Interview: Nicholas Barasch Thinks Broadway Needs a Comedy Like PIRATES! THE PENZANCE MUSICAL

Broadway is preparing to set sail on a thrilling new voyage with Pirates! The Penzance Musical, and at the helm is Nicholas Barasch as Frederic. A familiar face to theatregoers since his Broadway debut at age ten in WEST SIDE STORY, Barasch has built an impressive career with standout performances in SHE LOVES ME and THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD. After captivating audiences across the country as Orpheus in the first national tour of HADESTOWN, he’s returning to Broadway to co-lead this high-energy revival alongside an all-star crew, including Jinkx Monsoon, Ramin Karimloo, and David Hyde Pierce.

“I really did not know much about THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE other than it being a very famous old musical,” admits Barasch. After joining the production, that quickly changed as he immersed himself in the world of the beloved operetta. The opportunity to work with a world-class creative team helped seal the deal. “I was drawn to it, honestly, for the team alone,” he explains. “Scott Ellis, Warren Carlyle, Rupert Holmes, Joseph Joubert, many of whom I’ve worked with already.”

One of the most exciting aspects of this new production is its show-within-a-show framing, which Barasch describes as adding an entirely new dimension to the storytelling. “It’s not just THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE being done straight through,” he shares. “There’s a really fun theatrical conceit at play here, where you’re watching a troupe of performers put on the show. It allows for so much more comedy and playfulness, and it makes the whole thing feel fresh.” This meta-theatrical approach invites audiences to experience the production in an entirely new way, adding layers of humor and spontaneity to the classic tale.

Another major departure is the production’s shift in location. “It’s obviously always been set in England. Now it's in New Orleans,” Barasch explains. Moving the story to New Orleans not only gives it a new visual flair, but it also allows for a richer musical texture that pulls from the city’s deep history in jazz and blues.

“Musically, first of all, you're getting a whole array of genres,” Barasch says. “We have jazz. We have the traditional Gilbert and Sullivan ballads that people love. We have tempos being fiddled with.” But these are not the only ways that the score has been tweaked. “We have different numbers from H.M.S. PINAFORE and THE MIKADO being drawn in,” Barasch reveals. “It’s really an adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan’s greatest hits, and the way it’s being done is completely unique.”

For Barasch, part of the thrill of this production is getting to share the stage with such a powerhouse cast. “Ramin Karimloo, Jinkx Monsoon, David Hyde Pierce. These are performers I’ve admired for so long,” he remarks. “It’s surreal to be up there with them, but also such a joy because they bring so much to the table.”

He’s particularly excited about the comedic elements that Hyde Pierce and Monsoon bring to the production. “David is a master of precision comedy. Every little thing he does is gold,” Barasch gushes. “And Jinkx is just a force. Her presence, her voice, her timing. It’s unreal. I think people are going to be blown away.”

At the same time, Barasch reassures audiences that the heart of the operetta remains intact. “Most of the songs are intact,” Barasch states. “Rupert Holmes has definitely changed a lyric or two and put his own brilliant spin on it, and he is really the person to tackle something like this. He understands this genre.”

With Warren Carlyle on board as choreographer, Barasch promises that the production will be visually spectacular too. “It’s a feast for the eyes and the ears. And it's different from the original while absolutely paying homage to what we know and love,” he says.

Barasch describes the energy of the show in a handful of words: “Wild, boisterous, uplifting, joyous. It feels very aimed at the audience’s pleasure and fun. I think we need a comedy like this.”

For Barasch, taking on the role of Frederic has been both exhilarating and demanding. “The most exciting part is getting to show different sides of my voice within one production,” Barasch explains. “I have to sing these legit Gilbert and Sullivan ballads. That's the exciting part.”

Across the production, he uses almost the full breadth of his vocal range, switching between operatic passages and more contemporary interpretations of the score. But the role is also an endurance test for the young actor. “I would say the most challenging part is the stamina of it. It's a beast of a role,” he admits.

Beyond these challenges, Barasch is relishing the chance to bring new life to a classic character. Frederic is traditionally portrayed as earnest and somewhat naïve, but this version allows for more nuance. “There’s a playfulness to him that I think people are going to love,” he adds. “And with this new setting, there are so many more layers to explore.”

“THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE hasn't been on Broadway in over 40 years in any incarnation,” Barasch says. Naturally, for many theatergoers, this production will be their first introduction to the material, and Barasch is eager for audiences to experience the show’s humor, heart, and thrilling music. “This is something special,” he declares. “Whether you’re a longtime fan of Gilbert and Sullivan or completely new to their work, you’re going to walk away from this feeling like you’ve been on an adventure.”

Pirates! The Penzance Musical begins previews on April 4, 2025, with an official opening on April 24 at Roundabout Theatre Company's flagship home on Broadway, the Todd Haimes Theatre. This limited engagement will run through July 27, 2025.

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