Albuquerque Little Theatre brings comedic opera 'Pirates of Penzance' to stage
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They are the very model of a modern major opera.
Albuquerque Little Theatre hoists the anchor for 鈥淧irates of Penzance鈥� on Thursday, July 17.
According to the ALT website, 鈥淧irates of Penzance,鈥� follows 鈥測oung Frederic, a duty-bound apprentice, finds himself caught between a band of tender-hearted pirates, a troupe of proper maidens and one very modern major-general.鈥�
Giacomo Zafarano, who plays the Major-General, finds that the play educates people on musical theater and says that is why people should see this comic opera.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important for people to be educated about the whole history of musical theater, and not just necessarily learn about the most recent things that are playing on Broadway,鈥� Zafarano said.
This is Jack Litherland鈥檚 fourth time performing in 鈥淧irates of Penzance,鈥� the second time in the ensemble and he has found that not one character is really the brightest.
鈥淚 would actually remark more on the similarities between playing a pirate and playing a major-general and playing a policeman, they鈥檙e all a little bit incompetent at what they do,鈥� Litherland said. 鈥淪o they鈥檙e all very friendly, very happy people, the pirates, the policemen, and none of them are the best example of their role.鈥�
The main character, Frederic, is played by Alex Harden who said he loves the character because Frederic is slightly on the dumber side.
鈥淔or myself as a character, I particularly love this character because he鈥檚 honest to a fault, and he鈥檚 also not cunning, which is funny for a pirate,鈥� Harden said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 also, perhaps you could say, not the sharpest knife in the drawer.鈥�
While the characters are not the brightest, director Russ Sype has found that the whole cast and crew have worked to bring fresh ideas to the classic characters, and the 鈥渃horeographer has been remarkable at framing episodes in convincingly appropriate ways.鈥�
According to Sype, the show takes the content seriously, despite its absurdity.
鈥淵es, the plot is absurd, and the characters can be cartoonish 鈥� but neither I as director, nor the actors, can treat the characters as cartoons,鈥� Sype said. 鈥淭hey must be taken seriously, and the actors must believe in them as real people.鈥�
The play has been around since 1879 and is by playwrights W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, whose work the cast hails as comedic and has lived on due to its sheer absurdity and hilarity.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great that Gilbert and Sullivan have survived the test of time because everything they write is really funny,鈥� Aspen Desilets, an ensemble member, said. 鈥淪ome of it is a little outdated, but seeing more classical productions can help kind of connect you to the past.鈥�
Litherland finds that this play, in all its hilarity, is perfect for multiple performances and to be a part of.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not the longest play in the world. It鈥檚 not the most intense play. It鈥檚 just everything is a good time if it feels good to be a part of it,鈥� Litherland said. 鈥淭he music is challenging, but not impossible, right? It鈥檚 kind of the perfect play to do over and over.鈥�
Albuquerque Little Theatre brings comedic opera 'Pirates of Penzance' to stage
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