An irreverent French operetta

June 20, 22, 26 & 28
Running Time: 2h30
Tickets start at $30

Universal Preservation Hall

La Vie Parisienne

Show Dates

Offenbach, Meilhac & Halévy’s sparkling, witty, and electric La Vie Parisienne takes us to the heart of the demi-monde in 1860s Paris where two bachelors play tour guide to a Swedish Baron and Baroness. They showcase the Paris of their imagination, complete with visits to dives that they claim are fancy palaces and meetings with friends who are disguised as aristocrats. La Vie Parisienne is social critique at its most hilarious complete with catchy tunes and drinking songs! Sung in French with new English dialogue written by Tim Drucker.

Synopsis

  • The story begins at the railway station, where the employees boast of all the wonderful places in France. Soon, Baron and Baroness Gondremarck arrive from frozen Stockholm for a Parisian holiday and ask tour guide Joseph Partout to show them the city's glittering night life. Finally, Pompa di Matadores, a Brazilian millionaire, arrives to spend a fortune in the capital.

  • Métella, a demi-mondaine with a heart of gold, reads a letter from Baron Gondremarck's friend, Baron Frascata asking her to give Gondremarck the same pleasure she once had given him.

  • At a party, the guests vow to make their pleasure long lasting as they eye one another, waiting to see who will make the first move. Bobinet rises to greet the crowd with a drinking song. The champagne flows and Baron Gondremarck (and everyone else) gets drunk. The party turns into a wild, sensual debauch.

  • The Brazilian millionaire is offering a masked ball. Métella, anxious to win back Gardefeu, is in league with the Baroness, who wants to extricate her husband from the perils of Parisian life. The Brazilian and Gabrielle, the pretty glover, discover the virtues of love at first sight. All ends happily.

Cast

  • Randy Ho

    Raoul de Gardefeu

  • Michael J. Hawk

    Bobinet

  • Sung-yeun Kim

    Gabrielle

  • Tivoli Treloar

    Metella

  • Geoffrey Schmelzer

    Le Baron de Gondremarck

  • Chase Sanders

    La Baronne de Gondremarck

  • César Andrés Parreño

    Frick/Le Bresélien

  • Fantine Douilly

    Pauline

  • Sadie Spivey

    Clara

  • Kate Morton

    Mme. de Folle-Verdure

  • Brennan Martinez

    Léonie

  • Chuanyuan Liu

    Mme. de Quimper-Karadec

  • Wagner Mauricio Pastor

    Gontran/Prosper

  • Michael Segura

    Urbain

  • Jack O’Leary

    Joseph

Creative Team

  • Mary Birnbaum

    Director

  • Zoe Lesser

    Assistant Director

  • Juliane Gallant

    Conductor

  • Gloria Yin

    Assistant Conductor

  • Krit Robinson

    Scenic Designer

  • Anshuman Bhatia

    Lighting Designer

  • TBD

    Costume Designer

  • Tim Drucker

    Book

Stage Manager TBD

Principal Coach/Répétiteur Djordje Nesic

Assistant Costume Designer TBD

Assistant Stage Manager TBD