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Iolanthe (March 19-21, 2027)

    Iolanthe

    Directed and choreographed by:  Melissa S. Craib Dombrowski
    Music direction by:  Dr. Joanna Sisk-Purvis

    Sing Through

    Sunday, Nov 8, 2:00–5:30 PM

    Durham Arts Council — IBM Rehearsal Hall

    All are welcome as we sing through the operetta together! Bring your score and come hang out for the afternoon as our music director, Dr. Joanna Sisk-Purvis, leads us through the score to this beautiful work. It’s a low-stress, fun way to get to know the piece and meet Savoyards old and new! All are welcome, whether you’ll be auditioning or not.

    Iolanthe Roles

    • Iolanthe: A fairy banished from Fairyland for 25 years because she married a mortal. She is Strephon’s mother and looks like a young girl of seventeen. (Mezzo-Soprano)  
    • Strephon, Iolanthe’s half-fairy, half-mortal son. He is an Arcadian shepherd who loves Phyllis and wants to enter Parliament. (Baritone)  
    • Phyllis: An Arcadian shepherdess and a Ward in Chancery whom Strephon wants to marry, though every member of the House of Peers also wants her hand. (Soprano)
    • The Lord Chancellor the powerful and witty guardian of Phyllis, who secretly turns out to be Iolanthe’s long-lost mortal husband and Strephon’s father. (Baritone) 
    • The Fairy Queen: The towering, Wagnerian, and affectionate ruler of the fairies who enforces fairy law. (Alto/Contralto)
    • Lord Tolloller: An aristocratic peer who vies for Phyllis’s affection. (Tenor)
    • Lord Mountararat: Another aristocratic peer and friend of Lord Tolloller who loves Phyllis. (Baritone)
    • Private Willis: A sentry of the Grenadier Guards on duty outside the Houses of Parliament who provides philosophical, comic commentary. (Bass) 
    • Celia: A perky fairy and companion to the Queen. (Soprano)
    • Leila: Another perky fairy companion. (Mezzo-Soprano)
    • Fleta: A fairy in the fairy chorus with a minor or spoken role. (Spoken)  

    CHORUS / ENSEMBLE

    • THE FAIRIES (Female-identifying ensemble / Sopranos & Altos)
      The magical, energetic fairy host. This group is playful, protective, and has a lot of fun on stage. The director is looking for “whimsy.” We encourage singers of all experience levels who are enthusiastic about learning harmonies and comfortable with basic, light stage movement.
    • THE PEERS (Male-identifying ensemble / Tenors, Baritones, & Basses)
      The stuffy, pompous British aristocrats from the House of Lords. This group provides a lot of the comedy in the show by acting incredibly serious and dramatic while singing ridiculous things. We are looking for singers of all experience levels who are enthusiastic about learning harmonies and comfortable with basic, light stage movement.
    • THE ROYAL CHORUS: (all vocal levels)
      Specific to the Durham Savoyards, Ltd. The Royal Chorus accompanies Queen Victoria in the Carolina Theatre’s Legacy Boxes and provides vocal support to the production.

    Open Auditions

    Durham Savoyards is holding auditions for Iolanthe, or The Peer and the Peri by Gilbert and Sullivan on December 7, 2026. Show dates March 19-21, 2027. 

    Please for complete instructions follow the link and complete the audition form.

    In-Person Auditions

    Open auditions are being held at The Durham Arts Council (120 Morris St, Durham, NC 27701), in the IBM rehearsal hall on Monday, December 7, 2026, starting at 6:30 pm.  

    Please come prepared to sing 16-32 bars of music from Gilbert and Sullivan, other light opera, or musical theatre piece.  Please provide your own sheet music. We recommend selecting a piece of music that isn’t from Iolanthe.  An accompanist will be provided.  A cappella auditions are also acceptable.

    Video Auditions

    Should you be unable to attend open auditions, or open auditions are full, follow these instructions.

    Please record yourself singing 16-32 bars of music from Gilbert and Sullivan, other light opera, or musical theatre piece.  We recommend selecting a piece of music that isn’t from Iolanthe. 

    Please fill out the audition form and then send your video, or a link to it, to producer@durhamsavoyards.org with AUDITION VIDEO in the subject line. Please send this BEFORE December 1, 2026.

    You must complete the audition form and send the video audition to be considered. 

    If called back, you are asked to attend call backs in person.

    NOTE FOR RETURNING PERFORMERS:

    Due to scheduling concerns, our open audition slots are limited this season.

    If you have performed LEAD or SUPPORTING role for either the Durham Savoyards or Stone Soup Theater Company in the last 12 months, you may ask to come back straight to callbacks. Please complete the registration form and make sure to answer “yes” to question 15 AND be sure to list which roles you are interested in (questions 12 and 13). You may be asked to attend callbacks.

    Invited Callbacks

    Wednesday, Dec 9, 6:30–9:00 PM
    (Location TBD)

    Performance Dates

    Presented March 19, 20, and 21, 2027
    at The Carolina Theatre of Durham, 309 W Morgan St, Durham, NC 27701.