Utopia, Limited
Our company’s staging of Utopia, Limited, in 2008, was a wonderful success, due, to a large extent, to the substantial revisions our company had made to the operetta. The following alternate lyric, written by Holly Windle and sung to the tune of “Society Has Quite Foresaken All its Wicked Courses,” detailed and celebrated those revisions. It should be noted that the song makes passing reference to Lesley Hendrickson, our Stage Director and Marina Liadova, our Music Director for this production, as well as a reference to what was our pending 2009 production of Ruddigore. It was performed at that show’s Last Gasp Cast Bash, by Waldyn Benbenek, accompanied by a chorus which included Timothy James, Jim Ahrens, Isaiah Waid, Victoria Valencour, Stephen Hage, Jim Brooks, Dave Ekenrode and Richard Rames. King Paramount: Society has not forgotten Pirates or Mikado, Chorus: But very few have taken on Utopia. King Paramount: We did it twenty years ago; it wasn’t quite successful. Chorus: It’s a problem with unwieldy old Utopia. King Paramount: The Company continued to produce the shows selected, Chorus: In short, the rewrite process has transformed the show completely King Paramount: We set about it logic’ly, not slashing willy-nilly. Chorus: No silliness allowed in our Utopia. King Paramount: The long first act finale we have suitably bombarded, Chorus: That’s progress for our “Flowers” in Utopia. King Paramount: The work of clever editing was handled by committee, Chorus: In short, the rewrite process has transformed the show completely King Paramount: We rearranged the second act, which used to rather bore us, Chorus: And Lesley helped a bit with the direction. King Paramount: The score revised, we labored then to print it and prepared it. Chorus: And Marina strived to bring it to perfection. King Paramount: And Lesley kept us all in line. She says, “You little dickens!” Chorus: In short, the rewrite process has transformed the show completely The theater can be a magical place! The Company’s 2008 production of Utopia, Limited, for example, transported its audience to a lovely tropical island, with its set of palm trees and beach sand, and a barefooted cast, dressed in sarongs. The reality for the cast members, however, remained the fact that it was the dead of a Minnesota winter outside and the concete floored dressing rooms and backstage areas were poorly heated! The following alternate lyric song, sung to the tune of “Eagle High,” celebrated our Company’s endurance of a cold reality for the sake of the warm illusion created on the stage. King: This ceremonial our wish displays Chorus: Concrete floor is very chilly Stories, stories The following alternative lyric song was written by Jim Brooks, who played with Captain Sir Edward Corcoran, KCB’s, song and knighthood title to describe someone who is something of an American icon. Jim sang the song himself at the Company’s 2008 Last Gasp Cast Bash. Good friends, I now present I’m Colonel Sanders, KFC. While most members of the Company would consider themselves enthusiastic Anglophiles … we are also proud to be Minnesotans who can enjoy and celebrate the many wonders of our great and glorious state … primary among them is, of course, walleye fishing! The following alternative lyric song was sung by Waldyn Benbenek and the entire Company, to the tune of “Eagle High,” at the 2008 Last Gasp Cast Bash. This ceremonial our wish displays Walleye nigh in waterland swimming, Let the walleye, not the minn’r, (minnow) Glory then will crown the day, While the alternate lyric songs sung at the Company’s Last Gasp Cast Bashes are often full of inside jokes about the production, the Company also has something of a tradition of current political satire. One such song, sung to the tune of “I’m Captain Corcoran, K.C.B” was a bit of pointed sarcasm as the expense of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. I’m V.I. Putin, KGB. And if you disagree with me, I’ll throw you in a Russian jail. While it might seem easy to point barbs at the dictatorial leader of another country, the then current President of the United States had some alternate lyric mockery pointed in his direction too. This song, sung to the tune of “A Man of Autocratic Power, We” served as the company’s “tribute” to President Bush. A man of democratic power he, a leader who’s inclined to bend the law. Yes, yes he’s sure to waterboard all prisoners you want to name. Eight years in office haven’t been so good, economy is just about to crack. Yes, yes, he makes our blood run cold, thank God it’s only one more year. Along with the cast and crew, members of the orchestra also enjoy contributing to the alternate lyric concert, celebrating their contributions to the production. The following alternate lyric song was sung to the tune of “O Make Way for the Wise Men.” O make way for the orch’stra! |