Students at UW-Whitewater had their pirate hats and eyepatches on for this swashbuckling adventure of show! Pirates of Penzance was a show in our own Barnett Theatre from Feb. 15-19. Going into the show, I was confused how an opera could mix with a comedy and a pirate theme, but it quickly came together for me. 

Directed by Sara J. Griffin and conducted by Robert Gehrenbeck, the show was witty and the music was excellent. My favorite joke was when the characters looked up to the sun and said that it was about half past noon because that’s how people used to tell time. The music created the atmosphere for the show, with the opera aspect combining with light-hearted elements that kept the audience entertained.

The cast was amazing and acted with the professionalism that I would expect from a Broadway show. They brought their characters to life through their mannerisms, which added to the show’s humor as well. The audience was caught laughing throughout the show. The costuming was my favorite part of the show because of the color coordination. The pirates were dressed in blues and greens, while the general and his daughters wore reds and purples. There was a moment where the stage was split with pirates on one side and the general and his daughters on the other side, and we could visually see the divide between the characters.

What’s next for the Barnett Theatre, located in the Center of the Arts? DanceScapes ’23 will run from Mar. 4-8 and it will feature the dance stylings of students and staff, as well as that of international dance artist, Dr. Jin-Wen Yu.

Macbeth with run from Apr. 25-30 and it will bring Shakespeare’s famous play to life. 

To get tickets or to view what’s next, visit https://www.uww.edu/uc/ticket-services.