Valley Light Opera
Welcome!
Over the past quarter-century, Valley Light Opera has become the premier
source for exceptional community theater productions of Gilbert &
Sullivan (and a few other) operettas in the Pioneer Valley. Every fall
more than 150 dedicated music lovers from Hartford to Brattleboro -- both
singers and non-singers -- sew costumes, build sets, hang lights, play
instruments, rehearse and finally perform before thousands of appreciative
light opera devotees. Each year a full third of our cast members are new
to the organization. Cast and crew range from those who make their living
in the arts, to experienced amateurs, to first-timers. All are volunteers!
Join us for our 26th season!
Iolanthe
Our fall show will be Gilbert & Sullivan's Iolanthe, or The Peer and
The Peri. This delightful whimsy pits stuffy, blue-blooded members of
the House of Lords against a group of "dainty little fairies"
led by a Fairy Queen who may remind you of Wagner's Brunnhilde. With a
protagonist who is half-fairy and half-mortal, a Lord Chancellor who
positively trips over his own legal arguments, and a wickedly timely
political context, the dialogue and the plot simply sparkle with wit.
And the music, as always, is glorious!
Iolanthe will be performed November 3, 4, 5, 10 and 11, 2000 in Amherst.
Auditions
Auditions for the cast will be held on Saturday, May 13 (from 11 am
to 4 pm) and Sunday, May 14 (from 1 to 4 pm) at the First
Congregational Church, 165 Main Street, Amherst MA.
Everyone sings on a first-come, first-heard
basis. You seldom have to wait more than 20 minutes, and we provide hot
and cold drinks, a low-key friendly atmosphere, and comfortable chairs.
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You've never auditioned before? Almost none of our chorus members
had before they came out that first time! While auditions are always
nerve-wracking for newcomers and seasoned veterans alike, we try to make
them as simple and non-threatening as possible. You will sing before a
small committee of 5 or 6 people. We look for voice projection, intonation,
musical quality, diction, and stage presence. An accompanist will be
provided.
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Directions: From the traffic light in the center of Amherst
(Fleet Bank on one corner, Subway Sandwich Shop diagonally across), take
Main Street east two blocks. The church is on the right, just beyond the
police station. Park in the lot in the rear of the church, or on the street.
(You can find the church at location 32 on the
Amherst Walking Tour.)
Callbacks: If we feel we need more information in some cases to
cast principals, we will hold a callback session on Monday, May 15 at
7:30 pm at the Amherst Regional High School auditorium.
What to sing
Chorus: If you are auditioning for the chorus, prepare one verse
of a song (preferably from G&S) -- something simple and straightforward
which displays your range, projection, diction, and ability to sing on pitch.
Principals: If you are auditioning for a principal role, prepare a
solo number for the character in Iolanthe you hope to play. You will
also be asked to read some dialogue from Iolanthe.
Scores for all G&S operas will be available on the piano. If you bring
your own music for a non-G&S piece and want piano accompaniment, please
bring a copy for the accompanist as well.
The full score and audio tapes of Iolanthe are available for copying
at the circulation desk of the Jones Library in Amherst (location 10 on the
Amherst Walking Tour).
Character sketches
Iolanthe, mezzo-soprano -- A fairy, and Strephon's mother.
Elegant of movement; capable of sustained emotional highs and lows.
Phyllis, soprano -- An Arcadian shepherdess and Ward in
Chancery. A picturesque Dresden china doll with a clear, flute-like voice;
naturally temperamental and delicately determined.
Queen of the Fairies, contralto -- A commanding presence with
a powerful voice and gestures; fearful and haughty but also lovable,
attractive and amorous.
Celia, soprano -- A fairy. Airy and flitty with delicate
gestures; staccato (but not shrill) in voice and manner. Good dancer.
Leila, mezzo-soprano -- A fairy. Perhaps taller and lither,
more sinuous in gesture and movement, more langorous in tone than Celia.
Good dancer.
Fleta, chorus member with speaking part -- A fairy. Good dancer.
Strephon, high baritone -- An Arcadian shepherd. Broadly
graceful though "inclined to be stout"; confident and unabashed,
with a resonant, clear voice.
Lord Chancellor, baritone -- Irascible yet benign. Must have
flawless, effortless diction, good stamina, and perfect timing.
Lord Tolloller, tenor -- Aristocratic to the point of
effeteness; supercilious.
Lord Mountararat, baritone -- Discreetly arrogant, slightly
ponderous, with a rich, full voice.
