BUCKLE YOUR SWASH FOR THESE BUCCANEERS

By Chuck Graham, TucsonStage.com

 

photo by Gaslight Theatre

Squint your eyes and the Gaslight Theatre's fabled indoor show comes outdoors for a fresh production of "Buccaneers of the Caribbean."

Hi-ho all you millions of Gaslight Theatre fans who have spent nearly 50 years vigorously booing all the villains, cheering all the heroes and falling in love with the sweet heroines who need saving from those villainous...um...villains.

After staying backstage and out of sight for over a year to avoid that genuine bogey-person COVID-19, the Gaslight gang finally couldn't stand it any longer. Applying considerable theatrical ingenuity – and consuming vast amounts of Gaslight popcorn – they figured a way to showcase their energetic talents by going out under the stars.

Best of all, the Gaslight's first-ever outdoor parking lot show – “Buccaneers of the Caribbean” – does have a lot of the same flavor that made their decades of indoor shows so popular.

These fully costumed Buccaneers are filled with that good ol' reckless enthusiasm to do just about anything to get a laugh. Performing in the field, literally, without a lot of the amenities of indoor productions, is reminiscent of film clips from Bob Hope's comedy shows presented to American soldiers near the front lines of armed combat.

Bare bones and defiant.

COVID-19 has turned us all of us, literally, into frontline soldiers fighting every day to beat this deadly pandemic. Think of the Gaslight Theatre as a USO unit carrying on Bob Hope's proud tradition.

The cast list for this historic adaptation includes: the pirate Captain Bildge (Dave Orley), the pirate Carbunkle (Mike Yarema), the pirate Dry Rot (Jake Chapman), the pirate lass Rianna (Janee Page), the damsel in distress Constance (Heather Stricker), British naval officer Bradley Sterling (Todd Thompson), Tortuga's governor Le Clair (Jacob Brown) and Billie the girl disguised as a sailor (Lydia Zadareky).

 

“Buccaneers of the Caribbean” comes with the usual precautions du jour. All the actors have been vaccinated and do perform without masks. But all the audience members, seated in their own self-identified groups in comfortable Adirondack-styled chairs, are spread out way across the theater's vast parking lot, far exceeding the six-foot distance between groups at tables.

While these individual groups don't need to wear masks among themselves, everyone that is up and walking about is masked, including the servers and theater personnel.

Most importantly (to me) is the need to relentlessly continue cheering the heroes and booing the villains. Because of all that empty space between the seats and the stage, the instant audience response to the performers' shameless puns and hilarious shenanigans is missing. Since happy hearts don't make any noise, go the extra mile to vocalize your happiness.

Especially when it comes to jeering the dastardly black hearts of actors speaking from the dark side. As those who play the villains always liked to remind their indoor audience, “Don't worry, I can handle my boos.” 

Of course the show is full of pirate puns and opportunities to say “Arrghhhh,” such as how pirates love movies rated “Rrraghhh” and one particular bad boy of the briny is proud of his Arrghhgyle socks.

These bargain basement lads bought their ship at a good price because it was “on sail,” while another noted that a pirate's least favorite vegetable is “leeks!” You just had to be there.

But my favorite Gaslight pirate joke was left out of this year's version: What's a pirate's top price for gold earrings? A buccaneer.

Moving right along...the traditional aftershow olio stays nautical with its own version of “Gilligan's Island” featuring portrayals of key figures Gilligan, the Skipper, the Professor, Maryann, the Millionaire and his wife, Ginger the movie star and “teen heart throb Davey Jones.”

“Buccaneers of the Caribbean” runs through June 6, with reservations taken for groups of six or less. All tickets must be purchased in advance. For show details and the COVID restrictions, visit www.thegaslighttheater.com or phone 886-9428.