David Bolger Honored for H.M.S. PINAFORE Choreography

The Twin Cities theater community gathered on Monday, September 19 for the 7th annual Ivey Awards, a celebration that honors and showcases the work of professional theater companies and artists. Among the evening's Ivey recipients was Irish choreographer David Bolger, whose fancy footwork for the Guthrie Theater's 2011 splash-hit production of Gilbert and Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore was heralded as "arresting," "breathtaking," and "awesome."

PBS will air the Guthrie production, which was directed by Joe Dowling, on Friday, October 14, 2011, 9:00 p.m. ET as part of its nine-part PBS Arts Fall Festival of performing arts programming. H.M.S. Pinafore kicks off an exciting lineup on Friday nights through mid-December, including the broadcast debut of Cameron Crowe's documentary music film "Pearl Jam Twenty," dance performance films from Bill T. Jones, Miami City Ballet and San Francisco Ballet, rock and Americana music programs from Cleveland and North Carolina, and a major new opera from LA Opera.

Bolger's work has been seen on the Guthrie stage in the Theater's memorable 2004 production of The Pirates of Penzance and the 1999 Cameron Mackintosh musicAl Martin Guerre. Bolger's other credits include work with the U.K.'s National Theatre, Druid Theatre Company, Dublin's Abbey Theatre, Opera Ireland and English National Opera. He also served as choreographer for the 1998 film Dancing at Lughnasa starring Meryl Streep.

With its infectious songs, witty libretto and lighthearted satire, the Gilbert and Sullivan blockbuster is among the most crowd-pleasing comic musicals in history, and helped make the Guthrie last summer's favorite port of call. Remembered for its dynamite songs, gleefully entertaining story and saucy satire, H.M.S. Pinafore is full of pure joy and sensational entertainment, perfect for everyone, young or old!

The GUTHRIE THEATER (Joe Dowling, Director) was founded by Sir Tyrone Guthrie in 1963 and is an American center for theater performance, production, education and professional training. The Tony Award-winning Guthrie Theater is dedicated to producing the great works of dramatic literature, developing the work of contemporary playwrights and cultivating the next generation of theater artists. With annual attendance of nearly 500,000 people, the Guthrie Theater presents a mix of classic plays and contemporary work on its three stages. Under the artistic leadership of Joe Dowling since 1995, the Guthrie continues to set a national standard for excellence in theatrical production and performance. In 2006, the Guthrie opened its new home on the banks of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, the Guthrie Theater houses three state-of-the-art stages, production facilities, classrooms and dramatic public lobbies.

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