With comedic pirates and voyaging the seven seas, Austin High School preps its sails for the opening night of “Pirates of Penzance,” which is set to open on Thursday night.

The fall musical is the fourth one directed under Gordon Handleland, who’s first musical with Austin High School was in 2014 with “The Addams Family.” The musical’s run will start on Thursday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m. Performances take place at Christgau Hall inside the high school. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.

“Pirates of Penzance” is a comic opera with two acts that first officially premiered in 1879 in New York City, and in 1880 London. The musical synopsis focuses on Frederic (played by Willem Huizinga, an AHS senior), who having finished his 21st year, is released from his apprenticeship to a band of tender-hearted pirates. Huizinga’s character falls for Mabel, played by Chloe Guttormson, a senior, the daughter of Major-General Stanley.

The comedic premise however, is that Frederic’s indenture specified that he remain apprenticed to the pirates until his “twenty-first birthday” meaning he needs to serve another 63 years because he only has a birthday once each leap year.

This type of musical is one that Austin High School has not approached before, according to Handeland. “Pirates of Penzance” rarely has speaking lines, and the majority of the production is done through operatic singing, and is considered to be more challenging for students to perform.

“It’s going to be a fun night,” Handleland said during rehearsals on Tuesday afternoon. “It’s an old show that’s more operatic and we have never tackled it before. There are some modern twists to it. It’s a different kind of musical.”

Since September, students have auditioned and practiced their singing to nail the challenging old language as well as maintaining endurance for a mostly sung-through musical. Guttormson expressed that this show had brought students in the cast together, and was anticipating opening night to be a positive one.

“You get to know everyone and it’s definitely fun doing the choreography,” she said. “You become a small family.”

For Mike Petersen, a senior who portrays the Pirate King, and Evan Anderson, a junior who plays the lieutenant Sam who provides additional comedic relief, both shared that the challenging aspect to preparing for the musical was keeping their voices healthy, and remembering the spoken lines as opposed to the lyrics.

Yet, it was the persistence that carried them through.

“The atmosphere is fun and being surrounded by people is fun,” Anderson added.

“I’m excited to see everything come together, “ Petersen said. “It’s really coming together.”

Cast

Mike Petersen…………………………..Pirate King

Willem Huizinga……………………………Frederic

Evan Anderson…………………………………Pirate

Katie Lillemon…………………………………..Ruth

Wren Clinefelter……………………………….Pirate

Chloe Guttormson…………………………..Mabel

Elizabeth Carlson……………………………..Edith

Maddie Bartlett…………………………..Daughter

Megan Dilley-Jones…………………….Daughter

Karina Neufeldt………………………….Daughter

Aidan DeVries………….Major-General Stanley

Blythe Johnson………Police Sergeant /Pirate / Derek Wynn / Policeman / Pirate

Adrianna Meiergerd……Policeman/Daughter

Rachel Christenson……Policeman/ Daughter