A new play all about a lovable but goofy pirate named Stew Nod and his merry assortment of pirate friends is opening in Lindenhurst at the Manes Studio Theatre at 141 South Wellwood Avenue. The play will run every Saturday in August (and one Thursday performance.)
Articles of a Pirate: Music, Mutiny and a Mermaid follows Stew Nod and his crew as they quest for, what else, buried treasure with a twist.
The play was written by Christopher D. Fretto, who created the character Stew Nod the Pirate with music and lyrics by John Brautigam.
We caught up with the pirate actor and playwright to talk about Articles of a Pirate and how his story evolved. Fretto, who is a stay-at-home dad with three kids, co-runs a family theatre production company for Studio Theatre Long Island. Fretto says he created the character of Stew Nod the Pirate as a teenager for another production and always wanted to do something else with him.
“I loved the character so much I wanted to play him more,” he told LongIsland.com in an interview. “After a while, I started to work with local pirate crews, and did party entertainment as Pirate Stew.”
Fretto worked with entertainment companies that provide characters for events and parties like The Pirates at Large and Pixie Dust Storytellers. This led to people wanting to know more about the character.
“After a while kids and parents asked his backstory so I made it up as people asked,” he said.
It was then that Fretto decided Stew Nod the Pirate needed his own show.
“I made his friends and their stories too and soon the play was born,” he said.
During the pandemic, Fretto teamed up with John Brautigam - who he met through a mutual friend pre-Covid who knew he was looking for a composer - and turned his play into a musical.
Brautigam ran with Fretto’s ideas and wrote the songs and lyrics for what eventually became Articles of a Pirate.
In his own words, Fretto described the story to us:
This original musical adventure follows the best day ever story of the lovable goofy pirate, Stew Nod. In this story you will meet Stew’s crew mates, their captain and some other fun characters including a beautiful Mermaid! Stew Nod and the crew will delight you on their quest for every pirate’s favorite treat…buried treasure! Watch this merry crew sing, sword fight, and discover that the real treasure isn’t just buried under the X in the sand.
Video: Courtesy of Christopher Fretto.
Although the musical is fun for all ages, Fretto says it’s geared for kids aged 5 through 12.
“But there is some humor that will go over your child’s head and make you laugh,” he said. “We have some Marx brothers jokes as well that even entertain the grandparents in the audience."
The show is a little over an hour with a 15 minute intermission during which they will sell concessions, pirate themed merchandise and Stew’s very own coloring book.
Aside from Stew Nod, Fretto had a hard time coming up with his second favorite pirate, real or otherwise.
“Oooh that’s tough,” he said but finally relented. “Edward Teach [played by Peter Ustanov] from the old Disney movie Blackbeard’s Ghost.”
See Articles of a Pirate: Music, Mutiny and a Mermaid at the Children's Theatre at Manes Studio Theatre in Lindenhurst. For tickets and more information about the play, click here.