
Overview
Gilbert and Sullivan’s comedic tale is a delightful combination of forbidden love across class divides and the shenanigans that take place along the way. Poking fun at social hierarchies and packed with absurd characters, this wildly popular operetta delivers plenty of laughs and memorable music. This joyful production is directed by Brenna Corner and conducted by Rosemary Thomson and features the Vancouver Opera Orchestra and Chorus.
Overview
Gilbert and Sullivan’s comedic tale is a delightful combination of forbidden love across class divides and the shenanigans that take place along the way. Poking fun at social hierarchies and packed with absurd characters, this wildly popular operetta delivers plenty of laughs and memorable music. This joyful production is directed by Brenna Corner and conducted by Rosemary Thomson and features the Vancouver Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Sung in English with English Surtitles.
Performances:
Sat Apr 30 | 7:30PM
Thurs May 5 | 7:30PM
Sat May 7 | 7:30PM
Sun May 8 | 2:00PM
Click to view available seats
Runtime:
Act I: 70 minutes
Intermission: 25 minutes
Act II: 60 minutes
Performances:
Sat Apr 30 | 7:30PM
Thurs May 5 | 7:30PM
Sat May 7 | 7:30PM
Sun May 8 | 2:00PM
Click to view available seats
Runtime:
155 minutes, with 1 intermission
Synopsis
Synopsis
The H.M.S. Pinafore is a British warship anchored at Portsmouth harbour. Little Buttercup arrives to sell her wares to the sailors. Her vending is interrupted by the arrival of Ralph Rackstraw, a deckhand onboard the ship, who confesses that he is in love with a girl who is far above his social status: Josephine, the captain’s daughter who is supposed to marry Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Admiralty. Josephine tells her father she isn’t interested in marrying this man that she has never met. In fact, she has her eye on a cut deckhand, but out of respect for her position and her father she vows to never reveal her secret love.
Sir Joseph is spotted with an entourage of female relatives and reveals to the crew his masterful thoughts about the social ranks. Ralph takes courage from Sir Joseph’s equality speech and confesses his love to Josephine. Josephine, staying true to the vow she made to her father, spurns his advances due to the difference in their social statuses. Eventually Josephine relents and confesses her love, and the couple plan their escape and possible elopement that very night.
That evening, the captain is alone on deck, puzzling through the strange events of the day. He confesses to Buttercup that he would love her if only it were not for the difference in social statuses. Later, Dick Deadeye, another sailor aboard the ship (who incidentally has been working on a nautical children’s play), reveals to the Captain that Ralph and Josephine are planning to elope. The captain intercepts the couple, and in frustration breaks his vow never to swear. Sir Joseph, who cannot abide by such language, has the captain arrested. He then discovers Ralph was about to run off with Josephine and has him arrested as well. In response, Buttercup reveals her long-kept secret: many years ago, while taking care of two infant boys, one high born, one low born, she mixed the children up. The captain was the common-born child, and Ralph the child of privilege!
Ralph is the one of higher social rank and can choose to marry Josephine. The captain, being common-born, has no social standing over Buttercup and can marry her. Hebe, who has been admiring Dick Deadeye throughout the day, decides to make a go of it with him, and Sir Joseph decides that his own cousin (several times removed), would make a suitable wife and a celebration of the four couples ensues.
The H.M.S. Pinafore is a British warship anchored at Portsmouth harbour. Little Buttercup arrives to sell her wares to the sailors. Her vending is interrupted by the arrival of Ralph Rackstraw, a deckhand onboard the ship, who confesses that he is in love with a girl who is far above his social status: Josephine, the captain’s daughter who is supposed to marry Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Admiralty. Josephine tells her father she isn’t interested in marrying this man that she has never met. In fact, she has her eye on a cut deckhand, but out of respect for her position and her father she vows to never reveal her secret love.
Sir Joseph is spotted with an entourage of female relatives and reveals to the crew his masterful thoughts about the social ranks. Ralph takes courage from Sir Joseph’s equality speech and confesses his love to Josephine. Josephine, staying true to the vow she made to her father, spurns his advances due to the difference in their social statuses. Eventually Josephine relents and confesses her love, and the couple plan their escape and possible elopement that very night.
That evening, the captain is alone on deck, puzzling through the strange events of the day. He confesses to Buttercup that he would love her if only it were not for the difference in social statuses. Later, Dick Deadeye, another sailor aboard the ship (who incidentally has been working on a nautical children’s play), reveals to the Captain that Ralph and Josephine are planning to elope. The captain intercepts the couple, and in frustration breaks his vow never to swear. Sir Joseph, who cannot abide by such language, has the captain arrested. He then discovers Ralph was about to run off with Josephine and has him arrested as well. In response, Buttercup reveals her long-kept secret: many years ago, while taking care of two infant boys, one high born, one low born, she mixed the children up. The captain was the common-born child, and Ralph the child of privilege!
Ralph is the one of higher social rank and can choose to marry Josephine. The captain, being common-born, has no social standing over Buttercup and can marry her. Hebe, who has been admiring Dick Deadeye throughout the day, decides to make a go of it with him, and Sir Joseph decides that his own cousin (several times removed), would make a suitable wife and a celebration of the four couples ensues.
Cast
Cast

