SEARS & CONNER PROGRAM plus FANTASY HOUR in Bedford: SEPTEMBER 28 AT 2:00 PM. Last October Benjamin Sears and Bradford Conner presented their wonderful program, From the Savoy to Broadway, on the day of the torrential rains that saw many of us frantically pumping out our basements instead of attending a NEGASS meeting. Fortunately, the pair have offered to return.
As Ben Bradford describes their program, "We would like to... show and explain the borrowings of America's Tin Pan Alley and Broadway songwriters from the exalted masters of British Comic Operetta... Just as a point of fact, the works of G&S were major influences on the composers and lyricists of America's golden era, and for those people who know and love G&S the connections will be obvious."
NEGASSers who attended last year's program have assured Us that it was quite as wonderful as We, in the swimming pool that used to be Our basement, dreamed it would be. Hope it won't rain this year!
Their program is short enough to allow for a brief, impromptu Fantasy Day as well. Eric Schwartz will be at the piano with a big pile of G&S scores. Bring your favorite piece, and he'll accompany you!
HOW TO GET THERE: The First Parish Church in Bedford, MA is located at 75 The Great Road, on the Common in the center of Bedford. Since many NEGASSers are unfamiliar with this enchanting spot, We're taking advantage of Janice Dallas's extensive directions, which follow:
From Rte, 128/95: Take exit 31 (Rtes. 4/225, Hanscom Air Base) west to the center of Bedford. The church is on Bedford's central grassy common. It is white with a tall steeple.
From Rte, 2, heading east: Take the exit to Rte. 128/95 and follow above directions. From Rte. 2, heading west. Where Rte. 2 takes a sharp turn to the right in Concord, go straight instead, looking for a blinking yellow light that marks Lexington Rd. (rte. 2A) on the left. Take a left onto Lexington Rd. After you pass the Willow Run Restaurant, you will take a right onto Old Bedford Rd. This leads into Bedford Rd (Rte. 62). Head north and at the Bedford line the street changes name to Concord Rd. At its end, Concord Rd. blends into The Great Road. Head right, past the white Congregational church and look for the large grassy common with a steepled white church on it.
From Rte. 3, heading south: Take the Concord Rd. exit, heading south (left turn) to Bedford. Where Concord Rd. ends, take a left onto North Rd. (rte. 4).Stay left where Rte. 225 comes into North Rd., and where Rte. 62 comes into North Rd./The Great Rd. As above, look for the grassy common with a steepled white church on it.
Public Transportation: Janice Dallas (see below for number) can arrange a ride from Alewife Station if she knows you are coming. Unfortunately, our bus service doesn't run on Sundays.
The Minuteman Bikeway goes from Alewife all the way into Bedford, ending a short distance from the church. Turn right onto South Rd., head up the hill, and the church is on your left. There used to be bicycle stands on the Elm St. side. If they're not out, we can put bicycles in the front foyer.
Should you get totally lost, call 781-275-7412 (Janice and Ron Dallas) and they'll guide you in.
Parking is available on the street, in the lots of the two banks near us (Fleet, and Boston Federal), and off of Mudge Way at the Town Center/ Town Offices complex. The church has a Handicapped Accessible entrance (elevator) on the Elm St. side of the church. There are two Handicapped parking spaces there also.
AUGUST PICNIC/ OSLO MEETING: A sell-out crowd, including more than twenty in the NEGASS contingent, saw a very traditional and extremely good performance of IDA by the Ocean State Light Opera.
The setting was a fairly generic turreted castle wall as a backdrop, with various elevations and doorways. One interesting loose piece was a cylindrical frame which, with a round piece in its center, was a table in Act I and, as an empty frame, suggested a well in the second act.
I was heartened by a strong performance of the men's chorus in "Search throughout the panorama." Then I was a bit puzzled by their thinness accompanying a strong Hildebrand (Ken McPherson) in "Now hearken to my strict command," until I realized that the strong voices of Florian (Edmund Graziani) and Cyril (Mark Conley) were missing. But I quickly forgot these musings when Hilarion (Stephen DeCesare) began to sing, and had me believing Pavarotti was there. A magnificent voice!
