(Cover Photo: Naré Kim as “Casilda” with David Smyth as “Luiz” in a moment from Gilbert and Sullivan's "THE GONDOLIERS" from the Sudbury Savoyards in Sudbury, MA. through February 28, 2026. Photo Credit: Chris Pollari)

By Kevin T. Baldwin

METRMAG Reviewer

# 774-242-6724

"Married to the infant son of the King of Barataria? Was I consulted? (Duke shakes his head.) Then it was a most unpardonable liberty!" 

                                                                      - ("Casilda") / Gilbert and Sullivan

The Sudbury Savoyards 

Presents Gilbert and Sullivan's

"THE GONDOLIERS (aka "The King of Barataria") 

Book by W. S. Gilbert 

Music by Arthur Sullivan 

Stage Director Sara DeLong 

Music Director Aldo Fabrizi 

Choreographer Tess Klibanoff

Cast Includes: Becca Bly  as “Fiametta,” Graham Daley as “Giulia/Vittoria,” Danielle Shevchenko as “Gianetta,” Gretchen Struckmeyer as “Tessa,” Randy Glidden as “Francesco,” Liam Hefferman as “Antonio,” Jeremy White as “Giorgio,” Kai Fay as “Annibale,” Santo Mammone as “Giuseppe Palmieri,” Brad Amidon as “Marco Palmieri,” David Smyth as “Luiz,” Tom Frates as “Duke of Plaza-Toro,” Elaine Crane as “Duchess of Plaza-Toro,” Naré Kim as “Casilda,” Blair Eig as “Don Alhambra Del Bolero,” Martha Warren as “Inez.”

Chorus of Gondoliers, Contadine, Men-at-Arms, Heralds, and Pages:

Matt Behrle, Roy Benson, Alicia Boucher*, Brendon Chetwynd, Kirsten Chetwynd*, Debbie Crane*, Dianne DeChellis*, Jennifer Dohm*, Art Dunlap, Meryl Eisenstein, Matt Garber*, Deborah Gaz, Cat Glidden*, Christine Kann, Kimberly Kapner*, Laurel Martin*, Larry Millner, Aire Nifong, Mei-Lin Po, Tom Porcher, Karen Powers*, Alan Rohwer, Cathy Sullivan*, Kerry Tamm*, Webb Tilney, Peter Welsh.

*indicates featured dancer

Additional Creative Team: 

Stage Manager - Nadine Sa; Assistant Stage Managers - Emmeline Jones, Bill Fisher; Administrative Manager (Producer Team) - Laurel Martin; Costume Design - Sue Flint; Sound Design - Bill Lopoulos; Props Coordinators - Deede Bergeron, Nancy Powers; Technical Directors (Producer Team) - Brendon Chetwynd, Blair Eig; Set Design - Brendon Chetwynd, Blair Eig, Laurel Martin; Scenic Artist/Set Dresser - Laurel Martin; Hair and Wig Coordinator - Sam Sickorez; Artistic Manager (Producer Team) - Graham Daley; Lighting Design - Jeremy Behrle; Makeup Design - Elizabeth Stone.

Performances: 

February 21, 2026 through February 28, 2026

(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)

Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School, 390 Lincoln Road, Sudbury, MA. 01776

TICKETS: 

https://sudburysavoyards.org/tickets/

BUY TICKETS

COVID 19 PROTOCOLS

Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.

(Warning: The following review contains spoilers)

Sailing into 2026 with a smile and a song, the Sudbury Savoyards presents an equally dazzling and dizzying production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s "THE GONDOLIERS (or "The King of Barataria").

The show "THE GONDOLIERS" is categorized as comic opera or “Savoy Opera” which was developed in Victorian England during the late 19th century but much of what is staged here is still funny in Sudbury, MA. in 2026.

The name is taken from the old Savoy Theatre, constructed to house the works of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan who became the most successful practitioners of the comedic operatic style. 

