Directors: 'Mikado' mixes light music, funny songs

The Gilbert and Sullivan operetta "The Mikado" will keep audiences on their toes this weekend at the River Campus, according to the directors.

Chris Goeke, chairman of the Department of Music and director of the orchestra, compared "The Mikado" to a musical comedy on Broadway. "It's really early music theater; it's very entertaining and not heavy at all," he said. "Even though we use the word 'operetta' to describe it, it's not serious like an opera."

Goeke said the music for "The Mikado" is light and that there are a lot of funny songs.

Nanki-Poo, portrayed by Edwin R. Williams, sings with the citizens of Titipu in a scene from The Mikado. (Fred Lynch)

"There are what you call 'patter songs'; that's one of the style characteristics for these two composers, Gilbert and Sullivan," Goeke said. "They go by really fast and have really funny lyrics. Sometimes the humor is just in going so fast."

"The Mikado" tells the tale of Nanki-Poo, who is the heir to the Japanese throne.

Nanki-Poo goes in disguise as a minstrel to the town of Titipu to find his beloved Yum-Yum. To his dismay, he finds she is engaged to her guardian Ko-Ko and they are getting married that day. Ko-Ko has his own problems, as the Mikado sends him a letter saying he will abolish Ko-Ko's post of Lord High Executioner unless there is a beheading within 30 days.

Ko-Ko, portrayed by Bradford Rolen, is the Lord High Executioner in a scene from The Mikado. (Fred Lynch)

Ko-Ko finds Nanki-Poo emotionally distraught and contemplating suicide and offers to do the job for him. Nanki-Poo agrees, but on the condition that he be able to marry Yum-Yum and be with her for one month in marriage first.

Things get more entangled when the old hag Katisha shows up, claiming Nanki-Poo in marriage and threatening to reveal him as the heir to the throne. Yum-Yum and Nanki-Poo find out that by the Mikado's law, the widow of a beheaded man must be buried alive.

"In this case, we essentially have two overlapping love triangles," said Tim Schmidt, assistant professor of music at Southeast Missouri State University who is directing the actors, "while covering up for an execution that didn't take place."

Pooh-Bah, left, is portrayed by Jacob Alexander, and Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner of Titipu, is portrayed by Bradford Rolen in a scene from The Mikado. (Fred Lynch)

The production will feature a special guest. Frederick Reeder, a professional singing actor and Gilbert and Sullivan specialist, will play the role of The Mikado.

Reeder's career has spanned Europe with tours including the original Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Evita," but he has made a name for himself playing characters in various Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

The rest of the performers are all Southeast students.

Nanki-Poo is portrayed by Edwin R. Williams and Yum-Yum is portrayed by Andrea McKay in a scene from The Mikado. (Fred Lynch)

Schmidt said fans of Monty Python and British humor will love the witty interplay in the production. "It's just fun stuff all the way through," he said.

The performances of "The Mikado" are at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday in the Bedell Performance Hall. Tickets may be purchased at the River Campus box office or by calling 651-2265. Tickets also may be purchased at any MetroTix outlet, online at MetroTix.com, keyword "Mikado" or by calling 800-293-5949.

Pertinent address:

518 S. Fountain St. Cape Girardeau, MO