Premieres Friday, October 14, 2011; Kicks Off first PBS Arts Fall Festival
Gilbert and Sullivan’s Comic Musical Presented by tpt National Productions and the Guthrie Theater
ARLINGTON, VA, September 6, 2011 – This fall, PBS Arts from Minnesota: THE GUTHRIE THEATER PRESENTS H.M.S. PINAFORE puts PBS viewers aboard one of the most crowd-pleasing comic musicals of all time. The filmed performance of this Gilbert and Sullivan classic — a Guthrie Theater production presented by PBS Arts from Minnesota, and produced for television by tpt National Productions — premieres Friday, October 14, 2011, at 9:00 p.m. EST on PBS (check local listings).
The premiere opens the first PBS Arts Fall Festival, a multi-platform event anchored by nine Friday night broadcasts that highlight artists and performances from nine communities across the country, with celebrity hosts from each locale. As part of its commitment to increase every American’s access to – and participation in – the arts, the Festival, which continues into December, also includes a range of related online content.
Gilbert and Sullivan’s first blockbuster is among the most crowd-pleasing comic musicals in history, loved for its dynamite songs, gleefully entertaining story and saucy satire. The captain’s daughter is in love with an ordinary sailor but her father has a more sophisticated suitor in mind. Will she and her beloved defy convention and set sail for love? Filled with Sullivan’s memorable melodies – infused with fresh musical arrangements ranging from big band swing to classic pop – H.M.S. Pinafore is pure joy and sensational entertainment for everyone, young or old.
The performance was filmed at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis in August 2011. Directed for the stage by Joe Dowling and for broadcast by Michael Beyer, the show’s cast includes (in alphabetical order) Lauren Asheim, Christina Baldwin, Robert O. Berdahl, Joseph Bigelow, Nathan Bird, Nathaniel Braga, Barbara Bryne, Seri Johnson, Aleks Knezevich, Timotha Lanae, Adam Lendermon, Heather Lindell, Molly Sue McDonald, Nicholas McGough, Robb McKindles, Tinia Moulder, Alfie Parker, Jr., Adrian Pena, Simone Perrin, Kersten Rodau, Laura Rudolph, Adam Sarette, Jason Simon, Brian Skellenger, Brian Sostek, Peter Thomson and J. Tyler Whitmer.
In addition to Dowling, artistic staff for the stage production includes Andrew Cooke (Music Director/Arrangements/Orchestrations), David Bolger (Choreographer/Musical Staging), Frank Hallinan Flood (Set Designer), Fabio Toblini (Costume Designer), Malcolm Rippeth (Lighting Designer), Scott W. Edwards (Sound Designer), Wade Clark (Orchestrations), Mark Henderson (Orchestrations), Adi Yeshaya (Orchestrations), Jo Holcomb (Dramaturg), Lucinda Holshue (Voice and Dialect Consultant), Chris A. Code (Stage Manager), Martha Kulig (Assistant Stage Manager), Timothy Markus (Assistant Stage Manager) and James McNamara (Assistant Director).
PBS Arts From Minnesota: THE GUTHRIE THEATER PRESENTS H.M.S. PINAFORE airs nationally in conjunction with a locally produced short film from Twin Cities Public Television that explores how the state’s diverse cultural community began decades ago with visionaries who invested in and guided arts institutions to become successful businesses and world-class organizations. The resulting long-term show of support for the arts underscores Minnesotans’ commitment to establish an arts and cultural legacy for future generations.
“We are enormously proud that the PBS Arts Fall Festival will premiere with our production of H.M.S. Pinafore,” says Guthrie Theater Artistic Director Joe Dowling. “It is a thrill and honor for us, the Twin Cities, and all of Minnesota that we can bring our local production to PBS audiences across the country.”
