In 1885 , Daimler invented the petrol engine, while Benz produced the world's first gasoline car. Pasteur discovered a vaccine against rabies, and Ibsen wrote The Wild Duck. General Gordon died defending Khartoum, and Brisbane saw its first horse tram. Sydney University enrolled its first woman student in Medicine, and Sheet Anchor won the Melbourne Cup. And at the Savoy Theatre, London, the curtain went up for the first time on ' a new Japanese opera in two acts by W.S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan'.

The Mikado is universally acknowledged as Gilbert and Sullivan's masterpiece - not so much a national as an international British treasure. And yet, surprisingly, the two collaborators almost parted company over writing a new piece to follow the only moderately successful Princess Ida. Sullivan had 'come to the end of his tether' setting Gilbert's words because the music 'is never allowed to rise and speak for itself'. Gilbert felt 'considerable pain' at his partner's comments which he hoped did not intend 'to gall and wound' him as they obviously did.

Gilbert stubbornly proposed a rehash on one of his favourite themes: the magic lozenge plot in which characters changed totally once they consumed the mind-altering pill. Sullivan was adamantly opposed to what he felt was this artificial story and wrote to Gilbert that 'further discussion was useless'. It seemed as if the partnership between Gilbert and Sullivan had crashed ...until fortunately for lovers of comic opera, something else crashed: a Japanese sword hanging in Gilbert's study.

And the rest, as they say, is theatre history: The Mikado.

Though even then, tension haunted rehearsals. George Grossmith, the much loved comedian of the Savoy company, found Gilbert's directing more then normally hectoring. At one rehearsal, anxious to score an extra laugh, GG as Ko-Ko fell over and rolled on the floor. 'Kindly omit that,' snapped Gilbert. 'certainly, if you wish it,' replied the peeved star, 'but I get an enormous laugh by it.' 'so you would if you sat on a pork pie,' came the reply. With this atmosphere prevailing in rehearsal, it's hardly surprising that on opening night GG forgot the words of I've Got A Little List.

At one audition for The Mikado, a young lady asked Gilbert if he had any preference for a song. Gilbert humphed that as far as he was concerned, one thing was as good as another, so the soprano obliged with an aria from La traviata. 'Yes, Mrs Armstrong, that is alright,' observed the writer/director as the lady's face dropped. 'And if you go on studying for another year, there might be a chance that we could give you a small part in The Mikado. ' The young Australian lady later became known as Nellie Melba.

But Gilbert, too, was nervous. Just before opening night, he decided to cut The Mikado's song, My Object All, and it was only due to the persuasion of the chorus that he gave way and allowed it to remain. Yum-Yum's The Moon And I was moved from Act One to Act Two because the soprano was too breathless to sing it after Three Little Maids From School - which was just as well, since on opening night, 14th March, 1885, the trio received three encores.

And ever since that historic premiere, The Mikado in any and every imaginable - and unimaginable - production has played triumphantly to audiences in their millions.

Apart from the much-loved traditional D'Oyly Carte production faithfully recreating Gilbert's original concept - at one stage, four separate D'Oyly Carte companies were touring the United Kingdom simultaneously - there was a Royal Command Performance for Queen Victoria at Balmoral Castle (Her Majesty was not terribly amused) and productions in France, Holland, Hungary, Spain, Belgium and Germany. Even Russia saw a production directed by the great Stanislavsky.

And long before tonight's Pirates did The Mikado, Gilbert and Sullivan and D'Oyly Carte had to contend with real producer pirates staging versions of The Mikado all over America. To rid the stage of these theatrical buccaneers robbing the booty of authors' royalties, D'Oyly Carte sent no fewer than five different companies of the authorised Savoy production around the United States and Canada.

In 1907, a London revival of The Mikado was banned because of a Japanese prince's visit to England. Since then, New York, London and Paris have seen a hot Mikado, a cool Mikado, A Follies Bergere version, a Swing Mikado, A Black Mikado, a silent film, a ballet , a colour movie and two productions by the English National Opera. During World War Two, there was even a performance by allied prisoners in Changi Prison Camp. The 50's saw a US Bell Television Hour version featuring Groucho Marx as Ko-Ko, Stanley Holloway and Helen Traubel. There are at least three videos including one by The Australian Opera. And, of course, it is the most recorded G & S opera on disc.

