4 • The Southwest Portland Post
FEATURES
June 2016
Operetta ‘H.M.S. Pinafore’ sets sail for Multnomah Village
By KC Cowan
The Southwest Portland Post
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If you’ve heard any songs by Gilbert
and Sullivan at all, you will likely
recognize the music that will soon fill
the auditorium at the Multnomah Arts
Center. “We Sail the Ocean Blue,” or the
commentary on politics, “When I was a
Lad,” and perhaps the best known song
of all, “I’m Called Little Buttercup.”
All of these and more will be sung
in June when Light Opera of Portland
performs “H.M.S. Pinafore or The Lass
that Loved a Sailor.”
Light Opera of Portland is the
creation of Dennis Britten. He has a
60-year history of performing, from a
national tour of the Broadway show,
“My Fair Lady,” to singing with the
Lamplighters in San Francisco, the
oldest resident Gilbert and Sullivan
company in the country.
Britten came back to Portland to care
for his aging parents and missed the
theatre “family” he had known, so he
decided to create his own.
Portland also didn’t have a Gilbert
and Sullivan company, and when
Britten learned of the old opera house
at the Alpenrose Dairy, it all came
together. He launched the Dairyville
Players in 2012.
“We began with condensed versions
(of the plays)” he explained. “Only
seven people. Then we moved with
the shorter ‘Trial by Jury’ and ‘Cox
and Box’ to complete shows, and then
‘Ruddigore’ was our first full-length
show. It was such a huge success.”
But the Alpenrose Opera House was
only available in the summer. “It has no
restrooms, it has no air conditioning,
and we performed there in August,
which is a problem,” Britten said.
“At the end of the production of ‘The
Mikado,’ we were applauding the
audience for sitting through the heat!”
“HM S P i n a f o re ” w ill p la y a t
Multnomah Arts Center. Dairyville
Players had already transplanted single
performances from Alpenrose to MAC
for two fundraisers, but
this will be the first time
all six performances of a
show will be held there.
It may signal a shift from
Alpenrose to the MAC
and from summer-only
shows to winter ones.
“Because we really
want to show them we
can have standing room
only,” said Britten. “We
hope. And if that works,
we will be partners from
here on out.”
Hence the name change
f ro m t h e D a i r y v i l l e
Players to Light Opera of
Portland. Though small,
the company has built
a solid reputation for Sir Joseph (Dennis Britten), Josephine (Lindsey Lefler) and Captain Corcoran (Ron Swingen) sing together
good performances, with in "H.M.S. Pinafore." (Photo courtesy Light Opera of Portland)
talented singers, many of
which are from the Oregon Chorale.
today, Britten said.
emotions beautifully. It still resonates.”
“ W h a t w e a re i s u n u s u a l i n
“Gilbert’s humor is hysterically
Britten has stepped down from
community theatre,” Britten said.
funny,” he said. “Gilbert was the first
producing, directing and acting in his
“We’re a little theatre, but we are a
absurdist. I’ve always said, this is
company’s shows to just directing
resident repertory company. Right now
absurdity done in complete sincerity
and acting. With new blood to help
we only do Gilbert and Sullivan. And
and that makes it funny. It’s still
produce the shows, a possible new full-
so much of the company stays with us.”
topical.”
time home, and a new name, Britten
The shows are also royalty-free,
Unlike a recent Portland Opera
said Light Opera of Portland plans to
which helps the small-budgeted
performance of “Pinafore,” where they
entertain audiences for many years to
company. “H.M.S. Pinafore” is set
added calypso, Elvis impersonators
come.
aboard a ship and tells the story of the
and even Verdi to “update it,” Britten
“H.M.S. Pinafore” plays at the
captain’s daughter, Josephine, who is
said he doesn’t think that is necessary.
Multnomah Arts Center on June 17, 18,
in love with a lower-class sailor.
The original is best, he said.
24 and 25 at 7:00 p.m. and June 19 and
Her father wants her to marry Sir
“We get comments like that all the
26 at 3:00 p.m. Suggested donation at the
Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the
time,” he said. “People write on our
door is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and
Admiralty. “H.M.S. Pinafore” debuted
Facebook page: ‘I never knew this stuff
$10 for youth. For more information visit
in 1878, but the humor is still relevant
was so funny.’ And Gilbert captures
www.lightoperaofportland.org.
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