Sam has been a loyal GSSCC member since its inception, and we are always delighted to welcome him anywhere near our stage! All the happier this year as he returns to the Director's chair for our 2006 production of The Mikado, a fitting reprisal of his 1988 role when he staged our first Mikado.
A founding member of the GSSCC and its very first stage director, Sam's productions of H.M.S. Pinafore and The Mikado introduced our society to West Chester and the Delaware Valley 20 years ago. Since that time he has appeared on stage in several productions and directed our multiple-awards-winning production of Trial by Jury for the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival (where he was awarded Best Male Character Actor of 1998 for his interpretation of The Learned Judge). He last appeared on our stage in the title role of our 2005 production of The Grand Duke.
Sam has been mucking about in greasepaint since he was a little nipper. A Savoyard "down to the feet," he was raised on G&S. His father, Hastings Griffin, has been active performing and directing since the 1950's and Sam succeeded him as a successful actor and director in his own right.
For more than 30 years Sam has played comic baritone leads. As a long time member of the Savoy Company, Sam has charmed the Academy of Music's audiences countless times both as actor and as stage director. He's also staged productions for the Rose Valley Chorus, the Ardensingers of Arden, Delaware, and the Camp Tecumseh Players in Center Harbor, New Hampshire.
Although Gilbert & Sullivan has been a huge part of Sammy's life, he manages to cram in a myriad of other activities. He is a singing member and Vice President of the Orpheus Club of Philadelphia , has served as President of the Radnor Hunt, and is the General Vice Chairman for the Hospitality Committee of the Devon Horse Show. He could not have accomplished any of these dubious feats without the forbearance of his beautiful wife Holly.
In an effort to pay for all this frivolity, Sam is taking a break from his duties as the Senior Vice President of Forge Business Solutions and is the acting Firm Administrator of Gollatz, Griffin & Ewing, a law firm in West Chester and Philadelphia. His evenings are currently devoted to keeping our fans inline at rehearsals.