HMS Pinafore

In 1878 Arthur Sullivan and W.S. Gilbert toured the deck of HMS Victory, taking copious notes regarding the layout of the ship. Such attention to detail would become typical of the team’s working relationship. Their tour inspired the creation of their early hit, HMS Pinafore. Indeed, it established Gilbert & Sullivan as a creative force to be reckoned with in British comic theater. Gilbert’s libretto had everything necessary for a witty hit; but it was Sullivan’s score that was most responsible for the long-term success of HMS Pinafore. In a nod to the company’s old tradition of performing a Gilbert and Sullivan show every holiday season, the Skylight Opera Theatre’s Bill Theisen directs the company’s production of the show, which runs through Dec. 19.