By Nathaly Estremera and Daneyra Ramirez
Grossmont College’s Stagehouse Theatre presented The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and
Sullivan, directed by Melissa Glasgow, will run from March 20 to 29.
This comic opera is the biggest show presented at Grossmont since COVID-19, with 24 stage
actors and even more behind the scenes. Rehearsing since the start of the semester, Glasgow
only wishes her audience experiences laughter and silliness.
The story originally premiered in the late 1870s in New York, then the Public Theatre modernized the show in the 1980s, adding synths to the audio and pop stars as the lead roles.
A satirical, comedic opera in two acts, telling the story of a 21-year-old man named Frederic who leaves his apprenticeship as a pirate to rejoin society. Frederic encounters a group of women and finds his love, until he discovers his apprenticeship ends on his 21st birthday as he was born on a leap year.
After a five-day break, the actors were back for another back-to-back showtimes, as they settled
back into their routine, it all felt like muscle memory.
The show starts with breaking the third wall and incorporating the audience into the show by
placing their orchestra, main characters and props. The crew was creative with their props, as
they wouldn’t have been able to create a whole pirate ship in their Performing & Visual Arts
Center (PVAC), nor would their budget have allowed such.
Although the show is a musical, there is enough dialogue to keep the audience’s attention and
plenty of sly comments between the characters. Especially from Frederic, played by Drew Low,
as he is prejudiced towards pirates after being an apprentice.
It was never a dull moment experiencing this show. Every character portrayed an emotion, not
just those in the spotlight, which allowed the audience to experience the story from different
perspectives.
The cast does hold a soprano, Izabella Newman, who played Mabel, Fredric’s love interest.
Newman surprised the audience with her breathwork as she hit the highest notes on the stage.
Appearing later in the first act, her character’s self-absorption had the audience smiling from ear
to ear the whole time as they tried not to laugh.
Towards the end of Act One, the Major-General Stanley, played by Kaylee Kloberdanz was
introduced, who was hiding in the audience the whole time. Kloberdanz, stole the show with her
quick speech and charm. Being a female actress playing a male character added to the comedy
of the show. Her expressions and dialect were perfect and were my personal favorite of the
night.
“This piece calls for playful spontaneity that allows us to laugh at ourselves, society, and the absurdity of
living,” director Melissa Glasgow said.
This production is lighthearted, playful and never a dull moment. The cast’s chemistry is shown
on stage and only amplifies their performance. I would recommend those who love to laugh to
enjoy a night over at the PVAC. Prices rage from $18 to $10.
With only three shows left at the PVAC, the Stagehouse Theatre has one more production in
May, directed by Linda Libby, called Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare.
