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››Pacific Opera Theater Returns to Live Performance with “Threepenny Opera”

Pacific Opera Theater Returns to Live Performance with “Threepenny Opera”

By George M. Ortiz
March 24, 2022
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Lots of drama and humor are to be expected this weekend at the University of the Pacific.

The Pacific Opera Theater presents its first full in-person production, “The Threepenny Opera”, “a play with music”, at Faye Spanos Concert Hall after two years of operating online due to COVID-19.

“I think we are sometimes one of Stockton’s best kept secrets,” said James Haffner, manager of the Pacific Opera Theatre.

Bertolt Brech’s ‘The Threepenny Opera’, adapted from a translation by Elisabeth Hauptmann of 1728’s ‘The Beggar’s Opera’, highlights the life of crime lord Macheath and his business ventures and much more.

This is the second time “The Threepenny Opera” will be performed at the Pacific in 11 years. Gritty, funny and relevant is how Haffner described the production.

The show kicked off Thursday and will run through Sunday.

Joshua Cabardo performs a scene in the University of the Pacific production of "The Threepenny Opera."

Filo Ebid, a junior at Pacific studying vocal performance and pre-med, has been acting since he was in eighth grade. Ebid plays the lead role of Macheath, also known as Mack the Knife, whom he describes as strong-willed, shameless, and playful.

“It was a pleasure to access this, you know, perverted side of myself,” Ebid said. “Expect drama. There’s a lot of drama.

Besides the theatre, there will also be music with an orchestra on stage of 13 orchestral musicians.

Ebid described the music as energetic, powerful and meaningful.

Brylan Finley performs a scene in the University of the Pacific production of "The Threepenny Opera."

Brylan Finley, who is a junior at Pacific and specializes in vocal performance opera, has been performing for over 15 years. Finley stars as Jenny, a brave, adventurous, and determined character.

“I think this role gives me the opportunity to broaden my acting experience,” Finley said. “It definitely takes me out of my comfort zone a bit.”

Finley said it was her first “big UOP role” after she was cast in an earlier production two years ago that was canceled due to the pandemic.

“I’m really excited to portray this character,” she said.

Joshua Cabardo, a senior from Pacific who studies vocal performance, stars as Matt of the Mint, a devious, sarcastic, and loyal character.

“I think the biggest challenge is putting myself in a position that’s just different from who I am deep down,” Cabardo said.

“There’s a lot of humor in a very dark show,” he said.

The production “The Threepenny Opera” is rated R.

“There has to be this factor of, you know, reality,” Ebid said. “At the end of the day, it’s still a comedy, there’s still joy in watching the characters be themselves…and a lot of beauty in what we do.”

The cast of the University of the Pacific production of "The Threepenny Opera" perform a scene at the Faye Spanos Concert Hall.

If you are going to

When: 7:30 p.m. from Thursday to Saturday; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 27.

Tickets: $30 adults, $15 seniors, children and students, free UOP faculty, staff and students purchase tickets online at music.pacific.edu

Information: music.pacific.edu

Record reporter Angelaydet Rocha covers community news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at arocha@recordnet.com or on Twitter @AngelaydetRocha. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.