North Central College’s Summer Musical Theatre presents the rarely performed Gilbert and Sullivan farcical operetta “Princess Ida” July 10-15.
Five performances will be staged at 7:30PM July 10-14 and at 2PM July 15 in North Central’s theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall, 31 S. Ellsworth St., Naperville. Tickets are $15/adults and $10/students and senior citizens; call the North Central College Box Office at 630-637-SHOW (7469) or visit northcentralcollege.edu/showtix.
“Princess Ida” is directed by Matt Boresi with musical direction by Jeordano Martinez and features dozens of community residents in the cast. Boresi, a 1997 alumnus of North Central College and visiting lecturer of theatre, is an award-winning librettist who serves as an acting and writing instructor for the North Central College Musical Theatre Workshop. Martinez is a longtime professor of music at North Central College. In addition to co-directing summer musical theater productions and Summer Light Opera Program, he conducts the College’s Concert Choir and the 125-voice Naperville Chorus.
“‘Princess Ida’ is a hilarious farce featuring biting satire on gender relations and a score famously described as a ‘string of pearls’—with one staggeringly beautiful and catchy melody after another,” Boresi says. “This production provides both opera lovers and neophytes a unique opportunity to see a rarity of light opera performed by a talented cast of singers and comedians.”
“Princess Ida,” Gilbert and Sullivan’s eighth collaboration, is a farce about the battle of the sexes. When proud Princess Ida renounces the world of men and opens an exclusive women’s college, her crushed fiancé Prince Hilarion and his cohorts must infiltrate the school dressed as females and win her back or face a war between kingdoms.
The North Central College Summer Light Opera program is now in its fourth year, under the direction of stage director Boresi and conductor Martinez. Previous productions included “The Mikado,” “HMS Pinafore” and “The Gondoliers.” The cast of “Princess Ida” includes students from a number of colleges and conservatories, voice teachers, early career professional performers and opera enthusiasts from all walks of life.
The cast of principal roles for “Princess Ida” includes (part: name, hometown):
King Hildebran: Benjamin Horvat of Naperville
Hilarion, King Hildebrand’s Son: Brian Mengler of St. Charles
Cyril, Hilarion’s Friend: Nicholas Loos of Lombard
Florian, Hilarion’s Friend: Michael Schwartz of Aurora
King Gama: Stan Austin of Wheaton
Arac, King Gama’s Son: Adam Westell of Naperville
Guron, King Gama’s Son: Keith Aarseth of West Chicago
Scynthius, King Gama’s Son: Dave McGranahan of Barrington
Princess Ida, King Gama’s Daughter: Antoinette Konow of Naperville
Lady Blanche, Professor of Abstract Science: Jean Austin of Wheaton
Lady Psyche, Professor of Humanities: Julie Jarosz of Park Ridge
Melissa, Lady Blanche’s Daughter: Jennifer Berosek of Streator
Sacharissa, Girl Graduate: Melissa Carrico of Plainfield
Chloe, Girl Graduate: Jessica Coffey of Naperville
Ada, Girl Graduate: Colleen Johnston of Johnsburg
Darwinian Man: Ian Molitor of North Aurora
“Princess Ida” is one of three musicals this summer at North Central College.
Note also that six performances of “The Wizard of Oz” are slated for weekends June 29 through July 8, and “South Pacific” will be presented July 27-29 and Aug. 3-5.
Navistar is underwriting sponsor of North Central College’s 2012-2013 Fine and Performing Arts Season. The season is partially supported by USG Corporation and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.
This summer production is one of many ongoing programs hosted at North Central College to enrich and broaden the academic and cultural outlook for the College and community. For a comprehensive schedule of North Central’s 2012-2013 Fine & Performing Arts Season, art exhibits and other musical and theatrical productions, visit northcentralcollege.edu/show or call the box office at 630-637-SHOW (7469).
