Pittsburgh Savoyards - About Us

Who are we?

The Pittsburgh Savoyards, Inc. is a semiprofessional, community-based, non-profit theater company funded by local contributions and ticket sales. We operate for the purposes of perpetuating the heritage of Gilbert & Sullivan comic operas, and providing a hands-on opportunity for interested persons to learn about and experience musical theater. While our focus is the performance of the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan, we occasionally perform non Gilbert and Sullivan concerts and other composers' comic operas. The Company has been in existence since 1938, and is informally affiliated with a number of similar groups throughout the country.

The name "Savoyards" comes from the Savoy Theater in London, where many of the operas premiered and were performed for many years, and is used by groups throughout the world to indicate their devotion to these works. The comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan are historic treasures and only the works of William Shakespeare are performed more often in the tradition of the English theater.

Productions are performed and produced, for the most part, by dedicated volunteers from the greater Pittsburgh area under professional direction. The fully-orchestrated performances also feature many local professional musicians, and members of the Pittsburgh Opera Chorus and Mendelssohn Choir, most of whom are there because they share our love of this body of work, and the friendly atmosphere engendered within the group.

What do we do?

Each season, we present at least two full stage production runs (minimum of 9 performances each) of Gilbert & Sullivan comic operas each year with full orchestral accompaniment. Tickets are offered to the public at an unusually low price (the most expensive show ticket during the 2006 season was $15).

We encourage outreach to the community in several ways. We encourage high school students to help with technical and artistic aspects of our performances allowing them an opportunity to work in a real theatre environment. At each of our regular shows, we provide tickets to interested high schools, and convalescent homes, to encourage them to be exposed to this rich cultural medium. We perform in small group ensembles in community events.

The artistic quality of the Company's performances is especially high. These productions provide our audience with entertainment which can be enjoyed by young and older people alike. Recent performances have been very well received by both audiences and reviewers.

Where have we been, and where are we going?

For many years, the Company did not have a permanent home. For most of its history, properties were stored in several temporary locations, with frequent moves required as donated or affordable space became available. Early in 1993, the Company was able to secure space in the Andrew Carnegie Free Library Music Hall in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. This historic building is over 100 years old, and has a performance hall which is suitable for the Company's purposes. It is also very accessible (Carnegie is easily reached from the Parkway West, Interstate 79, State Route 50, and other roads), and has ample parking. Currently, the ACFL&MH is in a reconstruction phase, to restore the beautiful building originally created for the Carnegie Area.

During this stage, we have relocated to the Catherine Thomas Theatre in St. Benedict Hall of the Benedictine Sisters of Pittsburgh, on Perrysville Ave., just off of I-279, Exit 12. (Catherine homas Theatre)

How do we operate?

The Company is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees, whose members are elected to staggered two-year terms by the membership at its Annual Meeting.

Membership in the Pittsburgh Savoyards is open to all interested people that wish to learn, particpate, perform or support Gilbert & Sullivan performances, on the stage, in the orchestra or behind the scenes; and must be at least 18 years of age and complete membership dues requirements ( dues are $15 per season, active participants are granted a reduced rate of $5) .

The Company has no full-time paid staff. Some positions such as the Stage and Music Directors, get a stipend. Lead singers, instrumentalists, and some other technical positions also carry a small stipend to make them more attractive to the skilled artistic staff the Company requires. Otherwise, all organizational work is performed on a voluntary basis.

Ticket income generally provides more than 90% of the production cost of a performance, with the balance coming from donations, grants, fund raisers, and concessions.