Punk Rock "Pirates of Penzance" Sharpens Social Satire

Punk Rock Pirates of Penzance Sharpens Social Satire

Julia Morgan Theater, formerly Julia Morgan Center for the Arts (2640 College Avenue Berkeley, CA 94704)

Full Price:: $18.50 - $36.50

Our Price:: $9.00 - $18.00*

4.3 by 36 members

Slapstick punk, a female Pirate King, chainsaws, rock music, pointed political satire and more make this updated version of the classic Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera bolder, fiercer and funnier than it's ever been before. Set in a post-atomic future instead of the usual Cornish village, it's the story of Frederic, who is mistakenly apprenticed to a band of pirates as a boy. There's plenty of romance and swashbuckling action in this re-imagining by director Jon Tracy and the Berkeley Playhouse crew.

* Additional fees apply.

All offers for The Pirates of Penzance have expired.

The last date listed for The Pirates of Penzance was Sunday April 1, 2012 / 5:00pm.

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Julia Morgan Theater

formerly Julia Morgan Center for the Arts,

2640 College Avenue

Berkeley, CA 94704

Website

510-845-8542

Goldstar Member Tips

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Casual
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Pizza, cookies, chips, soft drinks available and you can eat in the theater!
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Street parking within a block on our Sunday 5pm show.

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30 Goldstar Member Reviews

Goldstar Member

4.0

This show was so much fun! I grew up with G & S, especially Pirates of Penzance, so I was super excited to see this re-invention of the show. I had a blast: great energy and enthusiasm, hilarious moments, talented cast, great venue. I didn't love some of the "punk" adaptations of the songs, which basically consisted of adding syncopated or swing beats. But that said, the show moved along at a wonderful clip, was visually very cool and just a heckuva good time!

Written on Apr 03 2012

Gordon

5.0

Red Velvet Member

At first I was really put off by the rocked out version when I thought I was going to see a classic (I didn't look closely enough, did I?). The first number really threw me and I didn't want to accept it. But by the time my friend and I were halfway through the performance, we were both loving it! The Modern Major General on an electric cart was eerily reminiscent of the professor in his wheelchair in Rocky Horror complete with being in included in the choreography. Wonderful!

I loved it and thought it was brilliant and so did my friend. We'll be on the lookout for this troupe's work in the future.

Written on Apr 02 2012

Mel Tilkin

5.0

This was a rockin' good time. My first experience with G&S, and I'll go back for more. The cast was great, the choreography was great, the humour was superb!

Written on Apr 02 2012

CMR

5.0

Hilarious, totally unexpected, sexy, great voices, unusual, best performance at the Playhouse in years; it's more for adult audiences, though.

Written on Mar 19 2012

All 30 Reviews

More Information About The Pirates of Penzance

Website

http://www.berkeleyplayhouse.org

Description

Get ready to be cast askew in a Pirates of Penzance like no other you’ve seen before! Punk, rock and ska enliven an already lively Gilbert & Sullivan score – a post-atomic city replaces the usual Cornish village. Here the Pirate King is female, the Pirates poetic Teddy Boys, the women strong and willful, and the Major General a poster child for the 1%. This is not a Pirates for purists! Gilbert & Sullivan were famous for lampooning love and leadership and director Jon Tracy continues to do so with fresh and inventive focus - giving this romantic, swashbuckling, comic operetta a zany breath of life that will have everyone in the family smiling ear to ear or wanting to pogo!

Books and Lyrics by William Schwenck Gilbert / Music by Arthur Seymour Sullivan / Directed by Jon Tracy / Music

Direction by Jonathan Fadner / Choreography by Emily Morrison / Fight Choreography Dave Maier

Recommended for those ages 5 and older. The show runs 2 hours, including 1 intermission.

About the Ticket Supplier: Berkeley Playhouse

Berkeley Playhouse is a professional theatre for all ages. It was founded in 2007 by Artistic Director, Elizabeth McKoy, a professional theatre actor, director, and teacher for over 20 years. Originally trained in New York, Elizabeth has performed in New York, Seattle and in the Bay Area. She also served as education Director at the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, creating and providing exciting and creative teacher training for schools, after-school programs and pre-professional development programs and on the faculty at the internationally known Seattle Children's theatre for five years. Elizabeth was Teaching Artist in Residence in many Seattle public and private schools and assisted with the development of an interdisciplinary curriculum for them-based education for 5th and 6th graders in public schools.