Scuttle all of your other plans and see “The Pirates of Penzance” at BCF
- 22 hours ago
- 5 min read
by Stephen Kreal
On Friday, May 1st, I attended the opening night performance of The Pirates of Penzance, the classic operetta written by Gilbert & Sullivan at Burlington County Footlighters Theater in Cinnaminson NJ. The production was directed AND choreographed by Lizi Baldwin. Heidi Kleber acted as stage manager. This spirited and fun musical debuted in 1879, and has remained popular ever since. The opera has been frequently revived, including a popular 1981 Broadway production by Joseph Papp, which was later adapted into a 1983 film.
At that time, there was no copyright protection for non-American artists’ intellectual property. Gilbert & Sullivan’s previous operetta, H.M.S. Pinafore, was heavily “pirated” (pun intended) by American theater companies. Thus, they opened the production themselves in New York City. While they made considerable profits from the initial production and touring productions, unauthorized performances were common. Modern productions are, generally, considered public domain and do not require licensing fees.
Footlighter’s production was performed on a set designed by Perry Award-winning set designer/builder Jim Frazer. Scenic artist credit is attributed to Joe Urbanik. Upon entering the theater, you hear the sound of the ocean’s pounding surf and squawking seagulls. There were impressive rock formations on the left and right sides of the stage. This still left plenty of space for the large ensemble(s) to perform the energetic and well-choreographed dance numbers (choreography credit is given to director Lizi Baldwin, with fight choreography credited to John Bellomo). The theater used musical tracks in this production (as opposed to a live orchestra) Musical direction is credited to Tim Herman and Cat Baldwin.
There was also an old wooden chest set out that gave the set a three-dimensional quality. On the far left and right of the stage, there were two beautifully painted arched panel doorways which allowed performers to enter and exit the set. These panels had an antiquated appearance, which added a nice touch to the set. The background was a huge white sheet with soft blue lighting. The overall effect was that you were on a beach. Lighting credit is given to Heidi Kleber and Jim Frazer, with sound design by Kleber. Set construction is credited to: Bill Shaughnessy, Ray Rebilas, Jim Fried, Larry Driscoll, Cat Baldwin, Allison Adams, and Perry Award-winning Jim Frazer.
The opening number (“Pour, O, Pour The Pirate Sherry”) had a very impressive pirate ship slowly moving across the back of the stage, with a wonderfully costumed pirate crew onboard. The pirates disembark and perform the opening number to set the tone of the play. The pirate crew was comprised of (in alphabetical order): Jamie Lynn Hill, Finn Hutchinson, Al Krier, Cassidy McQuoid, Kevin Pavon, Ray Rebilas, Hamilton Scudder, Jenny Scudder, Desmond Whitaker, & Frank Zerns. These performers really brought the energy and enthusiasm to their songs.
The play is well over one hundred years old, so I am not concerned with spoilers. The story centers around Frederic, a pirate conscript who is about to be emancipated. He then learns that his birthday is February 29th, and thus his servitude must continue for many years. Frederic, the "slave of duty," is played by Jesse Panico. I saw Panico many years ago in a production of Pirates at the old Sketch Club Theater in which he played the role of the captain of the police. In this production, Panico plays Frederic, a young pirate apprentice on the verge of being finished with his duty to the pirate crew. Panico portrays Frederic with charm and warmth, and confidence.
The Pirate King, played with gusto by Abia Johnson, is the energetic, swashbuckling leader of the pirates. Johnson recently appeared in Bat Boy at BCF. Johnson really savors the role and performed with energy, poise, and confidence. From facial expressions, beautiful vocal performance, and commanding stage presence, Johnson was a highlight of the evening!
The character of Samuel, played by Nick Olszewski, is The Pirate King’s right-hand-man. Olszewsi and Johnson had excellent stage chemistry together. Olszewski is charming as the loyal and somewhat daft 2nd in command. Olszewski is a talented comedic stage performer and singer, having recently appeared as the lead in BCF’s production of Bat Boy last fall.
Ruth, a "pirate maid-of-all-work", played by Angela Lindner, who made the mistake in apprenticeship. Ruth was told to apprentice Frederic to become a pilot. She heard the word incorrectly and apprenticed him to a band of pirates. Lindner was outstanding in portraying Ruth, with impeccable comedic timing, and a strong stage presence. Lindner’s moment to shine was during the song “When Frederic Was a Little Lad” in Act 1.
Major-General Stanley: A comical, "very model of a modern Major-General", played by the incomparable Tim Herman. Herman is the consummate showman. I have seen him perform in many productions including, recently, Funny Money at Playmasters in PA. His theater bio in the program mentions that this is a role he has wanted to play for many years (a lifelong dream, it says). Herman seizes his opportunity by the horns and really “sinks his teeth” into this role. His rendition of the iconic song “I Am the Very Model Of A Modern Major General”, requiring extremely fast-paced lyrics was another highlight of the evening.
One of General Stanley's daughters, and Frederic's love interest, Mabel, is played by Ashlan Petrillo. Petrillo has an amazing, operatic singing voice. The character is headstrong and affectionate. Mabel encourages the local police to act against the pirates, showcasing her independent spirit. Petrillo gets to shine throughout the performance, and has “Poor, Wandering One” in Act 1 and “No, I am Brave” in Act 2. Petrillo is also featured prominently in the ensemble number “Hold Monsters” late in Act 1.
Major-General Stanley has “many daughters”. In some productions, there can be as many as twenty-four! This production featured eleven. In addition to Mabel, there are three featured ensemble daughters: Edith (Cat Baldwin), Kate (Jordan Debes), and Isabel (Christina Concilio). These daughters had some featured singing and dancing. All three were wonderful. Baldwin showed a magnetic stage presence. Jordan Debes had a beautiful, clear, powerful singing voice and was quite captivating. Concilio’s facial expressions lit up the stage. The remaining sisters, who were very energetic, especially during their high-energy dance numbers, were (in alphabetical order): Abigail Fried, Alex Keith, Lexi Mignona, Blair Scanlan, Jamie Sheffer, Alaina Stampe, and Heather Stott.
The other ensemble was the police guard. This group was headed by the two sergeants, Jim Fried and Jaden Murray. The remaining police were played by: (in alphabetical order): Al Krier, Ray Rebilas, Sam Reed, Hamilton Scudder, Nick Williams, and Desmond Whitaker. This group really shines during the Act 2 number “When the Foeman Bares His Steel” (often recognized by the "Ta-ran-ta-ra" chorus). This is a boisterous, fun song that got thunderous applause at its conclusion! Jaden Murray’s facial expressions were superlative.
Much work went towards costuming the many and varied characters. Costuming credit in the program is given to: Dot Berenbrok, Suzanne Baldwin, Cat Baldwin, Lizi Baldwin, Cess Driscioll, Abby Fried, Sara Henya, and Cassidy McQuoid. Wig credit goes to John Rattacasa. Great care was taken for color balance and detail. Keeping this large cast and many entrances and exits together is the stage crew. Stage crew is comprised of Charlotte Dranchak, Nicole Manning, and Dan Evans, with props credit attributed to Chaos Crafters Limited.
The Pirates of Penzance is a fun, whimsical romp. With a rich history, it is a beloved time-honored classic in the Gilbert & Sullivan tradition. BCF’s production is thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended. Congratulations to the cast and crew of this production! It runs through May 16th and tickets can be purchased here: https://tickets.bcfootlighters.com/show/pirates
