Take in the Alaska Sound Celebration's melodrama, one of the corniest, silliest and most popular events during Rondy for the past 20 years. Even with jokes like, "What's a pirate's favorite fast food restaurant? Arrrgghh-bees!" the annual spoof sells out over and over again. (Which is to say, get your tickets in advance.)
This year's folly sustains the theme of piracy. "Pirates of the Aleutians: Saloon Girls Gone Wild" adds "Arrrgghhs" to the traditional boos, hisses, cheers and whistles from the crowd. And the popcorn. You don't really need to pay a dollar for a bag; I had enough thrown on me to feast throughout the two-hour show. At times the air was filled with projected popped kernels.
The plot, such as it is, involves villainous Captain Black Berry (Dennis Sullivan) who plots with former pirate king Simon Sayez (Stephen Thorpe) to reclaim Sayez's ship, now under the command of his old sweetheart Meg Raven (Chera Boom, who also wrote the script), who leads an all-woman buccaneer crew (the four-part harmony chorus known as the Alaska Sound Celebration). Two bumbling mates (Carolyn Ottosen and Sandy Hesson) and two competing map makers (Scott Kober and Melanie Cross) complete the onstage cast.
The off-and-slightly-above-stage presence is Melodee Risi, the pianist, dressed as a parrot, who delivers the groaner pirate jokes like the one above. Before the show, Jill Stone puts everyone into a jolly mood as the salty mistress of ceremonies.
There's no shortage of wacky word-play. Capt. Meg is cold in Alaska because "she misses the warmth of the Spanish Man -- uh, Spanish Main." And a pair of earrings costing two dollars is saluted as being appropriately "a buck an ear." And Sam N. Rowe, the role played by Kober, reflects on the possibility of being the only man on an all-female crew and remarks, "Talk about pirate booty!"
The songs get pretty wacky, too. "Born to be Wild," is reset as "Born to be Pirates." "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything," of Veggie Tales fame, is delightfully delivered by the men in drag. The most traditional barbershop style number is the group's trademark "Red, Red Robin."
The audience is half the show -- laughing, roaring, shouting comments to the players, singing along with "What Do You Do With a Drunken Pirate?" Even the intermission was upbeat, with almost everyone in the crowd standing and dancing along with "YMCA" led by the singers.
If you go, and you really should, consider dressing as a pirate. There are prizes (like bags of popcorn) for those who do, but it requires a little ritual humiliation on stage. (Hint: Have your "pirate name" ready.)
And be prepared for zaniness. "This is hilarious," said one melodrama virgin, dusting the white snacks out of his hair. "I just wish someone had told me about all the popcorn."
Find Mike Dunham online at adn.com/contact/mdunham or call 257-4332.
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