Lamplighters Music Theatre is a semi-professional musical theatre company based in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1952 by Orva Hoskinson and Ann Pool MacNab, the Lamplighters specialize in light opera, particularly the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, as well as such works as The Merry Widow, Die Fledermaus, Of Thee I Sing, My Fair Lady, Candide, and A Little Night Music.Martinfield, Seán. "H.M.S. Pinafore sails the Lamplighters Music Theatre into 55th Season". San Francisco Sentinel, August 2, 2007, accessed April 21, 2010Stack, Peter. "A Leading Light in Gilbert and Sullivan". SF Gate, Hearst Communications Inc., January 9, 2000, accessed April 22, 2010
History Lamplighters' first production was a revival of Patience by Gilbert and Sullivan in March and April 1958. The Mercury News praised the casting in the troupe's 2011 version of The Yeoman of the Guard."Review: Perfect cast excels in Lamplighters’ ‘Yeoman of the Guard’", The Mercury News, February 2, 2011 Later in 2011, it put on a production of H.M.S. Pinafore"The Lamplighters Music Theatre Boards the H.M.S. Haverford", East Bay Express, Rachel Swan, August 17, 2011 and produced the same opera with a new cast in 2019."Review: HMS Pinafore", Theater Storm, Charles Kruger, August 23, 2019 In 2013, the troupe staged Iolanthe"Review: Lamplighters Music Theatre delights with “Iolanthe", East Bay Times, Pat Craig (August 12, 2015) and later that year The Sorcerer."Review: Lamplighters delights with semi-staged ‘The Sorcerer’", The Mercury News, Pat Craig, March 19, 2013
In 2014, it performed a new translation of Die Fledermaus at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore."Entertainment: Livermore’s Bankhead to present Lamplighters’ ‘Die Fledermaus’", The Mercury News, Pat Craig, January 28, 2014 Also in 2014, they put on Candide."Lamplighters Music Theatre presents Candide", Patch.com (December 2, 2014) as well as in 2015."That’s (Serious) Entertainment: Lillian Hellman’s Bargain With Audiences", American Theatre, Alice Kessler-Harris (February 3, 2017)"The Best and Most Troubled of All Possible Musicals", KQED, Sam Hurwitt, February 4, 2015 In 2016, the troupe's revised version of The Mikado was well-received by critics, who judged that the retelling of the tale in Milan instead of Japan removed elements that have made the original controversial in recent years."The Cultural-Appropriation Police Come for Wes Anderson", National Review, Philip H. Devoe (March 29, 2018) The production was named The New Mikado – Una Commedia Musicale."Review: Guilt-free ‘Mikado’ unveiled by Lamplighters ", The Mercury News, Samm Hurwitt, August 8, 2016
A "sampler" show of elements of multiple comic operas by Gilbert and Sullivan was presented in early 2017, receiving a mixed review by The Mercury News, which praised the performance but called the adaptation, created by the director, overlong at three hours."Review: ‘Song to Sing’ is chock full of Gilbert and Sullivan gems", The Mercury News, Sam Hurwitt, April 29, 2017 In 2017, their touring performance of The Yeomen of the Guard was given a positive reception by The Mercury News."Review: Lamplighters’ lovely ‘Yeoman’ tours the Bay Area", The Mercury News, Sam Hurwitt, August 10, 2017 Co-founder Orva Hoskinson died in 2017, after serving in the troupe for years as a director and performer;"Lamplighters Music Theatre Mourns the Death of Beloved Co-Founder Orva Hoskinson", Broadway World, BWW News Desk (January 27, 2017) the same year, the troupe announced Dennis Lickteig as artistic director."Lamplighters Music Theatre Announces Dennis Lickteig as Artistic Director", Broadway World, June 2, 2017 Gilbert and Sullivan's The Gondoliers was put on in 2018."Review: Gilbert and Sullivan’s Gondoliers is a delightfully rollicking ride", The Mercury News, Sam Hurwitt (February 11, 2018) In 2019, the Lamplighters produced a spoof: Trial by Jury Duty, paired with Thespis. Later the same year, Nicolas Aliaga Garcia directed The Pirates of Penzance."Lamplighters brings Pirates of Penzance for modern era on SF Bay Area tour", The Mercury News, Sam Hurwitt, August 5, 2018
Amid financial difficulties, the company cancelled its early 2026 production of Patience.Janiak, Lily. "San Francisco’s Lamplighters Music Theatre cancels spring production, citing rising costs and AB5", San Francisco Chronicle, February 13, 2026
Production style and venues The company's season usually comprises four productions: a fully staged production in January/February; a staged concert in the spring; a fully staged production in July/August; and a full-length original musical comedy, presented as a champagne gala fundraiser and silent auction, in November.Past Seasons, Lamplighters Music theatre, accessed June 9, 2020 The company also creates educational programs for schools."Educational Opportunities with The Lamplighters" . Lamplighters' official website, accessed April 22, 2010
The Lamplighters performed at Harding Theater from 1961 to 1968 and then at the University of San Francisco's until 1995."A Brief History of Presentation Theater", Presentation Theater Since then, it has performed at San Francisco's Novellus Theater at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek"Curtain Calls: ‘Pinafore’ drops anchor at Lesher Center this weekend", The Mercury News, Sally Hogarty (July 31, 2015) and several other Bay Area theaters.
Critical reception The Mercury News said that "Lamplighters Music Theatre knows the works of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan backwards, forwards, upside down and inside out.""Lamplighters revives early Gilbert & Sullivan farce — and adds a sequel", The Mercury News, Sam Hurwitt, March 27, 2019 Since its founding, it has "been chiefly devoted to the works of Gilbert and Sullivan," and has also produced musicals, for example A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim in early 2019."Review: Lamplighters sails G&S’ ‘Pinafore’ with an assured hand", The Mercury News, Sam Hurwitt, August 13, 2019
The San Francisco Chronicle review called the company's 2010 production of Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience, "a splendid and loving production", commenting that the performance "used the company's long experience of the Savoy operettas to fine effect. At their best, the Lamplighters' productions take an approach to this material that is mindful of tradition without ever seeming musty or warmed over."Kosman, Joshua. "Operetta review: Lamplighters' Patience. San Francisco Chronicle, January 19, 2010 Talkin' Broadway called the company's Princess Ida "a gorgeous production. ... The singing of the principals is superior. ... The chorus work as usual is superb, and the full orchestra is brilliant. The sets and costumes are breathtaking".Connema, Richard. "Lamplighters Presents a Beautiful Production of Gilbert and Sullivan's Princess Ida". Talkin' Broadway, February 16, 2003, accessed April 22, 2010
References
Further reading
External links Lamplighters official website