Review: LILLY AND THE PIRATES THE MUSICAL at Orlando Family Stage

Yo ho ho! Ahoy mateys!  X marks the spot on this musical based on the 2013 novel by Phyllis Root. Lilly and the Pirates is about a 10 year old girl (Lilly) who has a lot of worries.  When her eccentric scientist parents send her to live with a relative while they are in search of an exotic form of fruit fly, she has to overcome her anxieties in the face of adversity.  

The show was really cute. It was adapted for the stage by John Maclay with music by Brett Ryback (who also served as the show’s music director).  There was one song early in the show about books and there were lots of references to authors and famous literature; I appreciated the references as an English teacher.   Most of the references went over the heads of most of the audience, as it was primarily composed of children (and their parents) but could be appreciated by both demographics.   It featured a small cast (7 actors) and had a run time of about an hour.  The cast is as follows: Kesley Kline (Ensemble/Swing), Radamés Medina Meléndez, (Dad/Redheart/Ensemble), Katie Michaels (Mrs. Teagarden/Ensemble), Juliette Naranjo (Lilly), Zoey Natal (Lilly Alternate); Nathan Olmeda (Ensemble/Swing), Jessica Stone (Mom/Millicent Murray/Ensemble), and Chase Williams (Uncle Earnest/William Barnacle/Ensemble).  From a technical standpoint, the show utilized some clever (but simple) techniques.  In the opening sequence, there was some choreography but it was in shadow.  A water effect was created by using a sheet, some lighting effects and two of the cast members moving it and in pure pirate fashion, there were a few birds (a parrot and some seagulls) that were worked in via puppetry.  

This story has themes relevant to today’s generation such as overcoming anxiety, understanding that you are stronger than you think, and of course, my personal favorite, the importance of books.  

Lilly and the Pirates is a delight for young audiences, especially fans of the book.  I don’t think I was the target audience for this show, but did find it entertaining.  I am also a theater director and would consider putting it on if the right opportunity presented itself.  Lilly and the Pirates is playing at Orlando Family Stage now through March 15.  Don’t miss it or you’ll be forced to walk the plank!