Pirates of Penzance

CVU DRAMA PHOTOS BY KATHY BRESEE

I am the very model of a modern Major-General...

CVU Drama

Pirates of Penzance Auditions

Everyone will audition with a vocal part in their vocal range (specific song titles are forthcoming),the first 8 lines of "Modern Major General" in order to test for ennunciation (see below), an extremely simple movement audition, and perhaps a short reading

The directorial staff works very hard to ensure that everyone feels prepared in every facet of the audition. Everyone is welcome to come to both audition sessions. In the past several students have done this in order to figure out the "lay of the land" on the first audition; prepare over the summer; and then come to the summer audition prepared to knock it out of the park.

Pirates of Penzance Character Descriptions

Major-General Stanley (baritone): A one star-general in the British Army, Major-General Stanley is the protector of many young women, his wards.
The Pirate King (baritone): A largely unsuccessful commander, the pirate king, although a flamboyant braggart, is too tender-hearted to do what pirates are supposed to do.
Samuel (baritone): The pirate king's lieutenant
Frederic (eonor): A pirate trainee, Frederic was apprenticed to the pirates by mistake. He is a noble young man who falls in love with Mabel but puts his sense of duty above everything else, including love.
Sergeant of Police (baritone): The leader of a bumbling squad of policemen, the good-natured sergeant of police is committed to stopping the pirates.
Mabel (soprano): Major-General Stanley's youngest ward, quickly falls in love with Frederic.
Edith (soprano): Another of Major-General Stanley’s daughters
Kate (mezzo): Another of Major-General Stanley's daughters
Isabel (soporano or mezzo): Another of Major-General Stanley's daughters
Ruth (mezzo): A pirate maid-of-all-work and Frederic’s nursery maid, Ruth mistakenly bound Frederic to a pirate instead of a pilot. She is in love with Frederic and feels betrays when he falls in love with Mabel

Pirates of Penzance

Wikipedia has very good plot summary. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penzance It also details the wide range of Pirates references that have appeared in popular culture over the years; everywhere from the Muppets to Saturday Night Live. (If you are truly a glutton for punishment check out Tom Lehrer's "The Elements.")

Students wishing to audition for Pirates can purchase their own script, score and reference recording.

I will encourage everyone who is cast to do this, but it is not necessary in order to audition.

Students who are very interested in musical theatre will enjoy getting to know all of Pirates and can buy it in its entirety.

(See UPC code below for a recommended recording.) However, for any student wishing to audition, the highlights recording contains all the music students will need to be familiar with.

Pirates of Penzance
vocal score with libretto (script)
ISBN: 0793525861 $18.95
Buy new or used through Barnes and Noble website,at the Dorset Street store in South Burlington or Amazon website.

UPC: 028943629225 Pirates of Penzance Highlights (About $8)
UPC: 089408035326 Pirates of Penzance (entire show, about $17)
At Barnes & Noble, Any one wanting to purchase one should go to the counter and ask for the Pirates of Penzance script for CVU.

A Chorus of Pirates, Police,
and General Stanley’s Wards

I am the very model of a modern Major-General
I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral
I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical
From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical

I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical
I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical
About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse

CVU DRAMA

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