ARKADELPHIA, Ark.—Ouachita Baptist University's Division of Music and Department of Theatre Arts will present the comic opera “H.M.S. Pinafore” by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan from Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 4-7, in Jones Performing Arts Center. Performances will take place Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 2:30 p.m.  

The production takes place in the 1920s aboard the Royal Navy ship H.M.S. Pinafore, anchored off of England’s south coast at Portsmouth. It tells the story of what happens when a captain's daughter is in love with a lower-class sailor, even though her father intends her to marry a lord.  

“I think audiences will be pleasantly surprised by how accessible and funny the production is,” said Director Stephanie Murry, assistant professor of theatre arts at Ouachita. “I am looking forward to their reactions after seeing the performance.”  

During the Friday and Sunday productions, the part of Buttercup will be played by Kinsey Potts, a senior musical theatre major from Wylie, Texas.  

“Preparing for the production has been a great experience. It has been so much fun getting to interact with and meet new people, create relationships and see all the talent on stage,” Potts said. “I am most excited to hear the audience’s reaction to the action on stage. ... It creates an even more inviting and playful atmosphere for the cast when performing.”    

There are 60 Ouachita students in the cast and crew of “Pinafore,” with some roles double-cast to allow broader participation. It is the first time that students from the Opera and Theatre Arts programs will collaborate on a performance.  

Matthew Mayfield, a junior vocal performance major from Tull, Ark., plays Ralph Rackstraw, the sailor at the heart of the story. 

“Getting the chance to a be part of ‘H.M.S. Pinafore’ has been the greatest privilege I’ve ever had as a performer,” Mayfield said. “Whether it be the amazing talent of my fellow performers, the compelling love story or the fantastic music, Ouachita’s production of ‘H.M.S. Pinafore’ has something for everyone to enjoy!” 

The show will also feature a live orchestra in JPAC for the first time since Ouachita’s COVID-19 protocols were put in place.  

Tickets cost $12 and can be purchased at www.obu.edu/boxoffice, or weekdays from 1-5 p.m. at the Ouachita Box Office. Students who present their Ouachita ID upon purchase will receive one free ticket. For more information, contact the box office at (870) 245-5555.