Australia first saw The Mikado on November 14th, 1885, starring the inimitable Howard Vernon as Ko-Ko. Heart-throb, Nellie Stewart, played Yum-Yum, and the famous Savoy contralto, Alice Barnett, who played Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance both in London and New York, sang Katisha. the conductor was Sullivan's friend and composer of a number of savoy overtures, Alfred Cellier. Howard Vernon and his company also took a production of The Mikado to a bewildered China and Japan.

Famous Ko-Ko's in England have included George Thorne, Sir Henry Lytton, Martyn Green, Peter Pratt, John Reed, Frankie Howerd and Eric Idle. Australian audiences have chuckled over the little lists of Ivan Menzies, Grahame Clifford, Dennis Olsen and Graeme Ewer.

After the overwhelming success Simon Gallaher's Essgee Entertainment had with The Pirates of Penzance in 1994 Gallaher did some serious thinking about his company which had now carved a success of its own against the odds and brought together a valuable core of creative artists. Pirates was unquestionably a dream come true for him and brought a freshness to the way musical theatre is produced and presented. The next project would now be a reality because of the success of Pirates. From audience attendances, unprecedented return seasons, a television broadcast which received an audience of over 2,000,000 Australians, and a video release which quickly became one of the country's best selling videos - quickly going Platinum - the public's love for The Pirates had been unfailing.

To set these Pirates on their new adventure was now the task at hand. Gallaher had loved Mikado since he was a kid....(See Gallaher's beginnings in G&S) It was also historically the most popular of their works. Gallaher wrote his first adaptation of Mikado at 16 as a Rock & Roll version. Nanki-Poo was then going to be a rock guitar player. With tastes now mellowed Gallaher's desire to bring an original version of The Mikado to the stage had always remained.

It was only some 4 weeks after Pirates had closed that full rehearsals commenced for the new Mikado. This meant that Gallaher and his team were working on the project many months prior to the completion of the Pirates season. The creative team was maintained from Pirates with some new casting elements including Drew Forsythe and Geraldine Turner. Back on board were The Fabulous Singlettes (with Simon's sister Andrea now one of the group). So too was Helen Donaldson and of course Jon and Simon. Graham Maclean designed a set around the brief that it should be similar to Pirates and able to be done in repertory as a two-in-one package if need be. The Mikado set uses the identical steel frame to the Pirates set with a revised cladded shell.

Kevin Hocking was orchestrating for the last several months of the Pirates season and the Pirates orchestra was used to workshop the score over that time and tapes were shuffled to and from U.S.A. so director / choreographer Craig Schaefer could do advance work on the choreography. Melvyn Morrow did many script revisions and the piece was trimmed in some areas due to it being considerably longer than modern day audiences are now used to. Cuts were still being made up to opening night with the girls entrance song "Comes a Train of Little Ladies" being cut due to the length of the first half.

As Tim Tyler was so unique in the casting of Pirates, Gallaher was determined to have a similar 'surprise' element in the casting of Mikado and this was more than achieved with the casting of David Gould in the title role. Gallaher had seen Gould perform in the Australian tour of "South Pacific" in a small role but was captivated by the incredible bass voice and physique to match. After discussing several concept ideas about the role with director Schaefer, Gallaher immediately new that David Gould was going to be perfect. During the rehearsal process the Mikado's number 'My Object All Sublime' was rewritten and rechoreographed three complete times as Gallaher was determined to make the number a showstopper. The effort was well worth it as it raised the roof every performance gaining great cudos for Gould who was nominated for both a Green Room and Mo Award.

The role of Katisha (as Ruth before her) again went to a credible theatrical performer in Geraldine Turner. Although the part was offered originally to Rhonda Burchmore, Rhonda became pregnant and was unable to accept. Geraldine's services had been offered to Simon however it took some time to finalise arrangements. The association with Turner was turbulent from day one and her contract finally came to an abrupt and controversial end some four months into the run during the Melbourne season. She was replaced by highly respected but underrated performer Bev Shean. Bev had studied the role for several months prior to taking over. Bev went on to play the remainder of the Australian season, as well as the 1996 New Zealand and Australian return season clocking up more performances than Turner as well as playing the role on video.

The video of The Mikado was made in New Zealand due to Australian Actors' Equity demands being unviable. It is therefore with the New Zealand cast and not with the original 1995 cast. Mikado's video quickly was selling at a pace equal to Pirates as the public was hungry for the next installment to take home.