All the leads were good, even if not in Hilarion's class: Princess Ida (Norma Caiazza), Lady Psyche (Loriana De Crescenzo), Melissa (Deirdre Donovan), and King Gama (Kevin Harrop Valentine), and especially Lady Blanche (Patricia Peterson) and Cyril. The soldiers were less martial than usual, attacking with a fusillade of thrown flowers, truly attempting to "storm their bowers With scented showers Of fairest flowers" and even exhibiting what I first took for timidity but realized later was shyness. This theme was consistently brought forth, as Hilarion and his friends, preparing for their adventure, exhibited a bottle (pops of Sillery) and packed their instruments, a violin, guitar, and bass. (I thought those last overdoing it a bit, but they came in handy later in portraying three stages of Darwinian Man.) And as stated in the Director's Notes, Hilarion has read his Tennyson: as Ida recited from The Princess in the final scene, he joined in, to her great surprise and approval.
A finer day could scarcely have been selected for the NEGASS outing; a warmer bay and another hour or two of sunlight were the only improvements I could imagine. As it was, the daylight kept people outside late enough that it was past eight before we could get the meeting under way. A cast very ably augmented by some of OSLO's fine singers, and accompanied by the dependably-superb Eric Schwartz, zoomed through IOLANTHE and concluded by ten, even with a brief business meeting before starting the second act. A last-minute decision to omit dialogue, and business meeting consisting only of announcing two mid-September events, helped the cause. Fervent thanks were offered to our hostess, Mary Shepherd, who reciprocated with her own thanks to us for our performance. The door prize was the first instance of a recently-announced acquisition, a copy of a paperbound edition of The Savoy Operas.
The NEGASS board was well-represented in the sing-through, with Carl Weggel and I as the very plain Earls - at least I am - Patricia Brewer as Fleta, and Sheldon Hochman as Private Willis. Jean Schwartz ably sang the Fairy Queen. The rest of the roles were sung by draftees from the OSLO cast, who had no need of the extra forbearance that would have been available, for taking on the parts with so little warning. All more than did justice to the roles. Hildebrand (Ken McPherson) became Strephon, Lady Blanche (Patricia Peterson) became Iolanthe, chorister Amy Thompson became Phyllis, Bill O'Neill became The Lord Chancellor (with OSLO accompanist filling in after Bill had to leave), and assistant Stage Manager Juliana Kaspari sang Leila. -
Tentative Meeting Schedule, 1997-98:
Good thoughts (as outlined in the last Bray), but nothing definite as yet - except for the October meeting:
On October 26, Ric Wilson of Harvard - the former curator of the Morgan Library's G&S Archives - will edify and delight us with The Ghost's High Noon, a slide show of G&S-related memorials and monuments. We'll end the meeting, as seems appropriate, with an impromptu sing-thru of numbers from RUDDIGORE. We expect this program will take place at the T-accessible Footlight Club in Jamaica Plain. More news next month -- mlc
| NEXT BRAY COPY DEADLINE: October 5 - Next Bray Stuffing: Some Person in Authority - We don't know who - very likely the Astronomer Royal - has decreed that the date two weeks before October 26 will fall upon October 12. This date is a) during Columbus Day Weekend, and b) the day after Yom Kippur. We may not be alive that day. If We are, We will hold a Bray-stuffing at 3 PM, in Our accident-prone home, 111 Fairmont St., Arlington, MA. Please call Us at (617) 646-9115 no earlier than noon of that same day to check Our viability before coming over. Warning: We may have to settle for a mere post card next month, depending on whether We survive the holidays. -- mlc |
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome We New Members Robert and Ursula Haslun of the College Light Opera Co. Every summer We receive rave reviews for CLOC's summer-stock productions of G&S. (See last month's Bray for a review of their recent YEOMEN.) Glad to see the founders and producers of this fine company joining our ranks. Hearty Greetings Offer We!
