Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe
Watch CSTHEA’s Gilbert & Sullivan Homeschool Players Production of Iolanthe in 2021 on YouTube here.
Synopsis of Iolanthe
Iolanthe, or The Peer and the Peri is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It is one of the Savoy operas, and is the seventh of fourteen operatic collaborations by Gilbert and Sullivan. In the opera, the fairy lolanthe has been banished from fairyland because she married a mortal; this is forbidden by fairy law. Her son, Strephon, is an Arcadian shepherd who wants to marry Phyllis, a Ward of Chancery. All the members of the House of Peers also want to marry Phyllis. When Phyllis sees Strephon hugging a young woman (not knowing that it is his mother, as all immortal fairies appear young), she assumes the worst and sets off a climactic confrontation between the peers and the fairies. The opera satires many aspects of British government, law, and society. The confrontation between the fairies and the peers is a version of one of Gilbert’s favourite themes: a tranquil civilization of women is disrupted by a male-dominated world through the discovery of mortal love.
Photo credit: Devon Simmons
The Cast & Crew
Principals
- Celia – Chayenne Shipley
- Leila – Lamour Reed
- Fleta – Rayna Wilson
- Queen of Fairies – Tahlia Clark
- Iolanthe – Annelyse McKenna
- Strephon – Ben DeWitt
- Phyllis – Abigail Ridgeway
- Lord Chancellor – Tallis Finch
- Chancellor’s Page / Attorney – Landon Earhart
- Lord Tolloller – Jonathan Champion
- Lord Mountararat – Evan Neel
- Private Willis – Travis Reed
Fairy Dance Corp
- Caden Dyer
- Jocelyn Taylor
- Mercy MacDonald
- Parker Ryan
- Somer Taylor
Fairies
- Addie Miles
- Allie Finch
- Alyviah Wooten
- Blaiklyn Owens
- Caden Dyer
- Elianna Powers
- Ella DeWitt
- Emalyn Simmons
- Erin Ward
- Giada Puhlman
- Isabella Rayburn
- Jocelyn Taylor
- Kianna Coleman
- Lucy Pirtle
- Maleah Wright
- Marissa Barrett
- Mercy MacDonald
- Noelle Johnson
- Olivia Buyno
- Parker Ryan
- Rachel Oldham
- Sierra Luerssen
- Somer Taylor
- Vivian Perry
Peers
- Aaron Uptegrove
- Andrew Perry
- Caleb Conkle
- CJ Pursley
- Ethan Ward
- Josiah Buyno
- Landon Earhart
- Nathanael Butler
- Ryan Perry
- Tobias MacDonald
- Tyler Dykstra
- William Owens
- Zane Luerssen
Understudies
- Alyviah Wooten
- Erin Ward
- Ethan Ward
- Kianna Coleman
- Mercy Macdonald
- Nathanael Butler
- Parker Ryan
- Somer Taylor
- Tobias MacDonald
- Tyler Dykstra
- William Owens
Design & Construction Team
- Abigail Snell
- Ansley Waters
- Cami Calloway
- Emily Powers
- Evelyne Fortner
- Faith Rogowski
- Isaac Conkle
- Isabella Rios
- Jesse Hindman
- Kenlee Burton
- Linley Rogowski
- Luke Uptegrove
- Maxwell Puhlman
- Pheoba Heinzer
- Ryan Bridgforth
- Sarah Vaughn
Production Company
- Executive Producers – Nate & Robin Ridgeway
- Theatrical Director – David Karnes
- Director Of Choreography – Maddie Ratchford
- Choral Director – Nate Ridgeway
- Costume Design Lead Seamstress – Debby Vradenburgh
- Set Design & Construction Director – Tyler Owens
- Rehearsal Pianist & Orchestra Liaison – Sharon Reed
- Rehearsal Vocal Coaches – Maddie Ratchford, Robin Ridgeway, Nichole Powers
- Stage Manager – Nichole Powers
- Graphic Design & Layout – Ryan Bridgforth
- Assistant Choreography – Lydia Reed
- Assistant DCT Directors – Larry Conkle, C.P., Mike Rogowksy
- Seamstresses – Emily Calloway, Labronda Champion, Yvonne Clark, Nicole Owens
- Props Procurement & Creation – Labronda Champion, Shayne Champion, Alana Clark, Rebecca Luerssen, Debby Vradenburgh, Tyler Owens
- Hair & Makeup – Emily Calloway, Yvonne Clark, Kim Pursley, Ally Smith, Debby Vradenburg
- Audio Engineer – Mike Rogowksy
- Live Steam – C.P., Miguel Poole
- Audio Assistants – Maxwell Puhlman, Isabella Rios
- Photograpy – Devon Simmons
- Finances – David Boyd, CSTHEA Treasurer