The pirate musical “Hot Grog” will cast a theater of magic onto the audience tonight at 8:00 p.m. in Tang Theater.
This spring’s Theater 520 production is directed by Mark Efinger, Instructor of Theater, with musical direction by Christina Landolt, Instructor in Music and choreography by Sumi Matsumoto ’11.
“Aristotle once said that history is things the way it happened and theatre is things the way it might have happened. This play dances between them both in a beautiful way,” said Efinger.
Hot Grog blends the different stories of historical characters from similar time periods including Blackbeard, the legendary pirate and the duo Anne Bonney and Mary Read, two females who dressed themselves up as men to go out to sea as pirates. The play also incorporates the history of Calico Jack, another famous pirate.
The musical revolves around Anne Bonney, the niece of the colonial governor of North Carolina, who disguises herself as a cabin boy and joins the legendary pirate, Blackbeard, and his crew to pursue her dream of a seafaring adventure.
“Bland Simpson who wrote the story and Jim Wann who wrote the music took the stories, that of the two women Anne Bonney and Mary Read and Calico Jack. … Jack, Read and Bonney were all on the same ship, and Blackbeard had another ship where there was another girl who was dressed as a cabin boy. These two stories are put together into one story,” explained Efinger.
The musical brings the audience back to the world of pirates in 1718 through a lot of theater magic that is used to pique the imagination of the audience, said Efinger.
The interesting mix of characters, pirate music and different costumes and props complete the show.
Andrew Schlager ’12, who stars as Blackbeard, utilizes historical accounts of Blackbeard to create the perfect representation of the legendary pirate. His shaggy beard and red bandana, along with his slouchy shirt, add a finishing touch to his pirate character.
Patrick Brady ’11 plays Calico Jack Rackham. “Calico is, in Mark Efinger’s words, the George Clooney of the Pirate Ship. He is a well-respected pirate aboard the ship who most of the crew can trust, in part due to his loyalty and camaraderie. Although the Captain is Blackbeard, Calico’s level-headedness and kind heart work really well on the ship dynamic,” said Brady.
Anne Bonney is played by Marilyn Harris ’11. “Anne is serving as a central figure in this narrative that all the other pirates are going through. We talked about this idea of wanderlust when we were first working on the show. The first song is ‘A Seizure to Roam’…It’s this idea of really wanting to go back to sea and have all this adventure… the sense that you are dying in the slow death in this rigid upright society of the early 1700s which is what [Anne] experiences when the show begins. So it’s about risking it all for the freedom, the chance for adventure even if it’s short-lived,” said Harris.
With pride, Efinger notes, “These are some kids with some great talents and I am really glad to have an opportunity to showcase them in this way. … It’s a great cast of kids who can sing and dance and perform.”
Music is yet another astounding aspect of the show that brings livelihood to the audience. The musicians become an integral part of the show as they play on stage during the production. Their music features bluegrass rock-and-roll, setting the perfect tone for the pirate story.
“I wanted to feature the musicians, the music itself and the musicality of the performers … The music is what [the musical] is really about and we have this pirate story that comes out of the music … rather than the other way around,” said Efinger.
“The band started working on the music from January because we knew we wanted them on the stage so they needed to know the music ahead of time… Starting with no parts or recordings was certainly a challenge … So we had to write parts and make recordings for the musicians to learn with,” said Landolt.
The visit by the Red Clay Ramblers, the bluegrass rock band from North Carolina, brought Bland Simpson, the writer of the play, to Andover in January and helped the musicians and singers prepare for the right style of execution for their performance.
The location of the program constantly changes as it is set both on and off the coast of North Carolina in the year 1718. The setting is also in constant change, varying from being in the governor of North Carolina’s mansion to the deck of the ship in Charleston harbor to a rowboat in the middle of the ocean on a foggy night.
All of the scenes are set up by using two step-ladders, five trunks and some digital projections made onto the pieces of cloth that are draped over the step ladders, which Efinger calls “theater magic.”
“Everyone has a very important part to play aboard the ship. If one person neglects his duty, our sails might not fly or the mast could tumble to the floor. I think everyone in the cast has a dedicated work ethic coupled with a beautiful sense of humor – finding a balance between the two makes our rehearsals a very enjoyable, special occasion,” said Brady.
All the cast of “Hot Grog” truly does an incredible job as a group in bringing the historical story of the pirates onto the stage.
In August, the show will travel to The Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, the world’s largest theater festival where Andover’s six faculty members and 45 performers will travel with all their sets, props and costumes.
“Hot Grog” is open to the public and presents tonight at 8:00 p.m., on Thursday, May 26 at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday, May 28 7:30 p.m. Saturday’s show is a special double feature with “Physical Graffiti,” a modern dance concert by Andover Dance Group.
