MovieChat Forums > The Pirates of Penzance Discussion > A mystery: Saw Pirates around 79-80 with...

A mystery: Saw Pirates around 79-80 with Kevin Kline AND Kay Ballard


I know I saw Pirates of Penzance (live performance in NYC) around 79 or 80 with Kevin Kline and Kay Ballard. But the movie description and reviews say Kay came on after Kevin left. I swear I remember them together vividly. I also recall Maureen McGovern as the female lead, though I could be wrong about that.

Does anyone else recall the cast from that time?

reply

I was in the Broadway production for it's entire run. Kevin Kline, Linda Ronstadt, Estelle Parsons, & Rex Smith all left after 6 months, give or take a week or two. Kay Ballad was the replacement for Estelle Parsons and it's very possible you caught a show before Kevin left. It's been almost 30 years ago so my memory is not on top of it all. Our first preview was Dec. 22, 1980. We closed Nov. 28, 1982. 787 performances and every one a blast.

reply

Thanks! Good to know I was not nuts. I have such a vivid memory of them together!

Did Maureen McGovern come in at some point too? Maybe after Linda Ronstadt?

What a wonderful exerience it must have been. 787 performances? That's amazing.

reply

There is a website similar to IMDb for Broadway credits called -- natch -- IBDb (the Internet Broadway Database -- www.ibdb.com). They have 26 productions of PIRATES listed, going back to the first New York one in 1879. The NYSF production is #26. Go to that page, scroll to the bottom, and click on "Display replacement and/or transfer information." Some interesting replacements not mentioned already: Gary Sandy (WKRP in Cincinnati), Treat Williams, and Jim Belushi as the Pirate King; Robby Benson and Peter Noone (Herman's Hermits) as Frederic; Pam Dawber as Mabel.

reply

Thanks! What a wonderful resource!

reply

I saw it in Los Angeles in 1981. The cast had Barry Bostwick as the Pirate King, Jo Anne Worley as Ruth, Clive Revill as the Major-General, Pam Dawber as Mabel, and Andy Gibb as Frederic. Bostwick and Dawber were extremely good. Andy Gibb struggled valiantly with his role.

Oh Lord, you gave them eyes but they cannot see...

reply