'Pirates of Penzance'raids Ephrata

EPHRATA — Pirates and family fun come to Ephrata this week during a high school rendition of "Pirates of Penzance."

The operetta is about a young man named Frederick, who is mistakenly apprenticed to a pirate instead of a pilot. When his 21st birthday arrives, Frederick decides to leave the pirate lifestyle. He comes upon a group of young women and falls in love with Mabel. When the pirate band shows up, they decide to marry the other maidens on the spot. Their father is a major general and objects to his daughters marrying pirates.

The show is Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Ephrata High School Performing Arts Center. A matinee showing is Saturday at 1 p.m. The cost is $7 at the door or purchased in advance at Bookery Bookstore in Ephrata.

Seniors Skyler Mehal, 18, and Hannah Loeffelbein, 17, play the parts of Frederick and Mabel. The two are a real-life couple since eighth grade.

"I love to sing," said Mehal.

She is competing in a state competition after winning first place with one of the songs from the play.

Loeffelbein described her character as a self-assured flirt. She takes a liking to Frederick, while her sisters are too stuck up to give him a chance. She said the play is hilarious.

"It's completely different than anything I've ever done," she said.

Mehal said he gets nervous before a play, but once on stage the jittery feeling disappears.

"I'm an adrenaline junkie," he said. "That's what they call me."

Director Mindy Wall said "Pirates of Penzance" is her sixth and the last musical she is directing at the high school before her retirement. On Feb. 22, less than a week after the final showing of the play, she is flying to China with her husband and four sons to adopt a 2-year-old girl with disabilities.

Wall wanted to put on the play for a while, but only now thought students were ready. It is the most challenging play in her time at the school. The vast majority of it is sung and there is no down time for set-up between scenes. The only breaks are between acts one and two.

"I think this is a good note to end on," Wall said.

Wall noted the costumes were created for the play. In the past, the crew worked with what they had on hand. Costume Master Kathy Hamlett and a team of seamstresses created 13 dresses, nightgowns, hats and undergarments, in addition to 14 police uniforms.

She noted the play is all-ages, and Loeffelbein echoed her sentiments.

"It's going to be very enjoyable for all ages, so everybody should come," she said.

After graduation, Loeffelbein plans to attend beauty school and then look into fashion school, with a goal of creating her own clothing line.

Mabel is attending Central Washington University after graduation to study music performance or music education, in addition to studying business administration.

Both play guitar and piano in addition to singing.