The Pirates of Penzance

The Pirates of Penzance
A hilarious farce of sentimental pirates, bumbling policemen, dim-witted young lovers and an eccentric Major-General.

Set sail with this classic comedy that boasts one of the most famous patter songs in musical theatre history. A fresh take on one of Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular comic operas, this updated version of The Pirates of Penzance took New York by storm when it premiered in Central Park in 1980, leading to a subsequent smash-hit Broadway run.

Gilbert and Sullivan's hilarious, hopeful farce follows young Frederic, an orphan who has mistakenly been apprenticed to an ineffectual but raucous band of pirates. He disavows the pirates' way of life and falls for the beautiful Mabel. Frederic's melodious tones win over the heart of Major-General Stanley's songbird daughter, Mabel, but when the Pirate King discovers that General Stanley has lied about being an orphan to keep the pirates from stealing all of his belongings and carrying off his bevy of beautiful daughters, an "ingenious paradox" may prevent the budding romance and lead to the death of "The very model of a modern Major-General."

The beauty, wit and whimsy of Gilbert and Sullivan's classic score is suffused with a modern sensibility, making this version an excellent choice for opera and light opera companies looking to expand their audience base. The sheer number of memorable roles makes it perfect for community and school groups. And with production requirements consisting of only two sets and a medium-sized orchestra, The Pirates of Penzance should be considered by any company featuring comic actors with excellent singing voices.

Concert Selections for The Pirates of Penzance

MTI is pleased to provide the pre-approved rental materials of select songs for your symphonic concert performance. Please note, MTI is unable to grant the necessary Performance Rights with this material rental. The Performance Rights needed must be obtained separately through the individual song’s respective small rights agency such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC. Please email concerts@mtishows.com with any questions.

  • OVERTURE ("PIRATES OF PENZANCE")
    First Performance Fee:
    $175
    Each Additional Performance:
    $100
    Music by
    SIR ARTHUR SEYMOUR SULLIVAN
    Arranged by
    WILLIAM ELLIOTT
    show more...
    Arrangement Details
    Song Type: Show Extraction
    Starting Key
    D♭
    Instrumentation

    1 Reed 1, 1 Red 2a, 1 Reed 2b, 1 Reed 3, 2 Trumpet 1&2, 1 Trombone, 1 Bass 1, 1 Percusion 1, 1 Percussion 2, 1 Percussion 3, 1 Keyboard 1/Conductor, 1 Keyboard 2

  • POOR WANDERING ONE
    First Performance Fee:
    $175
    Each Additional Performance:
    $100
    Music by
    Arthur Sullivan
    Lyrics by
    W.S. Gilbert
    Arranged by
    William Elliott
    show more...
    Arrangement Details
    Song Type: Show Extraction
    Instrumentation

    2 Keyboard 1/Conductor Score, 15 Vocal Books, 2 Reed 1 (Flute 1 & Flute 2), 1 Reed 2A (Clarinet), 1 Reed 2B (Clarinet), 1 Reed 3 (Bassoon), 2 Trumpet 1&2, 1 Trombone, 1 Keyboard 2 (Celeste), 1 Percusion 1 (Vibraphone), 3 Percussion 2 (Suspended Cymbal, Timpani, Bell Tree, Mark Tree), 3 Percussion 3 (Drum Set, Suspended Cymbal, Mark Tree, Bell Tree), 1 Bass 1: Electric (Fender), 1 Bass 2: Acoustic

  • WITH CAT-LIKE TREAD
    First Performance Fee:
    $175
    Each Additional Performance:
    $100
    Music by
    SULLIVAN, ARTHUR
    Lyrics by
    GILBERT, WILLIAM
    show more...
    Arrangement Details
    Song Type: Show Extraction
    Starting Key
    D
    Estimated duration
    2 min 30 sec
    Instrumentation

    1 Bass 1 (acoustic), 1 Bass 2 (Fender), 2 Keyboard 1/Conductor(Piano) 1 Keyboard 2 (RMI/Celeste), 1 Reed 1 (Flute & Piccolo), 1 Reed 2A (Clarinet), 1 Reed 2B (Clarinet), 1 Reed 3 (Bassoon), 2 Trumpets 1&2, 1 Trombone, 1 Percussion 1, 1 Percussion 2, 1 Percussion 3, 25 Chorus Books

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Questions & Answers

August 21, 2023
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Related shows or resources: The Pirates of Penzance
Pirates of Penzance

Hi There,

 

I am enquiring as to the costs involved with Prates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan?  I undertand they are public domain.

I am looking for the Joseph Papp version and wanted to know if there are eztra costs involved in those.

Thanks

Jeremy

 

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April 24, 2017
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Related shows or resources: The Pirates of Penzance
How large is the cast?
How many individual people are needed to play every character?
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