Tell Us, tell Us all about it! Jonathan Strong will be reading from his eighth novel, The Old World, on October 16 at 7:30 PM at the Arlington Center for the Arts. Call the Center at (6l7) 648- 6220 for more info.
Have you forgotten anything? Is your membership up to date? Membership Chair Bill Mahoney is still waiting for some of your renewal forms. Please send your form (and your check) to NEGASS, PO Box 367, Arlington, MA 02174 c/o Membership Chair Bill Mahoney, with what dispatch ye may! --- mlc |
I was pleased to see in the August issue of The Trumpet Bray that Brad Krevor has joined NEGASS. He and I overlapped in the BU Savoyards for several years and I'd appreciate it if you would pass along my greetings and salutations if you see him at a meeting.
By the way, you also indicated that Brad had been associated with Falmouth Light Opera Company before his BU association. I would have thought that was the College Light Opera Company, in Falmouth; but I could be in error, since I recall Brad was in the National Guard, subsequent to Army Service, around 1971, and regularly participated in those monthly weekends of military duty. So that might have been some other Falmouth.
NEGASS is in receipt of a 72-page (more-or-less) catalog of publications available from Edward R. Hamilton, Bookseller, of Falls Village, CT, 06031-5000. At perhaps 45 books listed per page, the sheer volume of information was more than We had the patience to winnow - but, alas, upon Our casual perusal We did not see any G&S-related books. A more patient reader might find the catalog rewarding: The prices are low, the books are all supposed to be recent publications in hard-cover editions, and there is a no- questions-asked money- back satisfaction guarantee. A catalog can be obtained from the above address - or you can visit their Web page at www.hamiltonbook.com for further info.
Matt Crawford of Sandy, Utah, writes requesting information which he has not been able to find in his neighborhood. First: He's been trying all over the US, he says, to locate two recordings, for which he has the following info:
Both of these, he says, feature John Reed. Matt also wants to know more about Reed -- is there a book We can recommend which will satisfy his curiosity, other than the standard G&S/D'Oyly Carte publicity stuff! Or should We simply urge Matt to get in touch with US groups who worked with Reed - - the New York G&S Players was one, We know.
He also understands that "a recording of THESPIS was done by some group years ago, to some of Sullivan's less known music", and would like to hear it. Could he be referring to Jonathan Strong's version as performed by Connecticut G&S a few years ago? Is there an audio recording of this available? We know there have been other recreations of THESPIS, but nothing else We know of comes close to fitting his description.
And finally - Matte is looking for piano/vocal scores of GRAND DUKE, ZOO, and COX & BOX. Our own copy of C&B is a Kalmus edition published by Belwin Mills, Melville, NY 11747 - it's the standard, shortened performing edition, but it's good enough to cut yer teeth on. (NB - the score has a strange typo on its cover: The title is printed as Cox and the Box.) The only edition We know of DUKE is by Chappel, but We don't have an address for them, offhand. And the only edition of ZOO We know about is the one used by Valley Light Opera a couple of years ago - and We don't know who published that! But any bookstore or library worth its bookworms ought to have a reference copy of Books in Print and/or its music-book equivalent at the cash register or information desk, which should make the scores easy to hunt down.
To raise more sympathy for Matt, We must quote further from his letter: "I have sent letters and talked to people all over the United States concerning the questions I have posed... I have been all but successful. It is unfortunate that Gilbert and Sullivan's works are not sought after more frequently, they are wonderful." Hear, hear! He adds that he played Frederic in a college production of PIRATES last July, which "enjoyed a highly successful run."
If pity you can feel for this poor neophyte (who thirsts for such instruction as we give) and wishes to aid him in his searches, write to Matt Crawford, 11072 Windy Peak Ridge, Sandy, Utah 84094, or call him at (801) 571-4075.
| And - Matt - if you have e-mail and/or Web access, use it! You can probably find everything you want, and more, via SavoyNet, the G&S discussion group.
