Pirates of Penzance Brings “Rollicking Band” to Gilbert & Sullivan Festival

June 15, 2011 - PRLog -- Gettysburg, PA  June 14, 2011 - The International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival - Gettysburg, the largest and most comprehensive event in North America celebrating the works of Gilbert & Sullivan, will present a Festival Production of The Pirates of Penzance, featuring a cast of professional and high-ranking amateur players.

Leading the cast is bass-baritone David Wannen as the Pirate King.  A recent performance garnered this praise, “David Wannen as the Pirate King certainly dominated the show.  It’s a choice role, and this talented brigand made the most of it.”  Mr. Wannen is also Managing Director of the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players.

Sam Silvers will appear as Major-General Stanley, singing the show’s best-known song, “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General.”  The story’s two young lovers, Mabel and Frederic, will be played by Alexis Cregger and Will Connell.  The cast also includes Kevin Murray as the Sergeant of Police, Suzanne Taylor as Ruth, Kerstin Anna Stewart as Edith, Shaina Murphy as Kate, Randi Kestin as Isabel, and Louis Dall’Ava as Samuel.

Chorus members include Mary Finn, Denise Wicken, Angela Hartman, Carol Stewart, Elise Curran, Regina Torres, Elizabeth Wiley, Portia Bosch, Belinda Tyler, Katie Craig, and Barbra Lewis as Major General Stanley’s daughters. Pirates and policeman will be portrayed by William Remmers, Spencer Reichman, Gordon Smethurst, Tom Mills, Dan Libby, Guillermo Bosch, Irv Hodgkins, Tom Tyler, Zachary Felix, and Thomas Dawkins.

These performers, many of whom have never worked together or even met before, will have just one week to rehearse a fully-staged show, which will be presented Saturday, July 2, at 7:30 PM.  This inaugural Festival Production will be directed by New York City's Gary Slavin, who has an extensive background with Gilbert & Sullivan productions.  Slavin will also direct a professional performance of The Pirates of Penzance at this year's Buxton festival.

In addition to the Pirates of Penzance, the Festival will offer performances of six other Gilbert & Sullivan comic operas, plus a youth production of The Mikado, between Friday, June 24, and Sunday, July 3.  Performing companies include three groups from England, as well as several U.S. states.   There will also be a Grand Opening Victorian Concert Spectacular, an evening of three one-act operas, and a week-long fringe festival.

All performances take place at the historic Majestic Theater in downtown Gettysburg.  Tickets are available through the Majestic box office by phoning 717-337-8200, or online at www.gettysburgmajestic.org.  For more information, please visit the official Festival website, www.gsfestivals.org.

The International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival - Gettysburg is the North American affiliate of the world famous Gilbert & Sullivan Festival of Buxton, England, founded by Ian Smith in 1994.  Each year the 3-week festival draws tens of thousands of fans and performing groups from England, America, and around the globe.
                 
For additional information, photos, or to schedule an interview and/or photo/video op, please contact Rich Wiley as above.  Interviews can be arranged with Festival Artistic Director Ian Smith, leading Gilbert & Sullivan scholar Ralph MacPhail Jr., author Carolyn Williams, and selected performers.        Please credit attached photo as:  
“Photo courtesy of New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players. David Wannen as The Pirate King. Photo by Carol Rosegg.”

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The Gilbert & Sullivan Festival - Gettysburg is the largest and most comprehensive event in North American celebrating the works of dramatist W.S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan. Eight of their comic operas will be presented over a 10 day period, including a youth production of The Mikado, along with plays, recitals, and a fringe festival program.