THE GONDOLIERS, The Savoy Company, 05/29/2026-05/30/2026

Show: THE GONDOLIERS
Theater: The Savoy Company
Theater Website: https://savoy.org/gondoliers/
Show runs: 05/29/2026 to 05/30/2026

Longwood Gardens
Friday, May 29th – 7:30 PM
Saturday, May 30th – 7:30 PM

Our annual performances at Longwood Gardens will begin a full hour earlier this year!
Friday, May 29th & Saturday, May 30th at 7:30 PM

The Savoy Company is thrilled to make our annual return to the Longwood Gardens Open Air Theatre for our 2026 performances of The Gondoliers! Returning patrons will note one big, exciting difference this year: Both shows will begin a full hour earlier than previously, at 7:30 PM.

This start time will allow audiences to bask in the beauty of golden hour in the Gardens and enjoy an earlier night out.

Each ticket includes all-day Gardens Admission, as well as parking. Tickets are limited and likely to sell out, so be sure to purchase yours today!

Talkback with production leads on Saturday at 6:00 PM; ticketholders from both shows welcome to attend

Rain date Sunday May 31, 2026

Open Air Theatre

Join The Savoy Company in our Gardens as they celebrate their 125th anniversary year with a traditional performance of The Gondoliers—a story that blends romance, mistaken identity, and ever-sharp social satire.

Set first in vibrant Venice and then in the fictional kingdom of Barataria, the story follows two cheerful gondoliers, Marco and Giuseppe, who learn that one of them has unknowingly been raised as a commoner despite being the rightful king. Because no one knows which brother holds the crown, they agree to rule jointly, creating absurd complications for their new brides and the court. Through its witty dialogue, lively ensemble numbers, and playful mockery of aristocracy and political systems, the operetta celebrates equality while poking fun at rigid class distinctions and the pretensions of monarchy.

Before the May 30 performance, join us for a talk with the creative team of The Gondoliers as they explore the show’s wit, music, and topsy-turvy satire in the Visitor Center Auditorium from 6:00 to 6:30 pm. Registration for the talk is not required.

About The Gondoliers

Premiered in 1889, The Gondoliers is the twelfth collaboration between librettist W.S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan. The show ran for 554 performances, making it one of the duo’s most successful later works.

Set in Venice and the fictional kingdom of Barataria, the plot centers on two gondoliers, Marco and Giuseppe, who discover that one of them is the rightful king but cannot determine which. They agree to rule jointly until the true monarch can be identified, allowing Gilbert to satirize monarchy, aristocracy, and British political institutions. The show is especially noted for its unusually warm tone and emphasis on equality, reflecting contemporary late-Victorian debates about class and governance.

Historically, The Gondoliers came after a serious quarrel between Gilbert and Sullivan in 1890 (the so-called “carpet quarrel”) over production expenses, which temporarily ended their partnership. Although they later reunited for Utopia, Limited (1893), and The Grand Duke (1896), The Gondoliers is often regarded as their last undisputed masterpiece. Its score is admired for incorporating brighter, more Italianate musical color than many earlier Savoy operas, while maintaining the duo’s trademark wit and intricate ensemble writing.

Join The Savoy Company as we celebrate our 125th anniversary year with Gilbert & Sullivan’s sparkling operetta, The Gondoliers!

Set in Venice and the fictional kingdom of Barataria, the story blends romance, mistaken identity, and social satire. Two gondoliers, Marco and Giuseppe, discover that one of them is the rightful king, though both were raised as commoners. Since no one knows which brother truly holds the crown due to a mix-up in their youth, they agree to rule jointly, creating hilarious complications for their new brides, the royal court, and the daughter of the Duke of Plaza-Toro, who was married in infancy to the rightful king!

Dramatis Personae

Cast of Characters
Duke: Gabriel Wildau
Duchess: Alexander Levine
Casilda: Alexandra Gilliam
Luiz: Jack Ingram
Don Alhambra: Shellie Camp
Inez: Theresa Swartz
Marco: Colin Kase
Giuseppe: Brian Ballard
Gianetta: Nathalie Dalziel-Bachman
Tessa: Sarah Petko
Fiametta: Sarah Folsom-Kovarik
Vittoria: Roslyn Rich Reeves
Giulia: Lauren Jones
Francesco: Eli Rosen
Antonio: Peter Beik
Giorgio: Guillermo Bosch

Chorus (in alphabetical order)
Debby Appel, Phyllis Attisano, Mickey Bonner, Maureen Broadbent, Melissa Burdick, Susan Butler, Sandy Connelly, Whitney Connelly, Margi DeTemple, Lilana Dohnert, Amber Englebert, Amber Gay, A.J. Kait, Michael Kearns, Kim Kearns, John Klinges, Craig Laird, Victoria McDonald, Brian McDonald, Rachel Mikida, Edan Mobed, Taren Mordas, Laura Morris, Michael Nahill, Elizabeth Nelsen, Misty Palmer, Rebecca Ross, Jackie Scheiner, Gwendolyn Schmidt, Douglas Smith, Tom Sweitzer, Christopher Tyson, Susan Wolf, Anne Woodcock, Ed Young

Theater Address: 1001 Longwood Road Open Air Theatre Kennett Square, Pennsylvania 19348 (Map It)
Theater Phone: (215) 735-7161
Theater Amenities:

Price:
Purchase tickets online: https://longwoodgardens.org/events-performances/events/savoy-company