Pirates of Penzance, May 2016: information for prospective directors
Key information:
Company: Grosvenor Light Opera Company (GLOC) www.gloc.org
Production: The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty, by Arthur Sullivan and W. S. Gilbert.
Show week: Sunday 22 May 2015 – Saturday 28 May 2015.
Performance venue: Bridewell Theatre, 14 Bride Lane, London EC4Y 8EQ.
Rehearsals: Wednesday evenings beginning around 27 January 2016, 6.45-9.45pm, in Pimlico (SW1V
3AA), plus 3 Sunday rehearsals in the run up to the show.
Maximum budget for director: £2,750 including a director’s fee of up to £500. Theatre and
orchestra are costed separately (see below).
Deadline for applications: Sunday 8 November 2015
How to apply: By email to admin@gloc.org. There is a suggested application form at the end of this
document.
Interviews for prospective candidates: Weeks commencing 16 and 23 November 2015.
Pirates of Penzance
Pirates was the fifth Gilbert and Sullivan collaboration and had its official premiere at the Fifth Avenue
Theatre in New York City on 31 December 1879. Its London debut was on 3 April 1880, at the Opera
Comique, where it ran for 363 performances, having already been playing successfully for over three
months in New York. It remains one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most successful and well loved works.
The plot:
Frederic, a young man with an acute sense of duty, is released from his apprenticeship to a band of
tender-hearted pirates having achieved his 21st year. He meets Mabel, the daughter of Major-General
Stanley, and the two young people fall instantly in love. Frederic, Mabel and the Major-General’s other
daughters enlist the assistance of the police force to pursue the pirates and bring them to justice. But
Frederic soon learns, however, that he was born on 29 February, and so, technically, has only had 5
real birthdays. The pirate king and Frederic’s former nurse Ruth appeal to his sense of duty: his
indenture specifies that he remain apprenticed to the pirates until his 21st birthday, and therefore he
must serve for another 63 years. Bound by his own sense of duty, Frederic's only solace is that Mabel
agrees to wait for him faithfully.
About GLOC
Founded in 1949, GLOC (www.gloc.org) is an amateur operatic society based in central London. We
focus on the works of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan but complement this with other material.
The majority of our members are young professionals with busy lives, but we have high performance
standards and a great community spirit. We have many committed G&S enthusiasts in the company,
and every cast member will work hard to deliver the best show possible. Your challenge as director will
be to channel this lively group’s enthusiasm into a high quality production and keeping rehearsals
disciplined, engaging and fun.
Budget
Planned budget
Fixed costs
Theatre hire
£ 2,640 plus £180 for use of the Foundry, both inc VAT.
Orchestra (and other costs)
£ 5,400.00
Director's budget
£
2,750.00
(Includes: lighting and crew, set, costumes, make up and props and the
cost of van hire if this is required to bring any of these items to/from
the theatre)
We have indicated likely expenses here for guidance but funds can distributed at the discretion of the
director. Please note that the theatre does not provide any crew, a stage manager or a lighting
operator. We have members and contacts who have experience with lighting, and may be able to
recruit a stage manager, but are also interested in any contacts you may have.
The following information from recent shows gives an indication of how costs might be broken down:
2015 Ruddigore
Lighting and sound £580
Set £1,200
Costumes £590
Props £70
Transportation £270
2014 Mikado
Lighting and sound £480
Set £200
Costumes £60
Props £60
Transportation £120
2013 Patience
Lighting and sound £560
Set £690
Costumes £1,330
Props £150
Rehearsal and show dates
Suggested open meeting: 27 January 2016 - 6.45-9.45pm
Suggested audition dates: Wednesday 3 February and Saturday 6 February 2016; callbacks
Wednesday 10 February 2016 (after shortened rehearsal).
Rehearsals: Wednesday evenings, 6.45-9.45pm from 10 February 2016 until show week, in St
Gabriel’s Halls, Churchill Gardens Rd, Pimlico, SW1V 3AA.
Sunday rehearsals:
We usually rehearse for two/three Sundays before the show week. We would suggest:
Sunday 1 (or bank holiday Monday 2), 10 and 15 May, 10am – 4pm, in St Gabriel’s Halls.
Show week - London:
Sunday 22 May : Get-in – from 10am; Band call - pm
Monday 23 May : – lighting rig etc and technical rehearsal in eve
Tuesday 24 May: – dress rehearsal eve
Wednesday 25 May– Saturday 28 May: 7.30pm performances and 2.30pm Saturday matinee (or only
5pm performance?)
Saturday 28 May: Get-out post show
Our productions
In recent years we have produced an updated interpretation of The Mikado and a more traditional
version of Ruddigore, and are open to pitches for both traditional and alternative interpretations.
GLOC is a charity and we are working within tight financial constraints. The figures above represent a
maximum, and we would be interested to hear any ideas you have to reduce the budget or guarantee
that it does not extend beyond the maximum budgetary allowance. We require a director to have a full
vision and energy to create a polished and stylish production on a budget.
We will be interested in your ideas for:
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Setting
Characterisations
Costumes
Set
Any special effects
While Pirates provides many good opportunities for male soloists and chorus, it is perhaps less exciting
in terms of female roles and chorus. We will be particularly interested in any ideas you have for the
involvement of the female chorus in particular.
Performance venue: about the Bridewell Theatre
Steeped in tradition and history, St Bride Foundation has long been a venue catering for the needs of
local people and for local charities.
The theatre is fully equipped, with raked seating and a capacity of 134.
The venue has a very basic set of lighting and sound equipment, full details of which can be obtained
from our production manager on request. It may be that we will have to provide additional lighting. We
do not anticipate the need for any microphones as the space is relatively small.
Visit the website at http://www.sbf.org.uk/bridewell-theatre
Stage space - a plan provided by the theatre is included at the back of this pack.
The main stage is a rough square shape. We anticipate that the stage left wing will be used for the
orchestra (slightly spilling out into the acting area and visible to the audience) such that the
conductor/musical director will be visible to the orchestra and cast (there is no pit). This worked very
well for Ruddigore earlier this year. There is ample space stage right.
There is a balcony above and behind the main stage area, and a trap door towards the front of the
stage.
The theatre has 2 large dressing/changing rooms for the cast, as well as a bar provided for the
audience which remains open after each performance.
The theatre contract requires that furniture, props and other movable items are kept upstage each
evening to allow for use of the space during the day.
Pirates of Penzance (May 2016)
Director application form
Please return this form and any supporting documents to the GLOC Committee at admin@gloc.org
Name:
Phone
number(s):
Email Address:
Home
address:
Please give us a brief summary of your reasons for applying, and your ideas for the show. Please include
details of any relevant experience, or attach a CV
Stage diagram