4 Page 8- The Michigan Daily -Wednesday, December 7, 1988 Politics no Utopia model of satire G&S show is the very BY BETH COLQUITT "Everyone has seen Pirates (of Penzance), (H.M.S.) Pinafore, and Mikado, but no one knows about Utopia (Limited)," said Mary Locker, director of Utopia, Lim- ited . Utopia is the fall product of the University Gilbert and Sullivan Society, opening tonight and run- ning until Saturday afternoon. Utopia differs from those better known G&S shows in that along with the glorious music, it is heavily satirical. "Gilbert really unloaded all his guns on this one. He didn't let anyone off," said Locker. Utopia, Ltd., takes place on a South Seas island utopia which longs for the culture and "civilization" of British society. When the Brits finally arrive to colo- nize the island, they set it up like a corporation. Utopia is given a king, and a justice department to watch that the king stays within the law - except that the justice department is itself corrupt. This particular fact, says Locker, makes the musical relevant today. According to Locker, the musical isn't performed as often as other G&S shows because it is rather long. "There were several subplots which he (Gilbert) never develops, which seem to go nowhere, which make the show overlong. In its original form, it runs upwards of three hours," she said. For this production, she said, "I have cut it significantly so that it focuses on the polit- ical aspects of the satire." Utopia is the second last show that Gilbert and Sullivan wrote. Locker directed the G&S society's production ofThe Grand Duke, their last show, three years ago. Locker says that, like Utopia, The Grand Duke is a lesser-known satire, and was rather long. Both shows were a departure from the style that Gilbert and Sullivan featured in their earlier shows. Said Music Director Timothy Hoover, "Gilbert and Sullivan actu- ally reformed theatre, but by the 1890's they com- manded such popular appeal that they could depart from the traditional English School of comic opera they had done so much to create." For those of you who prefer the gay, lighthearted sort of Gilbert and Sullivan instead of satire, next semester the Gilbert and Sullivan Society will present- The Mikado. The Gilbert and Sullivan Society is a student orga- nization, but it is open to anyone who wishes to per- form. "We have people onstage from age three or four to late 50s. We get people from all walks of life, not just music or musical theatre students," says Locker. Locker is very excited about the performance of this G&S show. "I have seen all the others many times, and I love them dearly, but I am far more interested in what goes on is Utopia than in Pirates of Penzance." Performances of UTOPIA, LIMITED will take place December 7,8,9 and 10 at 8 p.m., and December10 and 11 at 2 p.m. in the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre. Tick- ets are $10, $9 $8.50, and $750; student seating is $5 with I.D. For ticket information, call 761-7855. 4 ---Friday, December 9 and Saturday, December 10: Auditions for Euripides' The Trojan Women at the Power Center Re- hearsal Room. Rehearsals for the play will be intense, weekday nights from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Performance dates are Feb. 16-19. Audition times are Friday, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Callbacks are Sunday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sign-up sheets will be posted on the Theatre Department call board in the Frieze building. All auditioners should read the play prior to auditioning, and should be pre-, pared to do spontaneous reading from the script. Please dress for casual movement, and bring a resumd and recent photo.If you have any ques- tions, call Brett Finley at 763-0951. Auditions for RC Drama/RC Players (with Brecht company) production of Tragical History of Doctor Faustus. Friday and Saturday, 7:30 to 9:30 in Basement Anderson 3, East Quad. Backup date is Dec. 19. Call 426- 5389 evenings. If you have any information regard- ing auditions or theater opportuni- ties, contact Cherie Curry at 763- 0379. 7 XM(AMvuXXXYX )K VX~AM)XXXX XXXANNWW SPLASMA DONORS $ Earn extra cash $ Earn $20 on your first donation. You can earn up to $120 a month. Couples can earn up to (x3 $240. Repeat donors who have not donated in the last 30 days receive an additional $5 bonus . W4SPIaW for return visit. f