Prepare for a rollicking good time in Gilbert and Sullivan’s uproarious comic opera, brimming with endearing pirates, bumbling policemen, zany escapades, and delightfully ridiculous paradoxes.
Photos by Heather Longfellow
March 25, 2025 (La Mesa) — The Pirates of Penzance is a comic opera that was created by Arthur Sullivan and W. S. Gilbert. Directed and Choreographed by Melissa Glasgow, with Musical Direction by Patrick Marion, this is one show at the Grossmont College Stagehouse Theatre you won’t want to miss.
If you’re not familiar with the story, it follows Frederic, a loveable pirate’s apprentice, who is head-over-heels in love with Mabel, the daughter of Major-General Stanley. Frederic is due to be released from his apprenticeship on his 21st birthday, but there’s a twist. He was born on February 29, which means he’s technically still a youngster. Torn between his love for Mabel and his dedicated sense of duty, Frederic must find a way to navigate a series of hilarious hurdles.
If you enjoy musicals or comedies, then this show is for you. Most of the story is told through songs, and the singing was fantastic. All of the singers have beautiful voices, many of the performances were either memorable or funny, and all of them had me tapping my foot and humming along.
Frederic the Pirate Apprentice (Drew Low) was a perfect protagonist. The character was endearing and quite memorable. Low brought the perfect energy to this character, and had me rooting for Frederic the entire time. Low also has a fantastic singing voice.
Mabel (Izabella “Izzy” Newman) was just as charming and memorable. Newman’s stage presence was strong, and easily has one of the most memorable singing voices. The chemistry between Frederic and Mabel was outstanding.
Rounding out the cast, you have Major-General Stanley (Kaylee Kloberdanz), The Pirate King (Cameron Avendano), Lieutenant Samual (Iker Leal Chavez), Sergeant of Police (Ryan Robbins), and Ruth the Pirate Maid (Erica Rose). All of them were standouts in their own right, and each of them brought something special to the show.
My favorite character was definitely The Pirate King. Avendano has excellent stage presence, which made his character entertaining. Avendano also has a great singing voice.
The actors who played the rest of Major-General Stanley’s daughters, the rest of the pirates, and the rest of the officers were great supporting characters.
The set was memorable, and a big part of the show in its own way. It had two looks, since the show was split into two acts. The first set was a collection of objects that had a pirate aesthetic, and the second set had fancy pillars. The staff who put the set together did an excellent job.
The costuming was excellent. All of the costumes definitely felt fitting for the overall tone and story of the show. The staff who created the costumes did an amazing job.
The music was easily the best part of the show, and everyone did a great job with it. The cast had great musical direction, and as mentioned earlier, everyone has great singing voices.
A quick shoutout to everyone involved with the show. There’s a lot that goes into productions like this, and it’s nice that playbills were handed out that have everyone’s names and crew positions listed inside.
If you haven’t had the chance to see the show yet, you can still see it at 7:30 p.m.on March 27, March 28, and March 29, as well as at 2:00 p.m. on March 29.
Tickets are $18.00 for the general public, $14.00 for educators, seniors, and military members, and $10.00 for students and GCCCD employees.
Click here to buy tickets:
https://gcccd.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?SeriesID=35
The Performing and Visual Arts Center (PVAC) is in Building 22, at 8800 Grossmont College Drive, El Cajon, CA 92020.
Coming Soon: You can check out “Twelfth Night,” at the Grossmont College Stagehouse Theater, later this year, in May.