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or
The Lass that Loved a Sailor

Book by W.S. Gilbert ~ Music by Arthur Sullivan

May 9 through 19, 1985

Performed by the St. Mark's Players

St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Capitol Hill, Washington, DC

Producer & Theatrical Director, Ellen Cardwell

Musical Director, MaryLou Coffman

THE LEADING ROLES

THE CHORUSES

SCENE

Quarterdeck of H.M.S. Pinafore, off Portsmouth

ACT I

Noon

ACT II

Night

NOTES

Leads assume chorus parts alternating performances.

Between Act I and II there will be a 20-minute intermission –

light refreshments will be served in the courtyard.

PROLOGUE

The year is 1878, Victoria is on the throne and Britain's mighty empire dominates the seas. In Portsmouth's busy harbor, the pride of the British fleet lies at anchor.  From the bustling docks you can look out over the harbor and take in an inspiring sight.

Peer through the glass, and what do you see?  On the left is the veteran of many naval victories, the frigate, H.M.S. Defiant. On the right, the redoubtable warrior, the H.M.S. Vengeance.  And in the center, the mighty Armageddon, once Nelson's flagship.

You scan the harbor seeking more proud ships.  There in the middle, a little further out than the others you spy one . . . the decks bristle with activity . . . the guns gleam . . . the pennants flap at crisp attention . . . It’s none other than . . . What?  Yes, it is.  H.M.S. Pinafore!

THE STORY

ACT I

The sailors aboard the Pinafore, which is lying at anchor in Portsmouth, greet Little Buttercup, the local mobile retailer of gifts and candy.  Although outwardly cheerful, she is the possessor of a dark secret, the memory of which seems to be revived by the sight of the young sailor, Ralph Rackstraw.  Ralph is also a prey to melancholy, being hopelessly in love with Josephine, the daughter of the ship's captain, Captain Corcoran.  For his part, Captain Corcoran wants his daughter to marry Sir Joseph Porter, K.C.B., First Lord of the Admiralty.  Josephine, although she secretly returns Ralph Rackstraw's affection, realizes that such a union would be impossible because of the disparity in their social status, she tells her father that she will try to look kindly on Sir Joseph.  Sir Joseph is welcomed on board, along with his entourage, which is made up of a large number of female relatives.  He regales the crew with the tale of his rise to the top of the tree, as well as his views on equality.  These views so inspire Ralph that he openly declares his love to Josephine who haughtily rejects him.  However, when he announces to the entire crew that he is prepared to die for her, she confesses that she loves him after all.  They plot to leave the ship that night; only Dick Deadeye cautions against this foolhardy and anti-social act.

ACT II

Captain Corcoran is not happy with his daughter's apparent coolness to Sir Joseph.  Little Buttercup, who admires the Captain but can be nothing more than a "friend" to him because of her low station in life, warns him that a change is imminent.  Josephine wonders if she is making a grave mistake in eloping with Ralph, which will bring her several rungs down on the social ladder, but Sir Joseph, falsely believing he is arguing in his own behalf, assures her that "love levels all ranks."  Dick Deadeye tells the Captain about the planned elopement.  The Captain discovers the lovers just as they are about to disembark.  He becomes so incensed that he indulges in an unpardonable fit of temper.  Sir Joseph sends him off to his cabin, but when he discovers the cause of Captain Corcoran's rage, he is equally indignant.  Ralph is hauled off in chains.  Finally, Little Buttercup, who may or may not have a proprietary interest in these events, reveals her dark secret, which, although it involves a few dramatic reversals, does nothing to upset the social order, and, therefore, allows for a happy ending.

HISTORICAL NOTES

Indisputably one of the most popular of the G&S operas, H.M.S. Pinafore followed The Sorcerer and was the third collaboration between Gilbert and Sullivan under the management of Richard D'Oyly Carte. Although Carte was still in partnership with several other backers, the eventual success of Pinafore (not to mention, a backstage brawl between the henchmen of the company's other backers and the company members loyal to Carte) made it possible for him to form the D'Oyly Carte Company and to establish the three-way partnership between him and Gilbert and Sullivan.

