SPH Lippo Cikarang’s Pirates of Penzance: A Showcase of Student Excellence in Musical Drama

The show tells the story of Frederic, a highly dutiful man who sets out to leave the pirate life and start anew on land, only to find that his journey is not as simple as he thought. With high energy levels, classic comedy, and a focus on collaboration between younger and older grade levels, teachers, and staff, this production serves as a testament to the talent and hard work of the SPH Lippo Cikarang community.   

This in-person production, which was held on Saturday, February 11, 2023, after a total of 6 months of preparation, featured 38 students from grades 4 to 12, as well as teachers, staff, and even parents who helped with choreography, vocals, costumes, makeup, and more, making up a total of 78 casts and crew. The show was produced by special arrangement with Pioneer Drama Service, Inc., Englewood Colorado, and directed by Ms. Ariadne Lewis. 

Leading the cast were Justin (Grade 12) as Frederic, Angelina (Grade 12) as Mabel, and Jennifer (Grade 11) as The Pirate Queen. In addition to that, the performances of Jose (Grade 10) as Major-General Stanley and Yumin (Grade 5) as Sergeant Sam Johnson were also noteworthy. 

An Inspiring Journey for the Community

Ms. Ariadne Lewis, the musical’s director, mentioned, “It has been an inspiring journey for the SPH Lippo Cikarang community to prepare a production of this scale for our school. Many cast members have committed over 80 hours of rehearsal time to this performance and have demonstrated dedication, talent, and sacrifice to make this production successful. Not only acting but SPH Lippo Cikarang students are also helping with many other aspects of the production, including playing in the band as music accompaniment, helping backstage, and arranging costumes and props. It has been overwhelming how many teachers, staff, and even parents have shown support through their help with choreography, drama, vocals, costumes, props, makeup, hair, set design, and much more. In addition, we thank our parent community that has been very supportive through prioritizing rehearsal time and helping with various provisions.”