Go overboard laughing with ‘Jolly Roger and the Pirate Queen’

Ahoy there, mateys! The Backlot Players’ annual youth production, “Jolly Roger and the Pirate Queen,” will sail onto the Rose Theater stage beginning Saturday night.

“This is a pirate comedy,” said Elizabeth Hunter, the show’s director. “There are two main characters, Roger Goodman and Sarah Huffington. Roger wants to be married to Sarah, but she only wants to be married to a pirate. Roger decides his best plan of action is to go to sea and become a pirate. Of course, Sarah also decides she needs to head to sea to find a pirate.”

Not surprisingly, Roger’s plan does not go as expected. After he buys a ship, hires a crew and asks for the tutelage of the fearsome Long John Silver, he is obliged to go on a treasure hunt. In traditional slapstick fashion, all parties converge into one place.

“The humor leans a bit towards slapstick,” Hunter said. “But really, there are jokes and punchlines pretty much everywhere.”

With a cast of 23, Hunter said she could not be more pleased with the performances on stage.

“I’ve got 23 actors, ranging from sixth grade through early 20s. It’s a really good group, with a lot of new talent. They are having fun and giving the show their best. Each of our cast is a star in their own right and is absolutely determined to make sure that their characters are very memorable,” she said.

“Costuming is traditional pirate gear, filled with bandannas and swords. There are sword fights and lots of swashbuckling,” Hunter said. “The set is fairly straightforward. Most of the action takes place on a tropical island and the kids have had a lot of fun painting the backdrops and creating palm trees. We’ve been able to watch everything come together and watch the plain black stage turn into something magical, full of life and excitement.”

The end of the play guarantees plenty of laughs for the audience.

“Everyone has really given it their best and I know our audiences will enjoy it. I look forward to seeing everyone come out and support us,” she said.

For this show, Backlot has added a Thursday night performance, since the play is not opening until Saturday — one night later than usual.

“We are starting one day late since so many of our cast will be performing in the honor chorus the Friday before we open,” Hunter said. “They are all so talented, it is not surprising that they spread that talent around.”

This story was originally published January 18, 2017 at 7:40 AM with the headline "Go overboard laughing with ‘Jolly Roger and the Pirate Queen’."