All aboard for Pirates of Penzance

This will be the first Summer Youth Production held in the Grand Opera House in three years and follows the Theatre’s recent multi-million-pound restoration. Gilbert and Sullivan’s evergreen comedy The Pirates of Penzance will celebrate the tenth season of the hugely popular summer scheme, during which more than 100 talented young performers will spend two weeks in intensive rehearsals before taking to the famous Grand Opera House stage for four performances, supported by a professional theatre director, musical director, choreographer and technical team.

Registration for open auditions will close on February 25 with the auditions themselves taking place on Sunday March 6, and the scheme itself running from July 10-24.

Encouraging applications, Grand Opera House Chief Executive Ian Wilson said; “Our Summer Youth Production had already established itself as one of the biggest, best and most enjoyable schemes of its kind anywhere in the UK, and it has been greatly missed by young people across Northern Ireland since the start of the pandemic. The scheme is not only credited with helping produce acting and production talent over many years but is also an important platform to promote young people’s confidence, communication skills and mental wellbeing. After the upheaval and stresses of the last two years we are especially delighted to be bringing it back this summer and hope it will give many young people a much-needed boost and an experience to remember.”

No previous acting or singing experience is needed and there will also be an opportunity for 16-18 year olds to be part of the backstage technical team.