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Your support keeps truth alive in Decorah—donate to local news today! DECORAH — New Minowa Players (NMP) concluded its summer production of "The Pirates of Penzance" this past weekend, presenting Gilbert and Sullivan's well-known comic operetta with a full cast of community performers and a creative staging that featured beautiful hand-painted sets and atmospheric lighting. Directed by Sheryl Sheffert, the production starred Jesse Reese as Frederic, a young man mistakenly apprenticed to a band of pirates until his 21st birthday, and Emily Schmidt as Mabel, the daughter of a major general and Frederic's romantic interest. Jonathon Struve appeared as the Major General, a role well known for its difficult, rapid-fire lyrics. Matt Cody played the swaggering Pirate King, joined by Karen Esterl as Ruth, Frederic's former nursemaid, and current piratical-maid-of-all-work. Alexander Rosenow took the role of Samuel, the Pirate King's lieutenant, and Dan Mrakovich portrayed the straight-laced, but often befuddled Sergeant of Police. "Some shows delve deeply into the human condition, and some are just a little vacation from reality. Welcome to vacation," Scheffert wrote in the show's program. Written in 1879, The Pirates of Penzance remains one of the most widely produced operettas in the English-speaking world. Known for its mix of satire, slapstick, and tongue in cheek wordplay, the operetta follows Frederic as he navigates conflicting duties to his pirate crew and to his sense of honor, all while falling in love and facing a series of absurd technicalities along the way. NMP is a community theater organization based in Decorah, producing a variety of performances throughout the year. Their upcoming 50th Anniversary season will feature: Band Geeks - August 7 - 10 Winnie the Pooh - October 23 - 26 An Iliad - November 6 - 9 You're a Good Man Charlie Brown - January 22 - 25 & 30 - 31 You Can't Take It With You - April 9 - 12 Into The Woods - June 25 - 28 Stay informed, stay inspired! Newsletter sign up is free and join hundreds of free subscribers who rely on DecorahNews.com for trusted information and fresh perspectives.

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A Modern Major Production: NMP's Pirates of Penzance Sails into the Sunset