To subscribe to Savoynet, send the message SUBSCRIBE SAVOYNET to listserv@bridgewater.edu. Then take part in the conversation by emailing your comments to savoynet@bridgewater.edu. Or find all you want in the G&S Archives: Start with the NEGASS web page at http://www.negass.organd surf from there! |
PS - Yes, Matt - in order to continue to receive this newsletter, you must pay the $15 subscription/ membership fee. Send it to Bill Mahoney c/o NEGASS, PO Box 367, Arlington, MA 02174-0004. --mlc
Savoy-nettings: Janice Dallas sent Us this one: I received in this morning's post a leaflet put out by the New D'Oyly Carte announcing their Autumn Season. They are touring 12 venues in England from 24 September to 13 December with The Count of Luxembourg (Lehar) and IOLANTHE (G&S version). There are few technical details except that the leaflet refers to "this acclaimed production [of IOLANTHE]" so this might be recycled production. Their current address is: D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, Valley Park Cromer Gardens, Wolverhampton, WV6 OUA. Tel: 01902 744555; Fax: 01902 744333. - CLIVE WOODS
The Nashua Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Royston Nash, opened its 74th concert season on September 13 (just before the Bray went out!) with "An Evening with Gilbert & Sullivan featuring Thomas Lawlor and Jill Rogers in pieces from PINAFORE, PIRATES and MIKADO. Did anyone see it? Review, anyone?
The official Opening Ceremony [of the California leg of the Festival] was a singing trip around San Francisco Bay, departing from the Guest Dock at the Marriott - Berkeley Marina on Saturday afternoon. A very nice vessel was hired for the purpose. It had two levels of enclosed cabin, plus an open upper deck and open bow areas where participants could enjoy the tour. The event was announced in the local papers, for at least one person joined the voyage that morning after reading of it in the paper. He was from Colorado, visiting his son and daughter-in-law. Seeing the notice of the singing tour, and even in the face of a $30 fee, he thought it would be worthwhile. The problem, however, was to identify who should receive his money. I know he took the cruise, and seemed to have a good time. 1 don't know if he ever found someone to take his money.
The day was clear, sunny - and windy. The boat was comfortably occupied, but not crowded. Beer, wine and soft drinks were available from the two cash bars, as were $4 pizzas and little $1 tubs of party- mix style salted munchies. And so the intrepid Festival Openers set out on an 4-hour cruise.
A duplex sheet of lyrics was distributed, and music cassettes had been laid on for playing over the ship's PA system. But there was some sort of system incompatibility, which prevented playing the cassettes. With a BBC film crew aboard to develop a documentary about the Festival for their Omnibus Series, the singing part of the tour was largely reduced to an "Eagle High, a couple of "Hail, Poetry", and innumerable repetitions of "We Sail the Ocean Blue, "Gaily Tripping" and related songs, slightly staged on the fantail for the BBC cameras. Many voyagers were in costume, so this was potentially photogenic.
On departing the Marina, the Mayor of Berkeley, Shirley Dean, read a proclamation declaring 13-22 June 1997 to be International Gilbert & Sullivan Week in Berkeley. She and her husband then joined the party on board. We sailed from Berkeley to Sausalito against a very stiff wind. It was so stiff that bells were ripped from Sam Silver's Jack Point costume, and at times unoccupied chairs were turned over by the wind.
Arriving at Sausalito, the wind was so strong that the Captain requested those of us on the open deck and sides of the vessel to go to the cabin so the ship could be under more precise control for docking. Even then the winds were so strong that it was decided not to try to dock. The Mayor of Sausolito, who was at the dock to greet us, was serenaded by our singers from off shore.
They sang "Hail Poetry" for him, later remarking on the magnificent futility of doing so, as they were singing into the wind.
