GAUTIER, Mississippi — Singing River Opera Company will present a 137-year-old English opera, "Trial by Jury," on Saturday evening, but give it a modern twist.
The bridegroom, for example, calls off the wedding by sending a text message to his fiancée during her bachelorette party.
"The bride is suing me for breach of promise of marriage. So, she calls everyone into court because, well, she's a bridezilla," said J.T. Anglin of Ocean Springs, the opera's artistic director who is also portraying the bridegroom.
The other main characters are Khara Molsbee of Gulfport, Valencia Pleasant of Vancleave and James Henry LeBatard of Gautier. The accompanist will be Guy Bowering of Long Beach.
It will be the opera company's first performance open for community participation. The cast started rehearsing in mid-January at St. Pierre's Episcopal Church in Gautier, and as the word got out, more have joined them.
"I've been here a couple of weeks. I'm a last-minute add-on," said Kimberley Bush of Biloxi. "I heard about it by an email."
Bush is a member of the production's choir.
Melissa Werner of Gautier said she heard about the opera auditions through a friend.
"I want to perform," the recent Mississippi University for Women theater graduate said as she sewed white netting to make the bride's veil. Werner is one of the bridesmaids.
TO GO
WHAT: "Trial by Jury"
WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Singing River Elementary Auditorium, 4601 Gautier-Vancleave Road, Gautier
ADMISSION: Free, but donations will be accepted.
DETAILS: Call 228-806-8511 or 228-238-5838 or email noazdad@netzero.com
Anna Alexander of Biloxi, who also is a bridesmaid, said she is one of Anglin's students and has done a show with him in the past.
"I'm glad to be here," she said.
Jim Duggan of Biloxi will portray an usher in the performance.
"I try desperately to keep everything in order and don't always succeed. My big line is 'Silence in the court,'" he sang.
LeBatard, who served twice as president of the Gulf Coast Opera Theatre board of directors and was in the company for more than 20 years, said the group is redefining itself toward musical theater.
"So we thought it was our turn to have opera here and not have to drive to Biloxi and Gulfport," LeBatard said. "And the school district is providing a number of resources to make this happen."
The partnership between the school district and Singing River Opera has been ongoing for two years. The company presented an opera dessert theater at the Family Interactive Center and "Opera Southern Style" and "The Impresario" dessert theater, both at Singing River Elementary Auditorium in Gautier.
Singing River Opera Company "serves as another example of how public school partnerships with organizations like the Bacot/McCarty Foundation bring a wide array of art opportunities for our students and community," said Superintendent of Education Wayne Rodolfich. "It is the school district's intent to expose our students to many different styles of music, and we appreciate the opera company's willingness to share their talents to benefit and inspire audiences of all ages."
Among the "Trial by Jury" sponsors are the foundation, Merchants Marine Bank, IP Casino Resort and Spa, Hancock Bank, Jerry Lee's, Wayne Lee's and VT Halter Marine, Anglin and LeBatard said.
The approximately 16 cast members have all pitched in to provide costumes and set design.
"When we were talking about the bachelorette party, the theme is usually hot pink, black or animal prints," Alexander said. "This is where our black, pink and silver colors have come from."
People have been "wading through the thrift stores," Anglin said. "If we don't have the prop, we will build it ourselves. There is a lot you can do with a glue gun and scraps of wood."
"Trial by Jury" was the first collaboration between W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan.
"It's very poignant because it makes fun of British law called Breach of Promise of Marriage where if a couple breaks up, the offended party could sue the other," LeBatard said. "It got the attention of establishment and the law was changed because of this very opera."
The one-act opera is around 45 minutes long.
"This is not stuffy. It's fun," Anglin said. "It's great to see an intergenerational, multicultural group coming together for the joy of singing. It's incredible."
Article source: http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-entertainment/2012/03/singing_opera_company_to_perform_trial_by_jury_in_gautier.html
Tagged with: black • brides • veil
Filed under: Black Veil Brides
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