Description
When Braid Beard's pirate crew invites Jeremy Jacob to join their voyage, he jumps right on board. Buried treasure, sea chanteys, pirate curses -- who wouldn't go along?
Come join us for this story of adventure and finding one's own heart - a path that can't be found on any treasure map.
It's going to be an unforgettable musical adventure on the high seas!
Cast
AUSTIN ARCHER (Shark Tooth the Pirate) first started performing on the stage at the age of four, and never really cared to stop. Twenty years later, here he is, thrilled to be back with the Salt Lake Acting Company playing Shark Tooth. He has been previously seen on the stage at SLAC as Patty Henry in SATURDAY'S VOYEUR 2011, Haemon in TOO MUCH MEMORY, and Shye in TRENCHCOAT IN COMMON as part of SLAC's New Play Sounding Series. This performance is dedicated to his eight nieces and nephews, who constantly help him to stay silly, and to see the world through the limitless eyes of a child. Enjoy!
ALEXIS BAIGUE (Swill the Pirate) began acting in BRIGADOON, DAMN YANKEES, THE FOREIGNER, and ONCE ON THIS ISLAND at 
West Jordan High School, YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU and THE TREE OF LACE (Salt Lake Community College), SURFIN' SAFARI (Desert Star Playhouse), eleven summers in SATURDAY'S VOYEUR, GOODNIGHT DESDEMONA (GOOD MORNING JULIET), ANGELS IN AMERICA: MILLENNIUM APPROACHES (Salt Lake Acting Company), JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN PARIS, SPEAKEASIE (TheatreWorks West), ANASTASIA (StageRight), SUMMER AND SMOKE, CABARET, RHINOCEROS, QUEEN CHRISTINA, ANTIGONE, THE RIMERS OF ELDRITCH, and LOYALTIES (University of Utah), WIT (Emily Company), NO EXIT (SallyFourth), DEAR WORLD (Sundance Summer Theatre), BEYOND THERAPY, THE SEX HABITS OF AMERICAN WOMEN (Pygmalion Productions), THE BOYS IN THE BAND (Wasatch Theatre); staged readings: MOTHER COLLEGE, THE LIVELY LAD, BUNBURY, THE CANCER DIARIES, CHARM, PROPHETS OF NATURE, ANGELS IN AMERICA: PERESTROIKA (S.L.A.C.), THE UNDERPANTS, THE VIOLET HOUR, THE LAST SUNDAY IN JUNE, MY NAME IS RACHEL CORRIE (Utah Contemporary Theatre), WISH UPON, BOX KITE, RECTUM!, CUP, and THE IMMACULATE ABORTION. He received Q Salt Lake's Fabby Award for Actor of the Year in 2008 and Best Performance in 2011.
J. MICHAEL BAILEY (Captain Braid Beard) Started performing at a very young age. As a member of the Bailey Family Singers since he was 8 years old, J. Michael has performed extensively throughout the western United States and Canada. When he was 18 years old he saw THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA in Los Angeles and it forever changed his life. J. Michael has since worked as an actor for nearly 20 years. Some of his favorite roles include Jean Valjean in LES MISERABLES, Sweeney Todd in SWEENEY TODD, George in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, and The Leading Player in PIPPIN. In addition to his life as an actor, J. Michael is a singer/songwriter and has released three studio albums under his own Restless Water Records label. He is excited to be a part of his first SLAC production as well as being in a show his three wonderful kids can enjoy. Mary, you are everything...
RANDALL EAMES (Pirate Pierre) started playing the piano when he was 10 years old. He was in his first play, THE BEST 
CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER, when he was twelve. His singing career started when he was in ninth grade when he sang with his school group, the Syracuse Singers. He performed all through high school and then went on to study theatre in college. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Weber State University with a degree in Theatre Arts. He is happy to be returning to SLAC's stage after appearing in last season's SATURDAY'S VOYEUR. Some of his favorite roles include: one of the guys in THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE ABRIDGED, Flute in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, Roy Johnson in THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, part of the company of UNDER CONSTRUCTION and Willard in FOOTLOOSE. He would like to thank all of those involved in this process and his friends, family and educators for their endless support.
