RUDDIGORE; or, THE WITCH'S CURSE, is one of the rarely produced Victorian Era comic operas from the Arthur Sullivan and W. S. Gilbert repertoire, last produced in the Puget Sound region by the Northwest Savoyards in 1997. Typical of Gilbert and Sullivan's absurdist work, it is filled with the hilarious adventures of villains turned heroes, heroes turned villains, helpless maidens, and professional bridesmaids. Steampunk is a science fiction themed movement that gained prominence in the late 1980s. Steampunk builds on the futuristic Victorian Era visions, driven by the works of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells and their steam powered contraptions and creates an alternative mechanistic reality utilizing fashion, culture, music and art.
Gilbert and Sullivan (G&S) and Steampunk are an obvious fit! Yet the two have only been merged in a few rare productions. Under the visionary direction of Danielle Villegas, the Northwest Savoyards are the first to do this for a production of Ruddigore and the first SteampunK Gilbert and Sullivan on the West Coast!
Joining Villegas in this groundbreaking adventure is musical director Josh Zimmerman with choreography by international gymnastic champion, coach and choreographer Yulia Hancheroff, and a host of Northwest Savoyards favorites in the cast. Inspired by the very large Steampunk community in the Puget Sound area, Villegas hopes to utilize many Steampunk elements including brass and copper clockwork, gear driven machines and the top fashion element: goggles. "This production will be very accessible," says Villegas. "Multiple productions of G&S happen monthly across America, but sometimes the very proper Victorian versions can be difficult to follow. Complicating things further, Ruddigore is rarely produced, so the unfamiliar music and plot elements basically turn melodrama on its head. Uniting the production with Steampunk will make for a very entertaining evening for G&S followers, as well as those typically unlikely to attend a G&S show."
RUDDIGORE performs March 11th-20th, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 pm and a Sunday matinee at 2:30. There will be a preview performance on Thursday, March 10th at 8:00 pm, $10 cash/check only at the door. All performances are at the Historic Everett Theatre, 2911 Colby Ave, Everett. Tickets are $22 for adults and $19 for Students/Seniors/Military. Please call the box office at (425) 258-6766 or purchase online at www.EverettTheatre.org. Some content may not be appropriate for children under 10.
