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​2023 G&S Opera Sydney Season

G&S Opera Sydney will be presenting Iolanthe this year!
Are love and equality a path to peace - or to the breakdown of law and order? Could they even lead to both?!

IOLANTHE is Gilbert & Sullivan at their awesome, uproarious best!

When the eternally young fairy Iolanthe falls in love with a mortal, not even her friendship with the Fairy Queen can prevent her banishment for breaking fairy law. Her secret, half-fairy son Strephon fights against identity, class, politics and the law itself to be with his love Phyllis - an effort made harder by her legal guardian and wannabe suitor, the Lord Chancellor, who has been in a downhill spiral ever since the disappearance of his beloved Iolanthe.

Against a backdrop of amorous Lords and flirty Fae, and with farcical Fate lurking around the corner, a fairytale for modern times takes shape!

IOLANTHE - with just a touch of Ludwig van Beethoven and William Shakespeare - will be performed by the 30-strong cast of Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Sydney with orchestra.

PRINCIPAL ROLES

Queen of the Fairies - Megan Chalmers
Phyllis - Mackenzie Lawrence
Iolanthe - Chloe Obreza
Celia - Suzanne Chin
Leila - Amelia Myers
The Lord Chancellor - Oskar Loofs
Strephon - Tobias Page
Earl of Mountararat - Nathan Knight
Earl Tolloller - William Papantoniou
Private Willis - Belinda Delaney / Lesley Braithwaite  (Shared role)

​DIRECTORIAL TEAM
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​Director & Choreographer: Sarah Pearce
​Musical Director: Tim Doubinski
Asst. Director: Zachary Aleksander
PERFORMANCES
MOORE PARK, SYDNEY (main season)
With Full 28 piece orchestra
Friday October 6, 8pm
Saturday October 7, 2pm
Saturday October 7, 8pm
Sunday October 8, 2pm
The Governors Centre: ​558 Cleveland St, Moore Park NSW Get Directions 

The GSOS Production Team

Sarah Pearce, Stage Director & ​Choreographer

​Sarah has been dancing and performing since the age of three. In 2015 she moved from South Australia to Sydney to study a Bachelor of Music, majoring in music theatre at the Australian Institute of Music. In 2016 she was assistant choreographer for their production of Chicago, whilst also performing the roles of
Mary Sunshine and Liz.

Since moving to Sydney, she’s had many opportunities in the performing arts industry including working as assistant choreographer for the ABC program The Justine Clarke Show and the international vocal group Popcorn. She also worked as Choreographer on The Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Sydney show The Pirates of
Penzance (2017) then Assistant directing and choreographing their shows Ruddigore (2018) and The Mikado (2019).

She originated and performed the role of Cassy in the new Australian play Watch Me Dance (2019) and played Renee in After You Productions' award-winning short horror film About Ava (2021).

In February 2019 she wrote, produced, and performed her own solo cabaret Love Me When I Sing. After the pandemic hit, she tried her hand at songwriting and released an original EP, Back Home.

This is Sarah's first directing project and she’s excited to bring a new perspective to Iolanthe and bring Gilbert and Sullivan’s vision to a 21st century audience.

Tim Doubinski, Musical Director

Tim Doubinski (2003) is an Australian composer, arranger, guitarist, and conductor; making his conducting and directorial debut with Iolanthe presented by Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Sydney.

Tim comes from a musical background of studying jazz and classical guitar through his teen years, performing in various state-level ensembles in that time and his own jazz group. He took an interest in composition at the age 13 and since then, his music has been performed by a variety of ensembles including the Sydney Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Youth Orchestras. He is also an active orchestrator having worked on productions such as Schools Spectacular and with the Sydney Conservatorium New Music Ensemble. Just earlier this year, Tim won the Kendall National Violin Competition Watermark Composition Prize with his first violin sonata. He is currently studying composition, and conducting at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Tim is also an emerging composer for media, currently scoring his first feature length film 'Alakai' directed by Sam Bryant due for release later in 2023. He has also scored the pilot season of American TV show ‘Hartley’ along with a multitude of short films and other media.​

Zachary Aleksander, Assistant Director

Zach is an actor, director and producer telling stories on Gadigal land. He is currently assistant directing a three-city tour of Iolanthe (GSOS tour), following on from his performance in the NSW tour of HMS Pinafore (Hayes Theatre tour, Sydney Festival). He is also music directing The Government Inspector (Fingerless Theatre) after his critically-acclaimed work on Twelfth Night: or What You Will (WorldPride Festival). He has written and directed showcases for his university students at AMPA, diploma students for ASCA and screen and improv students at APGS, previously receiving high praise and high distinction from theatre legend Philip Quast for his self-devised uni piece Purpose, Shmurpose and his turn as the Baker in Into The Woods (dir. Tyran Parke) during his Bachelor of Music (AIM).

​As an actor, he has worked across disciplines in local and touring productions of The Wind in the Willows (Australian Shakespeare Company), Venus in Fur (Sean Landis), The Colour Orange (Sydney Comedy Festival), the sellout Heathers the Musical (TMOC), The Tempest/A Midsummer Night’s Dream double-bill (FT & Giant Dwarf), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Squabbalogic), The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Wild Party and Merrily We Roll Along (Little Triangle).

As a musician, he has acted whilst playing cello, guitar, ukulele, accordion and piano. For screen, he has worked on television (SBS, 7Plus), music videos (Rage) and ads (McDonalds, Destination NSW). Having just launched his own company, he is very excited to direct and produce this January’s Hair: the American Tribal Love-Rock Musical (Zachary Aleksander Productions).

Joshua Carter, Costumier

Joshua fell in love with sewing and costumes when he got to watch his amazing mother altering his school uniforms in Year Three. In 2014 he earned a Diploma in Costume for Performance from Ultimo TAFE. Prior to that he spent ten years designing and manufacturing costumes for some of the best (and worst) drag and burlesque performers in town, including Trevor Ashley, Courtney Act and himself. While he continues to do so, he currently revels in the title of Deputy Head of Performing Wardrobe with Opera Australia. 

He has worked backstage on almost every Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, except the one year he was otherwise engaged in the sets and props workshop. Also under his belt are many opera seasons and musicals including My Fair Lady, Miss Saigon and The Phantom of the Opera.
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He is thrilled to be working on Iolanthe and hopes you enjoy this wonderful production.