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Event
Pirates of Penzance
For more than five decades, the Youth and Junior Choirs of Follen Community Church have been performing Gilbert and Sullivan operettas every June. This tradition, begun by former Music Director Louise Curtis and the Follen Players' director Marilu Nowlin, is now in the hands of the present Director of Music, Thomas Stumpf, ably assisted by Holly Stumpf, who conducts the Junior Choir and pianist Eric Mazonson; and by a multitude of enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers.
Follen's 55th presentation will be "The Pirates of Penzance", with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It will be performed Friday June 10th and Saturday June 11th, 2016. Cast and synopsis follow:
Friday night leads are: Katharine Courtemanche, Will Marshall, Robin Armstrong, Adam Harrington, Juliana Stern, Henry Walters, Isabel Fox, Honor O'Shaughnessy, Isabella Scopetski, Lilli Jarausch
Saturday night leads are: Dennis Bromley, Riley Hellinger, Isaiah Johnson, Gabrielle Paquette, Elias Carver, Jessie Cali, Ben Horsburgh, Becca Johnson, Venice Mountain-Zona, Juliet Stevenson,
Three Sargeants of Police both nights Jake Byers, Evan Bitsko, Oliver Cotran
Police both nights Tim Watson, Connor Mulligan, Brett Kahmann, Emily Byers, Isaiah Carver, Marc Courtemanche, Sydney Hart, Emily Hawkins, Owen Hefferman
Leads above are in the chorus on their non-lead night:
Chorus
Maidens: Katie Byers,Stephanie Campbell, Isolde Edson, Bayley Fox, Camden Fox, Alisha Gandhi, Claudia Hart, Emilia Jones, Skyler Kropper, Hannah Lee, Maya Lloyd, Hannah Markelz, Tess O'Shaughnessy, Margaret Rines, Alexis Soparkar, Maya Soparkar, Annika Truslow, Grace Walters,
Pirates: Logan Bazzell, Henri Engstrom, Rohan Gandhi, Ian Horsburgh, Calix Huang, Caleb Johnson, Donovan Jones, Phillip Livingston, Stuart Livingston, Robert Lloyd, William Lloyd, Lucy Markelz, Neel Mohapatra, Nina Mohapatra, Benjamin Nevis, Heath Nevis, Jasper Nevis, Lydia Rommel, Nolan Roof, Dylan Scopetski, Hayden Soparkar, Henry Stevenson, Ewan Swanson, Magnus Truslow
Synopsis
ACT I
The famous/infamous Pirates of Penzance, led by their King and his lieutenant Sam, have landed on a rocky seashore on the coast of Cornwall. They are celebrating (Pour, O pour the pirate sherry) because Frederic, an apprentice pirate, has reached his 21st birthday and is to become a full-blown member of our band. Frederic however has decided to quit piracy: he explains that he was never meant to be a pirate, and became one only by error. Ruth his former nurse and now the piratical maid of all work steps forward and explains how her poor hearing caused the error (When Frederic was a little lad). A discussion ensues as to whom Ruth should go with; she obviously loves Frederic, but he has never seen any other woman and only decides to take Ruth with him after being assured that she is beautiful. Frederic makes a final attempt to convince the Pirate King and his band to accompany him back to civilization, but they refuse to leave their present life (Oh better far to live and die). Ruth and Frederic are alone when suddenly they hear voices - the voices of young maidens. Frederic catches sight of them and realizes that Ruth is not so beautiful after all (Oh false one, you have deceived me!). Frederic rejects Ruth, who leaves in despair as he hides.
The bevy of beautiful maidens appears, exploring the shore land (Climbing over rocky mountain). Their leaders Edith, Kate, Isabel, and Gwendolyn decide that they are sufficiently alone and concealed to dare taking off their shoes when Frederic suddenly comes out of his hiding place. The girls are shocked, but listen to his pleas as he asks that one of them might consider marrying him (Oh is there not one maiden breast). They all reject him when suddenly their sister Mabel appears and is quite ready to do her duty and rescue Frederic (Poor wandring one). The girls decide to chatter about the weather while Mabel and Frederic express their love for each other (How beautifully blue the sky). Frederic is about to warn the maidens that the pirates may appear at any moment when they do indeed appear and decide to marry the maidens immediately (Heres a first rate opportunity to get married with impunity). Mabel warns the pirates that the girls are wards in chancery and their father is a Major-General. Enter the Major-General himself (I am the very model of a modern Major-General). He demands to know what is going on, and is not pleased at the idea that his daughters should marry pirates. He pretends to be an orphan, knowing full well that this band of pirates refuses ever to attack orphans. In a lengthy Finale (Oh men of dark and dismal fate), the pirates renounce the idea of marrying the maidens, and only Mabel and Frederic will celebrate a wedding. Ruth makes one last effort to change Frederics mind but he rejects her yet again.
ACT II
The maidens try to comfort their father (Oh dry the glistening tear) who sits alone in a ruined chapel every night, wrestling with his conscience because he lied to the pirates about being an orphan. Frederic has rounded up the local policemen to fight the pirates; they enter led by their three Sergeants (When the foeman bares his steel) and the maidens and the Major-General exhort them to engage in heroic battle. It is clear that the policemen leave to do so only very unwillingly.
Frederic is left alone and expresses his delight in being able to atone for his past piratical sins by defeating his former mates now. The Pirate King and Ruth enter and explain to him that they have discovered an error in calculating his age (When you had left our pirate fold) he is really only a little over five years old. Frederic is duty bound to join their ranks once more! He reveals to his friends that the Major-General is not an orphan, and the three vow revenge (Away, away! My hearts on fire). Frederic is alone once more, and in despair. Mabel enters to comfort him and is horrified to learn that he is once again a pirate. She promises to wait for him until he truly comes of age (Stay, Frederic, stay).
But upon Frederics departure she once again exhorts the Sergeants of Police and their men to go and fight the pirates. The police hide as the pirates approach. In the midst of the general confusion of people creeping around in the dark, the Major-General appears, his guilty conscience not allowing him to sleep (Sighing softly to the river). Now suddenly the maidens also appear, concerned about their father. The pirates try to attack the Major-General; the policemen try to stop them and are quickly defeated. The Sergeants of Police appeal to their patriotism and charge them to yield in Queen Victorias name. Ruth now announces that the pirates were all previously members of the House of Lords who went wrong. The Major-General forgives them and allows them to marry his daughters.
This miraculous happy ending is sealed musically with a reprise of Poor wandring one now Poor wandring ones.
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LocationFollen Church (View)
755 Massachusetts Avenue
Lexington, MA 02420
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: Yes! |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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