SHANNON MUSGRAVE (Max the Pirate) is thrilled to be aboard this ship with this fine crew! Shannon began her acting career at age 3 in her living room by doing impressions of Katherine Hepburn, Ed Sullivan, and Ronald Reagan and singing Dolly Parton songs. She started piano lessons at age 7 and started dancing at age 15. Shannon continued her theatrical training after high school and received her BA in Musical Theatre from Weber State University. Since graduating college, Shannon has appeared in numerous local productions. She was last seen on SLAC's stage as Betsy Ross and Kate K. in SATURDAY'S VOYEUR 2011. She also appeared in the 2010 and 2009 versions of VOYEUR and played Hattie, the fabulous pink poodle in SLAC's first children's play, GO, DOG. GO! Last season, Shannon read the role of Dell in the NPSS reading of Kathleen Cahill's COURSE 86B IN THE CATALOGUE. Other local credits include 42ND STREET (Pioneer Theatre Co.), MUSICAL OF MUSICALS and SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK (The Grand Theatre), ROMEO & JULIET and THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE (Pinnacle Acting Co.) She also choreographed THE WIZARD OF OZ and OLIVER! at the Grand Theatre and works as Executive Assistant at the Salt Lake Acting Company. Thanks to Penny, Darrin, and everyone at SLAC for this adventure and to my ever-supportive family!
MICHAEL TAO (Jeremy Jacob) joins this crew for his first show at Salt Lake Acting Company. Michael began his training at the University of Utah Youth Theatre at age 10, where he has appeared as Jim Nasium in THE RINGS AROUND ROSE and as Rufus Bilge in SHOWTIME ON THE SHOWBOAT. In his spare time, Michael enjoys abstract art, plays violin, and writes short stories. He attends West High School
FYNN WHITE (Jeremy Jacob) is happily making his debut at the Salt Lake Acting Company. Fynn is a started his training at age 11 at the University of Utah Youth Theatre where he has appeared as Odysseys in THE FIRE THIEVES and as Gimple in THE WISE MEN OF CHELM. He plays soccer on a competitive team called Impact United. Fynn plays the piano and his favorite subjects are Algebra and Reading. He attends Wasatch Junior High School.
PENELOPE CAYWOOD (Director/Choreographer) is best known for her work with University of Utah's Youth Theatre program where she has been the director for the past 5 years. She has directed a Youth Theatre production every year while with the program and is also responsible for all the educational and outreach programming as well as an association with the Kennedy Center Partners in Education program (along with Kingsbury Hall and the Salt Lake City School District). This summer Penny took 17 Youth Theatre students to perform an original musical which she composed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as representatives of the United States. Locally, Penny has choreographed for The Grand Theatre, Utah Opera, Rogers Memorial Theatre, Weber State University; musically directed for Plan-B; and directed at Rogers Memorial Theatre and SLAC. Penny's career in the theatre started when she was 5 years old. She travelled across the country in a youth singing group, sang on children's records, and learned jazz and tap from incredible teachers. While she lived in California, Penny was involved in the creation of a youth theatre company in Palos Verdes called Curtains Up! She was also a very active as an actor in musicals for civic light operas with an occasional job in the pit as a flautist. Penny is so delighted to be working with Salt Lake Acting Company again.
DARRIN DOMAN (Musical Director) Ahoy mateys! Darrin is delighted to be back at work for Salt Lake Acting Company just one week after closing GOD OF CARNAGE in which he performed the role of Alan Raleigh. For HOW I BECAME A PIRATE, Darrin dons his Musical Director hat. Darrin has performed on many stages throughout the Wasatch Front with regional and international appearances to boot (...to boot, to boot, to boot...everybody sing!). Darrin loves music and instruments. He began taking piano lessons when he was 8 years old. A year later, he added voice lessons to his weekly routine. By the time he entered junior high, Darrin was also playing trumpet, saxophone, guitar and his sister's flute—when she wasn't watching. In college, Darrin studied the cello briefly and currently has a goal to learn circular breathing so he can play his didgeridoo properly. Darrin also enjoys theater. He is happy to act and sing on stage or do musical direction and pit-work as a musician. Darrin works full-time at the University of Utah Hospital and is pursuing a quest to see the 7 Wonders of the Modern World—5 down, 2 to go. He enjoys singing with the Utah Chamber Artists and he takes time to enjoy playing the piano now and then. Thanks for coming to the show, ye hearties. Enjoy!
