Explore this Show
Overview
Synopsis
Gilbert and Sullivan’s most popular show, The Pirates of Penzance, is a rollicking, delightfully funny tale of a band of soft-tempered pirates. Mistakenly apprenticed to a pirate (instead of a pilot) by his nursemaid Ruth at the age of eight, the handsome Frederic is now twenty-one and, though quite fond of the group of joyous and fun-loving pirates, chooses to abandon his profession and “lead a blameless life henceforth,” dedicating himself instead to their eradication. Shortly after leaving them, he encounters a gaggle of beautiful maidens (one of whom, Mabel, steals his heart) and their father, the eccentric Major-General. The whole group has a run-in with the pirates themselves before escaping on the false premise that the Major-General is an orphan -- a fact these tenderhearted pirates simply cannot help but take into account, given the fact that the majority of them are orphans themselves and “know what it’s like.” Just as Frederic is ready to lead a band of lily-livered policemen to take out the Pirate King and his men, a secret is uncovered that will change his fate forever, but, naturally, all comes out right in the end. Beloved since its premiere in 1879, The Pirates of Penzance (or The Slave of Duty) is a delightful farce of a classic that is fun for all ages.
Show Information
- Book
- W.S. Gilbert
- Music
- Arthur Sullivan
- Lyrics
- W.S. Gilbert
- Category
- Operetta
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1879
- Genres
- Comedy, Farce
- Settings
- Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- mid-1800s
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Medium
- Dancing
- Musical Staging
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Large Cast, Professional Theatre, Professional Opera, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female, Star Vehicle Male, High School, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Late Teen Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Fresh off the smashing success of their operetta H.M.S. Pinafore, the unstoppable British duo comprised of composer Sir Arthur Sullivan and lyricist/librettist W.S. Gilbert decided to premiere a new project in New York City. Part of the reasoning for this was the staggering number of illegal productions being mounted in the United States of Pinafore in the days before copyright laws protected British authors in America. The pair decided that they would need more of a physical presence
to read the context for The Pirates of Penzance and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
The scene opens on a secluded beach on the coast of Cornwall, England, in the Victorian era. A raucous band of pirates is drinking and making merry ("Pour, oh pour the pirate sherry"). It is also Frederic’s twenty-first birthday, and as he is bound as an apprentice pirate until noon that day, his obligations to the group are almost over. The Pirate King congratulates him on being (almost) a full-fledged pirate, but Frederic confesses to the group that he plans instead to
to read the plot for The Pirates of Penzance and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either or Both |
Variety |
Songs
- Overture (includes "With cat-like tread", "Ah, leave me not to pine", "Pray observe the magnanimity", "When you had left our pirate fold", "Climbing over rocky mountain", and "How beautifully blue the sky")
Act One
- “Pour, oh pour, the pirate sherry" (Samuel and Pirates)
- "When Fred'ric was a little lad" (Ruth)
- "Oh, better far to live and die ...I am a pirate king!" (Pirate King and Pirates)
- "Oh! false one, you have deceiv'd me" (Frederic and Ruth)
- "Climbing over rocky mountain" (Edith, Kate, and Daughters)
- "Stop, ladies, pray" (Edith, Kate, Frederic, and Daughters)
- "Oh, is there not one maiden breast?" (Frederic and Daughters)
- "Poor wand'ring one" (Mabel and Daughters)
- "What ought we to do?" (Edith, Kate, and Daughters)
- "How beautifully blue the sky" (Mabel, Frederic, and Daughters)
- "Stay, we must not lose our senses" ... "Here's a first-rate opportunity to get married with impunity" (Frederic, Pirates, and Daughters)
- "Hold, monsters" (Mabel, Major-General, Samuel, Pirates and Daughters)
- "I am the very model of a modern Major-General" (Major-General, Pirates, and Daughters)
- Finale Act I (Mabel, Kate, Edith, Ruth, Frederic, Samuel, King, Major-General, Pirates, and Daughters)
"Oh, men of dark and dismal fate", "I’m telling a terrible story", "Hail, Poetry", "Oh, happy day, with joyous glee", "Pray observe the magnanimity"
Act Two
- "Oh, dry the glist'ning tear" (Mabel and Daughters)
- "Then, Frederic, let your escort lion-hearted" (Frederic and Major-General)
- "When the foeman bares his steel" (Mabel, Edith, Sergeant, Policemen, and Daughters)
- "Now for the pirates' lair!" (Frederic, Ruth, and King)
- "When you had left our pirate fold" ("A paradox") (Ruth, Frederic, and King)
- "Away, away! My heart's on fire!" (Ruth, Frederic, and King)
- "All is prepar'd; your gallant crew await you" (Mabel and Frederic)
- "Stay, Fred'ric, stay" ... "Oh, here is love, and here is truth" (Mabel and Frederic)
- "No, I'll be brave" ... "Though in body and in mind" (Reprise of "When the foeman bares his steel") (Mabel, Sergeant, and Policemen)
- "When a felon's not engaged in his employment" (Sergeant and Policemen)
- "A rollicking band of pirates we" (Sergeant, Pirates, and Policemen)
- "With cat-like tread, upon our prey we steal" (Samuel, Pirates, and Policemen)
- "Hush, hush, not a word!" (Frederic, King, Major-General, Pirates, and Policemen)
- Finale, Act II (Ensemble)
"Sighing softly to the river","Now what is this, and what is that?", "Frederic here! Oh, joy! Oh, rapture!", "With base deceit you worked upon our feelings!", "You/We triumph now", "Away with them, and place them at the bar!", "Poor wandering ones!"
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
The lowest female vocal type, generally F3-F5.
The middle male vocal type, generally A2-A4.
The lowest male vocal type, generally E2-E4.
The script of a musical.
A particular form of a language which is associated with a specific region or social group.
A type of comedy that uses exaggeration, often with clowning and ridiculous behaviors, in order to entertain.
The last section of a piece of music, a scene, or an entire show, often dramatic and exciting.
References a singer who has what has been considered a more classical approach to singing.
The script of the musical, separate from the musical orchestrations.
The middle female vocal type, generally A3-A5.
A short and usually humorous opera, generally incorporating more spoken dialogue than traditional opera.
The arrangement of instrument parts, including piano, percussion, horns, and strings.
An orchestral piece at the beginning of a musical or opera, often incorporating melodies from the show.
A contradictory statement, often absurd and implausible, but is found to be true.
A technique where singers have a lot of text to deliver on very fast notes.
Sometimes also known as the “Queen’s English”. Clear, precise diction without any regional quirks or dialects.
A repetition of a phrase, passage, or entire song within music.
The notation of music for the musical. There are several types of scores (detailed in the guide).
The highest female vocal type, generally C4-C6.
The highest male vocal type, generally C3-C5.
Relating to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) or a person who lived in the Victorian era.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Quote Analysis
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Guide Written By:
