Starting on March 13, “Pirates of Penzance” will be playing at the Performing Arts Center (PAC). The Moorpark College adaptation of the classic Gilbert and Sullivan play will feature the single largest stationary prop ever built for a PAC production: a small replication of a pirate ship.
“We like to pull out all the stops for the musicals,” said PAC technical manager Brian Koehler. “Because the subject matter of doing a show about pirates has everyone exited, we figured we would pull out some extra stops and do something unusual and creative for the scenery.”
The ship itself hasn’t been constructed yet, but the final product is expected to be 25 feet long and roughly 10 feet wide. It will feature numerous levels, with the lowest at five and a half feet off the stage floor and the highest at 10 feet. There’s also a hidden door that will allow the actors to come on stage, which gives the impression that pirates are emerging from below decks.
Koehler explained that the other major scenery element is a mock-up of old nautical docks, which are planks of wood built across the stage floor, including some that hang off the stage and over the orchestra pit.
According to Koehler, the idea is to make it look like the pirates have crashed the ship into the docks due to their incompetence.
“In my opinion, the scenery shouldn’t overwhelm by any means, but the scenery should also be a character,” Koehler added. “It’s not just a stage, it’s a character to the show. It can distract, or it can be an integral element.”
“Gilbert and Sullivan were the Saturday Night Live of their time,” said John Loprieno, Theater Arts Department Chair. “They talked a lot about social mores, and socially acceptable attitudes.”
Andrews Purwadi, 20, biomedical engineering major, is cast as the Pirate King in the adaptation. He stated that “everything is ridiculous” in the play.
“All of these characters have genuine flaws that make them a little more cowardly then they’re supposed to be,” said Purwadi. “I’m the bravest of them, but I wouldn’t really hurt anybody, I just kind of like being a pirate for the title.”