Gilbert's fascination with the sea (he bought a yacht on the proceeds of Pinafore) and several of his Bab Ballads were the inspiration for the book, which, among other things, satirizes the very deeply ingrained Victorian sense of social class and order.  Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty who has yet to get his feet wet, was generally believed to be modeled on W. H. Smith, founder of the famous newsagent firm and the First Lord of the Admiralty in Benjamin Disraeli's government.  That he was dubbed "Pinafore Smith" by Disraeli himself somewhat belies Gilbert's transparent assertions that any resemblance was unintentional.  Sullivan's score contains any number of widely familiar melodies in many different styles, from Josephine's highly dramatic second act aria, to a hornpipe, ballads, and patriotic anthems. H.M.S. Pinafore was first produced at the Opera Cornique on May 25, 1878.

MUSICAL NUMBERS

ACT I

ACT II

PRODUCTION STAFF

THE ST. MARK'S PLAYERS

Mark Allen (Prop master, Sailor Caleb Courageous) - When Mr. Allen is not found deep in the chorus of various G&S productions, he can be found staying close to his desk at the IRS.

Melissa Ann Bailar (Little Buttercup) - Melissa goes to the Capitol Hill Day School and loves reading and chocolate cake.

Caroline and Christina Bird (Little Buttercups) - Caroline is in the 6th Grade at Capitol Hill Day School.  She enjoys acting, singing, reading and writing.  Christina is in the 4th grade.  This is her first real show!

Susanne Bostick (Blue Cast Buttercup) - Ms. Bostick writes press releases and edits a newsletter and also writes poetry.  She is studying voice and played the part of "Katisha" in The Mikado at St. Mark's where she is on the Music Advisory Committee.  Susanne is a frequent soloist at St. Mark's and other area churches.

Anita Bradshaw (Red Cast Buttercup, Sister Agatha Porter) - Bradshaw makes her Washington performing debut in H.M.S. Pinafore but is well known to natives of Livingston, NJ, where she performed in every class play from kindergarten onward.  She was last seen in 1967 in the title role of Patience.  She says her current role "truly expands her performing repertoire.”

Fairfield Butt (Red Cast Sir Joseph, Sailor Bert Boathook) - Mr. Butt has enchanted theatergoers for two seasons.  In 1984 he captivated audiences as "Ko-Ko" in The Mikado and earlier he was the splendid bounder "Edwin" in Trial By Jury.  Mr. Butt officially proclaims, "Today I am the 'Monarch of the Sea' but I am a ham most of the rest of the time."

Ellen Cardwell (Producer/Director, Cousin Gillian Belch) - Cast as "Yum-Yum" in kindergarten, she was stage struck at a tender age and never recovered.  Having grown somewhat decrepit to play G&S ingénues, she turned her hand to Directing and created Trial By Jury and The Mikado.  When not catering, consulting or working at an association, Mrs. Cardwell leads seminars and dreams of owning a dinner theater.

Larry Cardwell (Sailor Tommy McIntire) - Mr. Cardwell likes all kinds of music, dancing and singing, but only recently got stage struck.  He appeared in earlier G&S productions at St. Mark's and is the Chairperson of the Washington, DC, Holiday Project for 1985-86.

Mary Lou Coffman (Musical Director) - Mary Lou began studying music at the age of 5, when she received a scholarship from the Cleveland Institute of Music.  She went on to study at the Peabody & Oberlin Conservatories, and now smokes and knits incessantly during rehearsals.

Carolyn (Mimi) Crowley (Aunt Harriet Jane Hughes) - Miss Crowley's great love is her freelance writing, which has taken her to India and Jamaica this year.

Martha Connor-Donnelly (Blue Cast Cousin Hebe, Aunt Phoebe) - When Martha isn’t singing Gilbert and Sullivan, she is singing folk songs with the children in Prince George's County. Martha is on the Vestry at St. Mark's.

Meg Donnelly (Little Buttercup) - In addition to singing in this production, Meg appeared in Trial By Jury. She attends Peabody Elementary School in the 1st grade and is taking ballet classes and plays soccer for the "Hurricanes."

Carolyn Emery (Aunt Carolyne Bumbry) - Ms. Emery has two boys, ages 10 and 14.  She attends lots of soccer games and catches lots of fish.

