Goshen College presents Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta, "The Gondoliers," March 27-April 5

Event: Spring mainstage operetta – "The Gondoliers" by Gilbert and Sullivan
Date and time: March 27, 28 and April 4 at 8 p.m., March 29 and April 5 at 3 p.m.
Location: Umble Center, Goshen College
Cost: $12 adults, $8 students/seniors
For more information: To reserve tickets, call the Goshen College Welcome Center at (574) 535-7566 or e-mail welcomecenter@goshen.edu

GOSHEN, Ind. – The Goshen College Music and Theater Departments will be performing Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta, "The Gondoliers," for the spring mainstage in Umble Center on March 27, 28 and April 4 at 8 p.m. and March 29 and April 5 at 3 p.m.

The operetta was written in 1889 and is set in the 1950s in Venice, Italy. The plot contains themes common in Gilbert's work, such as class distinctions, turning power structures upside-down and satirical political commentary. Some of the historical details and political commentary in this production have been changed to reflect current political situations, and the audience will notice rewritten words in some songs and dialogue, which is common in Gilbert and Sullivan productions.

"The GC performance will include both cultural and political references crafted specifically for Goshen audiences," said Professor of Theater and Communication Doug Liechty Caskey, director of the operetta. "Even the recent election process in the U.S. is targeted in a bipartisan way that I think people will appreciate. If we can't laugh at ourselves, then we probably shouldn't be laughing at all."

"The Gondoliers" was one of Gilbert and Sullivan's last operas before their partnership dissolved due to artistic and personality differences. The operetta was successful when it premiered, though not done as frequently today as more well-known pieces such as "The Mikado," "H.M.S. Pinafore" and "Pirates of Penzance."

"Gilbert and Sullivan productions are delightful in their use of energetic music and stylized script," said Professor of Music Deb Brubaker, who is also music director of the operetta. "The adjustment of dialogue and lyrics to provide commentary on current political and social situations offers the audience the opportunity to hold up a mirror and laugh at some of the absurdities of their own lives."

The performances will also include a full orchestra conducted by Gregg Thaller, associate professor of music.

Twenty-nine Goshen College students will make up the cast, including nine lead roles performed by: junior Adriel Santiago from Souderton, Pa. (as the Duke), senior Emily Swora from Shoreview, Minn. (as the Duchess), junior Allison Yoder from Middlebury, Ind. (as Casilda), freshman Jay Mast from Goshen (as Luiz), freshman Aaron Kaufmann from Tiskilwa, Ill. (as Don Alhambra), freshman Daniel Driver from Goshen (as Marco Palmieri), sophomore Martin Brubaker from Goshen (as Giueseppe Palmieri), junior Carrie Rivera from Nappanee, Ind. (as Gianetta) and senior Dara Joy Jaworowicz from Kentwood, Mich. (as Tessa).

Also in the cast are freshman Emily Bowman from Millersburg, Ind. (as Inez/Foster Mother), freshman Clayton Miller from Goshen (as Antonio), sophomore Clayton Matthews from Wauseon, Ohio (as Francesco), freshman Zach Clouse from Goshen (as Giorgio), sophomore Josh Hofer from Dolton, S.D. (as Annibale), freshman Stefan Kuhns from Tallahassee, Fla., freshman Logan Simensen from Harrisonburg, Va., freshman Josh Delp from Sellersville, Pa., freshman Deane Uptegrove from Jefferson, Mass., freshman Stephanie Hollenberg from Elkhart (as Fiametta), freshman Andrea Detweiler from Goshen (as Vittoria), freshman Lisa Horst from Dillon, Mont. (as Giulia), freshman Alisha Bender from Pittsburgh, Pa., junior Vanessa Hershberger from Akron, Pa., junior Molly Kellogg from Candor, N.Y., junior Kristina Mast from Corvallis, Ore., sophomore Rachel Nafziger from Harrisonburg, Va., freshman Adrienne Yoder from Lititz, Pa., junior Jenna Grubaugh from Delta, British Columbia and senior Caroline Stigge from Newton, Kan.

Umble Center is accessible to wheelchairs and people with other physical limitations.

Tickets cost $12 for adult general admission and $8 for students and senior citizens. They can be reserved by calling the Welcome Center at (574) 535-7566 or e-mailing welcomecenter@goshen.edu. Tickets will also be available at the door 45 minutes prior to each performance.

Editors: Photographers can take play preview photos on Tuesday, March 24 between 7-7:30 p.m. in Umble Center during rehearsal. RSVP if interested. For more information about this release, to request a photo or to arrange an interview, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college's Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron's Best Buys in Education, "Colleges of Distinction," "Making a Difference College Guide" and U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" edition, which named Goshen a "least debt college." Visit www.goshen.edu.