“Now to the banquet we press; now for the eggs and the ham; now for the mustard and cress, now for the strawberry jam! Now for the tea of our host, now for the rollicking bun, now for the muffin and toast, and now for the gay Sally Lunn!”
The Sorcerer
The Sorcerer 2010
March 5 to 28, 2010
Our production of The Sorcerer was dedicated to the memory of long-time and founding company member, bass Warren Loud.
Directors
| Stage Directors: | Doug Scholz-Carlson and Dionne LaViollette |
| Music Director: | Courtney Lewis |
Director’s Notes
In a review of the original 1877 production of The Sorcerer, H. F. Frost concludes his plot synopsis by saying: “If the reader has had patience to follow these remarks thus far, he will probably be disposed to ask whether it be meet that the English opera of the future should be founded upon such a farrago of nonsense as this.” Without doubt, Mr. Frost intended this as withering criticism of a work of art he considered beneath serious notice. I’m not sure even I would wish to see much of anything founded upon the plot of a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, but “a farrago of nonsense” sounds like a good description of the experience of falling in love: a hodgepodge of emotions, a conglomeration of passions. I should know. I was introduced to Gilbert and Sullivan singing Ralph in H.M.S. Pinafore at age 13. The 12 year old Josephine who sang opposite me is now my wife of 17 years. (We did wait a few years after production closed to get married.)
The rational Mr. Frost might have wanted a well made play with a logical plot about falling in love. Mr. Gilbert and Mr. Sullivan understood that sometimes when we laugh, we see ourselves more fully, and sometimes it is in the ridiculous that we find truth. “The Sorcerer may suit the popular palate, but as a step towards the dawn of a brighter era for English opera it is worse than valueless.” Mr. Frost is now forgotten, English opera is doing just fine, and we hope you enjoy our farrago.
Doug Scholz-Carlson
Paul R. Coate as Alexis,
Mather Dolph as John Wellington Wells and
Erin Capello as Aline
Two excellent internet resources for information about The Sorcerer:
Show Poster
Poster design by Imagewërks Marketing
Company Photo
Photography by Daniels Studio
“Oh! My name is John Wellington Wells, I’m a dealer in magic and spells, in blessings and curses and ever-filled purses, in prophecies, witches, and knells. And if any one anything lacks, he’ll find it all ready in stacks, if he’ll only look in on the resident Djinn, number seventy, Simmery Axe!”
The Sorcerer
Photo Gallery
