Student Blog: My First Producer's Note

Since my first semester at Penn, I have been a performing member in Penn Singers Light Opera Company. This professionally-directed group performs a Broadway-style musical in the fall semester and a light opera in the style of Gilbert and Sullivan in the spring semester. From an experimental Into the Woods to a virtual Now. Here. This., I have built incredible friendships while growing as a performer and arts administrator. In December, I was elected as the 2022 President of this 50-year-old company and immediately worked on hiring directors for our production of Patience. As the producer, I have learned how to run auditions from an administrative perspective, act as a liaison between the rehearsal room and designers, schedule rehearsals and tech week, run production meetings, and more. The most rewarding part of producing a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta is having the opportunity to rewrite lines to eliminate problematic content and highlight the themes we want our story to tell. Although our fall production will likely be a licensed show, I look forward to engaging our company in community outreach revolving around the messages we want our audiences to walk away with. I am excited to not only produce our fall show, but also perform in it which will allow me to better understand the dynamics of the rehearsal room. While producing can be an incredibly busy and crazy job with many COVID complications to deal with on top of normal problems, it has been a pleasure to facilitate a fantastic group of artists.

My first producer's note can be found in the beginning of the light opera's program:

It has been an honor to take on the role of leading this esteemed 50-year old company after our first in-person production in years. Mamma Mia reunited our company, both current and past Singers, and ushered in an incredible class of newbies. We are thrilled to return to our roots with our queered up, colorful production of Gilbert & Sullivan's Patience! During the Spring of my first year, I fell in love with light opera since I could explore the origins of musical theatre with some of my closest friends. Even though the show was canceled due to the pandemic, I learned a lot about myself as a performer and musician. As the producer for our first in-person light opera in years, I have enjoyed growing as a leader, seeing newbies fall in love with Gilbert & Sullivan's music and comedy, and watching our Seniors shine in their final show. Patience is the perfect light opera for Singers to stage this Spring since it has allowed us to revitalize a classical show to be relevant to today's world. By pushing the limits of the gender binary, monogamy, and queerness, we have been able to create commentary on the issues today's LGBTQ+ community faces. This production would not have been possible without the constant support of Singers Board, the dedication of our directors, and the enthusiasm of our stage management team. Welcome to our world of poetry and love!