Pirates of Penzance at Encore Stage and Studio

Last Thursday, I raced from my son’s dive meet to see my favorite operetta of all-time, The Pirates of Penzance. The show is playing at Encore Stage and Studio Thursday through Sunday, and features a Helen Hayes award winning cast. The show is playing at Thomas Jefferson Community Center in Arlington. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $10 for children. I’ve seen deals on Goldstar this week for reduced price tickets.

I tapped my foot from the moment the maidens arrived on stage until the show’s end – happily recalling my own tenure in this show, many years ago. The show moves quickly, interrupted by one intermission about two-thirds the way through the show. There’s enough action in the show to entertain even very young audiences.

The cast is anchored by professional actor Erin Driscoll, playing Mabel, who makes performing seem effortless. She fits in perfectly with the other women on stage. I fell in love with Frederick all over again, played by Chris Sizemore. It also made me think of the two babies I know who were born on leap-day this past year. Hopefully, they’ll have an easier fate than Frederick and never be subject to a contract indicating they won’t be released from piracy until their 21^st birthday!

This is a fun show, well worth a night out – with, or without, the kids.

Photo credits to Larry McClemons, who generously provided the photos for this post. I was provided free entrance to the show. All opinions are my own. When not reliving her own childhood through theatre excursions, Elaine writes about her own children’s childhood at Connor and Helen Grow Up.

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About the Author: Elaine

In 1997, Elaine landed in DC where she put her public policy degree to work. She didn't know at the time she'd eventually own a home in the suburbs, be married to a government employee, and have two incredible children. But then, she’s heard that from a lot of moms at the playgrounds around Arlington. As a part-time worker, Elaine contributes to the Tax Policy Center's blog TaxVox and has recently agreed to produce a regular commentary for the blogtalk radio program, Shared Sacrifice. When she's not at work, she maintains her own blog to bridge the distance between far away family and herself and to alleviate the guilt associated with never even purchasing a baby book for either of her children. She believes in the power of long walks, vacationing, and forgetting about the clock. She's got her eye on the Fall of 2011 when her youngest child will surely be ready for her first international vacation. Prior to becoming a mom, she was an avid potter and chocolate maker and hopes someday to return to both of these hobbies. In the meantime, she feels incredibly lucky to have found such an incredible community of women bloggers in the DC area. Prior to its closure, Elaine enjoyed a brief period writing for DCMetroMoms.