Friday, May 3, 2019
The Mikado
As a courtesy to the artists and for the uninterrupted enjoyment of your fellow patrons, please turn off all electronic devices. No portion of this performance may be photographed, recorded, filmed, taped, broadcast or mechanically reproduced without the written consent of the Artist and/or the Presenter. Mayo Performing Arts Center is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Program subject to change.
NEW YORK GILBERT & SULLIVAN PLAYERS: THE MIKADO
Albert Bergeret, Artistic Director
THE MIKADO or, The Town of Titipu
Libretto by Sir William S. Gilbert Music by Sir Arthur Sullivan First Performed at the Savoy Theatre, London, England, March 14, 1885 Prologue Written by David Auxier-Loyola Director & Choreographer: David Auxier-Loyola Assistant Director: Kelvin Moon Loh Music Director & Conductor: Albert Bergeret Producer: David Wannen Costume Design: Quinto Ott Makeup: James Mills Scenic Design: Anshuman Bhatia Lighting Design: Benjamin Weill Production Stage Manager: Joshua Strone Assistant Stage Manager: Annette Dieli
DRAMATIS PERSONAE Richard Temple/The Mikado of Japan.......................................................................................Chris White* Nanki-Poo (His son, disguised as a wandering minstrel)................................. John Charles McLaughlin* Arthur Sullivan/Ko-Ko (Lord High Executioner of Titipu)..............................................David Macaluso* Richard D’Oyly Carte/Pooh-Bah (Lord High Everything Else)........................................ Matthew Wages* W.S. Gilbert/Pish-Tush (A Noble Lord)...................................................................................David Auxier* Leonora Braham/Yum-Yum Sarah Caldwell Smith* Jesse Bond/Pitti-Sing (Three sisters, Wards of Ko-Ko) Amy Maude Helfer* Sybil Grey/Peep-Bo Rebecca Hargrove* Rosina Brandram/Katisha (An elderly lady, in love with Nanki-Poo)..................................Cáitlín Burke*
Ensemble of Noblemen, Schoolgirls, and Townspeople Jamie Buxton*, Brooke Collins*, Camilo Estrada, Michael Galante, Andy Herr*, Maurio Hines, Hannah Holmes*, Sarah Hutchison*, James Mills*, Lance Olds*, Kendrick Pifer, Chris-Ian Sanchez*, Angela Christine Smith*, Viet Vo*
FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2019
Scenes: Prologue - Offices of the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, 1884 Acts I & II - The Imagined Town of Titipu Understudies for Nanki-Poo: Camilo Estrada, for Ko-Ko: James Mills*, for Pooh-Bah: Andy Herr*, for Yum Yum: Rebecca Hargrove*, for Pitti-Sing: Hannah Holmes*, for Peep-Bo: Sarah Hutchison*, for Katisha: Angela Christine Smith*
There will be one 15-minute intermission. Latecomers will be seated at an appropriate interval in the performance.
*These Actors and Stage Managers are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
ORCHESTRA Violin I: Robert Lawrence, Andrea Andros, Valerie Lecy, Peter Borten Violin II: Ellen Gronningen, Paula Flatow Viola: Carol Benner Cello: Robert Tennen Bass: Deb Spohnheimer Flute: Margaret Swinchoski Oboe: Nancy Ranger Clarinet: Larry Tietze Bassoon: Susan Shaw Horn: Stephen Quint Trumpet: Oliver Gras Trombone: Steve Shulman Percussion: Michael Osrowitz
COMPANY & PRODUCTION STAFF Artistic Director/General Manager........................................................................................Albert Bergeret Executive Director.....................................................................................................................David Wannen Director of Administration & Box Office..................................................................................Joseph Rubin Company Manager................................................................................................................. Michael Galante Wardrobe.......................................................................................................... Gail J. Wofford, Annette Dieli Concession Sales..................................................................................................................................Alan Hill Company Photographer........................................................................ ... Carol Rosegg, William Reynolds Orchestra Contractor.....................................................................................................................Larry Tietze
The photographing or sound recording of this performance or possession of any device for such photographing or sound recording is prohibited.
