That standing-room-only (and one-time-only) performance of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta in the Charleston High School auditorium marked the debut of the nonprofit Charleston Light Opera Guild.
Nina Denton Pasinetti is the undisputed linchpin for the company, now in her 41st year as CLOG's artistic director. Starting with "Mame" in 1971, she choreographed several shows, succeeding Tom Murphy as artistic director with "Annie" in 1983.
For years, directing the group was a side gig for Pasinetti, who was teaching math at George Washington High School, running her own dance studio and directing a separate dance company. She became CLOG's full-time artistic director in 1999.
Pasinetti has seen (and overseen, often) the Guild's growth in theater technology, performance venues and community support.
"I imagine in the early days of the Guild, everything was kind of centered around music more than acting and dance, and we've kind of incorporated all of that as modern musicals have evolved."
Jennifer Garner, Kathy Mattea, Joe Chrest, and Ann Magnuson are among the CLOG alumni Pasinetti directed before they rose to international stardom.
Pasinetti's directing career highlights are too numerous for her to recount off the cuff, although she cited bringing CLOG's first Bob Fosse musical, ''Pippin," to the stage in 1986 as one of her favorite early accomplishments.
Other shows under her direction (and still as choreographer, in most cases) include the first CLOG show with an all-African American cast, "The Wiz," first staged in 1985, and the first community musical at the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences "The Music Man," in 2003.
"I would be remiss not to mention 'Les Misérables,'" she said of landmark shows she's directed. "That was an achievement. When we did 'Mame' in 1971, I was shocked by how many people came out and auditioned. I didn't see that again until 'Les Misérables.' We had almost 200 auditioners. For the singing auditions alone, we were at the theater until almost one o'clock in the morning."
The largest audiences for a single CLOG production turned out for 2007's "High School Musical."
Pasinetti attributes the Guild's longevity to show "angels" such as Ed and Susan Maier and Betty Schoenbaum, who supported summer shows for several years and continues to do so posthumously through an Alex and Betty Schoenbaum Family Foundation endowment. "She was enamored with 'A Chorus Line,'" Pasinetti said. "She saw it when we did it in our own little theater in 1999, was amazed and fascinated by it and said it made her want to sponsor us.
"There are still some founding members of the Guild around, and they've always been supportive of the group," she added. "They've helped and been proud to create something that has existed for 75 years."
She also commended her husband of 24 years, Tom Pasinetti, for his role as the Guild's technical director since the early 2000s.
"We're the only group in the Kanawha Valley totally dedicated to musical theater," she said as a point of pride. "I have to raise my hat to all of the people who've dedicated their time."
John Marshall has worn many hats -- figuratively and literally -- for the Guild for 60 of its 75 years.
"I've been a member of the Guild since 1965," Marshall said. "I joined as a child and was in 'The Music Man.' In high school, I played the Artful Dodger in 'Oliver' and was in 'West Side Story' in 1967. I continued doing roles through the '70s and '80s."
When CLOG discontinued using union musicians for its orchestras, Marshall jumped at the opportunity to conduct. He wielded the baton officially for a 1980 production of "Grease."
"I was conducting pretty much nonstop after that. Every now and then, I'd trot myself out for auditions and acted in shows like 'The Producers.'
"I have a great, great love for the Charleston Light Opera Guild. It's one of the reasons I stayed around here. I've worked with some great people. Tom Murphy was my mentor. And working with Nina Lu -- come on, she's the best thing that's ever happened to the Guild over the last 40 years. It's certainly been a pleasure working with her. It's grown so much over the past few decades, and that's due to Nina Denton Pasinetti," Marshall said.
Bob McCarty performed his first of 72 Guild musicals in 1981's "Babes in Arms," and his most recent, "Cinderella," at the Clay Center last fall.
"I got involved with the director, Tom Murphy," the West Side resident said. "When I auditioned, Tom told me, 'You cant dance, you can't sing and you can't act -- you're a triple threat.' He said, 'I'm going to teach you all three things' -- and he was right.
"At that time, Charleston High School didn't have a theater program to learn those skills at that level," McCarty explained. "The Guild really served a great purpose at that time teaching young artists how to learn their craft. Nina taught me ballroom, tap, lyrical, and jazz dance. John Marshall took the time out to teach me not necessarily how to read music, but to know the scales and how to go up and hit the right notes.
"When I started doing theater, the Guild was at a workshop on Jefferson Street by the Capitol. During a 'Grease' rehearsal, we had to stop sometimes, because bats would fly in the workshop. Terry Marchal and I would put on hockey masks, get brooms and tennis racquets and hit and stun the bats."
McCarty also recalled an on-stage moment that went off script -- buoyantly. "When we did 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,' the actress playing Gymnasia was wearing water balloons for her bust. One of those balloons popped and rolled out into the audience. We made it part of the scene. We often have to think our feet."
McCarty also praised Pasinetti, Marshall and other CLOG directors for their guidance and intuitiveness. "John and Nina know how to cast a show. There have been roles I didn't want to play, but John and Nina and [musical director] Bobby Hodges Jr. did. The audiences seem to love me in cartoon, animated roles, but those are tough, because you have to keep your energy up. I played Evil Eye Fleagle in 'Li'l Abner,' The Cat in the Hat in 'Seussical' and Lumiere, twice, in 'Beauty and the Beast.' Those were all roles I didn't want to play at the onset -- and turned out to be some of my favorites."
Despite bats in the belfry (literally), burst breast balloons and boisterous character portrayals, McCarty treasures his long-time Guild alliance, especially working with Pasinetti.
"Nina looks at theater as therapy," he said. "When something's going bad in your life, she thinks you should take that opportunity to do something on stage to make you hopefully feel better.
"'Seussical' is a perfect example of that. Right before that show happened, I had throat cancer. It was questionable if I would be able to talk without a rasp, much less ever sing again. Nina went out of her way to have me audition. I told her there was no way I could do it or if I could sing. She said, 'You'll do it,' meaning 'You will fight through this.'
"I have to thank her for that. Had she not forced me to do that, I probably wouldn't have continued with theater; I didn't think I'd be able. I have to give her kudos for seeing in me something I didn't see in myself, that I could fight through throat cancer and perform in musicals again."
The CLOG board purchased the Weekley Memorial Methodist Church building and property on Tennessee Avenue in 1995. Converted into a 225-seat theater and workshop, it opened the following summer with "Cinderella" and "Company."
"That was on purpose. 'Cinderella' is a Rodgers and Hammerstein show and 'Company' is a Stephen Sondheim one. We wanted to open with productions by those great composers," Pasinetti noted.
Ever encouraging new talent to its stage, as well as volunteers and sponsors, CLOG shares audition and other information, including a ticket purchase portal, at www.charlestonlightoperaguild.org.
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