Utopia, (un)Limited

Utopia, (un)Limited

The 1997 production by the Durham Savoyards, Ltd., was Utopia, (Un)Limited, a revision of Gilbert and Sullivan's Utopia, Limited by Randolph Umberger and Benjamin Keaton, DSL's artistic director and music director, respectively. The show was performed in Carolina Theater, Durham, NC, April 24-27 and in Thalian Hall, Wilmington, NC, May 3-4. This was the first time since I joined DSL in 1980 that I have worn three costumes in one show:

One of four First Life Guards, under the
command of Capt. Fitzbattleaxe, who
accompany the Princess Zara from England
to her native Utopia. The captain gets the
princess, of course -- after all, he's a tenor. By the first act Finale, guards are no longer
relevant to the story. All of us reappeared
as native Utopians in the chorus. In Act II the natives stage a Progress Ballet in
costumes representing all 11 G&S operas that
preceded Utopia. This costume is that of one
of the ghostly ancestors in Ruddigore.

David A. Smith <das at math.duke.edu>

Last modified: September 3, 2007


One of four First Life Guards, under the command of Capt. Fitzbattleaxe, who accompany the Princess Zara from England to her native Utopia. The captain gets the princess, of course -- after all, he's a tenor.	By the first act Finale, guards are no longer relevant to the story. All of us reappeared as native Utopians in the chorus.	In Act II the natives stage a Progress Ballet in costumes representing all 11 G&S operas that preceded Utopia. This costume is that of one of the ghostly ancestors in Ruddigore.