Uh, Ok? PIRATES! THE PENZANCE MUSICAL Relocates Again from New Orleans to Petoskey, Michigan

by Zach Raffio. @zachraffio.

Cast photo: Roundabout Theatre Company

NEW YORK, NY - The team behind Pirates! The Penzance Musical announced today that the latest revival - originally to be a jazzy rendition set in New Orleans - is actually set to relocate the story again, this time to the quaint city of Petoskey, Michigan.

“It’s time for a fresh take on this piece, and while we originally thought that The Big Easy would fit that bill, we quickly realized we could go a step further,” noted producer Hilary Tullman, throwing out a big bag of prop beignets and replacing them with classic Michigan tart cherries. “We can’t wait for audiences to experience these classic songs through the lens of Emmet County’s largest settlement. Hail, Petoskey!”

Cast members were excited to trade their sparkly, big band-ready grab for something a little more subtle.

“As soon as we heard the news, I threw out my big hat and instantly tossed on a ‘49770’ t-shirt. I don’t know what it means,” noted David Hyde Pierce, learning new lyrics to “I Am the Very Model” which incorporate details about Petoskey’s famous fossilized coral. “Oh it’s the zip code! 49770 is the zip code. That’s fun. Now I think the shirt’s a nice souvenir.”

Still, some audience members were left confused by the radical re-re-imagining.

“I feel like the stakes have been lowered a bit,” noted audience member Ryan Poltre, enjoying a themed drink known as The Bretoskey. “I’m always happy to hear reworkings of classic songs. I’m just not sure why SO many are about the rising local food scene and the affordable cost of living compared to the larger metropolitan Detroit. Are… are they trying to get us to move to Petoskey?”

At press time, critics were invited to attend the show again and re-review if they so wish, while all merch purchases now include a key chain, magnet, and one-way ticket to Petoskey with a short connection in Cincinnati.