Joe White: I'm not asking, I'm driving.

I hope that you and yours are staying healthy, both physically and mentally, in these crazy times.

The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston was supposed to perform “The Yeomen of the Guard” at the Hobby Center this summer, but, as has been the case with so many things, we were forced to postpone until next year.

But we have not been idle.

This Saturday at 8pm CDT we will be holding a virtual concert.  I’ll be singing “When Jealous Torments Rack My Soul”, a wonderful number from Yeomen that was unfortunately cut after opening night in 1888 because it interrupted the flow of the plot too much. Several other performers from our postponed production will be featured, including Alistair Donkin, and the concert will open and close with numbers by the Savoyard Singers, our standing chorus.

I hope you can join us for an hour of merriment this Saturday at 8.

https://hgns.org/concert

I will be participating in the Houston Gilbert and Sullivan Society‘s annual gala, An Auction of Arias, at 7pm on Friday, February 21, at Ouisie’s Table in River Oaks. Our Auction of Arias lets you shape the evening’s entertainment! Guests at the event can bid for the chance to select the next song to be performed. The opportunities will come in three courses: Appetizer, Main Course, and Dessert. The winning bidders can choose from a select number of options for that course, including arias, musical theater, and Gilbert and Sullivan favorites. If the bidding reaches certain levels, guests can even unlock extra performances by one of our featured soloists.

Whether I will sing or not is up to you…high bidder gets to pick the next song over the course of the evening. Coupled with a silent auction and the always amazing cuisine served at Ouisie’s Table, this is an event you do not want to miss. Get your tickets now at https://events.readysetauction.com/gilbertandsullivansocietyhouston/2020-gala

I’ll be hosting the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston‘s annual Sing-Along on Friday, January 24th, from 6:30pm to 10pm at The Spaghetti Western, 1608 Shepherd Dr. Order your dinner and drinks and then we’ll gather ’round the piano to sing the songs we love.

Enthusiasm is more important than vocal ability…we want everyone to sing and have fun! RSVP to outreach@hgns.org to let us know you’re coming.

• John Gremillion and I are currently bicycling from Houston to Chicago to raise money for the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston’s summer production. We’ll be doing live feeds daily on Facebook, and posting each evening at our website, 2chicago4mikado.org, where you can also make a tax-deductible donation.
• I have been cast in the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston’s summer production, A Topsy Turvy Mikado, which will be July 19-28 in Zilkha Hall at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Houston. This brand-new production will be set during a rehearsal for the premiere performance in London in 1885, and has been cradfted especially for the Society by Alistair Donkin (formerly of the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company. Tickets will go on sale to the public on June 1, but becoming a patron of the Society at $250 or higher will get you early access and includes two premium seats. More information will be available soon at hgns.org
• I will also be participating in the Society’s annual gala, An Auction of Arias, at 7pm on Friday, May 17 at Ouisie’s Table in River Oaks. The evening will feature a three-course dinner from ome of Houston’s finest kitchens,  a silent auction, and the opportunity to bid on what songs will be performed that evening. I will have several songs on the “menu”, which will include not only G&S but also opera arias and musical theater numbers. Price is only $100 a person, which includes two drink tickets, and registration is open now at hgns.org/tickets