FARMINGTON — The Mt. Blue music department in conjunction with the Mt. Blue Theatre Company will present “The Pirates of Penzance,” a comic operetta by Arthur Sullivan and W.S. Gilbert.

The witty opera follows Frederic (Matt West) who has just been released from his apprenticeship to a band of tenderhearted, orphaned pirates, led by the valiant Pirate King (Erik Mason). He meets Mabel (Chelsea Hutchinson), daughter of Major-General Stanley (Garrett Goodridge), and they fall in love. However, Frederic finds out that he was born in leap year, which turns out to be something more than a bit of a problem.

“The Pirates of Penzance” was written in 1878 and premiered on Broadway in 1879. It returned to Broadway in 1981, and won a Tony and a Drama Desk. Its humor, music and sentiments still ring true for audiences today.

With music direction by Jane Parker and stage direction by Dan Ryder, “The Pirates of Penzance” is yet another entry in the tradition of musical theater at Mt. Blue High School that has included such shows as “Into the Woods” and “Little Shop of Horrors.”

“The Pirates of Penzance” will be performed at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 6-8, in the Mt. Blue High School Auditorium. Tickets at the door are $7 for adults, $4 for students. For more information, contact Ryder at dryder@Mtbluersd.org or call 778-3561.

Ruth (played by Laurel Fraley) worries what Frederick (Matt West) may discover as beautiful maidens sing offstage in Mt. Blue High School’s production of “The Pirates of Penzance.”

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