Theatre Three presents “Stede Bonnet: A F*CKING PIRATE MUSICAL”
Conceived and Written by Nicole Neely
Music and Lyrics by Clint Gilbert
Directed and Choreographed by Danielle Georgiou
Photos by Jeffrey Schmidt
My thoughts on Stede Bonnet: A F*CKING PIRATE MUSICAL or “arrgh-uably” the best new musical in quite a while.
Ahoy Maties! Raise the mainsail and set out for Theatre Three where there is a treasure chest of a musical making its world premiere. With witty, often screamingly hilarious dialogue, enough anachronisms to fill the crow’s nest, and tuneful music with smart lyrics, playwright Nicole Neely and her composer and lyricist husband Clint Gilbert bring the story of Stede Bonnet to swashbuckling life.
This story of one man’s quest for adventure is more than laughs, however. Playwright Neely gives Stede Bonnet: A F*CKING PIRATE MUSICAL a heart and characters who have suffered loss or are profoundly affected by the grief they have caused, and Stede Bonnet’s stellar cast is more than up to the challenge of both the comedy and the pathos.
The cast of seven feels more like seventeen thanks to three characters known as Pirates 1, 2, and 3. Marti Etheridge, Jovane Caamano, and Cherish Love Robinson all sing and dance wonderfully accompanied by music director Danny Anchondo Jr.’s sensational band and play multiple characters that Director Georgiou keeps scurrying all over scenic designer Natalie Rose Mabry’s multi-level set with a terrific “ship” in the middle. Rachel Nicole Poole is Elsie, a woman whose mother was killed by pirates and her sister kidnapped by them. Elsie is a tragic, but never weak, character who is out for revenge and Poole inhabits her completely. Poole also has a lovely voice and her plaintive song “To See The Sun Again” is one of the evening’s best. Christopher Llewyn Ramirez plays Israel Hands, a sea wise pirate who acts as a sort of combination cockswain/bosun/first mate for Stede. Ramirez is a strong singer and superb actor who gives Israel a tough façade, but later reveals the inner guilt and turmoil over his past deeds in a dynamic solo during which the anguish on his face tells us as much as his words. Laura Lyman Payne, in one of co-designers Sarah Mosher’s and Mary Dynese Swanson’s best costumes, is the strong, cocky, and extremely self-confident Blackbeard who is both a mentor and a nemesis to Stede. Payne commandeers the stage in every scene in which she appears. It is great fun to watch her swaggering Blackbeard strut around barking orders and threats. Payne’s introductory song had the audience roaring its approval. As Stede, the nobleman who forsakes wife and child to “rewrite his story,” Parker Gray is a non-stop comic marvel. His energy appears to be limitless as he cavorts about the stage in his blond locks as the effete wannabe pirate. His comic delivery is flawless and hysterically funny. Every movement, every facial expression elicits an audience reaction, and he endears himself even more with his adlibs. Gray makes the less than admirable Stede tremendously appealing. I realize that 2022 is not quite a third over, but I am willing to wager that this is the comic performance of the year. This is one of those it must be seen to be believed performances.
Director Georgiou has a choreographer’s eye for space and movement that adds much to the visual appeal of Stede Bonet: A F*CKING PIRATE MUSICAL and her lively dance steps accentuate the humor of the musical. One of the best laughs of the night occurs when the characters dance around the ship’s mast and break out in some modern dance moves.
Stede Bonet: A F*CKING PIRATE MUSICAL succeeds on every level. It is so gratifying to be among the first to see a new work that has every chance for success and will undoubtedly be mounted in venues all over the country. Lower the Jolly Roger, head into port, and see Stede Bonnet. WTF? Why aren’t you getting tickets right now?
WHERE: Theatre Three, 2800 Routh Street, Dallas, TX 75201
WHEN: April 7 – May 1
