Savoy Company
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Founded in 1901, The Savoy Company is the oldest amateur theater company in the world dedicated solely to the production of the 13 existing operas of Gilbert and Sullivan. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Savoy Company has a rich tradition of performing at the Academy of Music (where it is the oldest tennant) and Longwood Gardens (where it was invited by founder Pierre S. du Pont.)
The Savoy Company's prosperity over many decades is due not only to its high production standards, but also to a unique sense of tradition.
Since 1901, The Savoy Company has been one of the shining lights in the Philadelphia cultural, philanthropic, and social arenas. The Company donates the net proceeds from its performances to local charitable organizations. It also provides a creative and social outlet for its members, and give audiences the most exhilarating theatrical and cultural experience possible by a volunteer organization.
Savoy typically reaches an annual audience of approximately 8,000 people through two performances at Philadelphia's legendary Academy of Music, one of the oldest grand opera houses in the country, and two performances at teh outdoor theater within Longwood Gardens, loacted in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. The Savoy Company's performances generally take place in late May and early June.
The Savoy Company is financially self-supporting and covers every inch of the production process through volunteer work. All of the leads, chorus members, and backstage crew members are Members of the Company. Savoy provides its own choreographers and dancers. It also designs and builds its own sets, as well as costumes, props, and lighting. Each active Member of the Company typically donates over 300 hours of volunteer time to Savoy every season.
To cover its costs, the Company sells advertising in a finely printed program book. Costs are also covered by ticket sales. Officers, board members, and committee chairs are all active Members.
The Savoy season officially begins in early February, although production and administrative planning continue all year-round. Ongstage rehearsals are held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at various social club venues (such as the Germantown Cricket Club, the Cynwyd Club, the Merion Cricket Club, the Orpheus Club) throughout the Philadelphia area. The backstage crew meets on Wednesday evenings and Saturdays. All potential Members (on-stage and backstage) are required to audition and take part in a short interview.
Although Members of the Savoy Company work hard, they also have a remarkable reputation in Philadelphia as being one of the city's most active social groups. Over 50 couples have met their spouses through Savoy. The Company also frequently has second and third-generation Members. Each season, Savoy sponsors a series of social events open to active and inactive Members and their friends. The Savoy season culminates with the traditional June Fatal, a formal black-tie dinner held in mid-June.
In the past fifteen years, The Savoy Company has donated over $150,000 to local charitable organizations.
Founded in 1901 by Gilbert and Sullivan enthusiast Alfred Reginald Allen and a few of his friends, The Savoy Company has always performed the works of Gilbert and Sullivan and supported other local, charitable organizations. In 1918, Members of the Company established the Alfred Reginald Allen Scholarship Fund for the benefit of the Music Department of the University of Pennsylvania. The Company continues to generously support this fund with annual contributions. The Company also makes annual donations to local, charitable organizations, including the Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, the Arthritis Foundation, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the Center for Autistic Children, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Magee Rehabilitation Hospital, Big Brother/Big Sister, Daemion House, the Brandywine Conservancy and the Delaware S.P.C.A, among many others.
Travelling Troupe. A smaller ensemble of The Savoy Company, The Savoy Travelling Troupe, presents concert-versions of its performances for area community events, schools, nursing, and retirement homes. Savoy has also performed for special celebrations, such as Victorian Day in Cape May, New Jersey and the Radnor Hunt Three-Day event. The has sung the National Anthem before Philadelphia Eagles football games and Philadelphia Phillies baseball games. The Travelling Troupe has been honored with awards for excellence in various categories at the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival held annually in Buxton, England. In 1997, Members of The Savoy Company were asked to work with former D'Oyly Carte actors in their performance of "H.M.S. Pinafore." Savoy also helped the Blue Hill Troupe in New York City to celebrate their 75th anniversary with a performance at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The Savoy Company Mission Statement. The Savoy Company, a non-profit theatrical organization, promotes community involvement and educational outreach while supporting locally-based charitable organizations through an annual production of the thirteen extant works of Gilbert and Sullivan.
Savoy's amateur membership is a diverse group of volunteers drawn from the Greater Philadelphia area. Members are committed to developing the highest quality theatrical production and in doing so, sharing the artistic, musical, and cultural influences of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas.
The Savoy Company is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization (Tax ID #23-6289477.)
The Savoy Company invites inquiries about Membership and tickets.
The Savoy Company P.O. Box 59150 Philadelphia, PA 19102-9150
phone:(215) 735-7161 e-mail: savoy@savoy.org
www.savoy.org.
