One of Long Island’s oldest cultural institutions, the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island, is setting sail again with its first production in nearly a decade: “H.M.S. Pinafore,” the comic opera that launched the iconic duo to worldwide fame.
Starring in this fresh take on the 147-year-old classic is New Hyde Park’s Ian Joyal, who makes his debut with the company as Dick Deadeye, a rule-obsessed sailor often labeled the show’s villain.
“He’s not really evil—he just sees the world in black and white,” Joyal said. “I follow the rules to a T. So when other characters start bending them—like falling in love across class lines—Deadeye calls it out. No one likes me for it. I’m basically the ugly truth.”
Joyal’s performance as Deadeye brings a comic intensity to a character that director David Macaluso calls “one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most memorable villains.”
“Ian has the feel of a leading man—tall, good-looking and with a beautiful voice—so when Deadeye’s misanthropic spiels come out of his mouth, it’s particularly funny,” Macaluso said.
The production, which opens June 21 and plays in four locations across Long Island, marks a welcome return for the Light Opera Company, now in its 71st season. The show’s music is directed by Isabella Eredita Johnson, with the orchestra conducted by Michael C. Haigler.
Set aboard a British naval vessel, “H.M.S. Pinafore” pokes fun at social hierarchy, patriotism and class boundaries. At its heart is the forbidden romance between Josephine, the captain’s daughter and Ralph Rackstraw, a common sailor. Josephine is betrothed to the self-important Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Admiralty, but her affections lie elsewhere.
“It’s a really cute show,” Joyal said. “You’ve got a crew of sailors, a captain trying to marry off his daughter to someone important and a guy in love with her from a lower rank. The whole thing plays off the idea that love wasn’t supposed to cross class lines.”
As Deadeye, Joyal is the one crew member who doesn’t buy into the romantic idealism of his shipmates. Instead, he warns against crossing social boundaries—a role that requires a careful blend of sincerity and satire.
“Gilbert and Sullivan wrote it so well that I try not to force the comedy,” Joyal said. “The jokes are built into the language and the music. For me, the fun is in how goofy I can make my face or how awkward I can be on stage to make the others break character.”
Joyal, who stands 6’5,” towers comically over the rest of the cast. “I make everyone look tiny,” he said with a laugh. “That alone adds to the absurdity.”
A Wisconsin native, Joyal moved to New York in 2015 to study voice at Queens College. He comes from a musical family—his father, Steven, is a conductor in Milwaukee and his mother, Lis, is a professional flutist.
“I’ve been singing opera since 2014,” he said. “I did regional theater in Wisconsin and Chicago before moving here. Since then, I’ve performed in New York, Connecticut and even Germany.”
Though he’s mostly played comic sidekicks or father figures in past productions, Joyal said Deadeye offered a chance to stretch his theatrical muscles.
“This is the first real ‘villain’ I’ve played,” he said. “But he’s less of a mustache-twirling bad guy and more of a tragicomic outsider. I kind of love that about him.”
Joyal credits the cast and crew for making the experience feel like home. “Everyone’s been so welcoming. It’s my first show with the company, but you’d never know it. People greet each other with hugs. The energy is just so positive.”
He also praised the production team, especially Macaluso. “David and I go way back—we did ‘Die Fledermaus’ together at Queens College. He’s incredibly easy to work with and knows this material inside and out.”
“H.M.S. Pinafore” will be performed June 21 at 8 p.m. at the Waldorf School of Garden City; June 22 at 3 p.m. at the Bayway Arts Center in East Islip; June 28 at 8 p.m. at the Landmark on Main Street in Port Washington; and June 29 at the Star Playhouse at the Suffolk Y JCC in Commack. Admission is $35 at the door (seniors/students $30), $30 in advance (seniors/students $25).
For tickets and information, visit www.gaslocoli.org or call (516) 619-7415.
As for Joyal, he hopes audiences walk away smiling. “It’s light, it’s fast-paced and it’s full of charm,” he said. “It’s the kind of show where you can just sit back and laugh—and we could all use a little more of that right now.”
