Friday, Mar. 27, 2009

TOP sets sail on 'Pinafore'

Gilbert & Sullivan's 1878 classic, "H.M.S. Pinafore," addresses the timeless problem of inept politicians.

"You could do Gilbert & Sullivan in current dress and fill it with current political figures," said Paul Tischer, who is directing Town-

send Opera Players' season finale at the Gallo Center for the Arts. "They're never out of date. You can identify with the characters in the show."

Tischer will take a more traditional approach with his production, setting it in the 19th century and leaving the audience members to make their own connections about whom the characters remind them of.

The show follows the romance between the captain's daughter Josephine and a smart young deck hand, Ralph (pronounced Rafe) Rackstraw. Josephine is distraught because her father wants her to marry the wealthier First Lord of Admiralty.

The captain is a stereotype of a politician who has risen to the top with no qualifications.

"I enjoy the wry British humor — sort of detached and dry," said Jonathan Smucker, a San Francisco resident who is playing Rackstraw.

Smucker said his part is a challenge because he is on stage so much and needs lengthy rehearsal time to prepare. It's also tricky to manage his character's humorous dialogue.

"When he gets excited, he has huge, long, complicated sentences," Smucker said.

Sibel Demirmen, also of San Francisco, said she likes playing Josephine because the character is a little more serious than most Gilbert & Sullivan heroines. There are many things to like about Josephine, she said.

"She's true to her heart," she said. "She's honest. Her music is beautiful. I love her two arias."

Tischer said the music is easy to like and will be familiar even to people who have never seen the show.

"All of us wake up in the morning with these tunes running in our head," he said.

The show is a replacement for "La Cerentola (Cinderella)," which was originally scheduled for TOP's season finale. TOP leadership decided the opera was too challenging and asked Tischer to choose something else. He selected "H.M.S. Pinafore" because he had done it before and it had only one simple set.

Demirmen said the audience should find a lot to appreciate about the production.

"It's a great show," she said. "We've got a great cast, a great chorus, a great orchestra. It's a fun show that everyone will enjoy."