Drawing inspiration from The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Pennington Dramatic Society’s final of four open mic nights took place in the Diane T. McLarty Theater last Friday night. Entitled “Coffeehouse of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Box,” the evening featured vocal and instrumental performances, as well as some spoken word selections from both students and faculty.

“Commanding the deck” for the pirate-themed evening were seniors Zoya M. and Leo M., both longtime participants within the School’s music and theatre programs. The hosts previously put the call out within The Voice for participants who could “recite verses from the deep” or who were “a siren of song, a master of the musical arts, or a deckhand with a knack for dancin' a jig.” An eclectic array of talent took turns on stage, to the delight of the audience in the “galley.” 

Despite attending countless coffeehouses throughout his time at Pennington, this particular event was Leo’s very first time as emcee. “It was really fun to host a coffeehouse. I really enjoyed creating host games and activities,” reflected the soon-to-be graduate, who noted how much he was going to miss these Dramatic Society events. 

The evening was also bittersweet for Zoya, who was grateful that she had the chance to host her final coffeehouse. “It felt like the perfect ending to my TPS drama journey. I’m really looking forward to coming back,” she said, referring to her plans to continue participating in the Pennington traditions she loves long after she graduates.