Alex Kirstukas has been a fan of Gilbert & Sullivan ever since he was cast as a small sailor in HMS Pinafore as a child. He grew up marveling at their music, wit and memorable characters.
He is currently performing as the “Sergeant of Police” in Hole in the Wall Theater’s current production of The Pirates of Penzance. For Alex, this is a dream show. “The Sergeant of Police is trying very hard to put on a good face but knows well that his gang are not courageous enough to take on a band of pirates,” said Alex, “especially when there are only three of them.”
As a child, Alex loved Broadway musicals. However, once he discovered Gilbert & Sullivan, a new love affair was born. “Through their works, I found some spectacular music. I also met characters who are the most engaging idiots you would ever want to spend two hours with.”
For Alex, this Pirates experience has been an incredible journey. “(Director) Emily Trudeau is a genius. She stuffed this huge show into a black box space without changing any of the music. She also respected the integrity of the original text.”
A literary translator (he translates novels from French to English), Alex originally hails from Iowa. Work brought him out to the Nutmeg State. “There weren’t many opportunities to perform Gilbert & Sullivan out there. There are so many opportunities to perform it here. Working on this show has been a fantastic adventure.”
Come see Alex and the rest of the cast in Hole in the Wall Theater’s production of The Pirates of Penzance. Performances continue Fridays & Saturdays through June 11th at 8:00pm with a Sunday matinees on June 5th at 2:00pm. The Pirates of Penzance is directed and choreographed by Emily Trudeau of Cheshire who helmed HITW’s successful 2015 summer production of Enron. Tickets are $25.00 (General Admission) and $20.00 (students & seniors). Tickets can be purchased at the door and online at www.hitw.org.