Newest Gilbert and Sullivan production for the Assiginack theatre troupe
MANITOWANING—The Burns Wharf Theatre Players (BWTP) will open the curtain on their newest Gilbert and Sullivan production, The Sorcerer, starting tonight (Wednesday, May 31). The operetta will continue until June 16 at the Debajehmujig Creation Centre in Manitowaning.
“The company has been performing Gilbert and Sullivan musicals for a long time now, and this naturally seemed like a good fit,” said Stage Director Peter Baumgarten. “We hadn’t done it (The Sorcerer) yet and I really liked the premise. We looked at it a few years back, but we decided that this was the year.”
With rehearsals starting the first week of January, the cast and crew have been incredibly hard at work, rehearsing weekly and, last month, ramping it up to nightly.
“We aren’t able to be in our true home (The Burns Wharf Theatre) so we rely on Debaj being able to house us and, with Canada 150, this was the only time frame,” shared Mr. Baumgarten. “Community theatre goes beyond what people see on the stage. In addition to the hours of time rehearsing there are the sets, costumes and all of the other elements that the cast and their spouses put into bringing a production together.”
The Sorcerer was Gilbert and Sullivan’s first two-act operetta. Produced in 1877, it laid the foundation of comic satire that would continue in productions such as HMS Pinafore, The Mikado, Pirates of Penzance and many others.
“The villagers of Assiginack are preparing to celebrate the betrothal of Alexis Pointdextre (played by BWTP veteran Patrick Therrien) and the blue-blooded Aline Sangazure (Rachel Gulyas),” explains the plot description in the playbill. “Love is in the air and a celebratory mood surrounds the village, with the exception of Constance Partlet (Sandi Kuntsi), a young lady of lower class who pines for the much older town vicar, Dr. Daly (Alex Baran). Despite Mrs. Partlet’s best attempts at matchmaking, the middle-aged Dr. Daly seems unable to conceive that a young girl like Constance would be interested in him.”
consider getting married to her daughter Constance who is madly in love with the vicar.
“It soon becomes clear that Alexis’ widower father Sir Marmaduke (Ray Scott) and Aline’s widowed mother Lady Sangazure (Debbie Robinson) are also concealing long-held feelings for one another,” the playbill continues. “Alexis is so enamoured with the concept of ‘pure love’ that he reveals a plan to Aline that everyone should be able to love regardless of class or social position. He requests the services of the village sorcerer, J.W. Wells (Peter Baumgarten) to aid in this regard. Aline has misgivings about hiring a real sorcerer. Nevertheless, Alexis instructs Wells to prepare a batch of philtre (love potion), sufficient to affect the entire village.”
“Wells mixes the potion, assisted by sprites, in an incantation and adds it to the teapot that will be part of the celebratory feast,” the playbill adds. “All of the villagers, save Alexis, Aline and Wells, drink it and, after experiencing some hallucinations, they fall unconscious and upon waking…” That’s all the information you’re going to get in this story. For the big reveal, you’ll have to get ticks and go to the show.
“We have an incredible mix of veteran BWTP and a number of new actors on board this year,” said Mr. Baumgarten. “We have a big range—with our youngest cast members in elementary school to retirees and every age in between. No one in our group had formal theatre training prior to joining the BWTP but we have all learned along the way together. I can’t stress enough the professionalism of everyone in the group. They all take their roles seriously and want to put on the best show possible.”
In addition to Mr. Baumgarten as stage director, Mr. Scott and Marilyn Wohlberg are the music directors.
The cast performed the official dress rehearsal Sunday night to over 30 family and friends.
“Many of the people commented that it was our best dress rehearsal yet,” said Mr. Baumgarten. “We are very pleased with the production and are excited for opening night.”
The Expositor caught some of the rehearsal on Sunday and was also impressed, noting the high caliber of talent from the singing, acting, sets, lighting and costumes—it is truly the must see production of the spring!
The Sorcerer runs tonight (May 31) to Sunday, June 3 at 7:30 pm at the Debajehmujig Creation Centre in Manitowaning. As well, there are performances on June 7, 9, 10 and June 14, 15 and 16 at 7:30 pm. There will also be matinee performances at 2 pm on June 4 and June 11.
Tickets are $20 and can be reserved by contacting Marilyn or Elwood Wohlberg at 705-859-3808.
For more information, visit www.burnswharf.net.
