91�����

While their counterparts in New England  were wandering a magical forest last Friday night, the students of 91����� Aquinas College, California, were courting by the seaside in a remarkable production of Gilbert & Sullivan�s HMS Pinafore.

Faithful to the dramatists� reputation for catchy melodies, lyrical wordplay, and preposterous plots, HMS Pinafore tells the story of the star-crossed love of humble Ralph and the beautiful Josephine, played by Patrick Murphy (�25) and Rose Grimm (�26), respectively. Directing the performance was Dan Grimm (�76), choral director for the California campus, with the indispensable assistance of Susana Sedler (�24).

From the first plucky bars of the overture, played by an orchestra of students as well as alumni, the show was off to a good start. The antics of both the main cast and of the chorus of sailors, sisters, cousins, and aunts left the audience in stitches � and the performers with broad smiles of satisfaction at a job well done.