A message from our President:
The Simsbury Light Opera Company is back! And it is an honor to serve as company president. I have had the
pleasure of attending or performing in nearly every SLOCO production since 1986.
I also hold the dubious distinction of being the president who served during the only two years (2020 and
2021) when we didn’t perform our big annual show for an audience. Indeed, our 2020 production of The
Pirates of Penzance was halted by the pandemic just 10 days before opening night.
What’s important, however, is that we made it through. It’s tough keeping a community-theater organization
together when we can’t perform. But thanks to our many donors and sponsors, our dedicated board members
and officers, other volunteers, and those who helped us purchase our rehearsal facility (“Basingstoke”) in the
1980s, we’re still here.
Although our full-scale Pirates never happened in 2020, we did perform for the public in that year. Before the
pandemic shutdown, we put on several performances of Pirates excerpts. And in October 2021 we performed
the Act I finale from Iolanthe at the annual celebration of the New England Gilbert & Sullivan Society. So at
least we continued our unbroken record of performing light opera in every consecutive year since the
company’s start in 1945. To our determined performers, I say, bravo!
Indeed, SLOCO is very much alive and well. Our 2023 production of Trial By Jury and The Sorcerer includes
many cast members and other volunteers who are new to the company. That bodes well for the company’s
future. But we also need new people on the audience side of the curtain.
If you are reading these words, chances are good that you are already a Gilbert & Sullivan fan—a “Savoyard.”
You are probably familiar with Trial By Jury and perhaps with The Sorcerer. So would you please do us a
favor? Share your love of these wonderful light operas with someone who doesn’t know them. Tell them about
our production. Bring them to our show. Help us keep the beautiful Gilbert & Sullivan and SLOCO heritage
alive and well in northern Connecticut!
~ Ralph Sherman 2023