With comedic flare, the BYU–Hawaii Theatre Program presented “The Pirates of Penzance” from March 7-9 and March 14-16 in the McKay Auditorium. The show is a musical, and the cast and audience members said the role of the Major General and the emphasis on engaging the audience broke traditional boundaries for a musical.
Kristl Densley, an assistant professor of theatre and the director of the show, said before the closing night of “The Pirates of Penzance,” the audience brought an energy that helped support the actors onstage. “As you may or may not know, theatre is a living art and only happens when you are in the seats. If you weren’t in the seats, it would just be a rehearsal.”
Noelle Oldham, a senior from Florida majoring in theatre. Oldham, who was one of the Major General’s daughters in the production, said, “When people think of musicals, they think cheesy and a lot of songs.” She added a goal she had for the musical, “Every time we do a show, I want someone to leave the auditorium respecting and appreciating theatre more because I think we need that support.”
She said due to the comedic and interactive nature of the production, the audience leaves with a greater appreciation of their art. “We had full houses, and so many people are coming every night. I was shocked many came the second week.”
Oldham said the support from audience members is the reason the crew worked to develop the show. "It is the most rewarding feeling knowing the audience is enjoying our work. I love being on stage and showcasing what we made. Seeing how people loved our work makes me want to keep performing every night.”
The Major General
One of the ushers for the show, Taylor Spencer, a sophomore from Arizona majoring in elementary education, said the steady audience attendance might be influenced by the character, the Major General. “His dances get the audience going, and a lot of his lines are very humorous, so he is very easy to like.”
She particularly enjoyed when every night the crowd went crazy when the Major General appeared. “It is my favorite part of the show when he comes out in the first act. I love how the actors onstage and the audience react to his rap.”
Colin Carlson, a junior majoring in film from Laie, played the Major General. He said his character is not necessarily relatable, but everyone knows people like him because he is old, fun and silly.
Carlson noted he does not take the credit for how the audience reacted to his character. “I portray the character the way I portray the character, but all the words I say help me build the character, so I can’t give myself all the credit for it. It is all because of the writers.”
Although putting on the facial hair and costume to become the Major General takes over an hour, Carlson stated he was pleased he made others laugh because this is his favorite musical. “I have always wanted to be in this musical. I am glad I am portraying the character enough to connect with the audience.”
Support from the audience
One actor who played as a pirate, Eli Harris, a senior from Missouri majoring in English, said some audience members come back and re-watch the show so they can fully understand the comedy.
“The audience has been progressively bigger because repeaters come each night. I think some of the humor is a little bit hard to get the first time. The plot is straightforward, but if you are not paying attention, you will not get the jokes.”
Harris echoed Densley’s words and said the show is not complete without an engaged audience. “It has been nice to see the audience more involved each show so our humor can be funny. I think it brings more energy to my character when we get the audience response.”
He added, “This is the eighth production I have done with the Densleys. I have only been an ensemble member with them, and this has been fun because the costumes and the cast we work with is great. We all take the best from each other to get the result we want. At the same time, we are all shining equally.”
Writer: Noah Shoaf