Cast chosen for Southeastern Opera/Music Theatre Workshop's “Ruddigore”
Thursday, January 31, 2019
by: Tonya Lowentritt
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University’s Opera/Music Theatre Workshop will
present “Ruddigore” (The Witch’s Curse) Feb. 7 and 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the Columbia
Theatre for the Performing Arts in downtown Hammond.
With music by Arthur Sullivan and script and lyrics by W.S. Gilbert, “Ruddigore”
is a satirical take on the Victorian melodrama genre, said Charles Effler, director
of the Opera/Music Theatre Workshop.
“Ruddigore’s zany plot has it all -- ghosts, witches, curses, a mad woman, a
sailor, a fair maiden, professional bridesmaids, disguises, and even a wicked villain
who tries to make off with the fair maiden,” he said.
Effler explained that all of the Baronets of Ruddigore are under a curse enacted
by a witch long ago, and each of the successive Baronets must commit some type of
a crime every day or else they will die.
“Robin Oakapple has been living as a farmer for 10 years, working up the courage
to ask the beautiful village maiden Rose Maybud for her hand, but he is hiding a secret
-- he is actually Sir Ruthven, the Baronet of Ruddigore, and has been hiding in disguise
while his younger brother Despard assumed the title -- and the curse,” Effler said.
“Betrayed by his foster-brother Richard, Robin is discovered and must take on the
responsibility of committing a crime every day in order to appease the curse and the
ghosts of all his ancestors past, who are none too happy with his attempt to shirk
his title and his duties. Robin must somehow find a way to lead the honest life he
loves, but how?”
The cast includes Ryan Blanchfield (Baton Rouge) as Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd (disguised
as Robin Oakapple in Act I); Andrew Butler (New Orleans) as Richard Dauntless; William
Dopp (New Orleans) as Sir Despard Murgatroyd; Wesley Newton (Bourg) as Old Adam Goodheart;
Elizabeth Langley (Mandeville) as Rose Maybud; Sara Cage (Baton Rouge) and Anne Lebranche
(Abita Springs) as Mad Margaret; Jayce Chance (Amite) and Madelyine Talyor (Watson)
as Dame Hannah; Hannah Turner (Central) and Carley Duet (Cut Off) as Zorah; Vivian
McCalman (Mandeville) as Ruth.
Additional cast members include Lexi Bowers (Holden), Jess Dunlap (Clinton),
Jaci Guidry (Cut Off), Caitlyn Rodrigue (Thibodaux), Camryn Rodrigue (Thibodaux),
Alexa Salpietra (Belle Chasse) and Mary Vince (Pearl River) as the chorus of Professional
Bridesmaids; Jody Bennett (Houston), Ryan Pitre (Lacombe), Logan Watts (Walker), and
Canaan White (Ponchatoula) as City Gents in Act I and ghostly ancestors of the Murgatroyd
clan in Act II; Alfred Harper (New Orleans) as Sir Roderic Murgatroyd, the most recently
deceased baronet.
Opera Workshop welcomes back guest stage director Rachel M. Harris, who has directed
opera productions at Southeastern every year since 2008. The Department of Music and
Performing Arts is represented by Charles Effler (musical preparation of the singers
and orchestra) and Benjamin Norman (lighting design). Costume design is by Performing
Arts Supply of Houston. The set design is by New Orleans designer Hannah Lax, and
the set construction is from the New Orleans Opera Association Scene Shop.
Advance tickets are available at the Columbia Theatre box office Monday through
Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will also be available beginning one hour prior
to each performance. Ticket prices are $21 for adults; $16 for seniors, Southeastern
faculty/staff and non-Southeastern students and $8 for children twelve and younger.
Southeastern students are admitted free of charge with their university ID.
For more information, contact Effler at ceffler@southeastern.edu.