Gilbert & Sullivan's
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Production StaffProducer - Lisa Freese
Choreographer - Alicia Oliver Assistant Music Director - Jenny Craley Bland Artistic Director - Rosalie Santilhano Assistant Director & Stage Manager - Peter Krueger Lighting Designer - Ayun Fedorcha Set Designer - Peter Krueger Scenic Artist - B. Keith Ryder Dance Captains - Rick DuPuy, Deborah Jacobson Costume Designer - Andrea Schewe Costume Construction - Deborah Jacobson, Sheny Mitchell, Marianna Martindale, Debra Mobley, Debbie Peetz, Robin Ray, Donna Saady Andrea Schewe, Birdie Stegmeier, Clyde Wright, Denise Young Master Carpenter - William Kolodrubetz Set Construction & Painting - Phil Bender, Ed Byrdy, Kiersten Drumm, Rick DuPuy, Tony Dywer, Lisa Freese, Tara Hockensmith, Dave Kaysen, Pete Krueger, Vernon Krueger, Ralph Johnson, Don Mitchell, Sherry Mitchell, Tom Pondolfino, Amy Rauch, Donna Saady, Todd Whitehead, Matt Williams Technical Director (Rockville Civic Center) - Kim Haug Running Crew - Tony Dwyer, Dave Kaysen Rehearsal Pianist - Jenny Craley Bland Make-Up & Hair Designer - Renee Silverstone Make-Up & Hair Assistants - Helene Sugarman, Stan Sustersic Program - Leta Hall Publicity - Sandy Rovner Properties - Alicia Oliver, Julie Stevens House Management - Merle Haber Set Storage - Rockville Civic Center & City of Gaithersburg Printing - Quick Printing, Inc., Wheaton, Maryland |
Director's Note
Every Gilbert and Sullivan opera presents the director with a unique set of riddles to solve. Such ponderables abound in The Mikado, or the Town of Titipu. Given Japan's strict social order, how has Titipu gotten away with its harebrained scheme for so long? Why are the girls coming home from school en masse? Who the heck is Pish-Tush, and why is he always on hand at just the right moment?
Slowly, a picture of life in Titipu began to take shape to me. Our Titipu is an isolated little burg tucked away in the north of Japan. It's a town of fishers and their families, a few merchants and a handful of elders. They don't see many visitors; it's a far journey from Edo and there's little to make the trip worthwhile. To the sophisticated eye, Titipu falls somewhere between Mayberry and Dogpatch.
We visit Titipu in August, when everyone in Japan travels home for o-bon, the festival of the dead (in much the same way that Americans travel home for Thanksgiving). It's the end of a long, hot workday, and proud parents are waiting for the town beauties to come from school for the summer holiday. What better place to wait than the local pub?
Which brings us to Pish-Tush. He's an enigmatic character; he knows everything and everybody, but keeps his own counsel. He's always there to lend an ear, or a shoulder to cry on, and he tells great stories. So who is Pish-Tush? Why, he's the world's best publican! Welcome to PishTush's Noodle House! Run with the help of his family, including his daughter Peep-Bo, the Noodle House is the hub of the town. It's where people gather to gossip, drink, and carouse.
And where they sing! Generations of Japanese people have enjoyed singing together and hearing others sing their favorite songs. Titiputians revel in this tradition, whether they're singing their favorite drinking song, "We are Gentlemen of Japan," or having a little sing-a-long to cheer themselves up.
This production draws heavily from my own Japanese cultural heritage and childhood memories of life in Japan. There are knick-knacks collected by my mother; visual images inspired by my father's art collection; a much-mended patchwork pouch once carried by my grandfather; even the beanbag jacks I played with as a little girl.
It also draws upon my eclectic western sensibilities, and those of our wonderful company. Together, we've built a town that combines our many perspectives and quirks to create a vibrant, living landscape of personalities. Welcome to Titipu! We hope you enjoy your stay.
~Alicia Oliver
Slowly, a picture of life in Titipu began to take shape to me. Our Titipu is an isolated little burg tucked away in the north of Japan. It's a town of fishers and their families, a few merchants and a handful of elders. They don't see many visitors; it's a far journey from Edo and there's little to make the trip worthwhile. To the sophisticated eye, Titipu falls somewhere between Mayberry and Dogpatch.
We visit Titipu in August, when everyone in Japan travels home for o-bon, the festival of the dead (in much the same way that Americans travel home for Thanksgiving). It's the end of a long, hot workday, and proud parents are waiting for the town beauties to come from school for the summer holiday. What better place to wait than the local pub?
Which brings us to Pish-Tush. He's an enigmatic character; he knows everything and everybody, but keeps his own counsel. He's always there to lend an ear, or a shoulder to cry on, and he tells great stories. So who is Pish-Tush? Why, he's the world's best publican! Welcome to PishTush's Noodle House! Run with the help of his family, including his daughter Peep-Bo, the Noodle House is the hub of the town. It's where people gather to gossip, drink, and carouse.
And where they sing! Generations of Japanese people have enjoyed singing together and hearing others sing their favorite songs. Titiputians revel in this tradition, whether they're singing their favorite drinking song, "We are Gentlemen of Japan," or having a little sing-a-long to cheer themselves up.
This production draws heavily from my own Japanese cultural heritage and childhood memories of life in Japan. There are knick-knacks collected by my mother; visual images inspired by my father's art collection; a much-mended patchwork pouch once carried by my grandfather; even the beanbag jacks I played with as a little girl.
It also draws upon my eclectic western sensibilities, and those of our wonderful company. Together, we've built a town that combines our many perspectives and quirks to create a vibrant, living landscape of personalities. Welcome to Titipu! We hope you enjoy your stay.
~Alicia Oliver
