The jazz-infused revival of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance, Pirates! The Penzance Musical officially opens on Broadway April 24. Playing the Todd Haimes Theatre, the production began performances April 4. The limited engagement will continue through July 27.
Scott Ellis directs and Warren Carlyle choreographs. Tony winner Rupert Holmes (The Mystery of Edwin Drood) has adapted W.S. Gilbert's original libretto, shifting the action to the legendary port city New Orleans. While the score by Arthur Sullivan remains intact, a new set of orchestrations with Caribbean and French Quarter influences have been written by Joseph Joubert and Daryl Waters, with Joubert also serving as the production's music director.
The production stars Ramin Karimloo and David Hyde Pierce as The Pirate King and as W.S. Gilbert and the Major General, respectively. They are joined by Jinkx Monsoon as Ruth, David Hyde Pierce as Gilbert/Major General Stanley, Nicholas Barasch as Frederic, Preston Truman Boyd as Sullivan/Police Sergeant, and Samantha Williams as Mabel Stanley.
They are supported by Kelly Belarmino, Maria Briggs, Tyrone L. Robinson, Cicily Daniels, Ninako Donville, Alex Dorf, Rick Faugno, Niani Feelings, Tommy Gedrich, Alex Gibson, Afra Hines, Dan Hoy, Ryo Kamibayashi, Tatiana Lofton, Nathan Lucrezio, Shina Ann Morris, Cooper Stanton, and Bronwyn Tarboton.
The design team includes scene design by Tony winner David Rockwell (She Loves Me, Doubt), costume design by Tony winner Linda Cho (The Great Gatsby, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder), lighting design by Tony winner Donald Holder (South Pacific, My Fair Lady, The Lion King), sound design by Tony nominee Mikaal Sulaiman (Macbeth, An Enemy of the People, Doubt), hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe, makeup design by Ashley Ryan, fight choreography by Rick Sordelet and Christian Kelly-Sordelet, and dance arrangements by John O'Neill (Harmony).
Kate Wilson is the production voice coach. The production stage manager is Charles Means, and the production management is provided by Aurora Productions. Denise Cooper is the general manager. Michael Aarons is the music coordinator. Casting is by Jim Carnahan and Jason Thinger.
Visit RoundaboutTheatre.org.
