Pirates of Penzance at Pedro

Some of you may not think you would enjoy Pirates of Penzance. Trust me. You’ll like it!

First Coast Opera has assembled an outstanding cast for a show that combines the need for good actors with the need for good singers. Jean Rahner has done her usual outstanding job of directing. Sam Clein is music director.

Show time on Friday and Saturday nights is 7:30 pm, with doors opening at 6:45 pm. The Sunday show is a 2:30 pm matinee with doors opening at 1:45 pm.

Every kind of joke imaginable is stuffed into this show! Word games, absurdities, outlandish plot twists, exaggeration, and lots and lots of fun for everyone. Yes, it is very definitely a family show.

Grand, overbearing Pirate kings; Stuffy, self pitying Major Generals, A full squad of Keystone cops, lots of beautiful young maidens; One not so beautiful, not so young maiden (who is actually probably “quite attractive in the night with the light behind her.”); and Pirates–Lots and lots of pirates. We also can’t forget our hero, Frederick. He’s a Pirate too (on and off) and that is the key to all the problems in the story.

The music is some of Gilbert and Sullivan’s best work. “A modern Major General,” “For he is a Pirate King,” “Poor Wand’ring One,” and one of the greatest (short) chorus’s “Hail Poetry!” plus a whole lot more! (Well, it is an operetta).

Tickets are $25 at the door, $22 in advance, and $15 for students. Groups of 10 or more can attend at a special group rate of $20 per person. To purchase advance tickets, call FCO’s ticket line at 904-417-5555 or check First Coast Opera for details.

One further item of note: The show is being presented in the Pedro Menendez (High School) Performance Center on Rt. 206, south of town. This is an outstanding facility with lots of close in parking and very easy access. First Coast Opera is one of the first local groups to make use of this auditorium and it works out wonderfully.

If you know the show, you know what fun it is and that you will enjoy it. If you don’t know the show, take my word and take your family to see it. Everyone will have a good time.