The Pirates of Penzance
Friday, March 7 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, March 8 at 7:30 PM
Sunday, March 9 at 2 PM
Mandel Hall, 1131 E. 57th St.
Presented by the Department of Music and The Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company.
The best-known and most loved of all Gilbert and Sullivan works—at least to American audiences and performers!— The Pirates of Penzance unleashes its rollicking band of inept pirates and bumbling policemen for the seventh time on the Mandel Hall stage this March. Filled to the brim with songs, jokes, and silliness that promise to be familiar to Gilbert and Sullivan aficionados and accessible to those new to the pair, Pirates
holds a special place in the hearts of countless performers, as it represents the first glimpse for many into the world of light opera.
The Company’s 2025 production of Pirates will be particularly special to its directorial team, who bring a well-crafted and complete show honed over thirty years and fifteen separate productions—including the 1980s Broadway and National Tour productions, as well as productions designed from W.S. Gilbert’s original prompt books. This production promises to be an unforgettable event for performers and audience members of all experience levels—from Savoyard devotees to light opera novices—and will be a true testament to the enduring power and beauty of Gilbert and Sullivan for generations to come.
Shane Valenzi, Stage Director
Matthew Sheppard, Music Director
Music by the UChicago Chamber Orchestra
Tickets: $25-50 general, $10 students (with student ID) and children.
Order online: Order tickets anytime at tickets.uchicago.edu. Our ticketing software works best on a laptop or desktop computer. Once you choose your preferred show, use the “Jump To” dropdown menu to view available seating in all sections of the theater.
Order by phone: Call 773-702-2787 during the box office hours, Wednesday through Saturday from 12:00 pm-4:00 PM
About The Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company, Inc.
The Company’s association with the Hyde Park community and The University of Chicago goes back to its beginning in 1960, and subsequent incorporation in 1964. In 1962 it began a 21-year relationship with the Parents’ Association of The University of Chicago Laboratory School. Proceeds from the shows benefited the Lab School’s Adventurers in the Arts Program. Since 1983 the University’s Department of Music has sponsored the Company’s productions, with net proceeds helping to fund the Department’s Performance Programs. In 1991 the University Chamber Orchestra began playing for the performances.
Over its 60 years, the Company has performed every work in the Gilbert and Sullivan canon. The Company has a policy of alternating the signature operas with the obscure, taking into consideration anniversary years and programming by other local companies. H.M.S. Pinafore has been produced eight times. Iolanthe, The Mikado, The Gondoliers, and The Yeomen of the Guard have been produced seven times each. The Pirates of Penzance and Ruddigore, six times each; Princess Ida and Patience, four times; The Sorcerer, three times; Trial By Jury, twice; and Utopia, Limited and The Grand Duke, once each. In 2019, the Company produced Merrie England, by Edward German and Basil Hood, the designated successors of Gilbert and Sullivan.