Topic: THE HAND - THE HAND (Read 890 times)

MichaelG · « **Reply #90 on:** April 23, 2025, 02:36:11 PM »

Quote from: Jrand74 on April 23, 2025, 02:21:57 PM

I am seeing recently a Bounty commercial featuring music from Pirates of Penzance which always makes me laugh.

So my question for ASK BK DAY:

What was your exposure to Gilbert & Sullivan?

All Dear Readers are welcome to chime in.

G&S is what converted me from a trumpeter to a singer. They put the trumpets and trombones onstage for the entrance of the peers in Iolanthe and it seemed to me the stage was better than the pit. Plus I had gotten as good as I was ever going to get as a trumpeter, so singing opened up new adventures and new repertoire.

MichaelG · « **Reply #91 on:** April 23, 2025, 02:36:55 PM »

So my stage debut was the following year as a chorister in Utopia Ltd.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #92 on:** April 23, 2025, 02:43:11 PM »

Frederick Brisson? The Lizard of Roz?

Freddie · « **Reply #93 on:** April 23, 2025, 02:50:41 PM »

Pirates! The Penzance Musical, adapted by Rupert Holmes, opens on The Broad Way tomorrow night.

ChasSmith · « **Reply #94 on:** April 23, 2025, 03:03:35 PM »

My introduction to G&S was seeing the 1939 color film version of The Mikado on TV in glorious black and white. I'm thinking this was around 1962/1963, based on where we were living. At some point, though, I also saw the Groucho Marx/Bell Telephone Hour version. IMDb says that was broadcast in 1960, and I wonder if it was ever shown again. If only 1960, then that was my first exposure to the piece, even though I always think of that Kenny Baker film as being the first. Anyhoo, I was very quickly hooked, and I soon began acquiring the D'oyly Carte recordings and eventually the vocal scores. In fact, those vocal scores led me to discovering Broadway ones. The Mikado, Pirates, and Pinafore were my first loves, followed by Iolanthe. I saw the D'oyly Carte on tour in my first year at school in Cleveland, doing Mikado and Iolanthe, and I think it was the year before that that their filmed-on-stage version of the former made the rounds while I was in high school, and I went to that a few times, transfixed. Years later I saw Dudley Moore play Koko at the Wiltern in L.A. in the touring Jonathan Miller production which I really loved at the time. I need to watch that again.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #95 on:** April 23, 2025, 03:08:52 PM »

Quote from: Jrand74 on April 23, 2025, 02:43:11 PM

Frederick Brisson? The Lizard of Roz?

The very one. I came to G&S from singing highlights in high school chorus. By the tine I was a senior I had heard excerpts from HMS Pinafore and the complete Mikado. As a college freshman, I discovered the recording library. and once a week I would check out a vocal score from the music library and go to the music library to hear a complete score. My favorites were Iolanthe and The Yeoman of the Guard. My first G&S recording was the EMI-Angel The Yeoman of the Guard, and by the time I graduated I had all of the complete EMI sets available in the USA. I then started buying the complete London-Decca D'Oyly Carte recordings with dialogue, although much of the acting in the dialogue wasn't too good. At that time, too, Richmond, the Decca budget label, was releasing all the early monaural reocordings, and I fell in love with Ella Hallman, Margaret Mitchell, Darrel Fancourt, and Alan Styler.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #96 on:** April 23, 2025, 03:10:58 PM »

Quote from: ChasSmith on April 23, 2025, 03:03:35 PM

My introduction to G&S was seeing the 1939 color film version of The Mikado on TV in glorious black and white. I'm thinking this was around 1962/1963, based on where we were living. At some point, though, I also saw the Groucho Marx/Bell Telephone Hour version. IMDb says that was broadcast in 1960, and I wonder if it was ever shown again. If only 1960, then that was my first exposure to the piece, even though I always think of that Kenny Baker film as being the first. Anyhoo, I was very quickly hooked, and I soon began acquiring the D'oyly Carte recordings and eventually the vocal scores. In fact, those vocal scores led me to discovering Broadway ones. The Mikado, Pirates, and Pinafore were my first loves, followed by Iolanthe. I saw the D'oyly Carte on tour in my first year at school in Cleveland, doing Mikado and Iolanthe, and I think it was the year before that that their filmed-on-stage version of the former made the rounds while I was in high school, and I went to that a few times, transfixed. Years later I saw Dudley Moore play Koko at the Wiltern in L.A. in the touring Jonathan Miller production which I really loved at the time. I need to watch that again.

