Blue Mountains Musical Society (BMMS) is presenting strictly limited performances of a popular favourite, Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera The Pirates of Penzance.
This production adds a third show to the society's 2024 performance schedule (in addition to their usual productions in May and November), not only giving the local community additional entertainment, but also providing more performance opportunities for people wanting to be involved with the society.
An added benefit is that all proceeds of The Pirates of Penzance will go to the charity Barnardos Australia.
BMMS holds auditions for cast members for their twice-yearly productions each year, and each time they are overwhelmed with applicants, regrettably turning away many hopefuls because there aren't enough roles.
"We always have many more people audition than we have roles for, and it is really disappointing having to turn so many away," said BMMS president, Aubtin Namdar.
"We had almost 150 people audition for The Sound of Music (which opens on May 25), with less than 50 places to fill (the Von Trapp children's roles are double cast).
"We decided to add another show, but present it as a concert rather than a fully staged production, and we called for people to apply to be a part of the show's strictly limited sized chorus without having to audition," Aubtin said.
The response was overwhelming, with a wide range of people from around the Blue Mountains/Nepean region applying. The resultant 32-strong chorus has people with widely varying ages and levels of experience, some never having sung before, all full of enthusiasm and excitedly attending the five rehearsals required for the two concert performances which will take place on Saturday, April 27.
The Pirates of Penzance tells the story of Frederic, who having reached the age of 21 is about to be released from his apprenticeship with a group of benevolent pirates. He meets the beautiful Mabel, daughter of a Major-General and falls instantly in love with her, however it's not all smooth sailing for the young lovers. Frederic has a problem - he was born in a leap year, on February 29 to be exact, so technically he only has a birthday every four years. His indenture papers state that he must remain apprenticed to the pirates until his 21st birthday, so poor Frederic cannot be released for another 63 years. Mabel faithfully agrees to wait for him, and the show goes on, with Frederic desperately trying to solve his dilemma.
Taking part in The Pirates of Penzance has a very special significance for Blaxland resident Anthony Gerber. Anthony and his wife Katie met in their high school production of the show in 1993.
"I was in Year 11 at school and had no intention of going in the musical," he said.
"I walked past the room where auditions were going on, and as is normal there weren't many guys applying for it. They said, 'Can you come in and sing?' and I said, 'Sure!'.
"I ended up getting the role of Frederic, and I didn't know Mabel at the time, but I ended up marrying Mabel (in real life).
"So Pirates is very special for us," he said, "we met on the show 31 years ago and started dating."
His wife Katie is not involved in this production, so Anthony is doing it for both of them.
Anthony and Katie's children have performed in various BMMS shows over recent years, but up until now Anthony's involvement has been strictly as an audience member.
"I haven't performed for 31 years, but when I saw BMMS was doing Pirates, I had to be involved," he said.
"There have been so many musicals written since then, but The Pirates of Penzance is great fun, everyone knows the songs, and it's timeless.
"An added drawcard for me is knowing there is going to be a 32-piece orchestra in the room backing what we're doing... I'm looking forward to that part."
Terry Hopkins' motivation for doing Pirates and his experience with BMMS is completely different from Anthony's. He originally performed with Blue Mountains Musical Society way back in 1985, and was in both previous BMMS productions of The Pirates of Penzance, in 1987 and 2001. He also directed the society's productions of Oliver! and Chess. Originally the junior school principal of a local private school, Terry's involvement with BMMS took an extended break when his teaching career took him overseas for 20 years and saw him working in places such as Abu Dhabi, Kazakhstan and finally, as a school principal in Shengzu Province in China for six years. Now retired, Terry has recently returned to Australia, and when he saw the BMMS call for people to sing in Pirates, he was keen to be involved.
"I haven't sung for 20 years and I wondered if I'd still have the voice to be able to do it," he said, "but it's been good, and it's a lovely group of people.
"BMMS was always a fabulous group of people. We started with the people who originally founded the society, but it's a very different animal now from what it was, it's much more professional.
"The Pirates of Penzance is the best reintroduction I could have had," he said.
"Doing a show with reduced rehearsal requirements has really suited me and it's been lovely to get back and be able to sing again.
"There's always been great enthusiasm with BMMS shows; when you're amateurs you're there because you love it. It's a great show, I love Pirates, my voice is still there, and I'm really enjoying it."
Tickets are now on sale for this special concert production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance, with two shows only on April 27 at 2pm and 8pm at the Blue Mountains Theatre and Community Hub.
All profits raised from this event will go directly to Barnardos Australia, helping to provide high-quality safety and prevention services that will support long-term, sustainable, generational change for children, young people, and their families.
Book tickets online now at www.bmms.org.au. Prices range from $39 to $49.