New ‘Pirates’ treasure created by Hypocrites

• Reprints

Sean Graney, founder and artistic director of The Hypocites.

Updated: December 2, 2010 4:46PM

For another, very different taste of Gilbert and Sullivan, check out The Hypocrites’ adaptation of “The Pirates of Penzance.”

Anyone familiar with the work of this creative theater company and artistic director Sean Graney knows they never do things the expected way. Two years ago, The Hypocrites began staging a musical each season, beginning with “The Threepenny Opera” and “Cabaret.”

This time around, Graney was looking for a “funny musical to explore,” and found what he wanted in the work of Gilbert and Sullivan, of which, he admits, he didn’t know much about.

“This is such a funny script and the music is so great,” Graney said. “And it’s in the public domain and that allows us to explore it more freely.”

Graney, of course, rethinks everything, and “Pirates” is no exception. For one thing, he’s decided not to use an orchestra. Instead, he’s tapped musician Kevin O’Donnell to create new arrangements for the troupe. The 10 actors play multiple roles as well as their own instruments — guitar, violin, clarinet, banjo, ukulele and mandolin.

But the story hasn’t changed: young ophaned Frederic, apprenticed to a band of hapless pirates, falls in love with Mabel, the daughter of the Major-General. He disavows his old way of life, but the pirates concoct a hilarious way to keep him in their fold.

“It’s complicated, challenging and interesting to work with this music in the new arrangements,” Graney said. “I hope we do the piece service and bring everyone what they like about it as well as something new, too.”

Graney laughs when asked how he thinks it will compare to the Lyric Opera’s “The Mikado.”

“It’s probably going to be the polar opposite approach to their take on Gilbert and Sullivan. We exist in two totally different worlds.”

Mary Houlihan

“The Pirates of Penzance” begins previews Dec. 9 and opens Dec. 14, continuing through Jan. 4 at Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division. For tickets ($28), call (773) 989-7352; the-hypocrites.com.