Feb. 21, 2023
Contact Teddy Eck at 608-796-3766 or tjeck@viterbo.edu
VITERBO UNIVERSITY CONSERVATORY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS TO PRESENT THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE AT THE WEBER CENTER MARCH 3–5
LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Conservatory for the Performing Arts will present Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta The Pirates of Penzance in the Weber Center for the Performing Arts Lyche Theatre Friday, March 3–Sunday, March 5.
Frederic, who’s been apprenticed to a lively band of pirates, will soon celebrate his 21st birthday and be free to put piracy behind him, or will he? This classic comedy boasts a vibrant score, laughs at every turn, and the famed rapid-fire patter song, I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General.
“The Pirates of Penzance is a really fun show full of joyous merriment that will provide a nice jolt of springtime energy,” said Teddy Eck, the Viterbo faculty member directing the production. “The cast members are very talented. It is a demanding and physical show, and the students are bringing their ‘A game’ to rehearsals. I hope audiences are ready for a good time.”
The Weber Center’s Lyche Theatre is a great venue for the production because the actors break the fourth wall (the imaginary boundary between the actors and audience) and the proximity of the stage and seating in the medium-sized theatre allows the audience to feel like part of the action, Eck explained.
“Audience members will appreciate the wit and clever word play so prominent in Gilbert and Sullivan productions, the timeless nature of the show, and the physical comedy in the style of Monty Python, Mel Brooks, and others,” Eck said.
Eck is joined by music director and fellow faculty member James Wilson and choreographer Emily Craver. This production of The Pirates of Penzance stars Viterbo students David Caliri, Marie Peterson, Carson Carter, Raven Hurlock, Sophia Niblock, Kierian Sween, and Dylan Woodman. The music is by Arthur Sullivan and the libretto by W.S. Gilbert.
The production of The Pirates of Penzance is sponsored by Wisconsin Public Radio, Candlewood Suites, and Explore La Crosse.
Performance times are 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 3, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 4, and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 5. Tickets are $25 for main floor and $22 for balcony seating, plus taxes and fees. For more information or to order tickets, contact the Viterbo box office at 608-796-3100 or visit www.viterbo.edu/tickets.
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