THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE To Be Presented By FSCJ Artist Series
The Gilbert & Sullivan classic will take the stage at the Times-Union Center in Jacksonville.
The FSCJ Artist Series will present the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players production of The Pirates of Penzance at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, February 3, 2027 at 7:30 pm.
This New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players production is your chance to get carried away by Pirates. Join the band of swashbuckling buccaneers, bumbling British bobbies, frolicsome Victorian maidens, and the delightfully dotty “model of a modern Major-General” for a rollicking romp over the rocky coast of Cornwall. The rich sounds of full orchestra, chorus, and legitimate vocal soloists resonate with classic elegance and power while the company's vibrancy, energy and contemporary sense of humor keep the show alive and exciting to a modern audience.
The Pirates of Penzance, or The Slave of Duty was first performed at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on December 31, 1879. It was the only Gilbert & Sullivan operetta to have its world premiere in the United States and it has remained popular both here and throughout the English-speaking world ever since. Gilbert's wit (always incisive but never vicious or dated) and Sullivan's memorable score (including the original tune from which “Hail, hail the gang's all here” is drawn) are among the most valuable treasures of musical theater history.
Patter songs are a Gilbert & Sullivan trademark and Pirates features the most famous of them all, “I am the very model of a modern Major-General”. This jaunty tune has been cleverly set to different words countless times (Tom Lehrer's element song a notable example) and used in commercials to sell everything from Campbell's soup to Bounty, cars, newspapers and other items. Pirates also contains some of Gilbert's most famous lyrics such as the often-used quotation “a policeman's lot is not a happy one” from the act two lament of the diffident “men in blue”. Other highlights of the show include “For I am a Pirate King” and Mabel's show stopping coloratura aria “Poor wand'ring one”.
The plot of Pirates centers on the dilemma of young Frederic who, as a child, was mistakenly apprenticed to the pirates until his twenty-first birthday. Since he was born in leap year on February 29, he is honor-bound to remain a pirate until the distant date of 1940, despite his moral objection to piracy. Helping Frederic to deal with this unusual predicament are the brash Pirate King, Ruth - the pirate maid-of-all-work, romantic Mabel, and the pridefully pattering Major-General Stanley.
The FSCJ Artist Series has mobile ticketing. Mobile ticketing allows customers to access their show tickets and parking tickets on their mobile device. Customers may choose to opt out of mobile ticketing at time of purchase.
Parking for FSCJ Artist Series events at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts is available at the VyStar Parking Garage at 37 Hogan Street, just a short walk to the Center. Prepaid parking is $10 per car and parking on site is $15, credit card only and is subject to availability.
Groups of 10 or more are eligible to a discount on tickets to most shows. To receive the best pricing, reserve your group tickets today and place reservation requests by emailing groupsales@fscjartistseries.org or calling (904) 632-5050.
Tickets will go on sale to the public on Friday, April 24 at 10:00 a.m. at fscjartistseries.org or by calling 904-632-5000.
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