(Photo: A moment from Gilbert and Sullivan's "THE GONDOLIERS" from the Sudbury Savoyards in Sudbury, MA. through February 28, 2026. Photo Credit: Chris Pollari)

Featuring a libretto by Gilbert with music by Sullivan, "THE GONDOLIERS" debuted in 1889 running for a very successful 554 performances (of course there were limited options with no cable or streaming channels...and don't even get me started on cellphones). 

However, in theatre during this time it was the fifth longest-running piece of musical theatre in history. 

"THE GONDOLIERS" would be the twelfth and last successful comic opera collaboration between Gilbert and Sullivan but much of its inherent cleverness and light humor still holds up even today as staged by the Sudbury Savoyards. 

"THE GONDOLIERS" begins as brothers Marco (Brad Amidon) and Giuseppe Palmieri (Santo Mammone), a pair of Venetian gondoliers, have just married a pair of vibrant farm girls, Tessa (Gretchen Struckmeyer) and Gianetta (Danielle Shevchenko).   

However, the brothers' matrimonial voyage (on a gondola built for four) is almost immediately upended as they are informed by the pompous, scheming Grand Inquisitor of Spain, Don Alhambra del Bolero (Blair Eig), that one of them might actually be heir to the throne of the fictional kingdom of Barataria. 

(Photo: Gretchen Struckmeyer as "Tessa," Santo Mammone as "Giuseppe," Naré Kim as "Casilda," Brad Amidon as "Marco" and Danielle Shevchenko as "Gianetta" in a scene from Gilbert and Sullivan's "THE GONDOLIERS" from the Sudbury Savoyards in Sudbury, MA. through February 28, 2026. Photo Credit: Chris Pollari)

Eig is very much in tune with the character of the Grand Inquisitor who reveals that, unbeknownst to either brother, this royal heir was pledged to be wed at infancy. 

Amidon and Mammone have an effective chemistry on stage portraying the brothers, excelling at some of the show’s lighter, more comedic moments, especially during the Savoyards show’s second act. 

Until Don Alhambra can determine which of them is the heir, they must rule jointly but, once the heir is determined, the marriage to either Tessa or Gianetta will be nullified, sending the brothers into a spiral of anxiety. 

Struckmeyer and Shevchenko are outstanding in the portrayal of distressed brides Tessa and Gianetta, who are initially kept in the dark but soon discover and anxiously await to learn which of their marriages is not valid. 

(Photo: Tom Frates as “Duke of Plaza-Toro” with Elaine Crane as “Duchess of Plaza-Toro” in a moment from Gilbert and Sullivan's "THE GONDOLIERS" from the Sudbury Savoyards in Sudbury, MA. through February 28, 2026. Photo Credit: Chris Pollari)

On the other side of this farcical wedded tale, we meet the “unintended bride” Casilda (Naré Kim), daughter of the Spanish Duke and Duchess of Plaza-Toro (Tom Frates and Elaine Crane). 

Both Frates and Crane are highly entertaining as the duplicitous couple with their own agenda(s) later revealed as the story continues. 

Kim brings not only a spectacular voice but also an equally dominant physical and farcical quality to Casilda who, like Marco and Giuseppe, is similarly stunned by the surprise reveal of her “marriage,” especially as she herself is in love with her father's servant, Luiz (David Smyth). 

Smyth does fine in the role of Luiz, especially when performing opposite Kim but, as written, the character is on so briefly in the first act, that Luiz is all-but-forgotten until the end of the show when he reappears. 

As well-staged by Sudbury Savoyards director Sara DeLong, and while "THE GONDOLIERS" is absurdist fun, there is also here an inherent straightforward satire of class distinctions, made recognizable here to those G&S fans most familiar with the theme that permeates other librettos in the G&S catalog. 

(Photo: Naré Kim as “Casilda” with David Smyth as “Luiz” in a moment from Gilbert and Sullivan's "THE GONDOLIERS" from the Sudbury Savoyards in Sudbury, MA. through February 28, 2026. Photo Credit: Chris Pollari)

While all the Savoyard soloists are splendid, as is the supporting Sudbury Savoyards Ensemble, it is the comedy that really shines through as most of the material is approached with tongue planted firmly in cheek. 

