SCERA Presents THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, 3/22-30

Those who attend SCERA's production of "Pirates of Penzance" might want to wear an eye patch and brandish a sword, albeit a plastic one! That's because when the timeless Gilbert and Sullivan musical farce plays at the SCERA Center for the Arts in Orem this month, the pirate ship will sail onto stage and the audience will become part of the crew.

That's merely one element of the rollicking swashbuckler that features a sexy Pirate King, bumbling policemen, sentimental pirates, dim-witting young lovers, dewy-eyed daughters and a delightfully dotty Modern Major General.

Kathryn Little, who has performed the leading female role in the past, will this time be directing SCERA's national award-winning high school company, Acting Up, as they present "Pirates of Penzance" March 22-30 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm.

Reserved-seat tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for children (age 3-11), seniors (age 65+) and students (w/ID) and are available from 10am-6pm weekdays and Saturdays from 12Noon-6pm by calling (801) 225-ARTs, at the main office at SCERA Center, 745 South State, Orem, online at www.scera.org or at the ticket office 30 minutes prior to performance.

"I selected 'Pirates' because it's hilarious and silly and a perfect fit for Acting Up, the student troupe performing the show," Little says. "Our students have just come off from winning the overall sweepstakes award at the Musical Theater Competition at Fullerton College in California. They are near the culmination of their training at SCERA, and they work together well in telling the story, bringing out the comedy and entertaining the audience."

Among the leads are Will Pritchard (Pirate King), Kyle Vorkink (Frederic), Savannah Leichty (Mabel), Katya Wagstaff (Ruth) and Michael Allen (Major General).

Assisting Little are Teri Griffin as set designer, Brodee Ripple as choreographer, and Andy Walsh, who is sharing musical direction with Little. "I first met Teri when she was designing at Sundance, and I am always pleased at her creative designs. This one should be no exception."

Gilbert and Sullivan's comic masterpiece opened to critical and popular acclaim in 1879 and, much like timeless Shakespeare plays, it has always been an audience favorite with its high seas hijinks, outrageous theatrical fun, memorable characters and a sparkling musical score.

The story begins with Frederic, who has just turned 21 and has completed his apprenticeship to a band of tender-hearted pirates. He falls madly in love with Mabel, the daughter of Major General Stanley, and they prepare to wed. But alas - Frederic realizes that because he was born on Feb. 29, he only has a birthday every four years. His servitude with the pirates dictated he remain with them until his 21st birthday, so he has 63 more years before he is free. Mabel agrees to wait for him.

Near the centennial of its first production, "The Pirates of Penzance" was restaged on Broadway in 1981, ran for 787 performances and earned a Tony Award for best revival and the Drama Desk Award for outstanding musical. It was the fifth collaboration by Gilbert and Sullivan, and rightly takes its place among two other perennially popular works from the famed duo: "The Mikado" and "H.M.S. Pinafore."