New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players Announce THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE Plus NYE Celebration

New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players (NYGASP) continues its 44th season beginning Thursday, December 27 with five performances of The Pirates of Penzance at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College (E. 68th Street Between Park and Lexington Avenues).

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE

This holiday engagement will feature fun and exciting activities for the whole family starting with "Bring your Grandparents Day" on Thurs.,December 27, (which includes a pre-show Family Overture at 1:45 p.m. and a post-show Back-stage tour following the 3:00 p.m. performance); Fri., December 28 at 7:30 p.m.; Sat., December 29 with a pre-show Family Overture at 12:45 p.m., performances at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m; and Sun., December 30, 3:00 p.m.

"Family Overtures" feature a musical introduction, plot summary, and historical background made entertaining for children but also enjoyed by adults new to G&S as well as longtime fans of this repertory.

Under the leadership of Founder and Artistic Director Albert Bergeret, considered by many to be the "leading custodian of the G&S classics", New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players (NYGASP) has presented thousands of performances in New York and throughout the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain in its 44 year history. Incorporating a full orchestra and dynamic professional singing actors, NYGASP productions feature contemporary energy while retaining a traditional respect for the G&S masterpieces that is so important to fans of this universally appealing repertory.

The story of The Pirates of Penzance is both witty and charming while the score includes such favorites as "I am the very model of a model Major-General", "Poor Wand'ring One", "When the Foeman Bares His Steel" and "Come friends who plough the sea" (the source for the tune of "Hail, hail the gangs all here").

Everyone has pretended to be a pirate at some point. On the coast of Cornwall, a band of tenderhearted pirates celebrates the coming of age of Frederic, who was mistakenly apprenticed to the pirates until his 21st birthday. Now, Frederic has vowed to devote his life to the extermination of piracy - until a ludicrous leap year snag threatens to keep him apprenticed to the pirates for life! Throw in a bevy of beauties, a brash Pirate King, the delightfully stuffy Major-General Stanley and you've got what The New York Times calls "an endearing production with high musical standards and spirited performances".

The NYGASP production of Pirates has been a staple of the Company's repertory for over 40 years, but each season brings fresh new faces joining with seasoned veterans - creating an exciting blend of experience and novelty. This season's cast includes lovely sopranos Sarah Caldwell Smith and Katie Dixon as Mabel, expert comedians James Mills and David Macaluso alternating as pattering Major-General Stanley and pirate side kick Samuel, Angela Christine Smith as ditsy nursemaid Ruth, David Auxier as a limber, but timid, Sergeant of Police, Matthew Wages as the brash Pirate King, tenors Alex Corson and Carter Lynch as duty bound pirate apprentice Frederic, mezzos Amy Maude Helfer, Abigail Benke, Emily Wright, Hannah Holmes and Merrill Grant as the Major- General's daughters adventurous Kate, concerned Edith, and dancer Isabel.

Tickets for The Pirates of Penzance are priced from $25 - $95 with 10 % off for seniors and half price tickets for children 12 and under. Information and tickets can be obtained by calling (212) 772-4448 or by visiting www.nygasp.org.

NEW YEAR'S EVE WITH NYGASP

The best of NYGASP will perform their personal G&S favorites followed by the Company's signature tour-de-force challenge - audience requests from the G&S repertoire performed impromptu. Topped off with a champagne toast to the New Year and a rousing rendition of Auld Lang Syne! The festivities take place at Leonard Nimoy Thalia at Symphony Space (2537 Broadway at 95th Street) at 7:30pm. Advance reservations are required - $75 (10 % off for seniors and half price for children 12 and under) and can be made by calling 212-769-1000 or at: www.nygasp.org