“The Pirates of Penzance” opened Thursday night at Ouachita Baptist University’s Jones Performing Arts Center. The Gilbert & Sullivan opera, presented in English, will be performed again today and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. A matinee will be performed Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

Thursday’s opening night performance featured great music, costumes and acting. OBU’s School of Fine Arts Division of Music presents the opera.

“It’s a glorious thing, to be a Pirate King” says the youngest Pirate of Penzance. The story begins with a young man named Fredric (played by Jacob Watson and Max Swarner) who comes of age (or so he thinks) and decides to leave the band of pirates, all to find out he’s not quite old enough.

Frederic wants to see what the rest of the world is like, and to find out if other young maidens are beautiful, since all he knows of maidens is Ruth (Abby Adams), the “older” nurse who now has her eyes set on him. He reluctantly agrees to take her as his wife.

Then he hears young maidens laughing and singing as Major-General Stanley’s daughters happen into the pirates’ territory. Frederic sees their beauty and finds interest in one of them (Mabel, played by Hannah Chapman and Grace Johnson). He rejects Ruth for Mabel.

After a series of complications, Frederic rejoins the pirates out of duty. He helps them to be forceful in becoming men for the maidens. Ruth explains that the pirates appear to be unlawful, but are actually good citizens who have done wrong things. Turns out, the pirates are pardoned and given permission to marry the Major General’s maidens.

You’ll find this a family show for all to enjoy. There’s an abundance of laughter and fun.

The cast includes: Bryan Books as Major-General Stanley; Sean Wilson as The Pirate King; Doug Brady as Samuel; Matthew Landers as the Sergeant of Police; Chelsea Cunningham and Julie Robinson as Edith; Stephanie Batsel and Danielle De Nicola as Kate, and Ashley Wieronski and Katie Edenfield as Isabel.

Dr. Jon Secrest is the stage director, music director and conductor; Glenda Secrest is stage director and music director. The opera is choreographed by Melody Taylor and Kyle Huey.