The Pirates of Penzance
MARCH 7, 8 & 9, 2025
The beloved classic Pirates of Penzance sets sail for Chicago audiences this March at the legendary Mandel Hall on the University of Chicago campus. A spirited romp of acerbic wit, glorious melodies, and infectious joy, The Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company is thrilled to return to one of the most enduring and well-known treasures of the G&S canon.
Delighting Audiences Since 1960 with Gilbert & Sullivan's Wacky Plots and Effervescent Music
Over more than 60 years, we have performed every work in the Gilbert and Sullivan canon. We alternate producing the signature operas with the obscure, taking into consideration programming by other local companies. HMS Pinafore has been performed eight times, The Mikado, The Gondoliers, Iolanthe, and The Yeomen of the Guard have each been produced seven times. The Pirates of Penzance and Ruddigore have each been produced six times. Princess Ida and Patience have been produced four times; The Sorcerer three times; Trial by Jury, twice; and Utopia, Limited and The Grand Duke once each. In 2019 we took a temporary break from the traditional canon, presenting Merrie England by Edward German and Basil Hood, the designated successors to Gilbert and Sullivan.
The Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company has been a mainstay of Chicago's musical scene since its first operetta in Hyde Park in 1960. We are dedicated to presenting a G&S production each year to the highest artistic standards. Through its partnership with UChicago’s Department of Music, the Company’s mainstage productions are in the beautiful, intimate, and acoustically excellent Mandel Hall.
We want supporters like you! Donate to help our future shows.
Your generous support of The Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company (GSOC) ensures the continued success of our mission to bring delightful musical theater to Chicago.