Stage openings include 'Pirates,' 'Shakespeare,' 'Memory of Water'

On stages this week there'll be a mix of Shakespeare, Steinbeck, Gilbert & Sullivan and Rogers & Hammerstein, among others.

• SHAKESPEARE & LOVE, two evenings of scenes from Shakespearean classics, is this year's "Apprentice Family Show" for the Old Lyric Repertory Company's summer season.

Performances will be Monday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the Studio Theatre (Room FA-224 of the Chase Fine Arts Center on the Utah State University campus, Logan).

The high school apprentice program provides learning opportunities for young people interesting in pursuing advanced theater study. This year's apprentices are Ashley Ogzewalla, Cling Nordgen and Scott Spencer, all of West Jordan; William Peterson, North Ogden; Bryan Buttars, West Haven; Curtis Eagan, Herriman City; and David Husselbee, Cedar City.

Equity actor Fred Willecke, an OLRC performer who taught drama for 25 years at Highland High School in Pocatello, is directing the apprentice program.

The students will perform scenes from "Romeo and Juliet," "Taming of the Shrew," "Much Ado About Nothing" and others.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children 11 and under. They're available in advance from the Caine Lyric Theatre box office, 28 W. Center. Admission is free for those with OLRC flex-pass season tickets.

• PIRATES OF PENZANCE, Gilbert & Sullivan's classic operetta, is being staged Thursday through Aug. 1 as part of this summer's "Arts in the Park" series in the Murray Park Amphitheater.

Directed by Wil Saxton, the cast includes Scott Stoneking as Frederick, Becca Lemon as Mabel, Kjersti Parkes as Ruth, Trent Oliphant as the Pirate King and Jeff Grant as the Major General.

Performances are 8 p.m. nightly except Sunday. Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for children and senior citizens, available at the gate beginning at 7 p.m. or in advance from Day Murray Music or the Murray Parks and Recreation Office. For group discounts, call 571-3223.

• THE MEMORY OF WATER, Shelagh Stephenson's drama about three sisters coming together for their mother's funeral, each of whom have different memories of the same family events, is being staged from Thursday through Aug. 4 by Pinnacle Acting company at the Midvale Performing Arts Center, 695 W. Center.