Linda Ewald (Aunt Eustacia Porter) - Linda lives with her husband and two sons on Capitol Hill, and last sang in the chorus of Pinafore when she was 14.

Karen Gangloff (Little Cabin "Boy") - Karen is 4 and 1/2 and likes to draw.  She is usually the first person to arrive at and the last person to leave rehearsals.

Linda Gangloff (Cousin Edwina Middleton) - A "Hillite" for 15 years, this is Linda's second fling with the St. Mark's Players.  Her previous singing experience was as a teenager "many moons ago."

Greg Gay (Boatswain Bill Bobstay) - The versatile Mr. Gay has made the theatrical leap from Gaithersburg to Capitol Hill. His most recent efforts have been directing productions of Equus, Tartuffe and Hot l Baltimore.

Caroline Gibson (Red Cast Josephine) - Ms. Gibson, a coloratura soprano, has studied at Catholic University's School of Music and is currently studying privately in Alexandria, VA, and New York City. Ms. Gibson was a 1984 recipient of an Individual Artist Fellowship from the National Endowment of Arts & Humanities.  She toured Europe last summer as a soloist for the Paul Hill Madrigal Singers and was Metro's First Place Classical Singer competitive winner.  This summer she will study in Graz, Austria as a participant in the AIMS Training Program for Opera and she plans to work with the Opera Studio in Zurich this fall.  This season marks her third year with the St. Mark's Players.

Kathleen Hamor (Cousin Priscilla Glenn-Whelan) - Attorney by day, Ms. Hamor devotes her leisure time to singing, dancing and organizing events.  A committed internationalist, Ms. Hamor has lived and traveled extensively and speaks French, Italian and Spanish.

Nadine Hathaway (Cousin Henrietta Faversham Horsley) - Ms. Hathaway, a choral director and pianist, loves French cooking, folk dancing and cross country skiing.

Jo Ellen Hayden (Cousin Elspeth Porter) - Jo Ellen has spent the past 12 years laboring in support of the U.S. Navy (in real life) and with this show has discovered how much fun the Brits would have been.

Mary Lacey (Aunt Minerve Porter) - Although she could not be described as a newcomer, this is Mary's debut in a Gilbert & Sullivan production.

Cynthia Lauren (Stage Manager, Red Cast Cousin Hebe, Sister Hermoine Porter-Wilkins, whose husband, Nigel, wants to know when she's going to stop following Sir Joseph wherever he goes) - Pinafore marks Miss Lauren's second show at St. Mark's.  Last season she appeared as "Pitti-Sing" in The Mikado.  She is a local actress who has appeared regularly in musical comedy in this area.

Kitty Nicholson-Donnelly (Aunt Prudence Jamison-Piggott) - By day a restorer of historic prints and documents, Kitty skis, cycles and gardens (though not simultaneously).

Laurie MacFadden (Choreographer, Lead Dancer in Entre'Acte, Cousin Prudence Steplively) - When she is not on the audit trail for the U.S. General Accounting Office, Miss MacFadden can be found living simply on Capitol Hill tending her flowering clematis and making soup in man sized quantities.

Gerald McKenzie (Sailor Lancaster McLean: letch and rogue) - Mr. McKenzie is engaged in several new adventures, including his return to the stage after a 30-year break.  His current passion is founding a non-profit organization called C.H.I.L.D - to support healing experiences for parents, caregivers and others who care for children.

Nathan Miller (Marine Smedley Semper - a "Manne") - Mr. Miller is a Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps assigned to the Marine Corps Headquarters in Washington.  He previously sang in the choir at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Walton Moody (Sailor Bert Bulwark) - Mr. Moody is a historian with the Air Force and sings in the choir at St. Marks.  He is a member of the Music Advisory Committee and a charter member of the Players.

Rod Pejsar (Red Cast Ralph Rackstraw, Sailor Angus McPheel) - A member of the George Mason University Faculty and a consultant for systems analysis firms in the D.C. Area, Mr. Pejsar was last seen as "Nanki Poo" in The Mikado.

Hugh Pritchard (Sailor William Windlass) - Hugh has performed with the Washington Savoyards, and currently sings with the Oratorio Society of Washington.  He works at Catholic University of America.

