KWU Music Prepares for Pirates

Kansas Wesleyan University (KWU) students recently auditioned for the collaboration show at Theatre Salina. As part of the planned production, KWU students and Salina community members will come together to perform the musical, Pirates of Penzance. This classic musical provides KWU students with new opportunities to grow and learn. However, the audition process took longer than expected. While Theatre Salina waits to publish the cast list for the musical, this wait provides KWU students more time to learn what makes this production and collaboration so important.

Advertisement for Pirates of Penzance. Courtesy of Theatre Salina.

The History of Pirates

Pirates of Penzance is a musical from the famous writing duo, W.S. Gilbert and Arther Sullivan. These two writers composed many of the most popular musicals of the late 1800s. Pirates still is one of their most beloved comedies. The story follows a young Frederic, who leaves his apprenticeship with a band of pirates to marry the daughter of a general. The Pirates and the General’s family conflict throughout the piece, with clever wordplay and humor that still lands hearty laughs today.  

Originally the show premiered in New York City in 1879. Later the duo would take their show overseas, but a century later, Pirates would return to the Great White Way. In 1981, a revised version of the original opera premiered on Broadway. This time, the language of the script was touched up for a contemporary audience. This brought Pirates back into the spotlight in pop culture.

Since the return to New York City, Pirates has been referenced across various forms of media from hidden lines in Hamilton to Family Guy cutaways. As recently as 2025, a new version of Pirates entitled, Pirates! The Penzance Musical came to Broadway. This version completely reworked the setting, music, and language of the show. While still keeping Gilbert and Sullivan’s style, the changes allowed new audiences to experience the comedy. 

While the version that KWU students and Theatre Salina will be performing is closer to the original adaptation, these adaptations aided in the decision to perform the piece. They proved that modern audiences still love the older style of comedy mixed with the farcical nature of the story. 

The Audition Process

For a story as unique as this, actors need to come prepared to dance, sing, and act their hardest. At Theatre Salina, auditions are a chance for young KWU talent to show what they can do in front of both the production team and their fellow actors. The process is simple and effective. Anyone auditioning brings in a cut of a song to perform after they fill out the audition paperwork. Everyone sings in front of the entire room. From there, actors will learn and perform a short dance cut from the show as well as read lines for the characters.  

Some young KWU talent is already experienced in this process. Zander Flener, a KWU sophmore, participated in this year’s audition. Last year Flener played Antony in Sweeney Todd in the KWU collaboration show with Theatre Salina. This year, he returned to audition, dropping his name in the ring for the role of Frederic. 

When asked about his time at Theatre Salina, Flener said, “I personally have benefited from the collaboration by receiving amazing performance opportunities from it.” 

Flener was one of many KWU students who auditioned. However, he did note a few challenges during this year’s audition process. According to Flener and other students who auditioned, the turnout for the auditions was less than Theatre Salina. Some students alleged that one night only seven individuals showed up to audition. For auditions that usually bring between 20-30 people, this may explain why no cast list announcement has been made. Unlike other Theatre Salina and KWU collaborations, the Theatre hosted a second weekend of auditions. Unfortunately, on the weekend of the 24th, the n

Theatre Salina’s Facility. Photo by Jacob Brown

ew auditions conflicted with a major winter storm. While the auditions still occurred, time will tell how much they helped the production.  

Unfortunately, not every KWU student that wanted to audition could join the show. Freshman Alphonse “Tre” Brown, last seen in KWU’s fall play, Dracula, could not commit to the show due to a scheduling conflict. Brown is a Musical Theatre major and wished he could have auditioned and joined the show. 

“It would have been a good way to get better at my art,” Brown said, “I love performing…it makes me feel like I’m seen and I’m inspiring someone.” 

Brown plans to audition for the next KWU collaboration show in the spring of 2027. 

Pirates of Penzance performances are on weekends from April 3-19. To stay up to date on the cast list’s release, click here to visit Theatre Salina’s webpage. Here you can learn more about the production and buy tickets to see the collaboration between KWU Music Department and Theatre Salina.