BRENDA VAN DER WIEL (Costume Designer) is happy to be designing again for the young audiences of SLAC. Brenda started sewing when she was 5, although more time was spent with her Mom fixing the machine than with her actually sewing. But she was soon thrilled with how her ideas could come to life, perfected these sewing skills quickly, and has been working ever since. Recent work for ASF includes MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, COMEDY OF ERRORS, THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, DEATH OF A SALESMAN AND TROJAN WOMEN. Brenda is part of the design faculty for the University of Utah Theatre Department. She designs regularly for that department as well as for Pioneer Theatre and Salt Lake Acting Company. Recent works in Utah include ALCESTIS and THE BAKKAI for the Babcock Theatre, RENT and CHRISTMAS STORY for Pioneer Theatre Company, EURYDICE and OLIVER! at the Grand Theatre, and CHARM and SATURDAY'S VOYEUR for Salt Lake Acting Company. She has also worked at the Seattle Opera, the Santa Fe Opera, and the Utah Shakespearean Festival.
JOSH MARTIN (Sound Designer) is excited to be part of the third children show at Salt Lake Acting Company. It's always fun doing shows geared toward younger crowds. I wish I had the chance to see theatre when I was younger. I began working and attending performing arts when I was about 15, have not turned back since. I would not trade this lifestyle for anything. Some of my recent work includes SATURDAY'S VOYEUR 2010, SATURDAY'S VOYEUR 2011, GOD OF CARNAGE and (a man enters).
JANET YATES VOGT (Book, Lyrics and Music) has been a writer, composer and lyricist all of her life. She credits her career today to her family's support, the guidance of many wonderful directors and producers, and to her many outstanding teachers – from her first grade teacher who notated Janet's first songs and taught them to the class to sing – to her inspiring piano teachers to her professors at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), where her studies were centered upon piano performance and music theory. A pivotal moment happened when her writing partner, Mark Friedman, called the CCM placement service looking for a keyboard player for his band -- Janet auditioned, was hired by Mark, and a fruitful partnership began. Both inspired each other to compose, and together they are known nationally and internationally not only for their musical theatre works, but also for their numerous publications in many different musical genres, including vocal music for children and choral works for adults. Janet's educational keyboard books and methods have been translated into French, Japanese and German. A teacher at heart, Janet still coaches piano and voice students, and is a featured speaker and presenter at many national music conventions and events. In 2005, both she and her partner, Mark, were named National Music Educators of the Year. Janet and Mark's collaboration took a career-changing turn one night after they had just completed a large recording project for one of their publishers when Mark turned to Janet and said "I think we should write that musical now." The time was right to finally compose a work in their favorite genre – since between them they had directed, produced, music-directed, acted and played in the pits of numerous shows. A few days later they settled upon ANNE OF GREEN GABLES and they began what continues to be a very fulfilling creative journey. "Anne" has played at many theatres across the country -- most notably as the 2010-2011 holiday show at the Village Theatre in Issaquah, Washington (Robb Hunt, producer), The Barter Theatre in Abingdon VA (Richard Rose, director) and the Victoria Theatre in Dayton, Ohio (Kevin Moore, director). Their Junior Version has entertained audiences at notable children's theatres as well. Janet and Mark's extremely popular musical adaptation of Melinda Long's best-selling children's book HOW I BECAME A PIRATE, was commissioned by First Stage Theatre (Milwaukee) in 2008 and has been rollicking its way across many stages, including Cape Rep, the Des Moines Playhouse, Riverside Theatre, Children's Theatre of Cincinnati, and many more. Their powerful and moving musical, HARRIET AND SAM, captures the times and events of pre and post Civil War America as seen through the eyes of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain, and has met with critical acclaim for its timely themes of freedom and human rights. A new work in development, TENDERLY, is based upon the life and career of Rosemary Clooney featuring a two-person cast and was recently work-shopped at the Human Race Theatre (Equity) in Dayton, Ohio as part of the Race's three-show summer musical theatre festival which also featured a new work by prize-winning playwright Brian Yorkey. The debut of TENDERLY was met with critical acclaim and great enthusiasm with audience members moved by Clooney's inner strength and her triumph over the many challenges she faced during her life. Janet and Mark have also penned a humorous, irreverent and satirical look at married relationships with their musical cabaret, WAR GAMES: MARRIAGE ON THE FRONT LINES - lovingly dubbed by critics as the "musical in need of an intervention!" Their holiday show EBENEZER (a musical version of A Christmas Carol) has been delighting audiences for the past five years. SLEEPY HOLLOW: A MUSICAL TALE, commissioned by Kalamazoo Civic Theatre, premiered on Halloween 2010 and has just been added to Columbus Children's Theatre upcoming season. Janet and Mark are represented by Bill Craver, Paradigm Agency, New York and are proud to be part of the TRW family. For more information, log onto www.vogtfriedmancomposers.com.
