The Brigham Young University School of Music presents the classic Gilbert and Sullivan opera "The Mikado" Wednesday through Saturday, June 6-9, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall on the BYU campus.
For the Wednesday and Thursday productions, tickets will cost $6. For the Friday and Saturday productions, tickets are $10. Tickets can be purchased at the Fine Arts Ticket Office, (801) 422-4322 or at byuarts.com/tickets.
Directed by Isaac Hurtado, voice faculty member in the Music Department at Utah Valley University, "The Mikado" tells the comical story of Nanki-Poo, the son of the Mikado, or emperor, of Japan, who runs away from his father's court to find his true love Yum-Yum. Along the way, he becomes involved in a complex plan to thwart the quirky decrees of the Mikado.
The two-act operetta is in the same style W.S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan, famous British satirists, used to write "The Pirates of Penzance," "H.M.S. Pinafore" and "Iolanthe."
Gilbert and Sullivan came up with the idea for "The Mikado" after Sullivan saw a Japanese exhibition in London in 1885 and became fascinated with the colorful costumes and exotic customs of Japan. Their story, however, is not an authentic account of a Japanese story, cultural characters or music, but a commentary on British manners and conventions.
Cast members include Hunter Brown, Jubal Joslyn, Brandtley Henderson, Davis Hansen, Dylan Glenn, Korianne Johnson, Gretchen Davidson, Carli Downs, Heather Foutz, Zach Wetzel, Joseph Olson, George Hnatiuk, Ben Kramer, David Hilton, Larisa Spurlock, Elise Behunin, Brittany Andam, Caroline Morris, Emily Bateman, Carley Campbell, Mary Hoskins, Bethany Linton, Jackie Martin, Nicki Martino, Aria Taylor, Lennika Wright, Mackenzie Young, Kyle Harper, Eric Noyes, Derek Driggs, Danny Gray, Zane Harker, TJ Norton and Zane Harker.
The production team includes lighting design Michael Handley, costume design Lyndi Mecham, assistant costume design Kirsten Watkins, makeup design Adam Purcell, props design Aileen Hill, musical director Aurelia Andrews, choreographer Kristy Corbett, vocal coach Aurelia Andrews, faculty advisor Lawrence Vincent, production stage manager Lisa Elzey and assistant stage manager Lisa Lundberg.
For more information, contact Lawrence Vincent at (801) 422-3165.