Manheim Township grad makes Broadway debut with ‘Pirates! The Penzance Musical’ | Entertainment

A 2012 Manheim Township graduate made his Broadway debut in late April with “Pirates! The Penzance Musical.”

Actor Alex Dorf performs as both a swing performer and the dance captain for the production, which also stars actors Ramin Karimloo, Jinkx Monsoon and David Hyde Pierce.

The production is a reimagining of “The Pirates of Penzance,” a 1879 comic opera about pirates with music from Arthur Sullivan and libretto from W.S. Gilbert. This new production features New Orleans inspiration and uses music genres like jazz, blues and Caribbean beats.

“It has a jazzy vibe to it, which has breathed a new vitality into a Gilbert and Sullivan classic in a really fun and catchy way,” Dorf says in an email.

As a swing performer and dance captain, Dorf fills in for actors in the ensemble if they’re sick or can’t make the show and makes sure that the dance numbers are performed correctly.

“Both roles require lots of responsibility and knowledge of the show,” Dorf says. “I also had to create charts and tracking sheets of all the musical numbers in the show.”

Before “Pirates! The Penzance Musical,” Dorf was part of the ensemble on a Broadway tour of “Hamilton,” the one that stopped by the Hershey Theatre from Nov. 26-Dec. 8, 2024.

“Pirates!” is a quite different experience, Dorf says.

“This show has challenged me in so many ways, mostly pushing me to improve upon my organizational skills and stretching my brain to learn every aspect of a show,” Dorf says. “‘Hamilton’ was more of a physical challenge, relying on endurance to get through an eight-week show.”

Dorf says one of his favorite parts of working in this production is watching fellow actor Pierce, known for his role as Niles Crane on “Frasier,” deliver “knee-slapping joke after joke.” 

“He has the audience in the palm of his hands with his brilliant line deliveries,” Dorf says.

It’s also great to work with Monsoon, originally known for winning the fifth season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Dorf says. She made her Broadway debut in 2023 as Mama Morton in “Chicago.”

“Jinkx is such a superstar, and it’s been such a pleasure working with her,” Dorf says. “She brings so much character and individuality to the role of Ruth.”

“Pirates! The Penzance Musical” continues through July 27.

Because Dorf is a swing, he doesn’t perform on stage every night. Dorf says that those interested in seeing him perform can check his social media to see if he announced that he’s performing on a given night.

For more information about the production, visit lanc.news/PiratesPenzance.