MARK FRIEDMAN (Book, Lyrics, and Music) Composer, lyricist, and playwright Mark Friedman fell in love with musicals at an early age when he and his brothers built their own theatre in the basement of their home - complete with lighting grid and sound system – performing for family and friends in the neighborhood. With a Bachelors degree in Education and a Master of the Arts, Mark has been a both a successful teacher and educator as well as a musician, vocalist, actor and director. He was the co-founder of Cincinnati's first free Shakespeare Festival in the Park and helped create Peanut Butter Theatre for Children which featured original musicals and a brown bag lunch. Mark produced a touring theatre group for inner-city schools called The Good News Company and toured the country as an actor and musician with the Fountain Square Fools. A composer and studio producer, Mark has many songs and recordings published worldwide in books and catalogs - he has written music, scripted and hosted events for national conventions - and is a sought after speaker at music and education seminars around the country. In 2005, Mark was distinguished as National Music Educator of the Year. For many years, Mark has been successfully writing and composing with collaborator Janet Yates Vogt - and in addition to their musical How I Became a Pirate, they have produced several other works for both adults and young audiences which are playing across the country. Their Anne of Green Gables was produced twice Off-Broadway at the York Theatre, and had successful runs at the Barter Theatre in VA, the Victoria Theatre in OH, and the Village Theatre in WA, among many others. Harriet and Sam, a powerful story capturing the events of Civil War America as seen through the eyes of Harriet Beecher Stowe and hr neighbor Mark Twain, was commissioned by the Harriet Beecher Stowe Festival in 2003. Ebenezer, a musical version of "A Christmas Carol," has been delighting audiences since 2005. Also in 2005, a humorous, and satirical look at married relationships - War Games: Marriage On The Front Lines premiered at the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. How I Became a Pirate was commissioned in 2009 by First Stage Theatre in Milwaukee and has since played to delighted audiences from Cape Cod to Las Vegas. Sleepy Hollow: A Musical Tale, premiered in 2010 at the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre, and a new work in development entitled Tenderly, based on the life and career of Rosemary Clooney, was work-shopped in the summer of 2010 at the Human Race Theatre in Dayton, OH, and is in further development. Mark is a member of the Dramatist Guild and is represented by Bill Craver, Paradigm Agency, New York.
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FYNN WHITE (Jeremy Jacob) is happily making his debut at the Salt Lake Acting Company. Fynn is a started his training at age 11 at the University of Utah Youth Theatre where he has appeared as Odysseys in THE FIRE THIEVES and as Gimple in THE WISE MEN OF CHELM. He plays soccer on a competitive team called Impact United. Fynn plays the piano and his favorite subjects are Algebra and Reading. He attends Wasatch Junior High School.
Press & Reviews
- Salt Lake Acting Company's "How I Became a Pirate" | Rebecca B. Wright | Thrilled by the Thought | December 12, 2011
- HOW I BECAME A PIRATE is a fun, funny adventure for all ages | Megan B. Pedersen | UTBA | December 13, 2011
- SLAC makes jolly good show of 'How I Became a Pirate' | Ben Fulton | Salt Lake Tribune | December 9, 2011
- Salt Lake Acting Company: How I Became a Pirate | Scott Renshaw | City Weekly | December 9, 2011
- WSU Grads Pirated Away for SLAC Show | Any K. Stewart | Standard-Examiner | December 11, 2011
- Salt Lake Acting Company: Discovering the drama of your inner pirate | Ben Fulton | Salt Lake Tribune | December 1, 2011
- SLAC: How I Became a Pirate | Gavin Sheehan | Gavin's Underground | December 8, 2011
In the Room
SLAC discusses process and pirates with Musical Director Darrin Doman
SLAC. Most of our audience know what a fantastic actor you are after GOD OF CARNAGE, but tell us about yourself as a musical director.
DARRIN DOMAN. The first time I musically directed a show... I'm trying to think when that was. It was back in the Dark Ages.
SLAC. When did you start playing the piano?
