West Windsor, N.J. – Rejoice in a pirate’s life when Gilbert & Sullivan’s classic musical “The Pirates of Penzance” sails into Mercer County Community College’s Kelsey Theatre in January. Show times for this renowned operetta are: Fridays, Jan. 13 and 20 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, Jan. 14 and 21 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, Jan. 15 and 22 at 2 p.m. A special daytime performance will be held Friday, Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. Kelsey Theatre is located on the college’s West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road.
Enjoy the singing, the dancing, the plot twists and some of the wittiest lyrics ever written for the stage in this fun and entertaining opera being brought to the stage by PinnWorth Productions. This tale of mix ups begins with a British fellow named Frederic, who has spent his youth as an apprentice pirate at the fault of his nursery maid, Ruth, who had made the blunder of sending him to work for a pirate, rather than a pilot. Once his apprenticeship ends on his 21st birthday, Frederic decides he will leave the band of pirates and expose them as thieves. Before he has the chance though, the pirates come upon the lovely daughters of a major-general and immediately decide they will pair off and marry the women. Once the general arrives and refuses the pirates as son-in-laws, Frederic must choose a side, which is when the true adventure begins!
Starring in “Pirates of Penzance” are: Alycia Bauch of Bordentown as Ruth; Rob Gougher of Newtown, Pa. as Lieutenant Samuel; John Shanken-Kaye of Doylestown, Pa. as Major General; Jim Petro of Hamilton as Fredrick; Liz Rzasa of Lawrenceville as Mabel; Michael Schiumo of Horsham, Pa. as the police sergeant; and John Zimmerman of Hamilton as the Pirate King. The three principal Wards are played by Jen Davis of Bordentown, Jenny Horowitz of East Windsor, and Jennifer Winn of Ewing.
Ensemble members are: Collin Cenci of Hamilton, Jim Cordingly of Lawrenceville, Katie Downey of New Brunswick, Brian Maguire of Lakehurst, Lauren Makrancy of Florence, KerryAnn McKenna of Branchburg, Ben Menaham of Plainsboro, Salley Page of Princeton, John Russell of Mercerville, Victoria Scialfa of Robbinsville, Dan Slothower of Plainsboro, Dave Walter of Allentown, and James Zimmerman of Hamilton.
The production is directed by Lou J. Salsworth of Allentown. Laurie Gougher of Newtown, Pa., is music director; Robert Terrano of East Windsor is light and sound designer. Janell Byrne of Princeton is choreographer; Rachel Piscopo of Morrisville, Pa. is stage manager. Dottie Farina of Hamilton is props mistress.
Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for senior citizens and $14 for children and students. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Kelsey Box Office at 609-570-3333 or www.kelseytheatre.net. Kelsey Theatre is wheelchair accessible. Free parking is available next to the theater.
