I agree with everything in the summary written by Bobbie Herman for "Savoynet,"but I'd like to add a few comments of my own.  (After all, I've know G&S shows "from a babby" - quote from Ruddigore!).

    I'll start with the chorus - not just because I was in it, but because choruses are always such an integral part of G&S shows.  Gilbert and Sullivan were the first creators of musical theatre to truly use their choruses as characters that move the plot along,  instead of just staying in the background and echoing the leads.  And in my opinion,  Iolanthe is the show which has the most important chorus. The main satire of the show - Parliamentary procedures, and The Law - are represented most strongly by the clash between the Fairies and the Peers.
   
    All the ladies and gentlemen of the chorus worked extremely hard not only on the rather intricate music, and challenging dance steps, but also on all our reactions to what was going on around us.  I must say that I thought there was a "healthy rivalry" going on between the men and the women almost from day one.  You should have seen us all madly trying to get into the right order back stage (and sometimes "winging" each other in the process), and then giving each other sidelong glances to make sure we were all doing our steps the same way.  And if that weren't enough, the ladies were sent trooping off the stage more than once, for not singing our "tripping hither" chorus with enough stacatto, and the gentlemen were similarly scolded for not coming in strongly enough with their "oh, horror!"  I must confess that sometimes I thought that "a chorister's lot is not a happy one" - freely adapted quote from Pirates.
   
    And while the ladies were "tripping hither and thither," the men were determinedly marching around in lordly fashion, looking and sounding splendid.  I have a special affection for the "March of the Peers" because it was the processional music we used at my wedding. (My husband, Lee, was in the chorus of Peers; he was the one who kept sitting down and taking his flask out of his walking stick!)
   
    But enough about the chorus!  Here are some of my observations about our leads:
   
    Allan Church/"Lord Chancellor" - He's done the part before, but he kept it just as fresh as ever, which is hard to do.  I've noted before that he pays attention to the meaning of his lines, and if he ever makes a mistake (which isn't often), he's able to insert the proper details so as not to put anyone else on stage at a disadvantage.  This is not only skillful, but also generous acting.  His patter songs were delightful, and his dialogue was witty and well delivered.  He was also able to give a very human side to his character, especially at the end, when he finally recognizes the wife he had thought was dead.
   
    Kathleen Thompson/"Phyllis" - In my opinion, Kathleen's vocal abilities were not completely showcased in this part, but she still sounded great doing it.  She is so precise in every move she makes, and sang impeccably.  That cadenza she did, that had the men cringing, was hilarious - and, trust me, she sings opera with way more sensitivity than that! She played off all the men very well, and she and her "paramour," "Strephon," made a delightful couple, especially in the sweet duet in which she was on the swing.
   
    And speaking of ... Dave Henderson/"Strephon" - He did a great job with what I think is a deceptively  difficult role.  He managed to be both funny and sympathetic, without ever resorting to any gags, or  "cheap tricks" - just acting the part with style and honesty.  He also sang very well, and was always well prepared at rehearsals - a show of respect to his colleagues and director, as well as an indication of his abilities.
   
    Carol Connolly/"Fairy Queen" - This woman has gotten funnier and funnier every year, and her rich contralto is always beautiful.  I bet audiences were surprised by her high notes in the Act I Finale; she has quite a range.  She also made the most of her "Brunhilde"-inspired costume, with her strong stage presence, her maniacal laughter at the peers, and her ... rather dangerous ... wielding of her spear.  While always a strong lead, Carol can also really relate to everyone in the company, a fact which made her line, "But I can't slaughter the whole company!" even funnier.
   
    Renee Molnar Haines/"Iolanthe" - I must confess to being rather proud of myself for pegging her as a great "Iolanthe" last year. Although technically a soprano, her mezzo-soprano singing was beautiful, as was she, whether dressed in weeds or in full fairy regalia.  She made her character very sympathetic, and somewhat sad, without being pitiable - all in all, an excellent characterization of the title role.  Renee also has a gift for relating well to the whole company, and even though she wasn't always on stage with us, she was a strong member of the group.
   
    Mike Reynolds/ "Lord Mountararat" - I really felt that Mike was born to play this role.   He had the haughty demeanor, and impeccable diction and delivery down pat, and his rich baritone was completely correct for the role.  I was initially surprised at how much emotion he brought to the role, having been used to hearing the lines done in a very stuffy style.  But I realized he never broke character, never lost his  dignified quality, but was still able to inject emotion and humanity into the role.
   
    Bill Sorensen/"Lord Tolloler" - Bill is so versatile - he designs sets, performs lead roles, and sings in the chorus.  In this operetta, the tenor lead is not the hero, but a comic character.   In some ways, that makes it harder, as Bill couldn't just rely on his good looks and beautiful voice.  He had to relate well to his "cohort," Mike, and to the whole ensemble, and he had to time his lines carefully.  All of this he achieved very well, and managed to make his character not only a good foil for "Mountararat," but strong enough to also stand on his own.  Bill and Mike also were a big help to the men's chorus, in which they both also had to participate.
   
    And speaking of doing double duty (which I was), the three lead fairies deserve  special praise:
   
    Courtney Brock/"Celia", Julie Church/"Leila," and Victoria Church/"Fleta" - These three girls did yeoman work (Yeomen - get it?) , not only learning their own solo parts, but also all the chorus material.  It was like having two parts in one.  They also helped the ladies' chorus tremendously with our choreography, under the leadership of Victoria, our Dance Captain.  Their voices were beautiful, and their characters came alive, each one turning out to be quite individual.  I dare say, they probably worked harder than anyone else!
   
    Hal Chernoff and Bill Ziegler/"Private Willis" - Last, but certainly not least, were these two hard-woking performers, who shared the role of "Private Willis."  Again, it was like having two parts in one, as they both elected to sing in the chorus in the first act, and then traded off with each other between chorus and the solo part in Act II.  It's not a big role, but it is challenging, as he starts off Act II with a solo song, and then for much of the act, he must remain perfectly still in his guard box (he did get to exit for a few numbers, thank goodness.)  They both sang very well, and delivered their lines with the appropriate gruffness.  They also related to the Fairy Queen very well; it became hard to tell who was trying to get under the skin of whom!
   
    Joe Heitmann - Dancer & Magician Extraordinairre - Joe always has some very good stage business to add to our productions.  This year, he almost (I say almost) upstaged the Lord Chancellor as his page, trying to manage the train of a ridiculously long robe.  In Act II, he was the one who set the tone for the rest of the show, by performing a balletic dance he had choreographed himself, in which he not only lighted up Parliament, but also bewitched Private Willis.  Joe also did double duty, joining in with the chorus in Act II.
   
    We also had tons of help from our excellent stage manager, Teresa Hollo, and beautiful costumes from Solveig Pflueger, both of whom gave their all during stressful times.  I also never realized before how hard the technichal staff works, to make the sound and lights come off so well.  Where would we have been without: our lightning and thunder, our mics, and, yes, our lighted head-dresses?  Thanks also to our orchestra, and a big  "Congratulations" to our Music Director, John Dreslin, and our "Fearless Leader," Artistic Director Bob Cumming.
                                                                                                                                                                                        Respectfully submitted,
Liz Rodie Jones