DARRIN DOMAN. I started piano lessons with Piccola Wood when I was in the third grade, and she was a very good teacher. In the third grade, I would have been eight. I must have taken to the piano quite quickly, and she would show me off – she chronically told people I was six or five... She told someone I was four once. "I'm eight.." It was like she was trying to make herself look good as a teacher. Apparently I outgrew her, and she referred me onto to Don Royster, and I spent the rest of my junior high years studying under one teacher. He was, interestingly enough, a graduate of Yale. My piano teacher was roommates with Maury Yeston in college, and Maury Yeston, I believe, is still at Yale as a theory teacher or a composition teacher. My piano teacher's doctoral thesis is actually an entry in the New Grove Music Dictionary, which is very prestigious, and here he is in small town in Idaho teaching piano lessons. He can trace his piano lineage back to Bach. We studied together, and I went to college on a performance scholarship to Utah State University. One summer, a friend of mine was in an unfortunate car accident, and he called me from the hospital asking if I would take over as pianist for a production at the Pink Garter Theatre in Jackson, Wyoming. The Pink Garter Theatre is no longer in existence, but for the next three summers, I was involved with the Pink Garter Theatre in some capacity or another – most of the time I was in the pit, but I did run lights and box office and a few other things, so I got a good taste of summer stock theatre and musical theatre in general. One year, the piano player had some lines – it was a murder mystery – and it came to light that the piano player was offing people throughout the night. I was the bad guy. I had some lines, and I got tied up and jabbed with a stick, and it was a good time! And I realized it was more fun being onstage than being in the dark pit, so that's how I started in musical theatre. Performing at the Grand, I had some opportunities to do some assistant musical directing, but my very first gig was at Rogers Memorial Theatre.
SLAC. So singing and acting just came to you naturally?
DARRIN DOMAN. I don't know natural, but I studied voice as well as piano. Piano was my main instrument, but I studied voice as well.
SLAC. When did you start studying voice?
DARRIN DOMAN. When I was very young, but I kind of left it after my voice changed because it was a completely different instrument, so it took me a while to get back into that. I guess it was college again. After years as a performance major on the piano, I developed a stress injury, and I was not going to be able to complete my degree as a performance major, but I did some studies with regard to vocal pedagogy and choral conducting as I finished my speech therapy degree, so I got to study voice at a college level and sing with the college choirs as well. Then I had piano background, vocal pedagogy background, some vocal performance background, coupled with what I'd learned at the Pink Garter Theatre and then in other community theatres, and it all came to the point where someone asked me if I would musically direct a show.
Penny and I met up via Youth Theatre at the U. Our first project together was ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, and we had a good time. She had me back a couple of years in a row. The last project we worked on together was actually a pirate show, CAPTAIN BREE AND HER LADY PIRATES. Imagine a band of lady pirates. It was a scary show. So, Penny and I – and pirates – go way back. We're very familiar with the genre and all the gimmicks.
[Piano is] certainly not for everybody but nobody had to force me into practicing or shake a stick or threaten me in any way. My mother and grandmother were arts-minded and wanted us to learn an instrument, but they said we could pick, and they would help pay for lessons. Since there was already a piano in the house, that's what I leapt for. I was always motivated to practice because it was fulfilling to me to play an instrument.
SLAC. Can you talk more about the music in HOW I BECAME A PIRATE and the process?
DARRIN DOMAN. I've auditioned for plays here at SLAC, and I was fortunate enough to be in VOYEUR 2005, understudy for David Spencer in I AM MY OWN WIFE, numerous New Play Sounding Series readings, but kind of without even pushing the issue, Keven Myhre approached me and asked if I would be interested in directing a show. I had helped with some music with a fundraiser some time ago, and apparently some people were pleasantly surprised – perhaps pleased – with the work I did; I don't know if that had anything to do with it. It was mostly Keven approaching me; I don't know what kind of conversations staff might have had, but I was certainly happy to be picked as the Musical Director. I get along well with children, of which there are two in the cast.
SLAC. And the adult children – of which there are five.
SHANNON MUSGRAVE (a.k.a. Max the Pirate). Or four and me.
DARRIN DOMAN. I'm very careful when I tell people I'm musically directing children's theatre, because Children's Theatre is a confusing term. It could be children acting or it could be adults acting for children. Is there a determination or distinction between the two? I have to be very careful to specify that it is adults acting for children.
SLAC. Does Professional Children's Theatre say anything?
