This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Jan. 5, 2011 - What I enjoyed most about the Beacon's production of H.M.S. Pinafore on New Year's Day was watching the participants having fun with each other.
The real singers (including Christine Brewer, Hugh Russell, Noel Prince, Debby Lennon and Mark Freiman) and the celebrity non-singers (including St. Louis Symphony maestro David Robertson and Opera Theatre head Timothy O'Leary) embraced the merry music with contagious abandon.
When the maestro ad libbed "I wish I'd practiced this song more," both audience and performers cracked up. The chorus, including Symphony chorus leaders Amy Kaiser and Richard Ashburner, joined in the opportunity to ham things up. Pianist/conductor Craig Terry and narrator Richard Gaddes kept a light but steady hand on the tiller, holding the ship on course while accommodating spontaneous zigs and zags.
But what does Pinafore have to do with News That Matters, which is the focus of the Beacon's day-to-day work? One obvious answer is revenue. News coverage costs money, and events like this performance help raise it. We're incredibly grateful to the performers who donated their time and talents, to the audience and to those who joined us afterward for a gala dinner.
Less obviously, H.M.S. Pinafore signals certain fundamental things about the Beacon. Our belief that St. Louis is a place where wonderful things can happen. Our conviction that the Beacon can play a catalytic role in making them happen. Our commitment to working with St. Louisans in new ways to create something extraordinary.
H.M.S. Pinafore may seem far afield from our daily work. But those who left the event with smiles on their faces had no doubt that wonderful things can happen here. That was possible because Beacon associate editor Bob Duffy acted as the catalyst in pulling this production together. And it was possible because generous St. Louis artists stepped up to create something extraordinary.
We're so grateful for their support and for the ongoing opportunity to provide something special for the St. Louis community, which has given so much to us.