A Treasure Chest Of Fun

‘Uncle Pirate’ proves education is a treasure

The Young Actors Guild of Fort Smith presents the musical “Uncle Pirate” today through Sunday at the King Opera House in Van Buren. The whimsical musical tells the tale of Wilson, who is struggling to survive the fourth grade — until he finds out that his uncle is a real, live pirate. Who better to help a young boy navigate the rough waters of elementary school?

Parents are sure to love the clever, sarcastic song lyrics and the underlying message of the importance of education.

“[‘Uncle Pirate’] is not a bad advocate for learning: without it, how could pirates read maps, divide booty or count pieces of eight?” says the New York Times’ Lauren Graeber in her 2010 review. “Theatregoers at a recent performance particularly enjoyed a classroom duel in which Uncle Pirate bravely wields first a pointer, then a ruler and finally a book. Education, it seems, really is the way to win life’s battles.”

The Young Actors Guild was created by the Junior League of Fort Smith in the early 1950s. The goal was to make theater accessible for all children, and in its earliest incarnation, it served as a touring theater for school audiences — with Junior League members playing all the roles. In 2001, it became the Young Actors Guild, serving kids from the ages of 6 to 19, and its evolution of children’s theater performed by children was complete. Accessibility continues to be a primary goal, and the theater charges no participation fee for involvement.