The Savoy Arts Company's 2012 production will be the
perennial Gilbert & Sullivan favourite, "The
Pirates of Penzance" (or The Slave of Duty). The
Artistic Director is Michael Morton-Evans, the Musical
Director is Atalya Masi and the Choreographer is
Rachael Fullstone.
Auditions for principal roles were held on Thursday
9 February and Tuesday 14 February and all principal
roles for The Pirates of Penzance have been filled.
Supplementary chorus auditions will be held at the
commencement of rehearsals, on orientation night,
Tuesday 1 May from 7:30pm at the Roseville Uniting
Church, 7 Lord Street, Roseville. If you are interested
in joining the chorus, please email
auditions@savoyarts.com.au with your
details and return telephone number. Or call Nicole
Taylor on 0414 673 476 (after 6pm weekdays or on
weekends). Those wishing to join the chorus for
The Pirates of Penzance will need to be evaluated for
voice type, singing and stage movement abilities. This
will take no more than 5-10 minutes.
SYNOPSIS (Courtesy of
Wikipedia)
The Pirate of Penzance is a comic opera in two
acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by
W.S. Gilbert. The opera's official premiere was at
the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31
December 1879. Its London debut was on 3 April
1880, at the Opera Comique, where it ran for 363
performances, having already run successfully for
over three months in New York.
The story concerns Frederic, who having completed
his 21st year, is released from his apprenticeship
to a band of tender-hearted pirates. He meets
Mabel, the daughter of Major-General Stanley, and
the two young people fall instantly in love.
Frederic finds out, however, that he was born on 29
February, so technically has a birthday only each
leap year. His apprenticeship indentures state that
he remains apprenticed to the pirates until his
21st birthday, so must serve for another 63 years.
Bound by his own sense of duty, Frederic's only
solace is that Mabel agrees to wait for him
faithfully.
The Pirates of Penzance was the fifth Gilbert &
Sullivan collaboration and introduced the
much-parodied Major-General's patter song. The
opera was performed for a century by the D'Oyly
Carte Opera Company in Britain and many other opera
companies and repertory companies worldwide. It has
received several modernised productions, including
Joseph Papp's 1981 production on Broadway, which
ran for 787 performances, winning the Tony Award
for Best Revival and the Drama Desk Award for
Outstanding Musical, and spawned many imitations.
The Pirates of Penzance remains popular today,
taking its place along with The Mikado and H.M.S.
Pinafore as one of the most frequently played
Gilbert & Sullivan
operas.
PERFORMANCE DATES &
VENUES
BUNDANOON: Soldiers' Memorial
Hall, Railway St, Bundanoon
3
PM Saturday 18 August 2012
Email enquiries: bookings@savoyarts.com.au
Telephone bookings & enquiries: To be
advised
Ticket prices: Adult $25 | Concession
$20 | Child $15
ZENITH THEATRE: Cnr McIntosh
& Railway Sts, Chatswood
8 PM Friday 24 August 2012
8 PM Saturday 25 August 2012
3 PM Sunday 26 August 2012
8 PM Friday 31 August 2012
2 PM Saturday 01 September 2012
8 PM Saturday 01 September 2012
Online bookings: www.zeniththeatre.com.au
Box office & enquiries: 02 9777
7547
Ticket prices: Adult $36 | Concession $30
| Child $20 | Groups (10+ adults) $30 each
N.B. Theatre booking fee of $3 applies to each
booking (irrespective of number of tickets
purchased).
THE
DIRECTORS
MICHAEL
MORTON-EVANS OAM
(Artistic Director)
Starting his career as a journalist and doubling up
as an actor, Michael appeared in various Australian
TV shows in the 70s and 80s, such as No 96 and The
Young Doctors, as well as several movies.
After a 5-year stint at ABC Radio, he left to take
the position of Artistic Director of the Australian
Repertory Company and re-introduced lunchtime
theatre into Sydney. After leaving the ARC, he
became Executive Head of Production for United
Australian and American Films (UAA), producers of
such movies as The Thorn Birds, The Year of Living
Dangerously and the eco-horror film Razorback. For
5 years Michael was also a theatre critic for The
Australian newspaper.
Michael was first introduced to Gilbert &
Sullivan by his father at the age of 10 and still
has the original recordings of The Mikado and
Pirates, which are now almost worn flat!
ATALYA MASI (Musical
Director)
Atalya is in the final year of a BA
Music (Music Education and Flute) degree course at
the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She is an
employee of The Arts Unit of the NSW Department of
Education and Communities, working as a vocal tutor
for the Public School Singers, State Music Camps
and School Spectacular (2011).
Atalya is in high demand as a voice, flute and
piano teacher. She performs in several
highly-regarded choirs including VOX (the youth
choir of Sydney Philharmonia Choirs) and Gondwana
Chorale.
Atalya commenced her studies and performance of
musical theatre in secondary school. More recently
she has established herself in the Manly Musical
Society of which she is a founding committee
member. Atalya musically directed MMS's first
pantomime 'The Big Bad Wolf - A Trial by Jury'
(December 2011) and has performed in various
productions since 2009.
THE PRINCIPAL
CAST
|
Major-General |
Gordon Costello |
| Pirate King |
Tim Southgate |
| Samuel |
Tim Bate |
| Frederick |
Lincoln Scott |
| Sergeant of Police |
Sepehr Irandoost |
| Ruth |
Michelle Bellamy |
| Mabel |
Emma Hansen |
| Edith |
Marisa Panzarin |
| Kate |
Anna McDougall |
| Isabel |
Samantha Keating |
FRIENDS OF
SAVOY MAILING LIST
If you would like to join
our Friends of Savoy mailing list and receive
information about our events, please email us at
mailing.list@savoyarts.com.au.