The Very Model of a Modern Major Musical: Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance at Artistic Synergy of Baltimore
W.S. Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan’s classic comedic opera comes to life at Artistic Synergy of Baltimore! The Pirates of Penzance follows hopeful orphan Frederic in his mistaken apprenticeship with a wild band of singing, dancing pirates! Frederic’s story takes a drastic turn when he falls in love with Mabel, the daughter of “the very model of a modern Major-General,” General Stanley, the sworn enemy of the hilariously treacherous Pirate King! Pirates was the only Gilbert & Sullivan opera to have its official premiere in the United States, its wacky characters, toe-tapping music, and irresistible love story bringing audiences in since 1879!
Director Melissa Broy Fortson leads a cast of dedicated, capable actors in a fun, humorous romp through one of Gilbert & Sullivan’s most well-known pieces, weaving delightful music, charming dance, and pun-filled humor into a story of adventure, love, and pure silliness. Music Director Darwin Ray does wonders with the fairly small cast, who sing each harmony with clear, determined success. Ray also doubles as clarinetist in a powerful, strong orchestra featuring Stephen Kaltreider (horns), Larry Engel (trumpet), Harry Swartz (trombone), Rachel Daudelin (Violin / Viola), Virgil Boysaw (Bass), David Booth (Flute/Piccolo), as well as Rehearsal Pianist Edith Burns, and Ella Pesi pulling double-duty as clarinet as well as stage crew.
Choreographer Temple Fortson skillfully uses period dance influence to immerse the audience in the world of the pirates. Particular highlights include thrust and parry fencing techniques used to introduce us to the pirates in “Oh, Better Far To Live And Die,” and 19th century ballroom dance in the Act I Finale, leaving the audience hungering for more at the intermission. During “Climbing Over Rocky Mountain,” the ladies’ umbrellas serve to add a sense of properness to the ladies, aiding both dance and scenery as the ladies begin their outing.
Costuming also helps with immersion, with costumes contributed by the Victoria Lyric Opera Company and the cast themselves. While a little ill-fitting on some actors, the costumes as a whole help to clearly define the characters, such as the dashing, flowing coat of the Pirate King, the genteel dresses that mark Frederic’s “bevy of beauties,” and the comically garish, Captain Crunch-esque uniform of Major General Stanley.
The set, constructed by Alex Talmadge and managed by Stage Manager Brooke Jacobs, with help from Asst. Stage Manager Maribel Hernandez Drost, combines daring backdrops reminiscent of Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies with skillful simplicity. As Pirates only requires two set changes, the backdrops provide all the scenery needed to portray the world of the show. An interesting choice in set design allows the orchestra to be seen throughout the show via windows cut through the backdrops. This proves both an amiable and distracting choice. The orchestra’s Pirates appropriate costumes, including a mid-show costume change, adds charm to the scenes, though the animated orchestral instruction can sometimes draw attention from the action. Lighting Tech Tiffany Bell adds warmth and depth to the stage, combining bright scenery and cool spotlights to portray characters’ every emotion.
When it comes to community theatre, sound seems to be a frequent issue. Sound Tech Rowan DeJong diverts this issue expertly by placing the orchestra on the stage behind the action, allowing the music to underscore the actors, and not the other way around, as is so prevalent in community theatre productions. While there still were some struggles to hear certain actors, this felt more like an issue with actors’ enunciation and /volume than it did a technical one.
Leading the cast as light-hearted lover Frederic, Robert Lopez brings confidence and professionalism to the stage, singing the score as though Gilbert & Sullivan had written them specifically for him. Sonya Brown’s Mabel soars well into the clouds, reaching notes that few in the community theatre world could even dream of. Trading off vocals with Edith (Keira Kheel), Ivy (Chisom Akali), Isabel (Margaret Renner) and Kate Stanley (Emily Talmadge) during “Climbing Over Rocky Mountain,” and with Lopez’s Frederic, Brown and her castmates perform the music beautifully. Akai and Renner also provide great vocal and comic assistance alongside Chloe Skully as the three bumbling police in Major General Stanley’s employ. The police shine in “When The Foreman Bares His Steel,” creating a well-executed humorous portrayal of the guards, ala The Three Stooges, with Skully leading as the “Moe Howard” of the troupe.
The three greatest standouts of the cast are Eliyahu Kheel as the Pirate King, Wayne Ivusich as Major General Stanley, and Gail Zuskin Shapira as Ruth. Kheel plays the Pirate King with fervor and charm. He has no issue hamming it up for the crowd, even announcing “You may applaud” to the audience during “Oh, Better Far To Live And Die,” a fun, funny ode to the life of piracy. Backed by Samuel (Jack Brown), Pirate Calico Jack (Connor Mosmiller), and a host of other “tender-hearted” pirates, Kheel makes us yearn for a life of freedom aboard a ship full of singing, dancing, pun-loving swashbucklers. The Pirate King’s nemesis, Major General Stanley, played by Wayne Ivusich, provides a wacky, fun counterpoint to the pirates’ fun. Ivusich manages the role with ease, breezing through the General’s (and probably Gilbert & Sullivan’s) most famous song, “I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major-General” with comedic ease. The General’s goofy ineptitude shines through, with Ivusich’s cartoonish portrayal leaving the audience in stitches. Frederic’s older female companion Ruth is played with stunning charm by Gail Zuskin Shapira. Her feistiness and warmth give Frederic meaning and helps to define Frederic’s hopes and dreams. Shapira’s comedic timing and aggressively caring personality brings amusing life to Ruth, showing her caring yet sometimes ill-advised mentorship to Frederic during “When Fred’ric Was A Little Lad.” Kheel, Ivusich, and Shapira bring the lovable wackiness to the show that turns a typical operatic love story into an adventurous romp through 19th century piracy.
A treasure for the eyes and ears, Artistic Synergy of Baltimore brings new life to Gilbert & Sullivan through an ensemble of comedically, musically, and artistically resolute actors. A performance not to be missed!
Running Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermission
The Pirates of Penzance plays through December 10th 2023 with with Artistic Synergy of Baltimore at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church— 8212 Philadelphia Road in Rosedale, MD. Tickets are available at the door or in advance online.
