The Mikado 1995

July 22, 23, 1995

Vern Sutton approached Jere Lantz, Conductor of the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra, with the idea of presenting a concert version of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado, along with other Twin Cities music celebrities.  Jere had attended he Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company’s spring production of Ruddigore and felt that the company could provide the chorus, as well as fill the smaller soloist roles.  The Company agreed to the arrangement and performed its first concert with the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra at the Lake Harriet Bandshell.

The cast for this concert production of The Mikado included:

The Mikado  James Bohn
Nanki-Poo  Dan Dressen
Pooh-Bah  Arnold Walker
Pish-Tush  Waldyn Benbenek
Ko-Ko  Vern Sutton
   
Yum-Yum  Elisabeth Comeaux
Pitti-Sing  Mary Gregory
Peep-Bo  Kathy Hering
Katisha  Janis Hardy

Women’s Chorus

Mary Mescher-Benbenek, Stephanie Brody, Martha Burton, Kathryn Florhaug, Mary Frankson, Diane Friebe, Angie Gislason, Amy Gunderson, Lesley Hendrickson, Barb Hovey, Lizz Just, Holly MacDonald, Julie Parshall, Sue Ann Rawlins, Lisa Rock, Rhea Sullivan, Holly Windle

Men’s Chorus

Joe Andrews, Tom Barth, Shawn Behrens, Ernie Brody, Matt Dolph, Peter Erickson, Roger Evans, Stephen Hage, Stuart Holland, Dean Laurance, Warren Loud, Kris Lysne, John Murray, Richard Rames, Steve Rawlins, Gordon Staff

Director

Vern Sutton

Conductor

Jere Lantz

Announcer

Arnold Walker