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

Feb. 11, 12, 18 & 19, 2005 at 8pm
Feb. 13 & 20, 2005 at 2pm 

Directed by Alicia Oliver
Music Directed by Joseph Sorge

Cast

The Mikado of Japan - Michael Galizia
Nanki-Poo, his son - Philip Bender
Pooh-Bah, Lord High Everything Else - Bob Ashby
Ko-Ko, Lord High Executioner - Gary Sullivan
Pish-Tush - Matt Williams
Katisha, a Lady of the Mikado's Court - Andrea Schewe
Yum-Yum - Shaina Virginia Vatz
Pitti-Sing - Jennifer Spitulnik
Peep-Bo - Kiersten Drumm

Chorus
Alexandra Dilley, Rick Dupuy, Tom Goode, Tara Hockensmith, Deborah Jacobson, Ralph Johnson, Amber Kavanagh, 
Marianna Martindale, Don Mitchell, Sherry Mitchell, Tom Pondolftno, Amy Rauch, David Roethel, Donna Saady, Julie Stevens, Rusty Suter, Howard Weinstein, Clyde Wright

Orchestra

Violin I - Steve Natrella*, Bonnie Barrows, Carolyn Larson, 
                Peter Mignerey
Violin II - Rachel Jayson, Edwin Schneider, Martin Brown
Viola - Amanda Laudwein, Victor Ontiveros
Cello - Sheryl Friedlander, David Dubov, Andrew Schneider
Bass - Pete Gallanis
Flute - Louise Hill, Jackie Miller
Oboe - Lori Guess
Clarinet - James Bensinger, Laura Langbein, Laura Bornhoeft
Bassoon - Sean Gumin
Horn - Kristen Zempolich, Loren Krusberg, James Kocsis
Trumpet - Bernie Rappaport, Curt Anstine
Trombone - Steve Ward, Frank Eliot, Alan Potter
Percussion - George Huttlin

*Concertmaster

Production Staff

Producer - 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