The Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre delivers a triumphant production of The Pirates of Penzance. The production is vibrant and fresh, while honoring Gilbert and Sullivan‘s beloved operetta’s history and reminds audiences why it has remained a classic for nearly 150 years. Director Josh Shaw strikes the perfect balance between respecting the show’s Victorian roots and finding fresh comedic opportunities for a modern audience. The result is an evening filled with nonstop laughter, dazzling vocals, and the kind of infectious energy that only live theatre can provide.
Editor’s Note: Production Photos have not yet been received by UTBA. When they are, they will be added to this review
What ultimately sets Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre’s The Pirates of Penzance apart from all other productions I’ve seen is that this isn’t simply a musical theatre company performing an operetta—it’s an opera company fully equipped to handle the score Gilbert and Sullivan wrote. The cast is comprised of classically trained opera singers with the vocal range, technique, and stamina to meet the music’s extraordinary demands without compromise. The comedy is uproarious, but it never comes at the expense of the music. Under the baton of conductor Andreas Mitisek, the pit orchestra becomes its own character, rather than simply accompanying the singers. Hearing the voices soar over a live orchestra is a reminder that no cast album or recording can replicate the energy of live performance.
Leading the company is Brian Wallin as Frederic, whose has a warm tenor voice. His performance of “Oh, Is There Not One Maiden Breast?” is breathtaking, culminating in an impossibly sustained “I’ll love you!” Wallin’s vocal prowess is matched by his comedic instincts. One of Director Shaw’s funniest running gags involves every mention of the word “duty” requiring an elaborate ten-step salute. Like all great running jokes, it becomes funnier through variation over the course of the evening until Wallin’s Fredric, whose character is a slave of duty, has to pout his way through the salute several times in a row.
Jake Stamatis commands the stage as the Pirate King and oozes charisma. His famous entrance number is an impressive display of vocal athleticism and comedic timing. While singing dazzling vocal runs, he somehow manages to swallow a sword, take a drink, and never miss a beat. Stamatis continues to shine throughout the evening, particularly during “With Cat-Like Tread.” At one point he was holding his leg in a grand battement and doing three corkscrew kicks while maintaining his flawless vocals. Pair that with comic timing and expressive facials, like when he commands “Swish! Pose!” which makes his Pirate King one of the production’s standout performances.
Michael Sokol’s Major-General Stanley nearly steals the show when he marches onstage with his General’s hat crowned with at least fifty feathers. “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General” is notoriously difficult song and Sokol delivered it flawlessly. His diction is crystal clear and allows the clever lyrics to land. Director Shaw ups the ante by inserting an entirely new verse packed with modern references, and the surprise addition brought down the house.
Emily Casey is a radiant Mabel, possessing the soaring coloratura soprano the role demands. Her voice effortlessly reaches stratospheric heights, prompting one of the production’s funniest visual gags when her impossibly high notes causes a bird to comically explode into a puff of feathers. Casey makes the difficult music sound effortless while maintaining Mabel’s warmth and charm.
Emily Geller’s Ruth is equally memorable. Her vocals were clear and beautiful, but she was fully committed to going over the top for the comedy of the role. Her interactions with both Frederic and the Pirate King when the trio break it to Fredric that he’s really only five years old are comedic gold. Jonathan Bryan also deserves special mention as Samuel, whose running gag of repeatedly being injured escalates throughout the evening until he sports two hook hands and an eye patch.
The police officers are another consistent source of laughter thanks to their vaudeville-inspired choreography by choreographer Amy Lawrence. Eric McConnell anchors the group with a beautifully resonant bass voice whose rich, low notes provide the perfect contrast to the surrounding vocal textures. Every member of the ensemble contributes fully to both the musical excellence and comic momentum.
Technically, the production is equally impressive. Robert Little‘s scenic design, originally created for the festival’s 2017 production, remains as beautiful today as it was then. The proscenium is framed by painted theatre boxes populated with colorful Victorian spectators like a pirate, a British barrister, and perhaps even Queen Victoria herself. The scenic elements leaned into a historical aesthetic, with lots of flat planes all hand painted to create a visual illusion of depth or curve. I also loved the dramatic use of red gel lighting on the set during moments like when the Pirate King orders his men to capture the Major-General shouting, “Kill him!” and the whole stage flashes red.
The costume design from 2017’s production by Amanda Profaizer was brought back to the stage under costume coordinator Jess Wallace. Initially it overwhelmed my eyes with saturated colors and patterns, and extravagantly structured silhouettes (Ruth’s bustle in particular was bussin’). Yet the visual excess perfectly captures the theatrical traditions of the late nineteenth century, when stage costumes were intentionally more extravagant than everyday fashion and made the production feel like it was honoring that costume history.
The Pirates of Penzance has endured because its wit, memorable melodies, and lovable characters continue to entertain generation after generation. The Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre has embraced everything that makes the operetta timeless while adding enough fresh ideas to make it feel new. With extraordinary vocal performances, inspired direction, beautiful production values, and comedy that never stops landing, this is a production that sets an incredibly high standard. Everyone should experience The Pirates of Penzance at least once, and it may be a very long time before another version could attempt to measure up.
Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre’s The Pirates of Penzance runs through July 4th at the Ellen Eccles Theatre in Logan. Ticket prices range from $33 – $78. For more information, visit utahfestival.org.