilemma (Ensemble)
• I love him (Aline, Alexis, Ensemble)
• Oh, joy unbounded (Ensemble)

The Sorcerer
Act I

• Ring Forth Ye Bells (Chorus)
• Why this strange depression (Mrs. Partlet, Constance)
• When he is here (Constance)
• The air is charged – Time was when love and I (Dr. Daly)
• May fortune bless you (Sir Marmaduke, Dr . Daly, Alexis)

• With heart and with voice (Women’s Chorus)

• My kindly friends – Oh, happy young heart (Aline)
• My child I join you (Lady Sangazure)
• With heart and with voice (Men’s chorus)
• O my adored one (Alexis, Aline)
• Welcome joy (Sir Marmaduke, Lady Sangazure)
• All is prepared (Aline, Alexis, Notary, Chorus)
• Love feeds on many kinds of food (Alexis)
• My name is John Wellington Wells - Mr. Wells
• Incantation (Aline, Alexis, Wells, Chorus)
• Now to the banquet we press (Ensemble)

Act II

• ‘Tis twelve, I think (Aline, Alexis, Wells, Chorus)
• Dear friends, take pity on my lot (Constance, Notary, Aline, Alexis, Chorus)
• Love feeds on many kinds of food (Alexis)
• I rejoice that it’s decided (Aline, Mrs. Partlet, Alexis, Dr. Daly, Sir Marmaduke)
• Oh, I have wrought much evil (Mr. Wells, Lady Sangazure)
• Alexis, doubt me not (Aline)
• Oh, my voice is sad and low (Dr. Daly)
• O joyous noon (Aline, Dr. Daly, Alexis, Chorus)
• Prepare for sad surprises (Alexis)
• Finale (Ensemble)