musical theatre I by Shelley Harrison Rae LEFT: ROSALINDA( M E G A N BRYDEN), IN DISGUISE, IS S H O C K E D AT BEING SEDUCED BY HER O W N HUSBAND, GABRIEKDAVID HINTON) BELOW: DR. FALKE(MATT RAMER) EXPLAINS T O PRINCE REVENGE TRICK ARE. ORLOFSKY (DEIDRE AYASJWHO ALL THE CHARACTERS IN HIS l ^ d h ) ®Mft { P @ r r fe ®§m Die Fledermaus Roger Nelson, producer for the North many performers as possible. S h o r e L i g h t O p e r a S o c i e t y ( N S L O S ) , is p r o u d t o s a y , " N S L O S is b e l i e v e d t o b e the oldest continuously performing company in characters. Ours allows for a amateur musical theatre The original play f o c u s e d o n t h e principal larger c h o r u s a n d i n v o l v e s m o r e p l a y e r s . " Die Fledermaus has a cast o f twenty-five. B C . " T h e Society, f o u n d e d in 1 9 4 8 , h a s not missed a p e r f o r m a n c e since. N S L O S has set their play in t h e Roaring T w e n t i e s , c o m p l e t e w i t h f l a p p e r dresses This year's s h o w , t h e light-hearted story o f Die Fledermaus, Johann Strauss (The Bat) w r i t t e n b y in 1 8 7 4 , tells o f t h e a n d argyle sweaters. The Twenties was a t i m e of devil-may-care frolicking. The wealthy h a d time o n their hands and r e v e n g e t a k e n b y a c e r t a i n Dr. Falke o n his f r i e n d , Gabriel v o n Eisenstein f o r the m o n e y to f u n d the foolish schemes they concocted for their own playing a practical joke o n h i m . The plot, filled w i t h mixed-up relationships is based on flirting, infidelity Much and amusement, often at the expense of o t h e r m e m b e r s o f their social circles. generally b a d behavior. of the ball The committee from that a chooses catalogue the of action takes place at a c o s t u m e production, ( w h e r e F a l k e is d r e s s e d l i k e a b a t ) s o t h e a u d i e n c e is t r e a t e d t o l o t s o f S t r a u s s ' s wonderful music and, of course, a p o s s i b i l i t i e s , l o o k s f o r a s h o w w i t h lots of h u m o r . A s their n a m e suggests, they l i k e t o k e e p it l i g h t a n d f u n t o w a t c h . variety o f c o s t u m e s . T h e original s h o w w a s a caricature o f t h e idle, rich lifestyle o f t h o s e in h i g h society. Nelson speaks with a rich stage presence w h e n h e sings t h e praises of the core of " h a r d w o r k i n g people w h o NSLOS has chosen an English are the backbone Peter of the NSLOS." leads the translation f r o m t h e early 50's. N e l s o n e x p l a i n s , " O u r m a n d a t e is t o i n v o l v e as Director Jorgensen p r o d u c t i o n f r o m its e a r l y r e h e a r s a l d a y s March I April