26-27 Proposal: H.M.S. Pinafore

H.M.S Pinafore 

By W.S Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan

Directed by Ellie Smith

Music Direction by Kim Hall

Synopsis

From Opera America: “H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, which was the second-longest run of any musical theatre piece up to that time. H.M.S. Pinafore was Gilbert and Sullivan's fourth operatic collaboration and their first international sensation.

The story takes place aboard the ship HMS Pinafore. The captain's daughter, Josephine, is in love with a lower-class sailor, Ralph Rackstraw, although her father intends her to marry Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty. She abides by her father's wishes at first, but Sir Joseph's advocacy of the equality of humankind encourages Ralph and Josephine to overturn conventional social order. They declare their love for each other and eventually plan to elope. The captain discovers this plan, but, as in many of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, a surprise disclosure changes things dramatically near the end of the story.

Drawing on several of his earlier "Bab Ballad" poems, Gilbert imbued this plot with mirth and silliness. The opera's humour focuses on love between members of different social classes and lampoons the British class system in general. Pinafore also pokes good-natured fun at patriotism, party politics, the Royal Navy, and the rise of unqualified people to positions of authority. The title of the piece comically applies the name of a garment for girls and women, a pinafore, to the fearsome symbol of a warship.

Pinafore's extraordinary popularity in Britain, America and elsewhere was followed by the similar success of a series of Gilbert and Sullivan works, including The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado. Their works, later known as the Savoy operas, dominated the musical stage on both sides of the Atlantic for more than a decade and continue to be performed today. The structure and style of these operas, particularly Pinafore, were much copied and contributed significantly to the development of modern musical theatre.”

Vision Statement

HMS Pinafore is a large-cast musical that lampoons power and privilege with witty dialogue, lyrics, and music that perfectly blend beauty and silliness. The nautical narrative provides an added dimension, bringing the dynamic power of the ocean, with its limitless potential, to the production. It is a comedic operetta set aboard a British warship where love and class struggle collide. The story revolves around Josephine, the captain's daughter, who falls for Ralph Rackstraw, a lower-class sailor, despite her father's plans for her to marry the pompous Sir Joseph Porter. It satirizes the British class system, the Royal Navy, and societal expectations, ultimately leading to a humorous and heartwarming resolution. Despite its Victorian origins, it is able to resonate with modern audiences through humor, music, and a sense of community. With its sailors, admirals, sisters, cousins and aunts, HMS Pinafore addresses the still very relevant reality that there is power in people being in the right place at the right time and being willing to step on the right toes to get what they want, which in this case happens in a delightfully snappy and melodious way!

As a teenager, Gilbert and Sullivan operettas performed at OSU sparked my lifelong love of musical theater. HMS Pinafore can offer that same spark to our community today. By inviting participation across generations and backgrounds, we hope to create a production that not only entertains but also fosters much needed connection.

The production emphasizes inclusivity and equity by:

- Actively recruiting BIPoC, gender expansive and disabled individuals.

-Having a large ensemble with sailors, sisters, cousins and aunts that allows for casting youth as well as mature adults.

- Casting of ensemble based on vocal ability (pitch and rhythm) rather than formal training to provide opportunity to those for whom this genre may have previously been inaccessible.

- Providing videos of audition material for dancing and vocals in advance, to support accessibility and preparation.

The production reimagines outdated portrayals of women and people with disabilities and expands upon avenues for queer narratives.

- Josephine and Ralph are mutually in love from the start, subverting the original’s gender dynamics. Josephine has her private moments of doubt but ultimately stands up for her choice of love throughout the show.

- Hebe and Buttercup choose each other, rather than pining indefinitely for inaccessible men.

- Dick Deadeye is portrayed as grouchily cynical rather than spiteful or evil and ends up with Sir Joseph.

These changes preserve the plot’s arc while modernizing its social lens.

To draw in new and existing audiences, the production will:

- Feature a large, diverse cast including new actors who will bring their own circle of supporters.

- Offer modernized, inclusive storytelling while retaining the original show’s humor and music. This will encourage new audience members while still satisfying those folks for whom Gilbert and Sullivan is a familiar and cherished experience.

- Emphasize audience interaction and a sense of community.