Students discover the joys of Gilbert and Sullivan

Intermountain Catholic

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Above, the Penzance Police rehearse marching in formation while singing their trademark song. Below, the young ladies of Penzance react to the startling news that there are pirates in their midst (in particular, one especially handsome pirate) in the Kearns-St. Ann School production of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta ?The Pirates of Penzance.?

SALT LAKE CITY — Sixty students at Kearns-St. Ann School in Salt Lake City are learning the arts and the joys of a Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta. They will present a children’s version of "The Pirates of Penzance to parents and the public Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., and judging by the rehearsals, the whole project has been nothing but fun.

Doug Nagel, director of education for at Opera San Jose, Calif., and artistic director of the Rimrock Opera in Billings, Mont., is directing the operetta. This is the second time in four years Nagel has joined his sister, Vickie Maronick, music teacher at Kearns-St. Ann and Blessed Sacrament Schools, in mounting a student production.

"This isn’t about perfection," Nagel said in an interview with the Intermountain Catholic. "It’s all about the process. The students can’t participate unless they are current in their studies, and they learn a lot about themselves along the way."

Nagel said it’s important for young people to learn how to balance both sides of their brains, and the operetta productions help them learn memorizing techniques, discipline, study practices, and social interaction, all aspects of life they can apply to other classes.

"This experience is also about students who exist on the outer edges of the cliques breaking through the barrier to acceptance," Nagel said.

In addition to putting in extra time for rehearsals, each student cast member has donated $15 toward the costs of the production, Maronick said. "It’s a commitment and a symbol of ownership of the project. Even the students who don’t have much money have contributed. The money will help pay for costumes, sets, and props."

Kathy Abuchaibe, Spanish teacher at Kearns-St. Ann, said her daughters, Pamela and Katrina, are thoroughly enjoying their involvement in the opera.

"They are so excited about it that it’s almost all we’re talking about at home," Abuchaibe said. "It’s been good for them. They’re really coming out of themselves."

Nagel said he is particularly grateful for donors who have contributed to the project and teachers who have been very patient with the rehearsal schedule.

For further information about "The Pirates of Penzance" call the school at 801-486-0741.