They seek him here, they seek him there.

Those Frenchmen seek him everywhere.

Is he in Heaven? Is he in hell?

That damned annoying Pimpernel.

Baroness Emmuska Orczy

Spiderman may be today’s top-grossing superhero, but he owes a Hungarian writer a great big web of gratitude. Baroness Emmuska Orczy created the superhero concept a century ago when her Scarlet Pimpernel first swashbuckled his way across an English stage.

A musical version of the story about Sir Percy Blakeney’s alter ego and his heroic efforts to save the innocent from “Madame Guillotine” during the French Revolution will open tonight at the Grand Auditorium in Ellsworth. “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” written by Frank Wildhorn and Nan Knighton, opened on Broadway in 1997 and ran more than two years.

Set in 1794, the musical requires a cast of 40, a 25-piece orchestra, 22 set changes and a plethora of 18th century costumes including hats, shoes, petticoats, jabots, and handkerchiefs. “The Scarlet Pimpernel” also requires three talented performers with outstanding voices to play Percy, his nemesis Chauvelin and Marguerite St. Just, the woman both men love.

Managing all those people and their schedules, along with the technical task of moving the action from England to France and back again smoothly were the biggest challenges in mounting the production, according to Robert Hitt, who’s directing at The Grand for the first time. A former artistic director for the Belfast Maskers, Hitt also has staged productions in Lewiston, Portland, Bar Harbor and Lakewood.

The director said that he had worked previously with just one “Pimpernel” cast member and has been very impressed with the level of talent the show’s drawn from Hancock, Waldo, Washington and Penobscot counties.

“I have really strong singers,” he said in a phone interview earlier this week. “I’m really impressed with the quality of the singing which is equally balanced with the acting, movement and dance. Plus, there’s the sheer spectacle of it.

“We seldom get to do a show this big any more. The sheer size and sound of it is gorgeous. And, there’s the romance. It’s very romantic and heroic. It takes a lot of guts to be heroic. It’s almost old-fashioned in a way. Sort of melodramatic, in the best sense of the word.”

Hitt cast veteran performers Sam Lanham of Bangor, Elena DeSiervo of Orono and Tyke McKay of Old Town in the lead roles.

A Bangor attorney, Lanham has performed in many Bangor Community Theater productions and the Eastern Maine Medical Center Follies. Earlier this month, DeSiervo soloed in the Bangor Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. She recently appeared in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” at the University of Maine and is remembered still for her portrayal of Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady” more that a decade ago.

McKay has performed with both his co-stars before, but in supporting rather than lead roles and never as the villain. The pipe fitter is much more likely to be singing in church than singing on stage. McKay’s been performing gospel and religious music with the King’s Messengers for the past 12 years. Unlike a lot of other performers, McKay said that “bad guy” roles are the toughest.

“This is a very deep character,” he said of Chauvelin during a rehearsal break. “I’ve spent a lot of time going over what drove him to this point he’s in in the show. He’s pulled himself out of the gutter into a position of authority. He’s had to be ruthless to get the job done, but that’s not all he is.”

Hitt said that although he wasn’t familiar with McKay’s previous performances, he quickly discovered that he’d cast the actor against type. The director said that he saw in McKay a certain masculinity necessary for Chauvelin.

McKay said that he drew from his 13 years in the military to help create the character who loves Marguerite but leads hundreds to their deaths on the guillotine. The actor’s faith also helped him understand what drives Chauvelin.

“I think Christians understand sin better than anything,” said McKay of his ability to tap into the character’s dark side. “He manipulates people and tries to control every situation. He believes that God is keeping him from what he wants to accomplish in life. But, God says, ‘It’s my will, not yours.’ Christians know that it’s all about His will.”

McKay added that to sing Chauvelin’s songs he must use his entire vocal range from the highest note he can sing to the lowest. He credited the support of his family with being able to devote so much time to theater and music.

His costars agreed that the music and period setting of “The Scarlet Pimpernel” was challenging them in new ways.

“The music itself is some of most difficult and challenging I’ve ever sun, and also most rewarding,” said Lanham, who plays Blakeney. “I’m singing in a range never sung at in my life. I’m a baritone and had to practice my placement to become a tenor. I’ve also never had a lead of this depth, in terms of the amount of material I’ve had to learn. Essentially, I play three people an I’ve had to find a character for each one.”

The music has been more of a delight than a challenge for DeSiervo’s stunning soprano voice. While she loves the music and her elaborate satin costumes, getting into the play’s time period has proved difficult for her.

“Getting myself into character and understanding what people went through just in their everyday lives back then has been challenging,” she said during a rehearsal break. “To get into that special place can be depressing, but I love the music and the songs.”

Lanham was quick to admit that the superhero aspects in the show appealed to him.

“After all,” he confessed, “we all identify with Spiderman.

“The Scarlet Pimpernel” will be performed through Sunday, May 26 at The Grand in Ellsworth. For more information, call 667-9500.