North Central to present two Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas

Two Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas, "Utopia, Limited" and "The Grand Duke," will be presented this month by North Central College's Summer Light Opera.

Six performances will be staged - 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, June 19 to 27, and 2 p.m. Sundays, June 21 and 28 - in North Central's Madden Theatre at the Fine Arts Center, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville. Tickets are $18 for adults and $12 for students and senior citizens. For reservations, call (630) 637-7469 or visit northcentralcollege.edu/showtix.

"Utopia, Limited" and "The Grand Duke" represent the final two, rarely performed collaborations by Gilbert and Sullivan. Both have very funny scenes and delightful songs. Too long to be presented in their entirety, they've been streamlined by director Matt Boresi and musical director Jeordano Martinez, who have framed both presentations with explanations of their history.

"Utopia, Limited" is set on the fictional South Sea island Utopia and satirizes British imperialism. "The Grand Duke" concerns a monarch, or a Duchy, that's ruled by a despot, and the members of a theater company who conspire against the despot.

"The cast of 'Utopia, Limited' and 'The Grand Duke' features a dedicated troupe of rising professionals, music teachers and gifted amateurs who are dedicated to bringing this very funny material to life," Boresi said.

This is the seventh year Boresi and Martinez have directed North Central's Summer Light Opera. Previously they presented "Iolanthe," "Princess Ida," "The Mikado," "HMS Pinafore," "The Gondoliers" and more by Gilbert and Sullivan.

The Summer Light Opera is one of three musicals this summer at North Central College. The final musicals of the summer are "The Addams Family," directed by Susan Craig-Olsen and presented at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, July 10 to 18, and 2 p.m. Sundays, July 12 and 19; and "The Music Man," directed by Brian Lynch and presented at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, July 31 to Aug. 8, and 2 p.m. Sundays, Aug. 2 and 9.