The Pirates of Penzance at Century II Concert Hall
Dates: (5/20/2016 - 5/21/2016 )
Century II Concert Hall |
225 W. Douglas Ave.
Wichita,KS KS 67202
Phone: 316.262.8054
Tickets: $150.00
SUBMIT UPDATES
ACT I. The coast of Cornwall
On the coast of Cornwall, a gang of pirates party as Frederic (their apprentice) reminds the Pirate King that his obligation to the gang is soon ending. He was apprenticed to the pirates only until his twenty-first birthday, which is that day, and he is leaving them. Ruth (Frederic’s nursemaid when he was younger) explains that Frederic should never have been a pirate except for her mistake: She was told to apprentice Frederic to a pilot, but she misunderstood and placed him with a pirate instead.
Frederic tells the pirates that, after he leaves the gang, he intends to destroy them, not because he doesn’t love them, but because he loathes what they do. He is a slave of duty and, when no longer a pirate, it will be his duty to exterminate them. The pirates understand, and also complain that they cannot seem to make any money. Because Frederic is still a pirate until noon, he tells them why: Because they are all orphans, the pirates refuse to rob another orphan; and since all their potential victims are aware of this, they all claim to be orphans!
Frederic has spent his entire life with the pirates,and he has never seen another woman; thus he thinks he may want to marry Ruth. He asks Ruth if she is beautiful, and she responds that she is. Frederic, a very trusting young man, says that he believes Ruth and he will not let her age come between them.
At this point, however, Frederic hears a chorus of girls in the vicinity. He sees a group of beautiful young women, realizes he was betrayed by Ruth, and sends her away. Frederic informs the girls that he is a pirate, but not for long. He asks if any of the girls will marry him, and the youngest, Mabel, agrees.
The pirates enter the scene, and each grabs a girl. Major-General Stanley enters and identifies himself as the girls’ father, demanding to know what is taking place. When the pirates tell Major-General Stanley that they intend to marry his daughters, he objects, saying he has an aversion to having pirates for sons-in-law; the pirates respond that they are opposed to having major-generals as fathers-in-law, but that they are willing to overlook their objection if the Major-General will do the same.
Knowing about the pirates’ weakness, Major-General Stanley tells them he is an orphan and, thus, disarms the pirates and takes his daughters, along with Frederic, away to his family chapel and estate.
ACT II. The Major-General's estate
The Major-General, who actually is not an orphan, soon feels guilty about the lie he told the pirates. Frederic, however, has a plan to lead a squad of zany policemen against his former comrades.
Before he can act, the Pirate King and Ruth arrive to tell him that he is still obligated to the pirates. Because Frederic was born on February 29 of a leap year, he has served only five birthdays, not the twenty-one required by his contract. A strong sense of duty forces Frederic to relent, and, because he is a member of the pirate band again, he reveals the truth: Major-General Stanley is not an orphan! The Pirate King vows that he will have revenge on the major-general.
Mabel enters and begs Frederic not to go back to the pirates but, bound by duty, he leaves. The police ready their attack on the pirates, while the pirates creep in to take revenge on the Major-General.
The pirates handily defeat the police. However, when the cunning Sergeant orders them to yield in Queen Victoria's name, the pirates immediately fall in to be arrested. Ruth divulges that the pirates are really noblemen who have gone astray.
Since the pirates are in fact not particularly good at their chosen occupation, and have never really hurt anyone, they are soon forgiven. The ex-pirates win the girls, Frederic wins Mabel, and everyone lives happily ever after.
Cast and Creative team for The Pirates of Penzance at Century II Concert Hall
by Sir Arthur Sullivan
A Comic Opera in Two Acts
Sung in English
Libretto by Sir William S. Gilbert
A Comic Opera in Two Acts
Sung in English
Libretto by Sir William S. Gilbert
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