EOU theatre and music faculty join forces to present musical classic, "The Pirates of Penzance"

Students in the pirate production include
Joseph Quintana, left, as the Pirate King,
Catherine Olson, as Mabel, and Kiel
Fauske, as Frederick.

LA GRANDE, Oregon – The theatre and music departments at Eastern Oregon University have joined forces to bring one of the great musical classics to the stage.

Wednesday, Nov. 8 marks the opening night performance of Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic masterpiece, “The Pirates of Penzance,” at EOU. The show continues through Saturday, Nov. 11 with performances each evening at 8 p.m. and a matinee performance at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

“We would probably have to go back to the beginning of the 1990s to find a production that features as much faculty involvement as we have for this show,” said April Curtis, EOU professor of theatre.

Nine faculty members and 33 students will be participating either backstage, onstage or in the pit when the curtain rises. Kenn Wheeler, assistant professor of theatre, is directing the show and April Curtis, professor of theatre, is in charge of costume design. Rob Kreps, assistant professor of theatre, is in charge of the scenery and lighting. 

Ken Bush, associate professor of theatre, is the dialect coach and has been helping the actors develop proper English accents. He is also the editor of the souvenir program that will feature pictures and bios of the entire cast and crew, interesting facts about the show as well as original renderings of costumes and scenery.

Stephen Tanner, professor of mathematics, will appear on stage in character as the Modern Major General Stanley. Tanner first appeared in an EOU production three years ago as Lazar Wolf in “Fiddler On the Roof.”

John McKinnon, professor of music, will conduct the accompanying orchestra which includes performances by Teun Fetz, assistant professor of music, Katie Fetz, music instructor, and Peter Wordelman, professor of music. Wordelman is also the assistant vocal coach for the actors in the musical.

“This show is full of wonderfully amusing and clever music and it tells an outrageously hilarious story,” Wheeler said. “I guarantee that the entire family will come away having had a amazing time in the theater!”

Several students and community members are also involved in the production side of the show. Denise Wheeler is choreographing the lively musical and DeeAnn Sands is teaching the performers how to sing the difficult operetta music. Louise Weeks and Shannon Rempel round out the production crew respectively as properties designer and make-up and hair designer.

EOU senior Joe Quintana plays the role of the Pirate King, leader of the rollicking band of pirates. Sophomore Kiel Fauske plays the Pirate King’s young apprentice, Frederick, who has reached his 21st birthday and is leaving the pirate gang forever. He and his nursery maid, played by junior Sarah Bomberger, are left on the sandy beaches of Penzance where they encounter a beautiful bevy of young maidens. The fairest of all is Mabel, played by senior Catherine Olson.

Mabel and Frederick immediately fall in love, but their romance is interrupted when the pirates come to take all the young maidens to the nearest clergyman with the intent to marry them. Their plan is thwarted when the father of the girls arrives, the Modern Major General Stanley, pretending to be an orphan.

In the second act of the performance a group of bumbling policemen are charged with protecting the Major General and his family and arresting the erring pirates. When the pirates arrive seeking their revenge on the lying Major General they are confronted by the police led by Sergeant, portrayed by EOU junior Tristan Stufflebeam. A happily-ever-after ending is sure to please as the general gives his daughters’ hands in marriage to the repentant pirates.

Tickets for this night are $8 for general admission and $6 for students and seniors. To reserve tickets call the EOU Box Office at 962-3757.

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