Humboldt Light Opera Company Performing Kurt Vonnegut’s ‘God Bless You Mr. Rosewater’ March 13, 14, 20 & 21

This is a press release from the Humboldt Light Opera Company:

“What in the hell are people for?!”

Humboldt Light Opera Company is excited to present to our community “Kurt Vonnegut’s ‘God Bless You Mr. Rosewater,’” the hilarious story of American greed, generational wealth, madness, and the struggle for dignity. Eliot Rosewater is the heir to a massive fortune who forsakes his family and takes over a volunteer fire department in an effort to care for the “discarded Americans” of Rosewater, Indiana—the town founded by his great great grandfather Noah. Will he succeed? Or will he go mad in the process? To find out, join us March 13th, 14th, 20th, and 21st at 7:30pm or March 15th and 22nd at 2pm at the Gist Hall Theatre at Cal Poly Humboldt. Tickets are $25+fees and can be purchased online at hlo.booktix.org.

For our first adult Spring production in 14 years, HLOC chose a musical we find to be all too relevant in our current moment. With the advance of robotics and the dawn of Artificial Intelligence, what are people for? How do they earn respect and dignity if they are no longer needed by society? If our individual worth is measured by our personal wealth, very few people would seem to be worth anything at all. In the musical “God Bless You Mr. Rosewater,” our protagonist Eliot Rosewater—drunk, volunteer fireman, science fiction aficionado, and president of the fabulously rich Rosewater Foundation—is about to attempt a noble experiment with human nature to answer those very questions.

Performing the role of Eliot Rosewater is Casey Vaughn. “In the show, Eliot compares himself to Hamlet. Like Hamlet, he sees a sickness in society,” Casey said when asked about the character. “And the sickness is so pervasive, that it seems like nothing you can do will help cure it. You become despondent. You become mentally unstable. You struggle to perform as society expects and they see your behavior as insane. As irrational. But when you understand those behaviors as a response to hopelessness, a yearning for the sickness to be drained from the body of humanity, that Hamlet’s, and indeed Eliot Rosewater’s, actions begin to make sense.” The show follows Eliot as he seeks out the answers he is looking for. He ultimately makes his way to the town founded—and over time abandoned by—his forebears. After having used up the people who helped generate their wealth, the Rosewaters leave them stranded in their useless lives in a rundown post WWII American town. It is here that Eliot attempts his grand experiment—to care about them.

Eliot’s wife, Sylvia Rosewater, is portrayed by Samantha WIlliams. “My character is the well-meaning but disconnected wife of Eliot Rosewater. I want to join Eliot on his journey of self-discovery, but I don’t share his capacity to meet people where they are at. I try because I love Eliot and want our marriage to work, but I can only stretch myself so far.” Her first time acting in 14 years, Samantha reflects on portraying Sylvia, “I think it is fun to play a character that is so outwardly unraveling.  For better or worse I am not prone to emotional outbursts in my real life.  I am enjoying pushing myself for the sake of the character.”

Always lurking in the background is our antagonist, Norma Mushari, played by Theya Tuttle. Norma is a lawyer who would like to prove Eliot insane so that she can get her hands on a chunk of the Rosewater fortune. Driven by greed, serving only the self, Mushari represents, along with Eliot’s father the Senator (played by Bill Ryder), the polar opposite of Eliot. They don’t care about anyone. Bill Ryder on the role of the Senator, “Senator Rosewater comes from a long line of industrialists and politicians. He is heir to the 14th largest fortune in the U.S. In the play he is preoccupied with his childless son’s erratic behavior. He is concerned that there will be no heir to the family fortune. He doesn’t share the progressive attitudes of his son who has compassion for the people that Rosewater industries have left behind in Rosewater County, Indiana.”

And of course, the music. “The show is a wonderful blend of the comedy and pathos of Kurt Vonnegut enhanced by the lyrics and music of Howard Ashman and Alan Menkin” says Bill Ryder. “God Bless You Mr. Rosewater” was the first collaboration of legendary duo Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. The music is a pastiche, an homage to the many influences on these men from musical theatre’s long history. One number might remind you of a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, the next thing you know you are listening to an American Spiritual. The pacing of the show is fast and unyielding, clocking in at just around 90 minutes. Oh, and if you aren’t familiar with Vonnegut, you might be forgiven for thinking the show is a sober and grim affair. You would be wrong. It is darkly comical, and will have you laughing and loving every moment. As Samantha Williams puts it, “It is so funny! In the dark humor there is a wealth of heart. I really can’t get enough of it. When I am in rehearsal and not in a scene, I never opt to look at my phone or turn my attention elsewhere. I love watching the show unfold, and it gets better and better with every run-through. This show will provide a stellar afternoon/evening out and you’ll be so glad you were in attendance.” Nona Mineva, who plays several parts, reminds us that “The musical is entertaining, but nudges you to reflect on generosity, community, meaningful life.”