The Corporate Pirates of Penzance
Book & Lyrics by Bernard J. Taylor with music adapted from the works of Sir Arthur Sullivan
Principals : 5m, 2f, 1m/f Support : 3m, 6f (plus Chorus)
Bernard J Taylor has taken some of the best tunes from the G&S songbook and has adapted and updated them in this glorious musical pastiche. It's a modern story of love, duty and power struggles - possibly the type of show G&S would have written about had they still been alive! There are some 'in jokes' for those who are familiar with Gilbert and Sullivan, but overall the show has enough humour and familiar melodies to be enjoyed even by those who are not particularly familiar with their works.
Synopsis
The Corporate Pirate of Penzance is a highly entertaining modern approach to Gilbert and Sullivan. It incorporates many of the usual narrative elements of a Gilbert and Sullivan story - love across the social barriers, people not being who they seem to be, etc - and weaves them into a more modern story of a corporate mogul (a Franchise King also known as the Corporate Pirate of Penzance) who is hoping his daughter will marry into the British aristocracy, and a penniless young poet who falls in love with the daughter.
It uses some of Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular and well known songs from The Pirates of Penzance, HMS Pinafore, The Mikado, Iolanthe, Trial by Jury and The Gondoliers, mixing the songs of Sir Arthur Sullivan and the words of W.S. Gilbert with lyrics that reflect the modernized narrative. For example, 'The Very Model of a Modern Major-General' now becomes 'The Very Model of a Modern Intellectual', while 'A Policeman's Lot is Not a Happy One' becomes 'An Accountant's Life is Not a Lot of Fun'.
Updated versions of familiar characters from the traditional shows are there, including the cowardly police force from The Pirates of Penzance, as well as Josephine, Ralph and Little Buttercup from HMS Pinafore.
The libretto has received high praise from the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in London, Ohio Light Opera and others. There are some 'in jokes' for those who are familiar with Gilbert and Sullivan, but overall the show has enough humour and familiar melodies to be enjoyed even by those who are not particularly familiar with their works.
Cast Requirements
Principals (3m, 4 f)
Cathy -
Heathcliff -
Nellie -
Older Nellie -
Hindley -
Edgar Linton -
Isabella Linton -
Supporting Roles (3m, 1f, 2jnr-m, 1jnr-f, plus chorus)
Lockwood
Earnshaw - Father to Cathy and Hindley
Young Heathcliff
Young Cathy
Young Hindley
Williams - a butler/manservant
Maid
Chorus - A wide range of roles including minor sung or spoken roles, drawn from the different times and locales.
Songs
ACT ONE
1) Prologue - Orchestra
2) Beyond Understanding - Older Nellie
3) Liverpool - Older Nellie & Chorus
4) Goodbye Ladies - Sailors
5) Wuthering Heights - Earnshaw
6) Summers Of Childhood - Chorus
7) You Were My First Love - Cathy & Heathcliff
8) They Say He’s A Gipsy - Cathy & Chorus
9) How Soon The Winters Come Along - Cathy, Heathcliff, Edgar, Woman, Male Mourner & Chorus
10) Where Is That Boy - Hindley
11) Wuthering Heights - Nellie & Chorus
12) Cathy! - Heathcliff
13) Up Here With You - Heathcliff & Cathy
14) The Life of a Gentleman - Williams, Maid & Servants
15) That Gipsy Boy - Isabella
16) I See A Change In You - Heathcliff & Cathy
17) One Rules My Heart - Cathy & Nellie
18) I Have No Time For Them - Hindley
19) He’s Gone - Cathy
20) Let Her Live / My Vengeance - Chorus, Heathcliff, Crew Members
ACT TWO
21) The Gypsy Waltz - Orchestra
22) Who Shall I Wed? - Isabella, Edgar, Guest, Guests 1 - 5
23) I Belong To The Earth - Cathy
24) Coming Home To You - Heathcliff
25) Gambling Song - Hindley, Gamblers 1 - 4
26) All For Nothing - Heathcliff
27) The Pleasure Of Your Company - Cathy & Edgar
28) I Can’t Believe It’s You - Cathy & Heathcliff
29) I Want To Be With Him - Isabella
30) Don’t Do It! (Reprise) - Edgar, Isabella, Cathy, Heathcliff
31) Take This Gun - Hindley
32) If Only - Isabella
33) Heathcliff’s Lament - Heathcliff
34) How Soon the Winters Come Along (Reprise) - Chorus, Cathy, Boy, Male Mourner, Older Nellie, Edgar & Heathcliff
35) Beyond Understanding - Older Nellie, Chorus & Cathy
37) Up Here With You (Reprise) - Cathy, Heathcliff & Chorus
Production Materials
Perusal Materials on Request
Request any or all of the materials below to help get a feel for the show and if it’s right for you and your group;
Libretto
Piano-vocal Score
Sampler tracks
To request perusal materials contact us.
Rehearsal Materials
The following items are available for purchase when a performance license has been granted;
Digital Master Rehearsal Set (libretto and piano vocal score as PDF for unlimited printing and use by your group, you also get to keep the materials for future productions)
Backing Tracks (for private rehearsal or in performance in lieu of a live band)
Orchestrations (Available as a digital purchase to print for 7 or 9 piece band)
Reed 1 - Flute,
Reed 2 - Oboe
Horn
Trumpet
Keyboard 1
Keyboard 2
Violin (Optional)
Cello (Optional)
Bass
Production Information
This show is available under a variable royalties license by amateur companies at a rate of 20% of box office gross or £100 per performance whichever is the greater. For first and second class productions please contact us.
Digital Master Rehearsal Set - £100 (download), £115 (USB)
Backing Tracks - £30 (download), £35 (USB)
Orchestrations - £50 (download), £65 (USB)
To apply for a production license please contact us.