NEW YORK GILBERT & SULLIVAN PLAYERS: THE MIKADO
Synopsis of The Mikado Nanki-Poo, a wandering minstrel, has come to the town of Titipu in search of Yum-Yum, a girl with whom he has fallen in love. Ko-Ko, her guardian, had been condemned to death under the Mikado’s capricious law against flirting, but has since been appointed Lord High Executioner, on the assumption that he will be unwilling to enforce a law of which he himself must be the first victim. While KoKo plans to marry Yum-Yum himself, Nanki-Poo woos the beautiful girl. YumYum returns his affection, but she is unwilling to defy her guardian. Meanwhile, Ko-Ko learns that his post is to be abolished by the Mikado for nonperformance of duty. His search for a victim is interrupted by the appearance of the despondent Nanki-Poo, bent on suicide. The two men strike a deal that Nanki-Poo may marry Yum-Yum, if he will agree to become Ko-Ko’s first victim at the end of a month. The general rejoicing that follows this announcement is halted by the arrival of Katisha, an elderly lady of the Mikado’s court. Thwarted in her efforts to claim Nanki-Poo as her lover, she attempts to reveal his true identity, but the entire town shouts her down as the act ends. Act II finds Yum-Yum and Nanki-Poo preparing for their wedding, but Ko-Ko produces a surprise—”by the Mikado’s law, when a married man is beheaded, his wife is buried alive!” Yum-Yum is having second thoughts when the approach of the Mikado himself is announced. Ko-Ko panics and decides that a dead body will not be needed if the proper papers are produced. He sends Nanki-Poo away to marry Yum-Yum and prepares a “certificate” of Nanki-Poo’s execution. The Mikado arrives in town, accompanied by Katisha, and is delighted to receive the news that there has been an execution until he sees the name of the victim. Ko-Ko now learns for the first time that Nanki-Poo is the son of the Mikado. Along with Pooh-Bah and Pitti-Sing, who have acted as witnesses to the fake execution, Ko-Ko is sentenced to be boiled in oil for “compassing the death of the Heir Apparent.” When Ko-Ko goes to Nanki-Poo for help, the minstrel explains that he originally disguised himself in order to escape Katisha’s attentions, and he has no intention of being anything but “dead” until she is married to someone else. To save his own neck, Ko-Ko woos and wins the lady in record time. When the Mikado returns from lunch to find his son still alive, and Ko-Ko married to Katisha, the story is tied up in true Topsy-Turvy Gilbertian fashion.
FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2019
Musical Numbers OVERTURE ACT I “If You Want To Know Who We Are” (Opening Chorus and Recitative).................. Naki-Poo and Men “A Wand’ring Minstrel I” (Solo and Chorus).................................................................. Naki-Poo and Men “Our Great Mikado, Virtuous Man” (Solo and Chorus).............................................. Pish-Tush and Men “Young Man, Despair” (Song)...........................................................Pooh-Bah, Nanki-Poo, and Pish-Tush “And Have I Journeyed For A Month” (Recitative).............................................Nanki-Poo and Pooh-Bah “Behold The Lord High Executioner” (Chorus and Solo)................................................. Ko-Ko and Men “As Some Day It May Happen” (Solo and Chorus)......................................................... ... Ko-Ko and Men “Comes A Train Of Little Ladies” (Chorus)............................................................................................ Girls “Three Little Maids From School Are We” (Trio and Chorus)......... Yum-Yum, Peep-Bo, Pitti-Sing, and Girls “So Please You, Sir, We Much Regret” (Quartet and Chorus)................................. ... Yum-Yum, Peep-Bo Pitti-Sing, and Girls “Were You Not To Ko-Ko Plighted” (Duet)............ Yum-Yum, Peep-Bo, Pitti-Sing, Pooh-Bah, and Girls “I Am So Proud” (Trio)......................................................................... ... Pooh-Bah, Ko-Ko, and Pish-Tush “With Aspect Stern And Gloomy Stride” (Finale of Act I)........................................................... Ensemble
Intermission ACT II “Braid the Raven Hair” (Opening Chorus and Solo).................................................... Pitti-Sing and Girls “The Sun, Whose Rays Are All Ablaze” (Song)..............................................................................Yum-Yum “Brightly Dawns Our Wedding Day” (Madrigal)........ Yum-Yum, Pitti-Sing, Nanki-Poo, and Pish-Tush “Here’s A How-De-Do!” (Trio)................................................................Yum-Yum, Nanki-Poo, and Ko-Ko “Our Mikado, Great Mikado” (Entrance of the Mikado, Chorus, and Duet)................Mikado, Katisha, Girls, and Men “A More Humane Mikado” (Solo and Chorus)...................................................... Mikado, Girls, and Men “The Criminal Cried As He Dropped Him Down” (Trio and Chorus)........................ Ko-Ko, Pitti-Sing, Pooh-Bah, Girls, and Men “See How The Fates Their Gifts Allot” (Glee)........ ... Mikado, Pitti-Sing, Pooh-Bah, Ko-Ko, and Katisha “The Flowers That Bloom In The Spring” (Song).................................................. Nanki-Poo, Ko-Ko, Yum-Yum, Pitti-Sing, Pooh-Bah and Pish-Tush “Alone, And Yet Alive!” (Recitative and Song).................................................................................. Katisha “Willow, Tit-Willow” (Song).................................................................................................................. Ko-Ko “There Is Beauty In The Bellow Of The Blast” (Duet)............................................... ... Katisha and Ko-Ko “For He’s Gone and Married Yum-Yum” (Finale of Act II).......................................................... Ensemble
NEW YORK GILBERT & SULLIVAN PLAYERS: THE MIKADO WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST DAVID AUXIER (W.S. Gilbert/Pish-Tush/ (Trial by Jury), Ella (Patience), Fiametta (The Director/Prologue Author) Isaac Asimov Award Gondoliers), and Phylla (Utopia, Limited). She Recipient for Artistic Achievement 2015-16. has sung in Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Favorite NYGASP roles: Captain Corcoran Radio City Music Hall, and the Kennedy Center; (Pinafore), Sergeant (Pirates), Pish-Tush and has received awards from the Commission (Mikado). Mr. Auxier has been co-director and on Presidential Scholars in the Arts, and the company choreographer since 2010 and has National Foundation for Advancement in the worked in or on all 13 G&S operas. He wrote Arts. Brooke attended the Walnut Hill School for and directed the award-winning hit G&S cabaret the Arts, Harvard University, and the Peabody revue I’ve Got a Little Twist, and wrote the book Conservatory. for NYGASP’s original G&S à la Carte! David is also a MAC Award nominated songwriter and CAMILO ESTRADA (Ensemble) is thrilled to is currently penning an all-original musical. be back with NYGASP for another incredible production! Past NYGASP productions include www.davidauxier.com The Yeomen of the Guard and The Mikado. Camilo CÁITLÍN BURKE (Rosina Brandram/Katisha) is currently performing in an educational regional NATIONAL TOUR: The Sound of Music (Mother tour with the company S.T.A.R. at The Director’s Abbess U/S perf.), dir. Jack O’Brien. NEW Company. Other recent credits include Aladdin in YORK: Honor (Ayame), Mademoiselle Modiste Aladdin: A Musical Panto with People’s Light and (Franchette), Amahl and the Night Visitors Pásek in Příhody lišky Bystroušky with dell’Arte (Mother). REGIONAL: Così fan tutte (Fiordiligi/ Opera Ensemble. Camilo holds his BFA in Vocal Dorabella), Dido and Aeneas (Sorceress), Hansel Performance from Carnegie Mellon University. and Gretel (Witch), South Pacific (Bloody Mary), The King and I (Lady Thiang), Into the MICHAEL GALANTE (Ensemble) NYGASP Woods (The Witch). LONDON: The Pirates of since 1987! Michael has performed the entire Penzance, The Mikado, Iolanthe, H.M.S. Pinafore. G&S canon and The Rose of Persia with NYGASP. Principal at The Kennedy Center, City Center, Credits include Lord Dramaleigh in Utopia, Lincoln Center, The Royal Hall (U.K), National Limited, and Francesco in The Gondoliers. Other Arts Center (Ottawa), Ed Mirvish Theatre theatre credits include: Flute (A Midsummer (Toronto), Wolf Trap. SOLOIST: Royal Festival Night’s Dream), Fenton (The Merry Wives of Orchestra (U.K.), Rochester Symphony, Detroit Windsor), Lennie (Of Mice and Men) and Chamber Winds. For my family and Dan. Moonface (Anything Goes). Michael was the www.CaitlinBurke.org 2008-2009 recipient of NYGASP’s Isaac Asimov JAMIE BUXTON (Ensemble) is thrilled to be Award for Artistic Achievement. touring with NYGASP, where she was most recently seen in The Pirates of Penzance in NYC. NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL TOURS: A Chorus Line (Val), Hair, Click Clack Moo, Radio City Christmas Spectacular. REGIONAL: Me and My Girl (Sally Smith, IRNE Best Actress Nom), 42nd Street (Peggy Sawyer), Oklahoma! (Ado Annie), Gypsy (June), Hairspray, Disney Cruise Line. A music theatre writer, Jamie is currently pursuing her MFA in Music Theatre Writing at New York University. BROOKE COLLINS (Ensemble) has performed all 13 operettas in the G&S canon. Favorite roles include Josephine (H.M.S. Pinafore), Angelina
REBECCA L. HARGROVE (Sybil Grey/PeepBo) is pleased to be joining the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players as Peep Bo in The Mikado. She recently debuted the role of The Mother in the world premiere of Joseph C. Phillips’s one woman opera, The Grey Land. Her previous stage credits include: Cabin in the Sky with New York City Center Encores!; Los Elementos (Literes), La Campana Sommersa (Respighi), I Pagliacci (Leoncavallo), and Aleko (Rachmaninoff) with New York City Opera; Afram ou la belle Swita (Jenkins) and Porgy and Bess (Gershwin) with Spoleto Festival USA. Follow her updates at www.RebeccaLHargrove.com and IG: @rhargrov.
FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2019 AMY MAUDE HELFER (Jesse Bond/PittiSing) Entire G&S canon with NYGASP since 2008, including: Phoebe, Tessa, Pitti-Sing, Kate, Melissa, Angela, Saphir, Leila, Kalyba. Opera/ oratorio: Dinah (Trouble in Tahiti) at Boheme Opera NJ, Cherubino at Dayton Opera, Lord Nelson Mass at Carnegie Hall, Baba the Turk with String Orchestra of Brooklyn, Mercédès at Opera Theater of CT, Nancy (Albert Herring) at Bronx Opera. Operetta/musical theatre: Mrs. Lovett (Sweeney Todd) at Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, Phoebe (Yeomen) at Winter Opera Saint Louis, Petra (Night Music). Lotte Lenya Competition Semi-Finalist (2013). Upcoming: Vera Boronel (Consul) at Bronx Opera, Sondheim concert at Sanibel Music Festival. Proud member of AEA. For Mom. www.amymaudehelfer.com ANDY HERR (Ensemble) NYGASP credits include Pooh-Bah (The Mikado), Scynthius (Princess Ida), Pirates of Penzance, HMS Pinafore, Ruddigore, and The Gondoliers. Other past credits include: Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bottom), Play On (Billy), Amigo Duende (Barrigon), Barefoot in the Park (Paul), among others. He is also a proud member of AEA. Enjoy the show! MAURIO HINES (Ensemble) is a native of Durham, NC. At the Glimmerglass Young Artist Program, Mr. Hines made his debut as Matthew Kumalo in Kurt Weill’s Lost in the Stars. Recently, Mr. Hines worked with Lyric Opera of Chicago in Porgy and Bess, was a featured dancer in Hawaii Opera’s Flying Dutchman, Torasso (Passion) with the Confidential Music Theatre Project, Nikos (Zorba) at the Clay and Wattles Theatre Company, The Mikado with NYGASP, and Oklahoma! with Denver Center Theatre Company. Mr. Hines received his Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance at Greensboro College and his Masters of Music at East Carolina University.
Victor Herbert Renaissance Project in The Red Mill, in concert with the Friends of Mozart, and with the Interarts Festival at Juilliard. www.hannahmezzo.com SARAH HUTCHISON (Ensemble) Proud NYGASP-er both in New York and on tour since 2009! Other recent projects: Tennessee Williams’ Not About Nightingales (Empirical Theatre); various readings at the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, and recording projects at Avatar Studios and with Grammy Award-winning sound engineer/producer Mikaelin “Blue” BlueSpruce. She is grateful for her amazing family & friends’ continued love and support. Graduate of Muhlenberg College; proud member of Actors’ Equity and the Patrick Page Studio. “Keep calm and patter on...” DAVID MACALUSO (Arthur Sullivan/Ko-Ko) A graduate of Manhattan School of Music, David has performed in new works, recordings and musicals throughout the US, Off-Broadway & abroad. He was managing producer/performer/ collaborative director in NYGASP’s Cox & Box. Credits include Sir Joseph/ Buttercup in NY Drama Desk Award-nominated Pinafore! (Vortex Theater) and Robin Oakapple/co-producer of the internationally-acclaimed House of Murgatroyd at the International G&S Festival in England. Favorite roles include: Ko-Ko, Strephon, Grosvenor, Luiz, Molina (Spiderwoman), Falke (Fledermaus). Visit DMac.info
JOHN CHARLES MCLAUGHLIN (Nanki-Poo) NYGASP since 2013 debut in The Mikado at NY City Center. Recently seen in Princess Ida at NYU Skirball Center. Regional: Passion (Arden Theatre Co.), My Fair Lady (Cardinal Stage), Once Upon a Mattress (Princeton Music Festival) New York: Hard Times, Peter/Wendy, McGoldrick’s Thread, The Biscuit Club (The Cell Theater, Resident HANNAH HOLMES (Ensemble) joined Artist). Originally from Hammond, IN, he NYGASP with The Mikado in 2016, and has studied music at Indiana University Jacobs since performed in Ruddigore and HMS Pinafore. School of Music. www.jcmclaughlin.com An Iowa native, Hannah’s love for G&S began at Ohio Light Opera, where she performed in JAMES MILLS (Ensemble) has worked with Pirates of Penzance (Kate), Gondoliers (Vittoria), NYGASP for over a decade, performing the Ruddigore, and HMS Pinafore. Other favorite entire G&S canon, as well as stage managing, roles at OLO include May DeVere (Fifty Million tech directing, and associate directing. Recently Frenchmen), Old Lady (Candide), Lois Lane seen as Jack Point (Yeomen) and John Wellington (Kiss Me, Kate), and Molly Grant (One Touch Wells (Sorcerer), other notable NYGASP roles of Venus). In NYC, she has performed with the include Major-General Stanley (Pirates),
NEW YORK GILBERT & SULLIVAN PLAYERS: THE MIKADO Reginald Bunthorne (Patience), Lord Chancellor (Iolanthe), and Sir Joseph Porter (HMS Pinafore). James is co-star and co-writer of the all-new drag musical, The Hell’s Kitchenettes, and also works as a stage director for the College Light Opera Company in Falmouth, MA where he recently mounted Pirates of Penzance and the CLOC Jubilee Gala. He is a proud member of AEA. LANCE OLDS (Ensemble) NYGASP since 1997: 11 of the 13 (all but Grand Duke and Sorcerer). Lance married company member Lauren Wenegrat 10 years ago and they are the proud parents of Anwyn and Declan. First national tour Footloose (understudied Christian Borle). OffBroadway: Mark Twain’s Blues. Regional: Kennedy Center, Seattle Rep, Weston Playhouse. Film/TV: MTV’s Eye Candy, Far From Heaven, ballroom danced in Enchanted, Stepford Wives, Mona Lisa Smile, Kate & Leopold. On-camera and singer/ songwriter clips at www.lanceolds.com
Center. Ms. Smith’s principal roles include the title role in Patience, Yum-Yum (Mikado), Rose Maybud (Ruddigore), Gianetta (Gondoliers), and Constance (Sorcerer), among others. Sarah also tours with NYGASP’s award-winning cabaret, I’ve Got a Little Twist. NYC: City Center Encores! (Music in the Air), VHRP LIVE! (title roles in Naughty Marietta and The Fortune Teller, Grace Holbrook in The Princess Pat, Gretchen in The Red Mill), Avery Fisher solo debut as Infant Casmira (Candide) with National Chorale, Blondchen (Die Entführung aus dem Seraglio).
