26^th Festival Season - 2004

Robin Hood

By: Reginald De Koven

Premiere: June 9, 1890

Book By: Harry B. Smith

Comic Opera in three acts.

The Old English atmosphere and the elaborate ensemble work of De Koven's Robin Hood explains why it is regarded as one of the most successful comic operas of the 19th-century American musical theatre. Librettist, Harry Smith, uses the popular British folk tale of Robin Hood as a framework to create this comic opera though the use of stock characters, comedic turns, and classic comic opera plot elements. According to Richard Traubner's Operetta: A Theatrical History, Smith is one of the most prolific authors of operetta books and lyrics that ever lived.

In this story, Robert, the Earl of Huntington is stripped of his title and becomes Robin Hood. With the moral assistance of Maid Marian, he robs the rich to help the poor, until his title is restored. Will Scarlett, Little John, Friar Tuck and The Sheriff of Nottingham are all present just as they are in the traditional versions of the story.

Production Team
Conductor	J. Lynn Thompson
Stage Director	James Stuart
Choreographer	Carol Hageman
Set Designer	Tymberley Wittrig
Costume Designer	Jasen J. Smith
Lighting Designer	Shannon Schweitzer
Orchestration Recovery and Arrangments	Quade Winter

Cast
Robert of Locksley, afterwards Robin Hood	Timothy Oliver
Sheriff of Nottingham	Frederick Reeder
Sir Guy Gisborne, his ward	Brian Woods
The Merrymen:
Allan-a-Dale	Sandra Ross
Little John	Oliver Henderson
Will Scarlett	Gregory Brookes
Friar Tuck	James Mismas
Lady Marian Fitzwalter, ward of the Crown	Dominique McCormick
Dame Durden, a widow	Alta Boover
Annabel, her daughter	Danielle McCormick
Women of the Ensemble: Alta Boover, Betha Christopher, Robin De Leon, Sara Gartland, Sahara Glasener, Penny Hansen, Jessica Hornsten, Erin Jackson, Shannon Langman, Kemper LeCroy, Danielle McCormick, Dominique McCormick, Sarah Minckler, Elizabeth Mitchell, Sandra Ross, Rachel Rowe, Sarah Walker, Rosanna Yoder, Ingrid Young
Men of the Ensemble: Carl Bara, Drake Dantzler, Kevin Blickfeldt, Gregory Brookes, Nathan Brian, Ted Christopher, James Harr, Grant Knox, David Haslam, Oliver Henderson, Patrick Howle, Joshua Kohl, Chris Lyons, Justin Legris, Lee Matsos, James Mismas, Timothy Oliver, Frederick Reeder, Brian Woods