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Political Opera Returns to Tarpon Center

Photo provided by Gen Haley

"The Spoiler," in a return engagement at the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center, is an operatic spoof of elections and politicians. Cast members include, from back row left, Evin Pennington, Chris Carmichael, Sara Buckley, and front row from left, Teri Esguerra, Tessa MacNeil and Skylar Bronson.

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By Cheryl  Bentley | The Suncoast News

Published: October 4, 2008

Politicians with inflated egos, promises that don't deliver and deals between enemies.

No, it's not 2008.

But never mind. Whatever the era, politics stays the same.

That is one reason audiences will enjoy "The Spoiler." The light-hearted operatic spoof of elections and love in the early 20th century by Constantine Grame is now playing at the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center.

"Anyone of any political stripe will have fun with it," Grame, a Tarpon Springs resident, said.

Whatever the era, elections are inherently comical, he noted. "Whatever candidate we support, if we stop back and look at all the candidates say, it's all rather funny."

The work takes a light-hearted look at elections and love through the eyes of such characters as Patrick Potwhistle, Bertrand Bilkmore and Angelina Applebottom.

The five principal actors appearing in "The Spoiler," Chris Carmichael, Teri Esguerra, Victor Carr, Sarah Leigh Buckley and Nathan Daugherty, all have backgrounds of acting in regional theatrical productions.

Grame wrote the hummable score in the spirit of the librettist W.S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan. "Their work is melodic and memorable," Grame said of Gilbert and Sullivan. As a team, the pair created comic operas, including "H.M.S. Pinafore" and "The Mikado," in the late 19th century.

"If you like Gilbert and Sullivan, you will like this piece," Grame noted. He grew up in Tarpon Springs listening to both Gilbert and Sullivan and operas. Grame is the director of New Century Opera, part of the Performing Arts Center. He was trained by his father, Theodore Grame, a pianist and choral conductor.

Constantine Grame accompanies the singers on piano.

This is the production's second round. It premiered in 2004, just before that year's presidential election. "The audience was very jovial," Grame remembered. "They really had a blast with it."

The low down

"The Spoiler" is being performed at the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4; Friday, Oct. 10, and Saturday, Oct. 11. Sunday matinees are 2 p.m. Oct. 5 and 12. Tickets, $18 general admission, are available at the center's href=http://www.tarponarts.org >Web site or by calling 727-942-5605. Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center is at 324 Pine St., Tarpon Springs, inside City Hall.

Cheryl Bentley can be reached at 727-815-1069 cbentley@suncoastnews.com.

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