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| the cast photo by Justin McBride / Social Profit Media |
Click here for more information on this production that runs through November 17
"Mesa Encore Theatre's current production of Gilbert and Sullivan's THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE pushes the already campy comic opera to "Family Guy" and "The Naked Gun" level outrageousness. And it works. The fun onstage is clear and contagious. ...Mr. Chorley has accepted the challenge of going crazier still. He includes things like incredibly botched scene changes, off-period costumes, and breaking the fourth-wall to speak with conductor/music director Michael Snyder about his tempo choices. It is a similar aesthetic to THE PLAY THAT WENT WRONG and it is a welcome take on an oft-produced musical....The romantic leads, Haley McHardy as Mabel and Aaron Jones as Frederick, perform earnestly and with Dudley Do-Right style on-purpose over-acting (the core of camp). They are appropriately sincere when called for and both gifted singers. Jeffrey J. Davey is delightful as the Major-General. Although his performance includes a common misplay of the patter song "Modern Major-General". A great patter song doesn't mean singing as fast as you possibly can. It means singing as fast as you possibly can, while still being understood....Mr. Snyder, otherwise, runs a very tight ship in the orchestra, an essential constant no matter how campy the rest of the show gets. The ultimate success of this production comes down to the fun the cast is having. It's all over the stage. The ensemble, the leads, even the curtain speech speaker are having a great time and taking the audience along for the ride." - Timothy Shawver, Broadway World (click here to read the complete review)
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