THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 14, 1996 TAG: 9603120113
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
When Commonwealth Musical Stage presents its production of Gilbert and Sullivan's ``The Pirates of Penzance'' this weekend, the Major General will be someone already familiar to Hampton Roads audiences.
Behind the beard, grown for the role, will be Lynn Summerall of Portsmouth. Summerall is best known as an announcer on Norfolk's two public radio stations and director of the Hotel Paradise Roof Garden Orchestra, which plays the first Sunday of each month at Uncle Louie's Restaurant at Wards Corner in Norfolk, in addition to other engagements throughout Hampton Roads.
``Even though I've spent most of my time in radio and leading an increasingly popular dance band, I have no formal training in broadcasting or music,'' Summerall says. ``My college degree, from Towson State, is in theater arts, but I chose not to pursue a performing career. I only recently felt I wanted to perform again.''
Despite a 20-year gap, during which Summerall didn't act or, he says, play the trombone, he has jumped back into both with both feet: the trombone, with his orchestra, and acting with Commonwealth Musical Stage, where, two years ago, he played Buffalo Bill in the company's production of ``Annie, Get Your Gun.''
``Now that I'm older, heavier and grayer, I can go for juicy, hammy, scenery-chewing roles, of which the Major General is a prime example,'' Summerall says.
Summerall's moment of truth comes during the well-known song, ``I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General,'' which, in its lyrics and tempo, verges on nonsense syllables.
``It's easily the most difficult role I've had to learn to perform,'' Summerall says. ``There's the tongue-twisting song, and it has almost no dialogue. It's all sung.''
The role, Summerall points out, historically, has been played by great comics rather than great singers. Groucho Marx, Frank Gorshin, Vincent Price and Dudley Moore all have tried their hands at it.
There's a leap-year twist to the story line that may have influenced some companies to stage the production this year. Set around 1856, Frederic, the protagonist, is indentured to the Pirate King until his 21st birthday.
When he attempts to take his leave, at age 21, he learns that, since he was born on Feb. 29, he has had only four birthdays and must stay for 17 more. Mabel, his intended, tells him she'll wait for him ... until 1940.
``The cast had a leap-year birthday party for Frederic,'' Summerall says. ``One of the women baked a cake. But as it sat through a rehearsal, the icing was picked off and poked at by wicked pirates.''
Summerall is pleased to have been selected for the role and credits director Mark Hudgins of Norfolk with having chosen him. Summerall has, he says, especially enjoyed the lively repartee between the Major General and the Pirate King, played by Lawrence Asher, who first performed the role in New York.
Almost four weeks of rehearsals and five upcoming performances have satisfied Summerall's urge to perform for the time being. Next time, he says, in another 18 months to two years, he would like to try a different kind of role.
``From college years to this production, I've done comedy: lightweight, slapstick character roles, calling for funny beards and props,'' he explains. ``I'd like to find something that doesn't involve that, a serious role, with no singing. I haven't done a dramatic role since college.''
Possibilities, he adds, include Shakespeare or a play by contemporary playwright David Mamet.
And when ``Pirates'' completes its run?
``The day after I finish,'' Summerall says, without hesitation, ``off comes the beard, and I'll be leading the Hotel Paradise Roof Garden Orchestra at a fund-raising dance for the Virginia Choral Society at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center in Newport News.''
Performances of ``The Pirates of Penzance'' at the Virginia Beach Pavilion Theater will be Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., with a student performance and preview today. Tickets are $7.50 (students) and $10-$20, and are available from any First Virginia Bank, Pavilion Theater Box Office, TicketMaster, and by calling Commonwealth Musical Stage at 340-5446. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Lynn Summerall plays the Major General and Elizabeth Evans is Mabel
in the Commonwealth Musical Stage's ``The Pirates of Penzance.''
KEYWORDS: PROFILE MUSICAL COMEDY by CNB