DARRIN DOMAN. I like adding Professional. And of all the theatres around town that do put on musicals, SLAC is the only one that does musicals for a kid audience, and I think that's really terrific. The script is, of course, geared to kids, but there's humor for the adults as well. I really like the "Pirates Dot Arggh" song because it's kind of that conflation of the old and the new. Kids growing up today are all very tech savvy and then you apply that to pirates, and that's kind of fun. I also enjoy the "our teeth are green" song because apparently it's a parental threat. I've talked to more than one parent who's said when their kids don't want to brush, "Do you want to end up with pirate teeth?" So I think it's going to strike a nice chord with kids and adults. As far as the process, I've said before that they call it musical theatre for a reason; there needs to be an emphasis on the music. I can't think of any musical theatre director from Broadway or whatever who is particularly famous. Musical Directors – and even the music in musical theatre – gets a little bit shoved to the side. I think if it's done very well becomes part of the play, and you don't even notice it's a musical. It's only if it's jarring – when it's bad musical theatre that people want to know who the musical director is. So I'm hoping I'm not in that category this time around. As far as coaching the music, I'm all about technique and having a good technique. Some people think that you're
an opera singer, or you're a pop singer, or you're a country singer, or you're a Broadway singer, but if somebody has good technique and how to use their voice, then they can span the range. So I'll always do warm ups with some vocal exercises with some specific techniques attached to them to add balance or blend or a flavor to the number and the show. When it comes to pirates, it may be a little ragged and there may be a little more growling than I would normally want. I may not worry about the vowel shaping as much, but crisp diction and good entrances and cutoffs are things I'll be paying attention to. Having worked with Penny before, I know there's a kind of a hierarchy, so I know I'll teach notes and rhythms and lyrics to begin with, and I won't worry too much about cutoffs because Penny so craftily choreographs that she will put movements in that then I can coordinate with cutoffs, and we'll have some sort of body movement that "this is where you put the 't'", "this is where the phrase comes to an end", which is such a wonderful marriage of movement and music. I'm so glad Penny gets that because it makes my job easier, and in reverse, I hope that the things I'm doing are making her job easier as well. She doesn't have to worry about diction and rhythm and notes; I can take care of that. She can do the blocking. I think we've managed to figure each other out and compliment each others' style of directing.
SLAC. Can you speak to the style of the music?
DARRIN DOMAN. I hesitate to call it karaoke music because that sounds a little derogatory, but it is canned music; it is pre-recorded, so you don't have to hire musicians and pay them. That's a nice sort of cost-cutting measure. The musical stylings – there's a ballad; there's a little sort of lazy waltz, there's a sort of calypso, reggae, salsa feel. You get a variet of musical styles mixed all together. So you can see the pirates and the influence of the sea and the ports around the world that shaped their musical interests...
SLAC. We're going deep.
DARRIN DOMAN. Nothing real heavy rock, but a lot of fun stuff.
SLAC. Thank you, Darrin MD!
In the Room 2
SLAC sits down with Captain Penelope Caywood and her four year old daughter, Presley the Pirate to discuss 'How I Became a Pirate'
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. For me, HOW I BECAME A PIRATE is a great adventure into the imagination. It's a great trip into what a child imagines a pirate to be. So we get to see all of Jeremy Jacob's ideas about what a pirate is and what a pirate does. Because there are so many characters and so many great possibilities of characters in there – just like in the illustrations in the book, there are so many kinds of pirates. We really get to play with the extremes. For me as a kid, pirates were exciting – they weren't too scary – it was more about the adventure and about being on the open sea and about having funny words to say. And not having anyone to answer to. It's a little like running away to the circus or the carnival. It's running away to be a pirate. There's always, I think, a little part of all of us that wishes we could be really loud, say what we really want to say and just run away. To change your name and have a really cool name that you can make up – like 'Sharktooth' –
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. Aye –
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. – or 'Braid Beard' –
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. Aye –
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. I want to have a pirate name for myself. (To Presley) What is your pirate name?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. (With a pirate growl) Presley.
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. Arggh. (At Presley's urging) I have done a lot of pirate shows in my life, so I have a lot of pirate paraphernalia, and one of my lucky charms is this pirate duck.
SLAC. That is the coolest duck I have ever seen.
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. Do you have lots of other pirate lucky charms?
