“But youth, of course, must have its fling, so pardon us, so pardon us. And don’t, in girlhood’s happy spring, be hard on us, be hard on us, if we’re inclined to dance and sing.”
The Mikado
The McAdo, or The Town of Ballydew
November 1 to 24, 2024
Directors
| Stage Director: | Joe Andrews |
| Music Director: | Dr. Randal A. Buikema |
Director’s Notes
“Necessity is the mother of invention.”
For some time, Gilbert & Sullivan companies have been setting The Mikado in different locales and making adjustments to keep this extraordinary work alive. The best examples of this approach have found a way to honor all the key elements that Savoyards hold dear – the truly hilarious libretto, clever lyrics, and outstanding music – while jettisoning the offensive elements associated with its original setting, Japan – yellowface (the practice of wearing makeup to appear Asian) being chief among the offensive challenges. The McAdo is the brainchild of Gilbert & Sullivan Austin (Texas, not Minnesota!). They have been kind enough to share their work and then generous enough to let me tinker further with it to add, among other things, a prologue that helps address the history of The Mikado without getting too dogmatic or didactic.
While comedy is fragile, Gilbert’s story is surprisingly flexible and resilient. Not many changes were required for this re-setting of the work. Most of the changes we’ve made are actually the kind in which Gilbert indulged: nods to current events, prominent figures, and regional idiosyncrasies.
I’m so very happy you’re here and I hope you enjoy our production of The McAdo! If you’re able, a donation of any size will help us to continue to bring all of the G&S operettas to the Twin Cities with full chorus, full orchestra, and full hearts!
Joe Andrews
Maggie Benham as Wynn Somme, Sam Vinitsky as Coco, and Seth Tychon Steidl as Lanky Doug
Mary Kettlewell as Wynn Somme, Brandt Roberts as Coco, and Graham Remple as Lanky Doug
The McAdo Reviews
Cherry and Spoon, by Jill Schafer
Play Off the Page, by Mary Aalgaard
Stages of Minnesota, by Rob Dunkelberger
Two excellent internet resources for information about H.M.S. Pinafore
Wikipedia – The Mikado – Wikipedia
The Gilbert & Sullivan Archive – The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan
Show Poster
Company Photo
“Away you go, collect your hordes; proclaim your woe in dismal chords. We do not heed their dismal sound for joy reigns everywhere around.”
The Mikado