I've never seen the 1939 film, but around 1966, there was a new D'Oyly Carte film of The Mikado with Valerie Masterson as Yum-Yum. I saw that. I saw the Groucho Marx abridgement abd loved it. Great cast: Helen Traubel, Robert Rounseville, Barbara Meister, who later played Maria in the first national tour of The Sound of Music.

Rodzinski · « **Reply #97 on:** April 23, 2025, 03:12:16 PM »

The junior high where I grew up out on Gilbert & Sullivan shows every year. My brother was the captain of the Pinafore one year and was so proud. He was awesome and I like to think he would have been a star today. Unfortunately, he did not live to be a part of the Mikado the next year, though my sister was Pitty Pat. A couple years later another sister was Buttercup.

Rodzinski · « **Reply #98 on:** April 23, 2025, 03:13:03 PM »

I still have my D’Oyly Carte Pinafore LP set.

bk · « **Reply #99 on:** April 23, 2025, 03:17:42 PM »

I will shamefully say that I had nor have much exposure to Gilbert and Sullivan. I don't think I've ever seen any Gilbert and Sullivan thing all the way through. I know I saw a bit of Groucho in The Mikado and I have the Criterion DVD of The Mikado. Never have seen any version of Pirates.

Jane · « **Reply #100 on:** April 23, 2025, 03:29:48 PM »

Quote from: MichaelG on April 23, 2025, 02:36:11 PM

Quote from: Jrand74 on April 23, 2025, 02:21:57 PM
I am seeing recently a Bounty commercial featuring music from Pirates of Penzance which always makes me laugh.

So my question for ASK BK DAY:

What was your exposure to Gilbert & Sullivan?

All Dear Readers are welcome to chime in.

G&S is what converted me from a trumpeter to a singer. They put the trumpets and trombones onstage for the entrance of the peers in Iolanthe and it seemed to me the stage was better than the pit. Plus I had gotten as good as I was ever going to get as a trumpeter, so singing opened up new adventures and new repertoire.

Very interesting

Jane · « **Reply #101 on:** April 23, 2025, 03:30:57 PM »

Quote from: Rodzinski on April 23, 2025, 03:12:16 PM

The junior high where I grew up out on Gilbert & Sullivan shows every year. My brother was the captain of the Pinafore one year and was so proud. He was awesome and I like to think he would have been a star today. Unfortunately, he did not live to be a part of the Mikado the next year, though my sister was Pitty Pat. A couple years later another sister was Buttercup.

This is a nice memory of your brother.

Jane · « **Reply #102 on:** April 23, 2025, 03:32:10 PM »

Keith got Wordle in five today.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #103 on:** April 23, 2025, 03:46:10 PM »

DR RODZINSKI this is new family information....most interesting and worthy of exploration.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #104 on:** April 23, 2025, 03:49:34 PM »

MR BK I am most surprised at your lack of experience in G/S as I would think it would be most right up your alley.

I highly suggest that you explore and direct a production of HMS Pinafore.....or if not....at least play a part in the show....especially Sir Joseph Porter.....but I cannot fault you because I ignored them all until I worked on them.

Most excellent posts from DR CHAS SMITH and DR ELMORE.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #105 on:** April 23, 2025, 03:52:50 PM »

DR RODZINSKI the D'Oyly Carte recording of HMS PINAFORE was the one I purchased to work on my first production.

I still have it....it is glorious!

Jrand74 · « **Reply #106 on:** April 23, 2025, 03:53:31 PM »

DR MICHAEL G - what a great story!

MichaelG · « **Reply #107 on:** April 23, 2025, 03:53:58 PM »

My G&S introduction was seeing the summer music camp productions of Patience one year and The Grand Duke the next. I'm glad they were in that order!

