Lamplighters Music Theatre to Present RUDDYGORE

Lamplighters Music Theatre will produce Gilbert & Sullivan's Ruddygore this winter, a comic masterpiece that melds the world of Jane Austen with a good old-fashioned English ghost story and a dash of Wuthering Heights romance. Ruddygore was first performed by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company at London's Savoy Theatre in 1887 and ran for 283 performances. Controversy over the "hideous and repulsive title" in an otherwise favorable first week review in the Illustrated London Review led Gilbert to quickly change the spelling to "Ruddigore". Since times have changed considerably since 1887, the Lamplighters choose to honor the original spelling. Gilbert derived the story from his own one-act operetta, Ages Ago, and based the character of Mad Margaret on Madge Wildfire from The Heart of Midlothian by Sir Walter Scott.

When inflicted with a family curse, Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd fakes his death and disguises himself as simple farmer Robin Oakapple, leaving his brother Sir Despard to carry the curse of being forced to commit one deadly crime a day or perish in indescribable agony. Before long, Robin falls in love with virtuous maiden Rose Maybud, but he finds himself in a love-triangle with his foster brother, Dick Dauntless. Add to the mix Mad Margaret who has been driven to insanity by the curse on her beloved Despard, a bevy of professional bridesmaids, and a ghostly chorus of ancestors, and you have a topsy-turvy recipe for fear and fun.

WALNUT CREEK

WHERE: Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive

WHEN: Friday, February 12 at 8PM • Saturday, February 13 at 2PM & 8PM • Sunday, February 14 at 2PM

TICKETS: For tickets please call 925-943-7469 or visit lesherartscenter.org

SAN FRANCISCO

WHERE: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 700 Howard Street, San Francisco

WHEN: Friday, February 19 at 8PM • Saturday, February 20 at 2PM & 8PM • Sunday, February 21 at 2PM

TICKETS: For tickets please call 415-978-2787 or visit ybca.org

MOUNTAIN VIEW

WHERE: Mountain View Center for Performing Arts, 500 Castro Street

WHEN: Saturday, February 27 at 8PM • Sunday, February 28 at 2PM

TICKETS: For tickets please call 650-903-6000 or visit mvcpa.com

Photo by David Allen

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