THE ENDURING GENIUS OF GILBERT & SULLIVAN

Click here for an on-line animated show program: bit.ly/3dESbvg
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Each year since our founding in 1980 we have taken great pleasure in bringing one of Gilbert & Sullivan’s ingenious comic operettas to the stage. And in this our 40th anniversary year, our performers and crew were greatly looking forward to a new season and our planned production of Ruddigore.
When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in mid March and everybody forced to hunker down, we held out hope that things might improve enough and do so in time for us to be able to hold our auditions in May and begin our rehearsals. Alas, it was not to be. Like virtually all performing groups, we were forced to cancel our plans.
Unable to perform on stage in front of a live audience, we looked for other ways to engage our talented performers and our audience. Thus began our efforts to bring you entertainment in the form of streaming videos on CZcams. These include clips of numbers from our past shows and regular releases of full length videos of one of our full productions. To date we have released full length videos of Iolanthe, The Pirates of Penzance, and Princess Ida. We hope you have taken the opportunity to watch these and have enjoyed them.
In addition to the short clips and full length videos, we have also created some original virtual entertainment. In June we released Two Musical Musings About Our Isolation Frustration which contained two parody numbers: “Into quarantine we must go” (sung to “Into parliament he shall go” from Iolanthe) and “For a month to dwell in domestic hell” (sung to “For a month to dwell in a dungeon cell” from Princess Ida).
In past seasons we have performed live showcase events at different assisted living facilities. In those we have featured cast members performing some of their favorite numbers from G&S shows along with numbers from the upcoming live stage production. Our latest virtual entertainment offering is this month’s virtual showcase video: The Enduring Genius of Gilbert & Sullivan.
The idea for this virtual showcase came from our Music Director, Dr. John Dreslin. In it featured cast members perform a song from each of the 14 shows in the G&S canon.
As in our live showcases, along with those songs we fill you in on the show’s story line and the scene and situation from the show leading to the song. And we have also included some interesting backstories about Gilbert and Sullivan’s brilliant collaborations with one another (under the management of Richard D’Oyly Carte), their often strained relationship, and the events and ideas of the time that lead to the creation of each show.
Those things, and the unique talents of these two men, are the things that inspired and shaped the shows. The shows’ whimsical stories and enchanting music charmed and delighted the audiences of the day and continue to capture our hearts today.
We look forward to performing for you live on the stage in 2021 with a full production of Ruddigore. Until then, we hope you enjoy this latest virtual showcase and the other streaming videos on our CZcams channel.
John Freedman
Vice President, Producer
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[@rabbit_socks662]

You are all wonderful. ❤

[@gerryhouska2859]

Well done, Connecticut Yankees!

[@byronarnason6006]

Congrats to Julie R. and Natalie W. ... so impressive! I love G&S especially when it is presented so expertly.

[@connecticutgilbertsullivan2348]

Both women are very, very good. You should check out Julie in the Act II finale of Princess Ida. She captures Ida's defiance, and her voice soars over the full chorus of men and women. Spectacular. czcams.com/video/m8z-aow_DEU/video.htmlsi=H4EcM2yEH-boqhTT

[@dorothythompson2977]

Fantastic performance, Kathleen❤️❤️

[@connecticutgilbertsullivan2348]

Welcome to the CGSS Virtual Showcase premier! We're glad you're here. And...we're looking forward to seeing you in person when it's safe to do so.

[@keitha.neubert3063]

Very interesting back stories!
From Maine USA.

[@rochelledavidson13]

Wonderful music. I have sung with the
Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island on & off for many years!!!

[@markcallahan3605]

Excellent!!

[@connecticutgilbertsullivan2348]

I'm sure you saw your solo in there, Mark.

[@markcallahan3605]

Yes, on fast-forward!

[@ruthhartunian-alumbaugh9951]

Yay!