North Toronto Players
Encyclopedia
The North Toronto Players is a theatre
group, founded in 1966 as the St. Timothy Players. It is based in Aurora
, Ontario
, Canada
, which is in York Region, actually outside of Toronto.
adaptation of two famous Gilbert and Sullivan
operetta
s (HMS Pinafore
and Trial by Jury
). In Toronto
, it was first presented by the North Toronto Players in 1999.
For the show, new lyrics are often added and musical adjustments made, while keeping true to the humor and musical beauty of the original. For example the song "I am an Englishman" was changed to "I Am Canadian" (which not only made it more local, but made reference to a very popular Molson
Canadian beer commercial advertisement which ends with that phrase, see I Am Canadian
).
It was adapted in Toronto by Michael Harms and John Ricciardelli.
. Little Buttercup, a Betazoid
woman who is on board to sell items to the crew, hints that she knows a secret from Ralph's past.
The Captain consults his daughter Josephine and reminds her that she has the opportunity to marry Sir Joseph Porter, who is First Lord of the Starfleet
Admiralty and a wealthy Ferengi
. Sir Joseph arrives with his entourage of 'relatives' (Cousin Hebe and a variety of aliens) and impresses all with his exalted position. Ralph, dejected, informs his friends that he plans to end it all. In a dramatic moment, Josephine declares her love for him and they agree to leave the ship and get married.
Ralph and Josephine's stealthy departure with friends from the crew is foiled when they are intercepted by Dick Deadeye and the Captain. Sir Joseph intervenes but is shocked to learn that Ralph has dared to contemplate marriage with Josephine. He orders a court-martial for the insubordinate crewman!
Everyone assembles for the trial in which Sir Joseph serves as judge. After several eloquent pleas, the dilemma remains unsolved and Ralph is about to be incarcerated. It is then that Buttercup reveals her secret and provides a happy solution to the social conflict. True love unites all parties in the appropriate way!
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
group, founded in 1966 as the St. Timothy Players. It is based in Aurora
Aurora, Ontario
Aurora is an affluent town in York Region, approximately 20 km north of Toronto. It is partially situated on the Oak Ridges Moraine, and is a part of the Greater Toronto Area and Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario.Many Aurora residents commute to Toronto and surrounding communities.In the...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, which is in York Region, actually outside of Toronto.
H.M.S. Starship Pinafore: The Next Generation
H.M.S. Starship Pinafore: The Next Generation is a Star TrekStar Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
adaptation of two famous Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan . The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S...
operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
s (HMS Pinafore
HMS Pinafore
H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, England, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, which was the second-longest run of any musical...
and Trial by Jury
Trial by Jury
Trial by Jury is a comic opera in one act, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It was first produced on 25 March 1875, at London's Royalty Theatre, where it initially ran for 131 performances and was considered a hit, receiving critical praise and outrunning its...
). In Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, it was first presented by the North Toronto Players in 1999.
For the show, new lyrics are often added and musical adjustments made, while keeping true to the humor and musical beauty of the original. For example the song "I am an Englishman" was changed to "I Am Canadian" (which not only made it more local, but made reference to a very popular Molson
Molson
Molson-Coors Canada Inc. is the Canadian division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Molson Coors Brewing Company. It is the second oldest company in Canada after the Hudson's Bay Company. Molson's first brewery was located on the St...
Canadian beer commercial advertisement which ends with that phrase, see I Am Canadian
I am Canadian
I am Canadian was the slogan of Molson Canadian Beer from 1994 until 1998 , and between 2000 and 2005 . It was also the subject of an extremely popular ad campaign centered on Canadian nationalism, the most famous examples of which are "The Rant" and "The Anthem"...
).
It was adapted in Toronto by Michael Harms and John Ricciardelli.
Plot
The Pinafore is at its starbase being readied for further space exploration. Ralph Rackstraw declares his love for Josephine, the daughter of Captain Corcoran. Ralph is supported by most members of the crew with the exception of Dick Deadeye, a KlingonKlingon
Klingons are a fictional warrior race in the Star Trek universe.Klingons are recurring villains in the 1960s television show Star Trek: The Original Series, and have appeared in all five spin-off series and eight feature films...
. Little Buttercup, a Betazoid
Betazoid
In the fictional Star Trek universe, Betazoids are a sentient humanoid species from the planet Betazed, a member of the United Federation of Planets.-Overview:...
woman who is on board to sell items to the crew, hints that she knows a secret from Ralph's past.
The Captain consults his daughter Josephine and reminds her that she has the opportunity to marry Sir Joseph Porter, who is First Lord of the Starfleet
Starfleet
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...
Admiralty and a wealthy Ferengi
Ferengi
The Ferengi are a fictitious extraterrestrial race from the Star Trek universe. They first appeared in "The Last Outpost", the fifth episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987, during which they made first contact with the United Federation of Planets in 2364 on the planet Delphi Ardu,...
. Sir Joseph arrives with his entourage of 'relatives' (Cousin Hebe and a variety of aliens) and impresses all with his exalted position. Ralph, dejected, informs his friends that he plans to end it all. In a dramatic moment, Josephine declares her love for him and they agree to leave the ship and get married.
Ralph and Josephine's stealthy departure with friends from the crew is foiled when they are intercepted by Dick Deadeye and the Captain. Sir Joseph intervenes but is shocked to learn that Ralph has dared to contemplate marriage with Josephine. He orders a court-martial for the insubordinate crewman!
Everyone assembles for the trial in which Sir Joseph serves as judge. After several eloquent pleas, the dilemma remains unsolved and Ralph is about to be incarcerated. It is then that Buttercup reveals her secret and provides a happy solution to the social conflict. True love unites all parties in the appropriate way!