Pirates of Penzance

Pirates meets Ballet?
Seemed like an odd combination to me at first, but like Courtney Cox and David Arquette it somehow works. A very close friend of mine recommended that I get over to San Jose and check it out. When I got seated and house lights dimmed, and a loud argument broke out with a couple entering the theater «disrupting» the performance much to the displeasure of the people around me, it turned out it was all part of the show, as they turned out to be the soprano, tenor, baritone and alto. They acted as the narrators through song in this performance and blended in as other theatergoers. I enjoyed the interesting personalities that Raymond Meyers (tenor) and Alison Collins (Soprano) brought to their characters.
Dwight Oltman, the conductor, and his symphony delivered a flawless performance on the musical score and the sound resonated in the hall, and went perfectly with the actions on stage by all the performers. The sets were amazing and the transitions between the sets were very quick, and despite how quick the changes were, the sets had some amazing detail and lighting.
The entire cast was fantastic, but I have to say one really stood out, it was watching a dancer by the name of Meng Lu, who delivered a jaw dropping performance, as he played the role of the Pirate King, who was an eccentric and flamboyant pirate, (kinda like a Jack Sparrow) but with the moves of Neo from the matrix. The way he moved seemed to defy gravity, as the moves he did where a precise combination of grace and power. I am not even a person with any ballet background, and despite that, I was able to comprehend and appreciate the things they were able to do during the show.
There was a little bit of everything in this production that I think many people enjoy. A little comedy, traditional and non traditional ballet, vocals, and music. This was a dynamite show and definitely worth the drive to go and see it!
«Avast Ye!» Mates, grab ye wench, jump abaft from your car, and get on over to the San Jose Center For the Performing AARRRRTTTs, (Pirate joke) the show is running from November 19^th to the 22^nd, don’t miss out this performance it’s Aarrrrsome!!!