VIET VO (Ensemble) is EXTREMELY honored to be back working with NYGASP! Originally from Hawaii, he has survived 12 years in NYC. He was a business marketing major before he broke up with the program and shocked his parents by pursuing acting professionally (Sorry, Mom and Dad). THEATRE: Evita, A Christmas Story, In the Soundless Awe, Fishing for Wives. TV/FILM: LOST, The Blacklist, Kim Jong Style, MANIFEST. KENDRICK PIFER (Ensemble) Soprano A Huge Mahalo nui loa to David, Al, and Cast. Kendrick Pifer is thrilled to be making her debut Mom, Dad -- thank you for letting me fly. Lina with NYGASP this season! Ms. Pifer has a diverse -- thank you for teaching me to fly. repertoire of contemporary and traditional musical theatre, opera, and art song. Favorite ANGELA CHRISTINE SMITH (Ensemble) Ms. past credits include Mi (Das land des Lächelns), Smith has completed the G&S canon and roles Alysha (Moving Right Along: The World of include: Dame Hannah, Katisha, Queen of the Jeff Blumenkrantz), a Soloist (Side by Side by Fairies, Little Buttercup, Ruth, Lady Blanche, Lady Sondheim), and Hope Harcourt (Anything Goes). Jane, Dame Carruthers, Duchess of Plaza-Toro, Kendrick is an alumnus of Manhattan School of Baroness von Krakenfeldt and Mrs. Partlet. Ms. Music where she studied Classical Voice with Smith is a proud member of NYGASP’s awardwinning cabaret show I’ve Got a Little Twist. Neil Rosenshein. Additional credits: the title role in The Princess CHRIS-IAN SANCHEZ (Ensemble) NYGASP Pat with the Victor Herbert Renaissance Project since 2004: entire G&S canon! Other credits LIVE!; recipient of the Isaac Asimov Award for include Passing It On (Coconut Grove Artistic Achievement; Ardea Arts, Opera Singers Playhouse with Len Cariou), Gastone in La Initiative, Belleayre Festival Opera, Light Opera Traviata (Queens Symphony Orchestra), Thuy of New York (LOONY), Opera Saratoga and in Miss Saigon (Actor’s Playhouse-Carbonell Opera Delaware. Nomination, Virginia Music Theatre, Carousel Dinner Theatre, and Surflight Theatre!), Mereb MATTHEW WAGES (Richard D’Oyly Carte/ (Aida), Judah (Joseph), Roger (Grease) and Pooh-Bah) began his professional endeavors in Tommy Keeler in Annie Get Your Gun (Surflight Opéra Comique with NYGASP, and recently Theatre), and James the Elder in Jesus Christ completed the entire G&S canon. ‘Dramatis Superstar (K.C. Starlight Theatre). Worked with Personae’: Wilfred Shadbolt (Yeomen of the NY City Opera in Dead Man Walking, Carmen Guard), Sir Despard (Ruddigore), Pooh-Bah/ Carte (Mikado), Sir Marmaduke (The Sorcerer), and L’Etoile. Florian (Princess Ida), Bouncer (Cox & Box), SARAH CALDWELL SMITH (Leonora Lord Mountararat (Iolanthe), Giuseppe Palmieri Braham/Yum-Yum) Debut with NYGASP: (Gondoliers), Major Murgatroyd (Patience), Mabel (Pirates of Penzance) at New York City Dick Deadeye & Bill Bobstay (H.M.S. Pinafore),
FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2019 Sergeant of Police & Samuel (Pirates of Penzance), Sir Roderic (Ruddygore: Revisited) at the International G&S Festival in Harrogate, U.K., and recently joined, I’ve Got A Little Twist; Principal Bass with VHRP, Live!
