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Come see Princess Ida, or, Castle Adamant at the Grand!

The cast of GSSME’s 2026 show, Princess Ida, or Castle Adamant, has been hard at work preparing for our March performances!

Princess Ida has rejected the rule of men, and the marriage contract forced upon her in infancy. But when the time comes to fulfill it, her defiance may spark a war.

When Ida fails to appear for the long-promised wedding, her determined suitor, Hilarion, disguises himself and his companions as women and infiltrates Castle Adamant, a university devoted entirely to women. Once their deception is exposed, Ida and her peers face an impossible choice: should she surrender her ideals and accept Hilarion’s devotion, or stand firm and risk war between two stubborn kings—and the destruction of the university she loves?

Come find out at The Grand in Ellsworth on March 6th and 13th at 7:00, and March 7th, 8th, 14th, and 15th at 2:00! Tickets are available for purchase online now!

Princess Ida Cast List

We are proud to present the cast of our 2026 production of Princess Ida and the Lee Patterson Scholarship winners!

Want to join the chorus? There’s still time! Send an email to info@gilbertsullivanmaine.org to learn more.

Princess Ida Auditions

Come audition for Princess Ida!

Auditions will take place at the Moore Center in Ellsworth on October 30th from 6:00 to 8:00PM, and November 1st from 10:00AM to 1:00PM. The final arrival time is 30 minutes before the end (7:30PM and 12:30PM).

No audition is necessary for chorus.

We can’t wait to see you there!

2025 | Ruddigore

A jilted bride driven to madness, a baronet cursed to perform wicked deeds, a local guild of disgruntled professional bridesmaids, the village beauty held hostage by etiquette, the shy farmer she loves, the heroic sailor prepared to sacrifice friendship to win her hand, and ghosts!

An ancient witch’s curse has condemned each heir of Ruddigore to commit a crime a day or perish in agony. Refusing to submit to this fate, the latest baronet of Ruddigore fakes his death and goes into hiding in the local village as timid farmer Robin Oakapple, leaving his younger brother, Sir Despard, to shoulder the family curse. When his identity is betrayed, will the shy and honest Robin be able to stomach the family tradition of moustache-twirling villainy-for-life, or will his exasperated ancestors return from the grave to haunt him?

Gilbert and Sullivan’s satirical take on Melodrama and the Victorian obsession with the supernatural, Ruddigore turns the gothic romance tropes of Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and The Picture of Dorian Gray on their head in this zany comedy operetta that will delight the whole family.

Performances of Ruddigore will be at The Grand in Ellsworth on March 7, 8, 9 & 14, 15, 16 (2025).

View Ruddigore Gallery

Ruddigore 2025

The cast of GSSME’s 2025 show has been hard at work preparing for our March performances!

This cast includes Christien Breau as young Robin Oakapple, Rogan Winch as his foster brother Richard Dauntless, and Aidan Pasha as Sir Despard Murgatroyd of Ruddigore. Will Robin marry his love, Rose Maybud (Alexandria Winch), or will they be stopped by Sir Despard? Will Despard marry Rose, or will he return to his beloved Mad Margaret (Sara Phillips)? Will young Robin remain in Basingstoke, or be whisked away with his faithful servant Old Adam Goodheart (Daniel Clement)?

With a full troupe of professional bridesmaids, led by Zorah (Sonia Berghoff) and Ruth (Olivia LaSalle), excitedly waiting for the next village wedding, and Dame Hannah (Deb Hangge) guiding their way, we see many classic Gilbert and Sullivan tropes come to pass. Will Dame Hannah truly have a life of eternal maidenhood, or will someone overpower her everlasting love for Sir Roderick Murgatroyd (Roland Dube)?

Come see Ruddigore this March at the Grand in Ellsworth to find out!