PIRATES OF PENZANCE
1970
“Pirates of Penzance” was a joint production by the SSHS Drama Club and the SSHS Choral Group. It was presented in the SSHS auditorium in February, 1970. The production entertained two good sized audiences and was the forerunner of many big hits to come.
It was during this production that part of the folklore of the SSHS Drama Club had its origins. It became a part of the “initiation some of the cast and crew to send “rookies” on errands of futility. Nearly always unquestioning the instructions, our dutiful “rookies” were to find a “left-handed” hammer or bent nails that go around corners to the Wood shop; to the Physics Lab for a black light bulb for night scenes and to the Chemistry Lab for “dehydrated water” required for special effects!!!!! No matter how many years this went on, it always provided great fun for the “veterans” of the group to watch the rookies attempt to do what they had been asked to do. By the way, one actor was sent the entire length of the school carefully carrying an empty glass flask covered by a paper towel (the flask, you see, was “full” of dehydrated water! “now be careful....don’t spill it...that’s very valuable......”)
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