“The Guthrie’s production of H.M.S. Pinafore, and our short film about the development of a vibrant arts culture in the Twin Cities and throughout the state, will prove to PBS audiences what we’ve always known – Minnesota is a place where artists thrive and where audiences support theater, dance, music and the visual arts,” says Jim Pagliarini, President and CEO of tpt. “We are thrilled to kick off the inaugural PBS Arts Fall Festival in partnership with PBS and the Guthrie Theater, and we are proud that the PBS Arts Fall Festival is supported by the Minnesota-based Anne Ray Charitable Trust.”
The PBS Arts Fall Festival schedule is below. Get full details at pbs.org/pressroom.
• PBS Arts from Minnesota: THE GUTHRIE THEATER PRESENTS H.M.S. PINAFORE, Oct. 14, 2011
• PBS Arts from Seattle: AMERICAN MASTERS “Pearl Jam Twenty,” Oct. 21, 2011
• PBS Arts from Miami: GREAT PERFORMANCES “Miami City Ballet Dances Balanchine & Tharp,” Oct. 28, 2011
• PBS Arts from the Blue Ridge Mountains: GIVE ME THE BANJO, Nov. 4, 2011
• PBS Arts from Chicago: AMERICAN MASTERS “Bill T. Jones: A Good Man,” Nov. 11, 2011
• PBS Arts from Cleveland: WOMEN WHO ROCK, Nov. 18, 2011
• PBS Arts from Los Angeles: GREAT PERFORMANCES “Il Postino From LA Opera,” Nov. 25, 2011
• PBS Arts from New York: GREAT PERFORMANCES “Andrea Bocelli Live in Central Park,” Dec. 2, 2011
• PBS Arts from San Francisco: GREAT PERFORMANCES “The Little Mermaid From San Francisco Ballet,” Dec. 16, 2011
Funding for this program is provided by the Minnesota State Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4th, 2008, the Blythe Brenden Fund of the Ted and Dr. Roberta Mann Foundation, Russell B. Hagen and Family, the Margaret and Angus Wurtele Family Foundation, public television viewers and PBS. Funding for the launch of PBS Arts has been provided by Anne Ray Charitable Trust, public television viewers and PBS.
ABOUT PBS ARTS
As part of its commitment to increase every American’s access to – and participation in – the arts, PBS kicks off the multi-platform PBS Arts Fall Festival October 14th. Anchored by broadcasts every Friday night into December and a range of related online content, the Fall Festival features artists and performances from nine communities across the country with celebrity hosts from each locale. Comprising full-length performances, behind-the-scenes interviews, and artist and performer profiles, the PBS Arts Fall Festival is complemented by locally produced mini-documentaries that highlight related topics and cultural aspects of the country’s top arts cities.
ABOUT tpt NATIONAL PRODUCTIONS
tpt National Productions is among the primary content producers for the public television system. In addition to crafting award-winning series, documentaries and specials, tpt National Productions amplifies its reach and impact through innovative websites, educational outreach programs and community engagement initiatives. By creating informative and entertaining content, tpt National Productions deeply engages millions of adults and children around the nation and the world.
tpt National Productions’ quality, creativity and innovation have earned both popular and critical acclaim, garnering more than 300 awards for artistic and technical achievement. Honors include 25 national and regional Emmy Awards, the duPont-Columbia Commendation, three Peabody Awards, an Academy Award nomination and awards at the Chicago, New York and Tokyo Film Festivals. tpt National Productions' websites have also been honored with Parent’s Choice and PBS Web awards, and its outreach resources have been lauded and utilized by educators, community leaders and parents nationwide.
tpt National Productions is based at Twin Cities Public Television in Saint Paul, Minnesota, one of the nation’s leading public television stations.
ABOUT THE GUTHRIE THEATER
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. www.guthrietheater.org
– PBS –
John Michael Kennedy / Jennifer Brod, Goodman Media International, Tel.: 212-576-2700; email: PBSArts-PR@goodmanmedia.com
Carrie L. Johnson, PBS Communications, Tel.: 703-739-5129; email: cjohnson@pbs.org
For full episode descriptions, images, videos and additional up-to-date information on these and other PBS programs, visit PBS PressRoom at pbs.org/pressroom.