If you?ve never experienced the delight of comic opera before, “The Pirates of Penzance” is a great way to start.

“The Pirates of Penzance,” one of many operas written by Gilbert and Sullivan, is a classic tale of miscommuinication directed by by Sacramento State professor Paul R. Waldo.

“It?s just fun,” said Waldo, who also designed the sets for the production. “It?s one of my favorites done by Gilbert and Sullivan.”The play stars Sacramento State operatic performers as the cast of pirates, their intended brides and policemen that features tuneful favorites such as “A Modern Major General.”

“The Pirates of Penzance,” first performed in 1879, tells the story of a young pirate named Frederic (Michael Montgomery) who decides to end his apprenticeship. Frederic was indentured by mistake ? Ruth, the pirates? maid-of-all-work, was instructed as Frederic?s nursery-maid, to have the boy apprenticed to a pilot. Being hard of hearing, she apprenticed Frederic to a pirate in error.

Frederic decides to leave the pirate life to find a mate. He has never seen another woman besides his nursemaid, and stumbles upon the most beautiful of the local Major General?s daughters, Mabel (Kelly Mustain), and falls in love with her immediately.

Frederic, however, has forgotten that there are pirates about the shore. After capturing the Major General and his daughters, the pirates recognize the situation as a “first-rate opportunity of getting married with impunity.” Then the complications abound.

James Price, a senior theater major, plays the haughty Pirate King who leads the band of pirates.

“He?s more posing to be a pirate than he actually is, so it takes a lot of energy to play the facade,” Price said.

Price, though he enjoys playing his character, admits the challenges this role brings.

“It?s been difficult, since it?s not a role I?d cast myself in,” Price said. “But there are different things I can contribute to this character.”Kelly Mustain, who plays Mabel, the eldest of the Major General?s daughters and love interest of Frederic, said her character is more focused on herself than on anyone else.

“She basically ditches her sisters for her own man,” Mustain said. “Penzance” is her first musical at Sac State.

“I just happened to luck out, that I got a part that my voice suited,” said Mustain, a senior music major. “I was very surprised.”Waldo is very good with visualization and stage pictures, said Mark Thomas, a Sac State theater graduate student who plays the Sergeant.

“Doc has done this show before, and he knows what works with the show,” Thomas said.

Thomas joined this production because of his past experience with Waldo, whom he has worked with in numerous plays since 1984.

“He?s hard-nosed and knows what he wants,” Thomas said. “But that?s what?ll make the play good.”

The musical comedy runs Thursday through April 21 as part of the 10th Annual Festival of the Arts at Sac State. Ticket prices are $15 general and $10 for students. Tickets are available at the CSUS Ticket Office at 278-4323 or online at tickets.com.