WAU PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP PERFORMS THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
Written by: By Dr Deborah Thurlow
The WAU Performance Workshop (WPW) has provided a theatrical and educational music “playground” for any students wanting to hone their theatre craft since the 1989-1990 school year. Led by Artistic Director Dr. Deborah Thurlow, WPW has mounted either a full production or a “entertainment” featuring scenes from opera, operetta or musical theatre, often with a thematic script written by “Dr. T.”
On Saturday evening, March 29, 2025, WPW entertained a packed audience in the Peters Music Center with a full production of The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert & Sullivan, which Thurlow first produced 30 years ago in 1995. Senior Richard Machado led the cast playing Frederic, the pirate apprentice. Machado performed in three WPW productions and said, “Performance Workshop has given me the opportunity to [get] out of my comfort zone and adapt to a new character. Each time I performed, I got better at singing and acting. It has been great performing under Dr. Thurlow, whom I hope continues to make great shows!”
WPW cannot succeed without collaborative pianists, usually a faculty member. However, this year two WAU piano majors rose to the occasion. Junior Cedric Boyardi and sophomore Rachel Hampton shared the responsibility. Boyardi also sang as a member of the police force in Act 2, writing, “It was so fun singing and “dancing” as a policeman. Accompanying the first act on the piano was a good challenge, and it helped to improve my skills as a performer.”
WPW was privileged to have accomplished as faculty member and a graduate student as cast members. Mezzo-soprano Hedvig Lunderquist, an accomplished psychologist from Sweden in the Music Therapy Equivalency Program, performed the role of Ruth, maid of all work and guardian to Frederic. She said, “To play Ruth was ‘a dream come true.’ I enjoyed every minute of rehearsing and collaborating with other singers and pianists at WAU. Such an important community was created by laughing, learning and growing together.”
Psychology professor soprano Angelisa Andrade joined the cast as Kate to assist in anchoring the ladies. Despite being a busy professor and psychologist, Andrade (WAU ’19, ’20, ’21) sings with WPW as well as ProMusica when needed. She writes that “experiencing it now as faculty offered something new. I found myself remembering what it felt like to be in the shoes of the students. Balancing nerves, excitement, and a deep love for performing. Sharing the stage with students reminded me of the transformative power of the arts and gave me the chance to keep learning, this time from a place of support and of encouragement.”
Besides Pirates, full WPW productions include: Godspell, The True Story of Cinderella, Dido and Aeneas, The Marriage of Figaro, The Mikado, Immanuel, Into the Woods, Trial by Jury, and Fiddler on the Roof. Scene entertainments with script and staging include: I Dream – I Wish, The Female Perspective, A Bernstein Bash, Love in Time of Struggle, From Handel to Gershwin, Come to the Ball, It’s a Grand Night for Singing, Voices of War, That’s Amore, From Showboat to Phantom, A Bernstein Bash and Mozart Menagerie. In Spring 2022, WPW proudly mentored and presented Becoming, a musical composed, written and produced by senior music majors Jenna Lettsome and Anna Karla Careño.
Enjoy our WAU Music Department concerts and recitals on our YouTube channel: YouTube Channel – WAU Music Dept
WPW 2025 Pirates performance: Watch WPW 2025 – Pirates of Penzance
Whether you’re a seasoned performer or just discovering your voice, the WAU Music Department invites you to be part of something extraordinary. From full-stage productions like The Pirates of Penzance to original student-composed musicals and faculty collaborations, our Performance Workshop (WPW) offers a creative home where talent is nurtured, friendships are formed, and confidence takes center stage.
Join a department where music isn’t just studied—it’s lived, shared, and celebrated. Step into the spotlight with us. Your stage is waiting.
Apply today and explore your future in music at WAU.