Caitlin Wood
Josephine
Caitlin Wood
Josephine
.

Ernesto Ramirez
Ralph Rackstraw
Ernesto Ramirez
Ralph Rackstraw
.

Jorell Williams
Captain Corcoran
Jorell Williams
Captain Corcoran

Peter McGillivray
Sir Joseph Portera
Peter McGillivray
Sir Joseph Porter

Megan Latham
Little Buttercup
Megan Latham
Little Buttercup

Marcus Nance
Dick Deadeye
Marcus Nance
Dick Deadeye

Hillary Tufford
Cousin Hebe
Hillary Tufford
Cousin Hebe

Luka Kawabata
Bill Bobstay
Luka Kawabata
Bill Bobstay

Jason Cook
Bob Becket
Jason Cook
Bob Becket
Creative Team
Creative Team

Rosemary Thomson
Conductor
Rosemary Thomson
Conductor

Leslie Dala
Associate Conductor & Chorus Director
Leslie Dala
Associate Conductor & Chorus Director

Juliane Gallant
Women in Musical Leadership Conductor
Juliane Gallant
Women in Musical Leadership Conductor

Brenna Corner
Stage Director
Brenna Corner
Stage Director

Amanda Testini
Assistant Stage Director and Choreographer
Amanda Testini
Assistant Stage Director and Choreographer

JD Derbyshire
Libretto Adaptation
JD Derbyshire
Libretto Adaptation

Alaia Hamer
Costume Designer
Alaia Hamer
Costume Designer

Jimmy Rotondo
Scenic Consultant
Jimmy Rotondo
Scenic Consultant

Chris Malkowski
Lighting Designer
Chris Malkowski
Lighting Designer
Music
HMS Pinafore Teaser
Witty dialogue. Memorable tunes. Happy Ending.
Teaching Artist Eve Daniell Digs into HMS Pinafore
Dig into the hilarious story of HMS Pinafore with Vancouver Opera Teaching Artist Eve Daniell. Featuring incredible original art by Toronto artist Sae Kimura.

HMS Pinafore Study Guide
Learn more about Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore through our study guide. The objective of this lesson is to ensure that you are familiar with what is happening in the show all the while understanding the impact of a piece of music.
Director & Conductor's Unique Adaptation of HMS Pinafore
Watch Director Brenna Corner and Conductor Rosemary Thomson discuss their take on the traditional HMS Pinafore and the way they adapted the show to make it aligned with today's time. A beautiful job done to make sure the art piece that was meant to be relevant stays relevant.
Podcast Inside: HMS Pinafore
Join Vancouver Opera teaching artist Eve Daniell in conversation with HMS Pinafore director Brenna Corner as they discuss the ins and outs of creating a new vision of a classic operetta, the challenges of directing comedy, and the ongoing need for art in our culture.

House Programme
Read more about the performance and the creative team behind HMS Pinafore.
CASTING AND PERFORMANCES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE