Hot Mikado

Season: Spring 2007

Dramatis Personæ:

The Mikado of Japan:

J. Patrick Adams

Nanki-Poo:

Eli Gelo

Ko-Ko:

Sandy Foster

Pooh-Bah:

Geoffrey L. Hopkins

Pish-Tush:

Charles M. Palella Jr.

Yum-Yum:

Megan Rast, Pamela Torrey (May 19)

Pitti-Sing:

Rachel Pasternak

Peep-Bo:

Pamela Torrey, Becca Kennedy (May 19)

Katisha:

Sarajane Fondiller

Gentlemen of Japan:

Tracy Burdick*, Bill Hammond*, Forrest Kelley, Schuyler Kelley, David Odgers, Bob Osgood*, Gentaro Ramadhan*, David Schafer, Bob Weeks, Greg Wright*

*featured soloists

Ladies of Japan:

Linda M. Allen, Christina Arden, Rebecca Bloom, Jeannine Brown, Carla Cogliandro, Tamara Kelley, Becca Kennedy, Kathleen Landers-Appell, Patricia A. Montrois, Maureen Odgers, Laurel Schneiderman, Clara Weinert

Orchestra:

Piano:

Bob Lavinski

Flute/Clarinet/Saxophone:

Stephen Lurie

Trumpet:

BJ Comer

Trombone:

John Currie

Bass:

Paul Towsley

Percussion:

Eriks Zurovskis

Production Staff:

Director:

Kathy Perconti

Musical Director:

Susanna Adams

Producers:

Suzanne Bell, Amanda Lobaugh, Patricia A. Montrois

Assistant Director:

David Odgers

Costume Designer:

Penny Fram

Costume Coordinators:

Penny Fram, Amanda Lobaugh, Audrone Gecas

Set Designers:

Kelly Flegel, Patricia A. Montrois

Set Coordinators:

Kelly Flegel, Tracy Burdick

Props:

Audrone Gecas, Amanda Lobaugh

Lighting Designer:

Mike Molongoski

Graphic Designs:

Ann Marie Buonemani

Director's note on this production:

Space...the final frontier. These are the adventures of the Off-Monroe Players, whose continuing mission is to seek out Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, bring joy to their audiences, and boldly go where no G&S company has gone before.

Who would have thought that Star Trek could be an inspiration for a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta? When I first heard of Hot Mikado, I wasn't sure how I could justify being in a different time and place and still be in Japan. Then I remembered an episode of Star Trek called "A Piece of the Action". So many episodes of Star Trek visited familiar times and places, one of them being the gangster era, and so it began.

We've created a Gangster Fantasy for you. It represents the best of New Orleans, New York and Chicago of the 1940's in both songs and style. We are on another planet where the Japanese culture mixed with the 40's style of America. Our Gentlemen of Japan are a group of gangsters, mostly from New York. The Mikado is a Southern Gentleman and Katisha is Mae West meets Southern Belle. Ko-Ko resembles a misunterstood and nervous Woody Allen. Our action takes place in and out of Club Titipu where everything's happenin'. There has been a lot of fun singing, swinging and tapping our way through our beloved Sullivan melodies — just a little heated up. We hope you like our departure from the Gilbert and Sullivan norm. Sit back, relax and enjoy our Gangster Fantasy: Hot Mikado.

Kathy Perconti

Photos by Marty Nott and Steve Schmid

     

 

   

     

   

 

 

Click on the thumbnail for the full-sized picture

Artwork by Ann Marie Buonemani

Last updated: 01/30/10