Glenn Close, Martin Short and Eric Idle Join Kevin Kline in One-Night-Only Pirates of Penzance

Kevin Kline will receive some all-star support in the form of Glenn Close, Martin Short and Eric Idle when he reprises his Tony-winning role as the Pirate King in the Public Theater’s one-night-only engagement of The Pirates of Penzance on June 10 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

Short will play Major-General Stanley, Close will play Ruth and Idle will play the Sergeant in The Pirates of Penzance, the classic Gilbert and Sullivan tale which premiered at the Delacorte with a new modern rock staging more than three decades ago. The 1980 Tony-winning production starred Kline as the Pirate King, Estelle Parsons as Ruth, Tony Azito as the Sergeant and George Rose as Major-General Stanley.

Ted Sperling directs and Graciela Daniele choreographs the one-night-only concert performance as part of the Public’s annual gala, which this year honors the late Nora Ephron, a longtime Public board member.

Close returns to the Delacorte after recently appearing (or, not appearing) as the voice of the Giant in the Public’s Into The Woods last summer. Idle and Short will both make their Delacorte debuts in Penzance.