Labour’s Lost (Theatre at Monmouth); and Julius Caesar, Comedy of Errors (Nebraska Shakespeare). Chris has also toured the country in Of Ebony Embers, a solo play chronicling the lives of four Harlem Renaissance artists. Highlights of Chris’ musical credits include A Funny Thing... CHRIS WHITE (Richard Temple/The Mikado) Forum, Little Shop of Horrors, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Chris is a graduate of Webster Conservatory. His and live productions at Walt Disney World and favorite classical credits include Titus Andronicus Hong Kong Disneyland. Follow Chris’ artistic (Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey), Love’s adventures on IG: @chriswhiteonstage!
WHO’S WHO IN THE COMPANY ALBERT BERGERET (Founder/Artistic Director/ General Manager) Mr. Bergeret is a career-long professional specialist in the works of Gilbert & Sullivan, having performed, staged, conducted and designed every opera in the repertoire over a 40-year period. He has directed G&S productions for university students and residency programs for elementary schools. He has been hailed as “The leading custodian of the G&S classics” by New York Magazine (Peter Davis) and his work as both stage and musical director has been widely acclaimed in the press both in New York and on tour throughout the United States, Canada, and the UK. Mr. Bergeret founded NYGASP in 1974 and has served as Artistic Director/General Manager since its inception. He has conducted and staged all 13 of the works in the G&S canon as well as the company’s smash hit production of George Gershwin’s Of Thee I Sing. He has conducted programs with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Orchestra London in Ontario Canada, Northwest Indiana Symphony and the Erie Philharmonic in a program featuring Metropolitan Opera baritone Robert Goodloe. With NYGASP he has also conducted and directed such diverse personalities as Hal Linden, Steve Allen, John Astin, Pat Carroll, Noel Harrison, John Rubenstein, Louis Quilico, Lando Bartolini, and John Reed, O.B.E.
Ma-Yi Theater Company, Keen Company, Pacific Symphony, Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, Virginia Arts Festival, Rattlestick Theater, The Sheen Center, Troy’s EMPAC. M.F.A. NYU. www.bhatiadesign.com ANNETTE DIELI (Assistant Stage Manager) Assistant Stage Manager and Wardrobe. Entire Gilbert and Sullivan canon with NYGASP! Hartford Stage Company (running crew), Bronx Opera (props, costume assistant), props for Out of The Box Theater Company. Stage manager and props for a new musical, It’s a Brand New World, with Three Act Theater Company. Artistic Director of her own puppet company.
KELVIN MOON LOH (Assistant Director) has directed and choreographed for MCC Theater Fresh Plays, Hyper Aware Theater Co., Gladshot Productions, and numerous MAC-nominated cabaret performances. Kelvin is the book writer for Matchmaker Matchmaker I’m Willing to Settle which was performed at A.R.T. Second Stage and NYMF. As a performer, Kelvin was recently seen in The SpongeBob Musical in Chicago, The King and I (Broadway/Lincoln Center), Side Show (Broadway/St. James), Here Lies Love (Public Theater), and American Idiot (1st National Tour). Next up, Beetlejuice on Broadway. Thank you NYGASP and my love, Anthony. ANSHUMAN BHATIA (Set Designer) His designs www.KelvinMoon.com for opera, dance and theater have been seen at Beijing’s National Center for the Performing Arts, QUINTO OTT (Costume Designer) is a Tucson, Dublin’s Civic Theater, Soho Rep, The Public, The AZ native, a graduate of Indiana University, Atlantic, Arena Stage in Washington D.C., The Park Bloomington, and has been a NYGASP company Avenue Armory, Bard Music Festival, WP Theater, member since 2009. He has redesigned, repaired, The Juilliard School, Madison Opera, Classic rebuilt, and replaced pieces from many of Stage Company, HERE Arts Center, LoftOpera, the company’s other wonderful productions
NEW YORK GILBERT & SULLIVAN PLAYERS: THE MIKADO including The Pirates of Penzance, HMS Pinafore, The Yeomen of the Guard, and Iolanthe. Ott also works as a freelance costumer and has built costumes for many regional and national productions including the North American tours of Les Misérables, Mary Poppins, and The Phantom of the Opera. Ott is currently on tour in the cast of Phantom and designed and built this production from hotel rooms across America. www.quintoott.com