Passing inward of the Golden Gate Bridge, we had a fine view of the city of San Francisco as we sailed around Alcatraz Island. Although I did not hear it , I understand that island was greeted with a rendition of "For a Month to Dwell in a Dungeon Cell." [Some had suggested singing "Walls and Fences Scaling" as a more suitable serenade.]
It is worth mentioning, perhaps, that all these events were recorded by the BBC crew, who had also hired a helicopter to record extensive footage of us from various vantages as we moved about the Bay.
The Connecticut G&S Society (does everyone remember their excellent 1989 production of Jonathan Strong's setting of THESPIS?) plans IOLANTHE for October 24 and 25 at 8 PM, with a 2 PM matinee on October 26. Direction is by CG&SS founder Bob Cumming, with John Dreslin as conductor. Call (860) 873-1207 for tix and info.
Boston Academy of Music plans four performances of PIRATES at, the Emerson Majestic Theater over the Thanksgiving weekend. For information on these and other BAM programs, call (617) 242-0055.
MITG&SP's fall show, RUDDIGORE, will be performed 11/14-15 and 21-22 at 8 PM; 11/16 and 23 at 2 PM. Directors: Jay Lane (Music) and Scott Gagnon (Stage). We're privy to some of the casting decisions: Anita Costanza (their memorable Lady Sophie of a couple of years ago) will be Dame Hannah; Amy Allen (their recent Josephine and Sudbury's recent Phoebe) is Mad Margaret, and Rebecca Consentino (Phylla in their UTOPIA) is Rose. (By the way: PIRATES is planned as MITG&SP's spring '98 show, with a production of TRIAL tentatively planned for January.).
E-mail savoyards-request@mit.edu or call 253-0190 for more info. Or sign up for a production staff role: Descriptions of most of these positions can be found on the MITG&SP Web site at: http://www.mit.edu/activities/gsp/prod_manual.html To join the orchestra, call the above number, or contact Kate Thornton at kthornton@wellesley.edu
The Harvard-Radcliffe Gilbert & Sullivan Players plan MIKADO for 12/4-6 & 11-13 at 8 PM; and 12/6,7 & 13 at 2 PM at the Agassiz Theatre, Radcliffe Yard at Harvard. Production will be by John Cearley and Jennie Connery, with direction by Jose Zayas and music direction by Bradford Chase. For more info, reach HRG&SP via tmoore@fas.harvard.edu, or by phone at 617-496-4747.
The Sudbury Savoyards plan a double bill of PINAFORE and TRIAL, with auditions probably in late November / early December, and performances probably in late March of '98. Kathy Lague, Sudbury's frequent Star Soprano, will be both Stage and Music Director for both productions, with assistance from frequent Star Tenor Bill Kuhlman. Visit Sudbury's (new) Web site at
http://www.sudburysavoyards.org/
or call 508 443-8811 for more information.
The North Kingstown Players, a brand new group based in RI, will perform IOLANTHE Nov. 13 (dress/with audience) 14, 15 and possibly 16. Call 401-295-1907 or send e-mail to jch@ids.net for directions and info.
Contact David Mladinov, Producing Director, Jewish Theatre of New England, 33 Nahanton Street, Newton Centre, MA 02159, Tel. (617) 558-6480, Fax. (617) 527-3104 for news of the upcoming Boston production of Di Yam Gazlonim - a.k.a. The Yiddish PIRATES!
Visit Valley Light Opera's new Web Site:
http://www-ims.oit.umass.edu/~dial129/vlo.
THE NEW ENGLAND GILBERT AND SULLIVAN SOCIETYPO Box 367, Arlington, MA 02174-0004 Send electronic contributions to our new e-mail address: negass@iname.comPresident RICHARD FREEDMAN: (617) 630-9525; e-mail: rnf@null.net Vice-President PATRICIA BREWER: (617) 323-3480 (617) 983-1635; e-mail 103042.1540@CompuServe.com Members at Large: NEGASS membership dues are $15 and up. Please send membership inquiries to Bill Mahoney C/O the above address. The NEGASS Web Page is located at |