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Light Opera of Manhattan, known as LOOM, was an Off-Broadway repertory theatre company that produced light operas, including the works of Gilbert and Sullivan and European and American operettas, 52 weeks per year, in New York City between 1968 and 1989. Founded by William Mount-Burke, LOOM's first long-term home was in the Jan Hus theatre from the late 1960s to 1975, where it succeeded another small light opera company, the American Savoyards. At the Jan Hus, LOOM performed predominantly the Savoy operas of Gilbert and Sullivan, such as ''The Pirates of Penzance'', ''The Mikado'' and ''H.M.S. Pinafore''. Led by conductor-director Mount-Burke, principal comedian Raymond Allen and choreographer/stage manager Jerry Gotham, the company mentored many young actors and singers who went on to careers on Broadway or elsewhere in theatre or music. In 1975, the company moved across the street to a legitimate Off-Broadway theatre, the Eastside Playhouse. There it expanded its repertoire beyond Gilbert and Sullivan to American and continental operettas, such as those of Victor Herbert, Rudolph Friml, Franz Lehár, Sigmund Romberg, Jacques Offenbach and Johann Strauss II. LOOM was often featured on WQXR radio. By 1979, diabetes had blinded William Mount-Burke, but he continued to conduct and even to direct new productions. The company remained strong until 1984, when Mount-Burke died and the company's playhouse was closed and subsequently demolished. After this, led by Allen and Gotham, with music director Todd Ellison, the company played in a series of theatres around New York that challenged its ability to keep its Upper East Side audience, and it was forced constantly to raise funds. In 1986, the company closed, opening for its final seasons from 1987 to 1989. ==Beginning years at the Jan Hus== In the fall of 1968, William Mount-Burke (1936–1984), the former director of The Miami Light Opera〔("William Mount-Burke, Head of Light Opera of Manhattan" ). ''The New York Times'', July 11, 1984, accessed April 18, 2011〕 and The Stamford Symphony, took steps to start an Off-Broadway company specializing in the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan. He first presented a free showcase performance of ''The Pirates of Penzance'' at his apartment in New York City.〔Kenrick, John, ("A Brief History of LOOM" ), Musicals101.com, 2002, accessed October 26, 2013〕 The success of this performance encouraged Mount-Burke to move forward with his plan. Mount-Burke formed a non-profit organization, The Light Opera of Manhattan, which came to be known as LOOM. The producer and his company next offered a number of free performances at St. Michael's Church on West 99th Street in Manhattan. In 1969, LOOM moved into the basement gymnasium of The Jan Hus House on East 74th Street, previously the home of Dorothy Raedler's American Savoyards, intending to play a limited engagement. However, the company stayed at the Jan Hus for almost seven years, performing predominantly the Savoy operas of Gilbert and Sullivan, such as ''Pirates'', ''The Mikado'' and ''H.M.S. Pinafore''.〔〔 Raymond Allen, who had previously sung with the American Savoyards and made guest appearances at New York City Opera and the City Center Gilbert & Sullivan Company, was the leading comic actor for most of the company's performances.〔(Scan of Raymond Allen's obituary in the NY Times, February 3, 1994 )〕 Allen wrote an introduction to ''The Best of Gilbert & Sullivan: 42 Favorite Songs from the G&S Repertoire'', a songbook published by Chappell Music Company in 1974. The book includes many photographs of LOOM productions and states that LOOM's year-round performing season was the longest of any company in the United States.〔''The Best of Gilbert & Sullivan: 42 Favorite Songs from the G&S Repertoire''. Introduction by Raymond Allen. Book design by Lee Snider. Distributed by Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation, HL00312177. Re-issued by Chappell in 1991.〕 Under LOOM's Equity union contract, casting consisted of seven union principals and over twenty non-union actors who could receive their Equity membership after an apprenticeship with the company. This arrangement was unique among full-time theatre companies in New York. The pay for the non-union actors was nominal, but many young actor/singers who aspired to be full-time professionals were able to receive training and could work their way up from the ensemble to featured roles in the course of a year.〔 Many future New York City Opera and Broadway professionals started out at LOOM, including writer/director Gerard Alessandrini of ''Forbidden Broadway''; Craig Schulman of ''Les Misérables''.〔( Interview with Craig Schulman )〕 Robert Cuccioli of ''Jekyll & Hyde''; Stephen O'Mara, opera singer; Penny Orloff, City Opera and broadway performer; Carolyne Mas, recording artist; Susan Marshall, recording artist and songwriter; Michael Connolly of ''Annie'', ''Amadeus'' and others; Larry Raiken (now a Professor at Hartt College, who appeared in ''Woman of the Year'', ''Baby'', ''Big River'', ''Sheik of Avenue B'', ''Can-Can'', ''How to Succeed...'', and ''Follies'', among others); and Joan Lader, voice teacher whose pupils have included Madonna, Patti LuPone, Roberta Flack, Tonya Pinkins and others. Macaulay Culkin played Tom Tucker (the juvenile "midshipmite") in ''H.M.S. Pinafore''. LOOM initially bought a number of its costumes and stage properties from Dorothy Raedler's American Savoyards. It designed its own sets and other costumes, seeking to achieve a professional appearance on a small budget.〔(Information about LOOM costumes )〕 The company made much of the limited space and resources. The orchestra consisted of two players: pianist Brian Molloy, a graduate of Juilliard, who played every score by heart, and Mount-Burke himself, covering the organ and timpani, while conducting the performance.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Light Opera of Manhattan」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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