of Music in vocal performance and holds a post baccalaureate in business from Columbia University. Mr. Wannen is a veteran of the NYGASP stage and a member of the NYGASP board of directors. Since 2007–08 he has been the sole official representative of the company in the national touring market. Mr. Wannen is producer of the all-new critically acclaimed production of The Mikado, and co-producer of I’ve Got a Little Twist, NYGASP’s original cabaret. His other responsibilities for NYGASP include fundraising, JOSEPH RUBIN (Director of Administration marketing, board development, and strategic & Box Office) is an expert on American music planning. Mr. Wannen is past president of 1890-1949 and recently completed a concert North American Performing Arts Managers and tour of Over There: The Music of World War I Agents, recently completing six years of service as commemorating the centennial of the Armistice. an officer of the board. A native of Canton, Ohio, he founded the Canton Comic Opera Co. in 2003 and has restored and BENJAMIN WEILL (Lighting Designer) Benjamin conducted such forgotten American operettas as Weill thrilled to be back for his fifth season as The Prince of Pilsen, Madame Sherry, The Rose resident lighting designer for NYGASP. He is of Algeria and the original 1902 The Wizard of the recipient of the BroadwayWorld New Jersey Oz. Mr. Rubin also is the Curator of The Ted award for Best Lighting Design of a Musical. He Lewis Museum (Circleville, OH). Upcoming was recently involved in Emma: The Musical concerts: I’ll See You In My Dreams: The Music available on StreamingMusicals.com. Other shows of Isham Jones and a tribute to Hal Kemp and His including: The Pirates of Penzance, HMS Pinafore, Fiddler on the Roof, Les Misérables, Ruddigore, Orchestra. www.josephnrubin.com South Pacific, …Charlie Brown, Songs for a New JOSHUA STRONE (Production Stage Manager) World, The Diary of Anne Frank, Into the Woods, is a graduate of University of Miami in Theatre Book of Days, The Crucible, Cloud 9, Cyrano de Arts, Motion Pictures, and Music Business and Bergerac. www.benjaminweilldesign.com Entertainment Industries (2015). Joshua first appeared with NYGASP in 2005, performing in GAIL J. WOFFORD (Wardrobe/Co-Founder of Gondoliers and Yeomen of the Guard. Since then, NYGASP) holds a Masters of Arts in Theatre Arts he has worked as Associate Producer for Write from Texas Tech University. As resident costume Act East Side, Quantum Entertainment, and designer she designed and constructed costumes Greg Shaffert Productions, serving as an agent for The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, H.M.S. for Chita Rivera and Jackie Evancho, as well as Pinafore, The Yeomen of the Guard, Iolanthe, Trial being the House Manager and Event Services by Jury and other operettas. Gail was Costume Coordinator for BCPA. He is excited to bring the Coordinator for N.J. State Opera for 12 years and culmination of his skills back to NYGASP as their head of wardrobe for the NY Grand Opera. She has executed projects for WNET, Channel 13, Production Stage Manager. National Tour of Dreamgirls, the film Mission DAVID WANNEN (Executive Director/ Apollo and worked with numerous opera Producer) is a graduate of the Eastman School companies throughout the US.
Program Note by David Auxier-Loyola and David Wannen The Mikado is undoubtedly the most popular piece of musical theatre of all time, when its 132year history is taken into account. For decades, a production of G&S’s satirical opera could be seen somewhere in the English speaking world every day of the year. Its libretto has found its way into our language, with expressions such as the “grand Pooh-Bah” and “Let the punishment fit the crime.” Several films have been made of or about the work, including Mike Leigh’s 1999 film Topsy-Turvy, which presented an intimate portrait of the characters of Sir W.S. Gilbert, Sir Arthur Sullivan, and the repertory cast of the original D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, following G&S’s inspiration and development of the very first Mikado production. Recently, a great deal of controversy has arisen around The Mikado in New York and in other cities across the United States. In 2015, when the Asian-American community raised concerns over representation and casting, NYGASP listened for a simple reason – it was the right thing to do. We believed that, with the necessary time and effort, we could develop a new way to present The Mikado, one that performers and audiences from all backgrounds would enjoy. We also knew we had to maintain the artistic integrity of the piece. Some life-long fans of Gilbert and Sullivan expressed concerns about losing a classic part of the G&S repertoire, or suffering changes to The Mikado that would render the comic opera unrecognizable. NYGASP worked with Asian-American arts leaders to build an inclusive cast and creative team, and to institute new performance practices for the current production – all while striving to uphold The Mikado’s characters, storytelling, themes and most of all its universal satire of human nature. Oscar Wilde, a contemporary of Gilbert’s and a fan of G&S, wrote that “Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life” (The Decay of Lying). When it comes to The Mikado and the world we are living in today, it seems Wilde’s proclamation is proven true. Imbedded in the controversy is a quintessential Gilbertian irony: presenting The Mikado provides a stage for exploring the broader issues of race, equity, diversity and inclusion in our world. We are all too aware that our politics are too often dominated by polarized identities and ideologies that tempt us to hunker down in social media-fueled trenches filled with like-minded acquaintances who only reinforce our thinking.