Private Willis, bass -- A Grenadier Guard. Low-born,
imperturbable, matter-of-fact, perhaps lacking a marble or two. Stiff
bearing.
Chorus women are all "dainty little fairies . . . tripping
hither, tripping thither."
Chorus men are members of the House of Lords -- dukes, marquises,
earls, viscounts and barons.
Crew call
Have you ever thought, "I'd like to do that! It looks like
fun!"? The backstage action is just as exciting and important
as the music, and there are jobs for singers and non-singers alike. For
most jobs experience is not required, and you decide how much time
you are able to give! Everyone gets credit in the program and an invitation
to the company party after we strike the set.
- Costumes --
- We are famous for our dazzling costumes, which we sew during rehearsals
and on weekends.
- Sets --
- Turn plywood and paint into magic on weekends. We supply pizza and subs!
- Lighting --
- Hanging and focusing take place in a frenzy of activity in the final
two weeks before opening.
- Make-up, ushers, program, props, banner painting, souvenir sales...
- (you get the idea!)
Join us for the whole fall or just a few hours.
For more information
Contact the producers:
- Cami Elbow, (413) 549-0024
- email:
celbow@external.umass.edu
- Mary Hocken, (413) 549-8773
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Or visit the VLO Website at
http://www.vlo.org.
We express our gratitude and appreciation to BerkshireNet for hosting
our Website. BerkshireNet
(http://www.berkshire.net/)
provides Internet services to Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
This year's production staff
RUSS EKSTROM, stage director, is delighted to return to VLO, where
his credits include directing The Mikado, and chorus roles in
Princess Ida and H.M.S. Pinafore. A New York City resident,
recent credits include being the Company Manager for a North American tour
of "The Magic School Bus Live!", Reno Finds Her Mind
(Assistant Director), Paul Scott Goodman's Bright Lights Big City
(Assistant to the Composer), and Matthew Hoverman's Hotbed
(Assistant Director/Stage Manager). Russ is also the Company Manager for
TheatreFest, the professional Equity Theatre-in-Residence at Montclair State
University, and a member of New York Theatre Workshop's Usual Suspects.
Peter Gutowski, music director and conductor, made his VLO debut
conducting last year's The Pirates of Penzance. He has worked with
Commonwealth Opera in Northampton since 1986, serving at various times as
conductor, chorus master, assistant stage director and principal singer,
and as a member of the board of directors. He has a Master of Music degree
in conducting from Indiana University. He works with computers in the
graphic arts field and lives in Northampton.
Cami Elbow will act as coordinating producer for Iolanthe,
with Mary Hocken, Elaine Walker and John Foster rounding out
the production team.
Rehearsals
Rehearsals are Tuesday and Thursday evenings (7:30 to 10 pm) and Sunday
afternoons (1:30 to 5 pm) starting just after Labor Day at the Amherst
Regional High School. All rehearsals include a break with potluck
refreshments (they say the VLO travels on its stomach!)
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We place a high value on the time you and everyone else has committed to
this venture. We start and end rehearsals on time, and we work hard.
Because we depend on each other, we take our rehearsal policy very seriously.
If you are asked to join the company, your obligation is to attend all your
scheduled rehearsals (except for sickness and emergencies), and to arrive
early enough to be ready to rehearse at the scheduled time. Everyone who
auditions will be asked to agree to this policy in writing, and anyone who
cannot adhere to it will not be able to continue in the cast.
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VLO 25th Anniversary Calendar
Enjoy your favorite VLO performances all year long, year after year, with
a perpetual calendar featuring full-color
photos from all of our major productions over the past quarter century.
This handsome, permanent keepsake also highlights dates of important Gilbert
& Sullivan events, and a history of Valley Light Opera written by Bill
and Sally Venman.
Calendars are only $12 (plus $2 shipping/handling).
To order, call Judy Pistrang (413-253-4246).
New Board Members
Valley Light Opera welcomes new members Bob Kumin, Rena Moore and Kathy
Tobiassen to the Board of Directors. They join continuing members Mary
Annarella, Cathy Butterfield, Tamara Gallant, Lew Jordan, John Jenkins,
Kathy Moser, and Steve Tanne. The officers are Mzamo Mangaliso (President),
Barbara Davis (Past President), Kurtiss Gordon (Clerk) and Jim Walker
(Treasurer).
Tantantara! Tzing! Boom!
You may wish to return to the VLO Home Page.
Send Questions/Comments to:
info@vlo.org