A conversation with Kyle Lang, who directs and choreographs the first show of Central City Opera’s summer season

As the final traces of snow melt away in the mountains, it’s time once again to see what the Central City Opera has in store for its summer festival.

Since its establishment in 1932, CCO has filled the historic Central City Opera House with a diverse repertory season of opera and musical theatre productions. Around the corner from the clang of slot machines at the casinos, the country’s fifth-oldest professional opera company enchants audiences and invites them to be a part of its rich tradition.

This summer’s festival runs from June 29 to August 4 and includes Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance, Puccini’s The Girl of the Golden West and Kurt Weill’s Street Scene. Pirates seems particularly popular lately in Colorado, with the Empire Lyric Players doing it in 2022 and a production up now at the Lakewood Cultural Center from Performance Now Theatre Company.

I was fortunate enough to connect with Kyle Lang, the director/choreographer of The Pirates of Penzance, to discuss his upcoming production, its enduring message and why it warrants another staging 145 years after it originally opened.

Kyle Lang

OnStage Colorado: According to your impressive resume, you have been at the helm of The Pirates of Penzance no fewer than four times. What brings you back to Pirates for another outing?

Kyle Lang: Yes, this will be my fourth Pirates and hopefully not my last. This piece brings together all of the tools I’ve learned through my professional experiences by way of stagecraft and choreography, as well as my deep love of laughter and sentiment. It’s also an opportunity to do things in a completely different way than before.

OSC: I remember the 1981 Broadway production of Pirates and being thoroughly enchanted by it. What universal themes associated with Pirates have made the story relevant, crossing over several centuries?

KL: The theme we are reminded of so often in the show is Frederick’s “sense of duty” which brings along many components: honor, valor, courage, fortitude. However, each character can teach us something lasting. For example, Mabel’s willingness to be patient, the Pirate King’s empathy, and the lesson of forgiveness from all.

Built in 1878, the Central City Opera House stands in stark contrast to the many casinos in the area and invites opera lovers to step back in time. | Photo: Amanda Tipton Photography

OSC: There are people who shy away from operetta and opera. How would you convince these people of the enduring quality of Gilbert and Sullivan’s work and its significance for today’s audience?

KL: Pirates is quoted quite often in popular culture from “Saturday Night Live” to Hamilton. The Major General’s idea of modernizing is part of any era’s social endeavors. But also, like any incredible piece of theatre, it offers an escape. A moment in time to forget the world, be entertained and possibly discover through these characters something about yourself you hadn’t thought of before.

OSC: Tell me about the current production. Are you a traditionalist in staging The Pirates of Penzance, or have you chosen to go rogue in the historical context and setting?

KL: The setting is still Victorian, though a bit closer to the turn of the century. When it comes to staging, I’m not a traditionalist, but neither would I say I’m going completely rogue with this one. There will be references to our world today, but the action still takes place in a period far gone. As with every piece, I go where the words, music and players take me.

OSC: You are also an accomplished professional dancer with an extensive resume. Do you have a first love — performing or directing? And how does your dance experience influence you as a director?

KL: I tend to think that all my life experiences are part of my storytelling, and each story draws on different levels of those experiences. I always think of staging using two elements: time and space, which likely draws on choreographic elements. That said, as a director the first thing I look at is text.

Along with Pirates, The Girl of the Golden West and Street Scene, CCO is being inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame on June 29 with a special event — “Opera in the High Country.”  Tickets and info here.