Instead of succumbing to this temptation, NYGASP reached out to new colleagues from diverse backgrounds to devise a solution worthy of the challenge before us. Our costumes, choreography and direction are completely original - unrestricted by the traditions of past performance practice. Most importantly, the representation of life on stage is no-longer a depiction of Japanese people, but rather a fantastical portrait of Victorians in a dream world that is inspired by the Japanese culture that had captivated England at the time of The Mikado’s creation. While we can’t speak for others, those involved in our efforts have agreed that the written libretto required very little revision. There are moments that clearly show Gilbert was a man of the 19th century; phrases, for example, that make comments about “Japanese attitudes.” Consequently, revisions to those references are part of the new performance practice we are instituting. Our company has also, for its entire history, firmly held the belief that modern topical references are appropriate to make the audience’s experience as immediate as it was for the audiences of the 19th century. Londoners would have understood many of Gilbert’s references to popular figures and places of the time. We believe that theatre is a living medium and that judicious revisions are appropriate, whether they be for reasons of entertainment, understanding, or changing cultural sensibilities. However, it is the universal truth of The Mikado that has endured and delighted us through the decades. There is nothing more universal than death, and in The Mikado, Gilbert’s dark humor makes us laugh at this most common of all aspects of the human condition. Vanity, acting before thinking of the consequences, the artifices of social behavior, the corrupting influence of power, and many other easily identifiable foibles are all the objects of Gilbert’s wit. Are these not deliciously topical in today’s socio-political environment? Add to this heady mixture an element of genuine pathos for the piece’s villainess and one quickly recognizes why this story still intrigues and fascinates us over 130 years after its creation. We hope you enjoy our new production of The Mikado. Please pass your love of Gilbert & Sullivan to our youth, so that they may sing its beauty “with joyous shout and ringing cheer” for the ages to come.
About New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players Now in its forty-fourth year of operation, New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players (NYGASP) is America’s preeminent professional Gilbert & Sullivan repertory ensemble. Under the dynamic leadership of Artistic Director Albert Bergeret, who has been hailed as “the leading custodian of the G&S classics” by New York Magazine, NYGASP has created its own special niche in the cultural mosaic of New York City and the nation. Since its founding in 1974, the company has presented over 2,000 performances of the G&S masterpieces throughout the United States, Canada, and the U.K. captivating audiences of all ages.
mounted its first triumphant season at New York’s venerable City Center, playing 3 of its most popular productions to over 20,000 G&S enthusiasts in 3 weeks. NYGASP has now played a total of 9 seasonson the City Center stage.
The company has in its repertory thirteen different complete G&S operettas (cast, orchestra and crew of 50-80 people), special versions of the most popular operettas designed for children’s audiences, and a variety of charming concert programs created especially for NYGASP’s “Wand’ring Minstrels” ensemble.
Touring activities continue throughout the year, frequently featuring productions from the New York season. In June 2010 NYGASP was part of the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in Gettysburg, PA. The company returned in August 2014 to the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in Harrogate, England. NYGASP’s 2019 tours bring the company to venues throughout the West and Midwest.
NYGASP’s annual New York season has included performances at the Peter Norton Symphony Space on Manhattan’s Upper West Side since 1978. NYGASP is performing at two venues for the 2018-19 season, the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theatre and the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College. Productions include The Yeomen of the Guard, The Pirates of Penzance and a Victorian double bill of Mr. Bergeret’s vision for his company’s mission Ages Ago and Mr. Jericho. The 2019-20 New York is clear: to build and maintain an ensemble season will include Iolanthe and The Gondoliers, as of professional repertory singers, actors, well as this very production of The Mikado. dancers, and musicians dedicated to bringing The company’s celebrated ensemble of G&S quality performances of the Gilbert & Sullivan experts, developed by introducing new singers masterpieces to as wide an audience as possible. each year from New York’s immense pool of vocal To do so he has developed a unique blend of and theatrical talent, has collaborated with such creative spontaneity and classical precision guest artists as world-renowned G&S exponent which is neither revisionist in nature nor mired the late John Reed, O.B.E. in numerous comic in the rigidity of the more typical view of baritone roles, Tony winner John Rubinstein and “tradition”. NYGASP’’s productions are charged Frank Gorshin both as King Gama in Princess with contemporary energy while retaining that Ida, John Astin as Sir Joseph in H.M.S. Pinafore, traditional respect for the shows themselves Hal Linden and Noel Harrison as the Major which is so important to Gilbert & Sullivan General in The Pirates of Penzance, Pat Carroll enthusiasts. The use of elaborate, but relevant, as Little Buttercup in H.M.S. Pinafore, and Steve choreography and movement is a particularly Allen as The Mikado. important element. Where possible, topical The company has also produced a unique references from the nineteenth century are cabaret act. I’ve Got a Little Twist, created and updated when the original intent would be lost on directed by NYGASP principal David Auxiera modern musical theatre audience, but without Loyola, won a 2010 Bistro Award, is currently disturbing the shape or scope of the material as touring throughout the country, and appeared written. Gilbert’s satire of human foibles and on Lincoln Center’s 2011 Atrium series. “Take sophisticated wit remain intact, while Sullivan’s Gilbert & Sullivan, add a TWIST of Broadway, evocative scores, which need no revision at all, and stir!” is Twist’s recipe. Highlighting Musical are given the full range of vocal and orchestral Theatre’s roots in Gilbert & Sullivan, the show is color for which they call. entertaining for all ages.
The company’s recognition and stature continue to grow. In January of 2002 the company