Although "THE GONDOLIERS" does not contain a traditional, singular, fast-paced “patter song” (as in the vein of "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General" from “Pirates of Penzance”) the opera does contain several “patter-style” or “rapid-fire” songs. 

The most prominent examples are "In enterprise of martial kind" performed by the Duke, Duchess, Casilda and Luiz and "Rising early in the morning" sung by Giuseppe and Men, both songs rendered in exemplary fashion by the Sudbury Savoyards. 

The choreography by Tess Klibanoff works well during moments featuring members who are at least dance proficient, but in the larger group numbers it quickly becomes apparent there are those who struggled with learning the choreography, albeit them giving their best effort.

The Sudbury Savoyards' set design for "THE GONDOLIERS" is marvelously augmented by expertly executed lighting.

The costuming used throughout the production impresses greatly although the appearance of an EXTREMELY "color-coordinated" Luiz and Casilda toward the end of the show happens so abruptly that it might tend to tilt some heads.

(Photo: Members of the Ensemble of Gilbert and Sullivan's "THE GONDOLIERS" from the Sudbury Savoyards in Sudbury, MA. through February 28, 2026. Photo Credit: Chris Pollari)

As is tradition with Savoyards, the exceptional live orchestra conducted by Music Director Aldo Fabrizi is a joy to experience before the curtain even goes up. 

The superb vocal performances, fine music and lighthearted fare continues in Gilbert and Sullivan's "THE GONDOLIERS" from the Sudbury Savoyards until February 28^th, 2026. 

For tickets contact The Sudbury Savoyards at https://sudburysavoyards.org/tickets/

BUY TICKETS

Approximately two hours, 30 minutes with one intermission.

Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)

@MetrmagReviews

@Theatre_Critics

ABOUT THE SHOW

"THE GONDOLIERS" is the the twelfth of fourteen comic opera collaborations between Gilbert and Sullivan.

It is 1750s Venice, and the ladies in town are all a flutter over two heartthrob gondoliers who plan to choose their brides. 

When Marco and Giuseppe propose to Gianetta and Tessa, the whole of Venice prepares to celebrate their wedding. 

Unbeknownst to all of them, a ducal Spanish family has just floated into town. 

Years ago, the bumbling Duke’s lovely daughter, Casilda, was married in infancy to the future King of Barataria. 

But Don Alhambra, the Grand Inquisitor, swapped the baby prince with a gondolier to save his life from a rebellious faction that recently met its end. 

Now it’s a hunt for the true King of Barataria.

Who will be king? 

What sort of king will he be? 

And, if the king is Marco or Giuseppe, what becomes of the brides they have just married?

Giggle your way through this ridiculous saga of baby-swapping wrapped in sparkling, lively song and dance. 

Drink in the warm Venetian sunshine and float away on a river of shimmering operatic comedy featuring full orchestra, stunning costumes, and striking sets.

ABOUT THE SUDBURY SAVOYARDS, INC.

THE SUDBURY SAVOYARDS, INC. are a community theater organization founded in 1961 in Sudbury, Massachusetts that specializes in the light operas (“operettas”) composed by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. We are one of the few theater companies in New England that performs all the works of Gilbert & Sullivan as “Theater on a Grand Scale” – with a large chorus, full orchestra, and full staging, costuming, and lights. These productions feature a chorus open to all who wish to participate, while our leads are selected through competitive auditions. We perform one large scale G&S show a year, in winter. We produce a smaller-scale, usually non-musical comedy or light drama in the summer, and occasionally produce concerts and smaller outreach events. Charity had always been an important element in our program of work; THE SAVOYARDS have donated more than a quarter million dollars to world hunger relief over the past three decades. Although as a non-profit arts organization, our direct donations are limited, we continue to work to find ways to support relief of hunger though collaborations.  As a registered 501(c)(3) organization, donations and gifts to THE SAVOYARDS are applicable as charitable deductions for tax purposes. 

THE SUDBURY SAVOYARDS, INC.

P. O. Box # 762

Sudbury, MA. 01776

Phone (Voicemail) # 781-369-5992

info@sudburysavoyards.org