Gilbert & Sullivan's
The Mikado
or, The Town of Titipu

Jan. 30 & 31 and Feb. 1, 6, 7, & 8, 1981

Directed by Marion Scodari
Music Directed by Micaele Sparacino


Featuring Omar Pancoast, celebrating his 50th year performing G&S

Performed at the Paint Branch High School Auditorium
Burtonsville, Maryland

Cast

The Mikado of Japan - Omar Pancoast
Nanki-Poo - Robert Kimball
Ko-Ko - Martin O'Hara (1/31, 2/6, 2/8)
             Peter Kline (1/ 30, 2/1, 2/7)
Pooh-Bah - Steve Behrens (2/1, 2/8)
                Fred Houghteling (1/30, 1/31, 2/6, 2/7)
Pish-Tush - Bob Ashby (1/30, 2/1, 2/7)
                 Richard Potter (1/31, 2/6, 2/8)
Go To - Mark Williams, Jim Hummell, Gil Thompson
Yum Yum - Debra Lawrence (1/30)
                 Elaine Burk (other dates)
Pitti-Sing - Pamela Leighton-Bilik
Peep-Bo - Terry Wyland
Katisha - Rhona Putman (1/30, 1/31, 2/8)
              Rosalie Santilhano (2/1, 2/6, 2/7)

Miss Burk, Miss Pulman and Mr. Potter appear through the courtesy of the American Guild of Musical Artists.

Chorus of Noblemen - Bob Ashby, David Ehrhart, David English,
Thomas Fuchs, Greg Grenier, Jeff Guice, David Holley, Jim Hummel,
Lyle Jaffe, John King, Gil Thompson, Dickey Wilson, Mark Williams

Schoolgirls - Terry Ayton, Anita Baldwin, Gail Bock, Jane Donovan,
Helen DuPont, Elizabeth DuPont, Robin Craine, Laurie Hubbard, Harriet Hults, Frankie Lewis, Edith Livingstone, Pamela Owen, Shirley Santilhano, Roberta Smit

Chaperones - Bobbie Lazar, Mary Sue Merritt
Mikado's Guards - David Bock, John Perine
Umbrella Bearer - Mark Cannon

Production Staff

Producers - Susan Frampton, Lyle Jaffe
Dialogue Coach - Peter Kline
Chorusmaster - Barry Hahn
Stage Manager - Mike Lewis
Assistant Stage Managers - Lois Bruckner, Cynthia Simon
Set Design - Mark Williams
Set Construction - Mark Williams, Eric Lease
Costume Chairperson - Mary Sue Merritt
Costume Design - Laurie Hubbard
Costume Construction - Mary Sue Merritt, Gail Bock, Sandy Gilbert,
                                      Caroline Hummel, Roberta Smit
Hats - Mary Sue Merritt, Marion Scodari
Publicity - Ruth Burdette, Laurie Hubbard, Susan Frampton,
                 Micaele Sparacino
Program Design - Steve Behrens (assisted by Bob Ashby)
Props - Aileen Lindberg, Omar Pancoast
Lighting Design - Dennis Jelalian
Lighting Execution - Don Johnston, Gil Thompson, Spence Ball,
                                 Thomas Smith, Dan Fary, Lyle Jaffe
Makeup - John Ross, Karen Lewis
Wigs - donated by Gloria Schuetze
           styled by Jon Riley, Rosalie Santilhano
Pianists - Jane McCartin, Beth King, Al Newman
Orchestrations - Tracy Music Co.
Photographer - Yosef Hadar
House Manager - Susan Frampton
Box Office - Caroline Hummel
Stage Crew - Jim Dement, Eric Engling, Kevin Lewis

Special acknowledgements are due to:
Mrs. Freddye Davey, Trinity Episcopal Church, Mr. Jim Brown,
Interlocking Curriculum School, Bethesda Theatre Supply. Chevy
Chase Baptist Church, Dorothy Gallo, Music & Drama Dept. of
Paint Branch H.S., Wooden Shoe Bakery, ZPG Inc .

Program Notes

The standard score for "The Mikado" has been performed for so many decades that it seems an immutable part of the theatrical landscape.

Like any of today's plays, however, "The Mikado" was still in the process of being written when it was first performed in public. The version of "The Mikado" that opened in London's Savoy Theatre on March 14, 1885 differed in several respects from today's standard version. Both because it is historically interesting and because it illustrates the fun of G&S seen as living theater rather than as received writ, the Victorian Lyric Opera Company decided to produce the opening night version.

VLOC has a tradition of innovative productions, having performed, for example, the seldom-seen, uncut version of "Cox and Box" and the little-known G&S work (Grundy & Sullivan, that is), "Haddon Hall."

The opening night version of "The Mikado" places Yum-Yum's solo, "The Sun Whose Rays," in the first act, while transferring Ko-Ko's "Little List" song to the latter half of the first act. Yum-Yum receives a verse of "Were You Not to Ko-Ko Plighted," and Pish-Tush joins Pooh-Bah and the Three Little Maids in "So Please You Sir We Much Regret." A number of line changes in both acts should also intrigue G&S buffs.

Synopsis

Act I - Courtyard of Ko-Ko's Offical Residence
Nanki-Poo, son of the Mikado of Japan , enters Titipu disguised as a tattered musician. Seeking his beloved Yum-Yum, he is dismayed to find her on the verge of an arranged marriage to Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner. Ko-Ko , until recently condemned to be beheaded for flirting , had been reprieved on condition that he not execute anyone else until he cuts off his own head.

Advised by Pooh-Bah, a ponderous aggregation of conflicts of interests, Ko-Ko wrestles with the problem of how to satisfy the Mikado's demand for an execution . Ko-Ko and Nanki-Poo cut a deal allowing Nanki to marry Yum-Yum for 30 days, after which Ko-Ko will decapitate the unfortunate minstrel and wed his widow. The general rejoicing at that compromise is interrupted when Katisha -- the distasteful cause of Nanki's hasty flight from the Imperial Court - -arrives to claim Nanki for herself.

Act II - Ko-Ko's Garden
Through the timely intervention of the chorus, the young lovers escape Katisha, only to fall victim to a legal technicality. Under the l\likado's
law , when a man is beheaded, his wife is buried alive. Yum-Yum's ardor for wedded bliss rapidly cools . Ko- Ko and Pooh-Bah wriggle out of the difficulty by faking a death certificate for Nanki , who marries Yum-Yum and prepares to leave town.

The Mikado and Katisha arrive . After explaining his theory of justice and hearing a highly creative description of Nanki's "execution" from Pooh-Bah, Ko- Ko and Pitti-Sing, the Mikado discovers that the allegedly slain minstrel was his son. The Mikado promptly condemns Ko-Ko and his cohorts to an amusing death. To save his skin, Ko-Ko gingerly persuades Katisha to marry him. Relieved of the threat of Katisha, Nanki-Poo reappears and Ko-Ko's sentence of death is commuted to life with Katisha . For everyone else, the opera ends joyously.