The Pirate Convention
The Pirate Convention first hit the stage in 2009. Created at a sidewalk cafe in Traverse City, The Pirate Convention was our first audience participation and would prove to be a show that kept the audience laughing and wanting more.
Benjamin Bones Berattlin' (shown above) has died and the pirates must elect a new King. . . or Queen, so a convention has been called. The audience was encouraged to wear their eye patch and other pirate garb as they too were part of the convention.
All the candidates arrived at the convention to convince their fellow pirates (the audience) that they would make the best King . . . or Queen! Each has time to lay out their platform and try to sway the votes their way.
The pirates were a diverse group! There was the Scottish Pirate, the rough guy, the Ice Man who thought he should run the entire operation, the. . . well, let's say flamboyant pirate, and of course, the sexy female pirate.
After the audience chooses the King. . . or Queen, the evening turns disastrous when the young Lady Ann, daughter of the innkeeper is killed! But who would have done it? Which pirate had a motive to end this beautiful girl's life? Or perhaps, even worse, it could have been the child's very own mother!
Audiences loved being a part of the production
and putting on their best pirate voices! This production was fitting for many ages and very much enjoyed by some of our younger attendees. While the show did contain some adult language and themes, it would probably not receive a rating any worse than PG-13. We actually were pleased with the reaction from both young and old alike.
This show is fitting for any stage size or even a venue without a stage. Sound effects included thunder and rain, as well as a voiceover. We also utilized a fog machine, however, it isn't necessary to the script. Many props were purchased at Halloween stores and the like. The cast included five pirates (1F and 4M), along with the innkeeper and her daughter, however, the number of pirates could be cut down or increased if need be. The audience can be included as additional pirates, dependent on the size of the stage/venue.
AUDIENCE REACTION:
This production was very well received. At our venue, we started the night at the front door when the audience members were greeted by our host/hostess and continued throughout the evening, including dinner. The audiences especially enjoyed the interaction with the pirates during the pre-election period, as well as throwing random questions to the pirates as they discussed their various campaign platforms.
We would highly recommend this production for dinner theater venues.
