Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – Immersive summer musicals worth traveling to: Hudson Valley Shakespeare’s revival of OCTET and THE ROYAL PYRATE in Red Hook

• By drediman
• August 19, 2025
• No Comments

Over the past week or so, I came across a pair of musicals that caught my attention with their genuine creativity and immersive presentation. Here are my thoughts on these unique experiences, both of which are worth the effort of travel to during these waning days of summer.

THE ROYAL PYRATE
The Waterfront Museum
Through August 31

First up in Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood is The Royal Pirate (RECOMMENDED), a new musical featuring a rollicking score by Jason Landon Marcus and a tongue-in-cheek book by Chas Libretto. Based on an actual historical figure, the piece tells the story of the adventures of “Black Sam”, a sailor who turns to pirating in order to provide for his expecting partner Mary. Over the course of 100 efficiently-plotted minutes — most of which is spent full flight in song — we follow Sam’s plentiful exploits with his fellow pirates, as well as the trials and tribulations of Mary back in Wellfleet (where she has been charged with witchcraft). Although the musical is currently more of an outline than a fully fleshed out piece of theatrical storytelling, Emily Abrams’ exuberantly immersive staging and the game work of her accomplished, strong-voiced cast and fabulously multi-tasking band all but fully camouflage the fact. As Sam, Danny Hayward gives off old school Broadway matinee idol vibes, while as Mary, Maggie Likcani gives grounded performance that nicely counterbalances the overall shenanigans of the production. But arguably the performance of the show comes from Lauren Molina (perhaps best known for being one half of The Skivvies), who gives a crackling comic and vocal performance as Sam’s lively sidekick Paul, who also acts as the musical’s winking emcee. Perhaps The Royal Pirate‘s masterstroke is the inspired decision to stage the production at Red Hook’s wickedly atmospheric Waterfront Museum, a historic barge that provides the musical an intimate playground — complete with the gently rocking motion of being afloat on water — in which to unfold and envelop audiences.

OCTET
Hudson Valley Shakespeare
Through September 7

In recent days, I was also able to take a trip up north to Garrison, NY to catch Hudson Valley Shakespeare’s revival of Octet (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) by Dave Malloy (music, lyrics, and book). First staged in 2019 at Off-Broadway’s Signature Theatre, the chamber choir musical is in essence a meditation on technology — namely our dependence on the internet — and its effect on our modern day lives via a fictitious self-help group that comes together to share and navigate their respective “addictions”. As with Malloy’s other musicals (e.g., Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Ghost Quartet), Octet is a singular creation, in my estimation the work of a true poet of music theater. In its ensemble-driven, turn-based presentation — as well as its organically assembled montage sequences — there is more than a passing resemblance to the iconic musical A Chorus Line (which this year is celebrating its landmark 50th anniversary). Invariably, the confessions are painfully personal, and often times they’re illuminating reflections of our own tendencies and habits. In defiant contrast to the subject matter, the musical features a gorgeous a cappella score (augmented by the occasional percussive beats), arguably Malloy’s most emotionally affecting composition to date. Despite Hudson Vally Shakespaere’s semi-outdoors setup, the score sounds absolutely superb, which is in no small part due to the work of music director Simone Allen and sound designer Ken Travis. Amanda Dehnert’s immersive, beautifully blocked production is pitch perfect, and its close proximity to nature gives the show — which is set in a church basement — a new philosophical spin. Suffice to say, the harmonizing ensemble cast is gloriously idiosyncratic, with a particular standout being the golden-voiced Mia Pak, who plays the curious and precocious newcomer to the group.