Mary Riendeau (Blue Cast Josephine, Sister Prunella Porter) - Miss Riendeauls roles include the "Queen of the Fairies" in Iolanthe and Melissa in Princess Ida. Having sung with the Prince George's Lyric Opera, Victorian Lyric Opera, Corcoran Performing Arts Group, Fairfax Choral Society, and the Camden Maine Civic Theater, Mary is making her 2nd appearance at St. Mark's.  She is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music.

Jonathan Rowe (Marine Johnny Tar) - Mr. Rowe enjoys singing and dancing.

Brie Sansotta (Cousin Griselda Stokesbury) - Besides acting, singing and dancing, Miss Sansotta has a great passion for athletics - especially running. Look for her at D.C.'s big name Marathons.

Charles Sens (Ballet Master/Choreographic Advisor) - Mr. Sens has been involved in opera, musical comedy, ballet, acting and mime from the Mississippi Valley to Manhattan Island, and has appeared tin the Washington area with the Foundry Opera, the Paul Hill Chorale and other community choruses. He is currently working both with the St. Mark's Players (where he played "Pooh-Bah" in The Mikado) and Norman Scribner's Choral Arts Society.

Si Silence (Bob Becket - the Carpenter's Mate) - Mr. Silence appeared in 1984 as St Mark's memorable "Most Humane Mikado." A frustrated highway engineer, he is spending a busman's holiday on the "bridge" of the Pinafore.

Darrell Simpson (Blue Cast Ralph Rackstraw, Sailor Ned Brackenplate) - Darrell is making his operetta debut in H.M.S. Pinafore. His previous work has been in oratorio and concert music with Ron Freeman's Chorale, the University of Virginia Glee Club and Foundry United Methodist Church. He is currently studying with Debby Wenner-Wittrip. When not singing, Darrell works for C+P of Maryland as a maintenance administrator (testman). He attributes his interest in singing to his stay at the University of VA.

Bill Sinclair (Assistant Director, Dick Deadeye) - In his "spare" time, Mr. Sinclair teaches an improvisation and acting course, coaches baseball and soccer teams, sings in a church choir and instructs a children's Sunday school class. He performs budget and program analysis for the Department of Interior for a livelihood. Last year Bill played "Pish-Tush" in The Mikado. This season, Bill created many marvelous exercises for the company as well as really getting into "Deadevels" character.

Kevin Sockwell (Red Cast Captain Corcoran, Sailor Mortimer B. Mizzenmast) - Mr. Sockwell is making his second appearance on the St. Mark's stage. He has performed various roles in professional and amateur theaters throughout the Northeast, from "Othello" to "Vile, the Raven."  He is currently working as a magician in the Washington, D.C. Area.

Leo Surla (Blue Cast Captain Corcoran, Sailor Judd Crunch) - Mr. Surla, when not singing with the St. Mark's Players and the Thomas Circle Singer, is President of MetaMetrics, Inc., a firm engaged in planning, research and consulting for government agencies. He is involved with the Holiday Project and has lived in Washington for 16 years, on Capitol Hill, with his wife, Peggy Rainwater.

John Terry (Blue Cast Sir Joseph Porter, Sailor Horatio Hornpipe) - Mr. Terry has been a Gilbert and Sullivan fan ever since he sang in the chorus of Yeoman of the Guard at the age of 13. Last seen in the St. Mark's production of Trial By Jury as the learned Judge, Mr. Terry also loves Mozart, good food and lying on the beach.

The proceeds from this year's Gilbert and Sullivan Performances are being contributed to the activities of the St. Mark's Music Advisory Committee, overall church maintenance, and a special project to install new, secure doors in the St. Mark's Sanctuary.  The entire company wishes to thank you for your patronage.

The Company dedicates this production to our friends, families, co-workers and employers - without your support, understanding and enduring patience we would not be able to give the hours and energy necessary to create the show.  We also dedicate the production to W.S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan whose magical artistry has charmed and cheered audiences for over 100 years.

The Fourth Annual ST. MARK'S PLAYERS Gilbert & Sullivan production will be Pirates of Penzance, scheduled for May 1986.  For more information, write to St. Mark's Players, c/o St. Mark’s Church, 118 3rd Street, SE, Washington, DC  20003.

St. Mark's Players Production Archive