Jrand74 · « **Reply #108 on:** April 23, 2025, 03:59:31 PM »

The 1985 production that woke me up.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #109 on:** April 23, 2025, 04:01:47 PM »

A couple of years later I cast John C. Baughman in the Ray Walston role in DAMN YANKEES and he was even more of a sensation.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #110 on:** April 23, 2025, 04:04:34 PM »

Here he is.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #111 on:** April 23, 2025, 04:05:13 PM »

He was one of those folks who knew what it was about and what to do and played the audience like a violin.

ChasSmith · « **Reply #112 on:** April 23, 2025, 04:21:06 PM »

Quote from: elmore3003 on April 23, 2025, 03:10:58 PM

Quote from: ChasSmith on April 23, 2025, 03:03:35 PM
My introduction to G&S was seeing the 1939 color film version of The Mikado on TV in glorious black and white. I'm thinking this was around 1962/1963, based on where we were living. At some point, though, I also saw the Groucho Marx/Bell Telephone Hour version. IMDb says that was broadcast in 1960, and I wonder if it was ever shown again. If only 1960, then that was my first exposure to the piece, even though I always think of that Kenny Baker film as being the first. Anyhoo, I was very quickly hooked, and I soon began acquiring the D'oyly Carte recordings and eventually the vocal scores. In fact, those vocal scores led me to discovering Broadway ones. The Mikado, Pirates, and Pinafore were my first loves, followed by Iolanthe. I saw the D'oyly Carte on tour in my first year at school in Cleveland, doing Mikado and Iolanthe, and I think it was the year before that that their filmed-on-stage version of the former made the rounds while I was in high school, and I went to that a few times, transfixed. Years later I saw Dudley Moore play Koko at the Wiltern in L.A. in the touring Jonathan Miller production which I really loved at the time. I need to watch that again.

I've never seen the 1939 film, but around 1966, there was a new D'Oyly Carte film of The Mikado with Valerie Masterson as Yum-Yum. I saw that. I saw the Groucho Marx abridgement abd loved it. Great cast: Helen Traubel, Robert Rounseville, Barbara Meister, who later played Maria in the first national tour of The Sound of Music.

That would be the filmed-on-stage movie I thrilled to a year or so before going off to Cleveland and seeing that production live.

The Criterion release that BK mentioned is the 1939 film with Kenny Baker as Nanki-Poo and Martyn Green as Koko.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #113 on:** April 23, 2025, 04:21:23 PM »

DR FREDDIE thank you for reminding me of the Rupert Holmes PIRATES opening on BROADWAY tonight!

I wish it the greatest success!!!!

ChasSmith · « **Reply #114 on:** April 23, 2025, 04:24:22 PM »

Quote from: Rodzinski on April 23, 2025, 03:12:16 PM

The junior high where I grew up out on Gilbert & Sullivan shows every year. My brother was the captain of the Pinafore one year and was so proud. He was awesome and I like to think he would have been a star today. Unfortunately, he did not live to be a part of the Mikado the next year, though my sister was Pitty Pat. A couple years later another sister was Buttercup.

Amazing, that a junior high school would carry on a G&S tradition. Those were the days. Try finding that now. Maybe...somewhere in the world?

Jrand74 · « **Reply #115 on:** April 23, 2025, 04:24:39 PM »

The Mikado is the only G/S that I can't appreciate.....but I am sure that is only ME.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #116 on:** April 23, 2025, 04:25:12 PM »

Buttercup is a wonderful role........

Jrand74 · « **Reply #117 on:** April 23, 2025, 04:25:33 PM »

Her reveal at the end is wonderful!

Jrand74 · « **Reply #118 on:** April 23, 2025, 04:33:09 PM »

A Many Years Ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOyI9e_Rp2o

Freddie · « **Reply #119 on:** April 23, 2025, 04:35:01 PM »

Quote from: Rodzinski on April 23, 2025, 03:12:16 PM

The junior high where I grew up out on Gilbert & Sullivan shows every year. My brother was the captain of the Pinafore one year and was so proud. He was awesome and I like to think he would have been a star today. Unfortunately, he did not live to be a part of the Mikado the next year, though my sister was Pitty Pat. A couple years later another sister was Buttercup.

News:

Author Topic: THE HAND - THE HAND (Read 890 times)