(PHILADELPHIA, PA) -- Quintessence Theatre continues its 16th season with The Pirates of Penzance, the beloved comic opera by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, from November 19, 2025 to January 4, 2026. Directed by Quintessence Artistic Director Alex Burns, the resplendent and hilarious story follows a band of pirates who go to battle with the British bobbies over the hearts of a bevy of beautiful Cornish maidens, with only a Major- General and Queen Victoria to stand in their way.
With celebrated local actor Chris Patrick Mullen taking on the Major General Stanley, the cast features actors Hasani Allen, Erin Frances, Liam Gerard, Emilie Gubler, Wesley Hodges, Sadie Koopman, Trevor Martin, Nalani Matthias,Sam Pottinger, Christina Stroup, and Brandon Walters. The Pirates of Penzance is set to have 44 performances and 3 matinees for area school children onstage at Quintessence at the Sedgwick Theatre.
Since its debut in New York City in 1879, Gilbert and Sullivan’s swashbuckling two-act opera is considered one of the pioneering works of modern musical theater. The opera has delighted generations of audiences thanks to the duo’s witty commentary on social and political issues such as duty, honor, and the absurdities of British society. With memorable numbers such as “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General,” “A Most Amusing Paradox” and “Poor Wand’ring One,” The Pirates of Penzance’s clever wordplay and melodic brilliance continue to have a lasting imprint on contemporary musical storytelling.
Performances take place at the historic Sedgwick Theater (7137 Germantown Avenue) in Philadelphia, PA - a flexible black box theater. The play has an estimated running time of 2 hours, with a 15-minute intermission, and is recommended for audiences ages 7 years or older.
Tickets run from $25 to $75. Theatregoers enjoy Pay-What-You-Can tickets for Pirates of Penzance on November 19. Multiple discounts, Group Sales, event details, and information are available at qtgrep.org or by calling the Box Office at 215-987-4450. Public and street parking is available throughout the Mt. Airy neighborhood.
"The sharp wit of Gilbert's lyrics and the soaring melodies of Sullivan have lost none of their bite or thrill,” said Burns. “In exploring the timely themes and vulnerable Victorian ideals of honor, self-help, and duty, Quintessence is embracing this romantic comedy's watchcry: ‘Take heart! Fair days will shine!’ One of Gilbert and Sullivan's most joyful operettas, this sticky toffee pudding of a satirical tale will follow our theatre’s annual tradition of delighting audiences of all ages this holiday season.”
In The Pirates of Penzance, Frederic (Walters), a dashing young apprentice to a band of tenderhearted pirates, eagerly awaits his 21st birthday and the chance to begin a life of duty and honor on dry land. However, a clerical mix-up reveals he was born on February 29, meaning he won’t truly come of age for decades, setting off a wave of comic complications. Along the way, he falls for the spirited Mabel (Matthias), one of the many daughters of the blustery Major-General Stanley (Mullen), as his pirate comrades and the clever Ruth (Stroup) plot and sing their way through a sea of mischief. With bumbling policemen, mistaken loyalties, and songs that sparkle with wit and charm, this rollicking tale of love, honor, and hilarity makes Quintessence a delightful winter escape.
The cast features local and regional actors bringing Gilbert and Sullivan’s comical opera to life, with actor Brandon Walters (Playboy of the Western World, The Fantasticks) and Hawaiian-born, Philadelphia-based actor Nalani Matthias performing as the story’s two lovers, Frederic and Mabel. Joining them are actor Christopher Patrick Mullen (Macbeth, The Reckless Romance Repertory) as Major-General Stanley, actor and singer Trevor Martin as the Pirate King, Christina Stroup as Ruth, Wesley Hodges as Samuel, and Liam Gerard (Cyrano de Bergerac) as the Sergeant of Police. Actors Hasani Allen, Erin Frances, Emilie Gubler, Sadie Koopman, and Sam Pottinger complete the production’s ensemble cast.
Quintessence founder and artistic director Alex Burns directs The Pirates of Penzance. Since establishing Quintessence in 2010, he has been dedicated to unleashing the full force of the theatrical medium through the classics for 21st-century audiences. A native of Mt. Airy, Burns studied drama at Northwestern University and apprenticed under notable directors Frank Galati, Gale Edwards, Michael Kahn, Michael Bogdanov, Ethan McSweeny, and Robert Moss. Over the last 16 seasons, Burns has directed several notable productions at Quintessence, including Macbeth (2024), My Fair Lady (2017), The Three Musketeers (2015), and Hamlet (2013). In 2025, Burns received a Barrymore Award nomination for his work directing Quintessence’s production of Cyrano de Bergerac.
Burns leads a creative team featuring Scenic Designer Brian Sidney Bembridge (Doctor Faustus, Skin of our Teeth), Costume Designer Risa Ando, Costume Assistant Josie Gladden, Lighting Designer Anthony Forchielli (Kiss Me Kate, Mary Poppins), Choreographer Shannon Murphy, Choreography Consultant and Principal Dancer at Philadelphia Ballet Sterling Baca, Music Director and Arranger Steven Gross, Conductor and pianist Luke McGinnis, Fight Director Ian Rose, Intimacy Director K. O’Rourke, and Dialect Coach Melanie Julian. The production team is rounded out by Production Stage Manager Josh Rodrigues and Assistant Stage Manager Liz Nugent.
SPECIAL PROGRAMMING
Quintessence is hosting a variety of special programming and performances to further engage audiences around The Pirates of Penzance, including:
Queer Affinity Night: Thursday, December 11 at 7:00pm – Quintessence Producing Artistic Director Alex Burns hosts a post-show meet-and-greet with complimentary cocktails.
Young Artists Night: Friday, December 12 at 7:30pm – Free food, NA beverages, and a meeting with a theatre professional! Show up 30 minutes before the show with your friends, and meet a working theatre professional to talk about your own theatre life, aspirations, and love of the stage.
Post-Show Cast Talkback Night: Thursday, December 4 at 7:00pm – Patrons can meet the cast members immediately after the performance to ask anything they’d like about the production.
Post-Show Talkback: Sunday, December 7 at 3:00pm – A special guest will be invited on stage after the performance to discuss the nuances of the production in depth.
Industry Night: Wednesday, December 10 at 7:00pm – Philly theatre friends and colleagues can purchase tickets for just $10 and come early, hang out, and enjoy bar specials. Theatre Industry tickets are also available for every performance for $15.
Founded in 2010, the award-winning Quintessence Theatre is dedicated to bringing epic works of classic drama and literature to the contemporary stage. As Philadelphia’s text-based, actor-focused repertory theatre, Quintessence re-envisions the classics to inspire our community to consider what is essential in theatre and in human nature. Quintessence is now in its 16th season at the Sedgwick Theater in Philadelphia’s Northwest neighborhood of Mt. Airy, and is led by Producing Artistic Director Alex Burns and Executive Director Erica Ezold. The company has recently purchased the historic Sedgwick Theater with ongoing plans to preserve and renovate it.
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