ENMU play sure to enchant

Some of my earliest and happiest memories are of wriggling into place on the prickly green velvet seats in Eastern New Mexico University’s old theater and waiting for the lights to dim and the curtains to go up each February for the annual production of the school’s long-running variety show, “Swanee.”

Curtain time back then was 8 p.m. I remember my mother insisting my brothers and I attempt to take afternoon naps ahead of the show. I was always too excited to sleep.

It was the 1960s, and many women in the audience sported beehive hairdos. Through some sort of Murphy’s Law of theater-goers, the smallest children always ended up seated behind the tallest beehives. My father had a standing joke of threatening to bring a bag of fleas to unleash on those towering creations so they would be scratched down to a level we kids could see over.

Fast-forward a half century. The seats in Eastern’s University Theater Center are neither green nor velvet, and beehive hairdos are — thank goodness — only a memory. But the opportunity for young children to be enchanted by live musical theater is alive and well and available the next two weekends in ENMU’s production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera, “The Pirates of Penzance.”

Travis Sherwood, assistant professor of music at ENMU and one of two music directors for the show, promises a fun experience for audiences of all ages.

“Young children will love this production,” he said. “This is a very high energy show with colorful costumes, live action sword fights, a pirate ship, and blaring cannon fire.”

Sherwood said the joint production between Eastern’s theater department and school of music is the first such collaboration in over a decade.

In choosing “The Pirates of Penzance,” Sherwood said, “we wanted to select a show that would highlight the strengths of our two departments. We needed a piece with roles that invited fabulous singing as well as character roles that would highlight the skills of a fine actor. After considering many titles we felt as though ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ contained the perfect combination for our two departments.”

The cast and crew — including a full pit band — number more than 40, and Sherwood said in the last four weeks the students have put in more than 130 hours of rehearsal time.

If you’re a newcomer to Gilbert and Sullivan, be prepared for lighthearted and clever lyrics, like when the king of the pirates wonders, “Although we live by strife / We’re always sorry to begin it / For what, we ask, is life / Without a touch of Poetry in it?”

The six performances on the UTC’s Main Stage include two this weekend — 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday — and four running Feb. 23-26.

Reservations are available by calling 575-562-2711. Tickets for this family-friendly production are $7 general admission, free for ENMU students, and $3 for children 18 and under.

“We are happy to put on this production as a service for our community,” Sherwood said, “but the true reason for everything we do at ENMU is for our students. It is essential that these young performing artists have a professional performing experience, and part of that experience is performing for an audience. We hope that the community will come out and support the work of these fine students and enjoy the production.”

All that, and mermaids, too. Who could possibly resist?

Betty Williamson is incurably addicted to musical theater. You may reach her at: [email protected]