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