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. I do have lots of other pirate lucky charms – pirate earrings, and I've got pirate scarves... (To Presley) You're wearing one on your head. I have pirate band-aids.
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. They're just pretend.
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. They are just pretend, but they just feel good. We even have a pirate skull and crossbones doormat that we've had for a long time. It's just a way to let people know we have got attitude in this house. Presley's first birthday was a pirate birthday party.
SLAC. What's your pirate name?
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. I'd like to be a Captain...
SLAC. You are a Captain.
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. I guess I am. I could even go with Captain Penelope – or Lady Penelope. I'm Lady Penelope! So I'm just excited. Coming to the theatre is like getting on a ship. You can't leave until we let you off. So come aboard, and it will be a mini adventure – and hopefully for the adults it will be all the things we remember from playing pirates, and for the kids it will be some of their ideas of pirates. Ours just happen to sing and dance as well.
(Presley spies edible booty in a glass bowl on the mantle)
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. Your eyes are keen. It's some booty.
SLAC. Presley, what's your favorite part?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. "Bag the parrot!"
SLAC. That's my favorite part, too!
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. What's your favorite song?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. All of them!
SLAC. Why should other kids come to see this play?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. Because I like this play.
SLAC. You do? Is it funny?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. Yes.
SLAC. What part?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. "Bag the parrot!"
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. What about...? (She whispers in Pirate Presley's ear. Presley starts to laugh.) She does always laugh when we get to the part, "Your booty?!" What are some things that pirates like to say?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. (laughing) "Your booty!"
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. What do they say when they're nervous?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. "Shiver me timbers!"
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. What do they say when they want to say hello?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. Hello!
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. "Ahoy!"
SLAC. Do you think you would make a good pirate on a ship? It seems like you would.
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. Would you swab the deck?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. Yeah.
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. What does that mean, when I say, "Swab the deck"?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. (Wearily) Mop the deck.
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. I'm going to make you swab the deck at home.
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. For real?
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. For real.
SLAC. Presley, what would you tell your friends about the show?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. I'd tell them about the booty part.
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. You're going to spoil that part?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. Nooooooo...
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. You can say booty, but just in the pirate way. No other way. (Laughter)
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. I'll try to trick you...
CAPTAIN PENELOPE to SLAC. She's four.
SLAC. What would you like to say to Jeremy Jacobs when you meet him?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. I'd like to say, "Shiver me timbers."
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. Does it make you feel all nervous inside? Shiver me timbers!
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. No.
SLAC to PRESLEY. Have you been helping your mom prepare for the show?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. Yes.
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. When I go home and start doing my pirate talk, she appreciates it, so that's helpful. She laughs at all my jokes.
SLAC. Does she show you some of her dance moves?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. She never shows me her dance moves.
SLAC. So it will be a surprise!
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. What do you think of Mom's shows when you go to see them? Are they good? Are they so-so?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. I think they are so, so, good!
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. You like my shows better than you like Dad's shows, huh?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. I like all the shows. I like your shows better, and I like Dad's shows better.
SLAC. How does this play differ from your other pirate shows?
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. One I like about the shows here is that they are not shows that are overdone. 'How I Became a Pirate' hasn't been done very often in Utah – it's a relatively new piece, so you're not fighting with anyone's preconceived notions about the piece. If you do Pirates of Penzance, everybody has a certain idea of how it's going to be, or they might have seen the movie. In this case, we just have the book, and from the book, our play goes all over the place to explore different parts of it, so we really get to create it from scratch, as if we were the first people doing it. I love that about a lot of the work here at SLAC, and about this show in particular. We can go as far as we want to go and play and go crazy about our ideas of pirates.
SLAC to PRESLEY THE PIRATE. Have you been on a boat or a ship?
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. She's never been on a ship. (To PRESLEY) What do you think it feels like to be on a ship?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. It feels like you're on the sea.
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. (Pointing to the storm at sea in the book) Would you be scared if that happened to you?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. No.
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. You wouldn't? How come?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. Because I would tell the mateys that they had to row back to the shore.
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. "Row back to the shore!"
SLAC. It sounds like you would be the Captain then.
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. Do you know how to draw a map?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. I know how to draw a map.
CAPTAIN PENELOPE. If you had to bury a treasure, where would you bury it?
PRESLEY THE PIRATE. I'd bury it in the back yard. X marks the spot.
SLAC. Thank you, Penny & Presley. Now we get to go up and meet the mateys!
