Stage Right Takes “The Pirates of Penzance” to the Stage

Stage Right’s Professional Company will be staging it’s first ever Gilbert and Sullivan operetta; “The Pirates of Penzance”. The show will be both in-person and live-streamed from the Science Hall Theatre at Westmoreland County Community College March 26-28. The show features; Kevin O’Leary as the Pirate King, Anthony Marino Jr. as Frederic, Courtney Harkins as Ruth, Delaney Swank as Mabel, Anna Stewart as the Constable, Clare Ivy Stoller as Kate and Greg Keresten as the Modern Major General. “The Pirates of Penzance”; or, The Slave of Duty is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W.S. Gilbert. The opera’s official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 December 1879, where the show was well received by both audiences and critics. Its London debut was on 3 April 1880, at the Opera Comique, where it ran for 363 performances.

The story concerns Frederic, who, having completed his 21st year, is released from his apprenticeship to a band of tender-hearted pirates. He meets the daughters of Major- General Stanley, including Mabel, and the two young people fall instantly in love. Frederic soon learns, however, that he was born on the 29th of February, and so, technically, he has a birthday only once each leap year. His indenture specifies that he remain apprenticed to the pirates until his “twenty-first birthday”, meaning that he must serve for another 63 years.[2] Bound by his own sense of duty, Frederic’s only solace is that Mabel agrees to wait for him faithfully.

Director Tony Marino, and Choreographer Renata Marino, (still unable to perform due to Covid restrictions from Actor’s Equity), are so excited to be able bring this masterpiece to Stage Right audiences: “This show is near and dear to us, I was doing it at the Pgh Public when Renata was pregnant with Anthony and now here we are with him playing Fred 20 years later. Better still, its with a group of our favorite actors, some new friends from Seton Hill, our daughter Gia, and current and former students. It has created a great vibe – which is good as this show is hard! It’s also hilarious, and the literal beginning of musical comedies. You are going to love it.”

Stage Right will be presenting “The Pirates of Penzance” at the Science Hall Theatre at the Westmoreland County Community College Friday March 26th at 7:30, Saturday March 27 at 7:30pm and Sunday March 28 at 2:00pm. To purchase in-person of live-streaming tickets, call 724.832.7464. www.stagerightgreensburg.com