Gallaher sold and marketed The Mikado on the strength and success of The Pirates saying 'that if you liked the Pirates, you'll love The Mikado'. He wasn't wrong with 100% attendances returning for the second in the soon-to-be trilogy of Gallaher's Gilbert & Sullivan. Ironically the favourite in Australia was always Pirates and critics often compared the two shows and generally sided with Pirates as being Number One. In New Zealand the opposite happened when Mikado opened first and in its own right for the first time - Pirates following some six months later. New Zealanders claim that The Mikado is the greater which may only go to prove that it is only whichever show comes first in this style of performance and marketing strategy. Gallaher was delighted with The Mikado and was gratified particularly with its success in New Zealand as he essentially had succeeded in staging Part Two (or the sequel in Australia) as the leader in the other country with Pirates and Pinafore to follow in very big footsteps.

Mikado finally closed in Perth in August 1996 (a longer season and more performances than Pirates) where the entire cast transferred the following day to commence rehearsals for a new (and now sequel) Pirates season in New Zealand. This was also an amazing feat in the late twentieth century where Gallaher had successfully mounted a new repertory company of actors which could work continually and go from one show to the next - one country to the next.

Mikado scored many awards including Green Room Awards for Best Direction/Music Direction...Kevin Hocking; Best Actor...Drew Forsythe; & Best Design...Graham Maclean. Although Gallaher himself did not play the role of Nanki-Poo in
either New Zealand or the return season to Australia, he made a surprise return to the role for one performance on the last weekend in Perth. In the very final performance he made another cameo appearance at the conclusion of the show as Frederic from Pirates to announce that they were all sacked. The Emperor of Japan concluded proceedings with the final line 'Nothing could possibly be more satisfactory!'.

Original Cast 1995
(in order of appearance)

Pish-Tush, a Warrior ................................Christophe Broadway
Nanki-Poo,a wandering minstrel...................... Simon Gallaher
Pooh-Bah, Lord High Everything Else ................Jon English
Ko-Ko, Lord High Executioner of Titipu ...............Drew Forsythe
Yum-Yum, Ward of Ko-Ko............................ Helen Donaldson
The Three Little MaidsPitti Sing, Peep Bo and Yo-Ko, Sisters to Yum Yum andWards of Ko-Ko ...........The Fabulous Singlettes
Andrea Gallaher; Melissa Langton; Mandy Carnie
Katisha, a mature lady .................................Geraldine Turner*
The Mikado of Japan................................. David Gould

*Geraldine Turner replaced by Bev Shean during Melbourne season Sept.'95

Ensemble
Gary Baade, Paul Batey, Peter Bodnar, Christophe Broadway, Damien Chambers, Robert Dale, Matthew Deshon, Walter Grkovic, Philip Hogan, Gary Jones, Carl Langford, David Lowe, David Scotchford.

Understudies
Pish-Tush........... David Scotchford
Nanki-Poo ..............David Lowe
Pooh-Bah.............. Gary Baade
Ko-Ko .................Philip Hogan
Yum-Yum.............. Miranda Gehrke
The Fabulous Singlettes........... Miranda Gehrke
......................................Meredith Kerr
Katisha ..........................Meredith Kerr
The Mikado...................... Matthew Deshon
Swing Boy...................... Robert Dale
Swing Cover ...................Paul Batey
Assistant to the Director ...........Robert Dale
Ensemble Dance Captain ...........David Scotchford
Singlette Dance Captain........... Mandy Carnie
 

1996 New Zealand Cast
(in order of appearance)

Pish-Tush, a Warrior .......................Christophe Broadway
Nanki-Poo, a wandering minstrel.................. Derek Metzger
Pooh-Bah, Lord High Everything Else................ Jon English
Ko-Ko, Lord High Executioner of Titipu ...............Drew Forsythe
Yum-Yum, Ward of Ko-Ko ................................Terri Crouch*
The Three Little Maids Pitti Sing, Peep Bo and Yo-Ko, Sisters to Yum Yum andWards of Ko-Ko ................The Fabulous Singlettes
Andrea Gallaher; Georgia Duder; Lisa McArdle
Katisha, a mature lady ................................Bev Shean
The Mikado of Japan................................ David Gould

*Yum-Yum played by Miranda Freeman for Adelaide and Perth seasons.

Ensemble
Jason Barry-Smith, Michael Bayly, Christophe Broadway, Robert Dale, Les Dwight, Tristan Glendinning, Gary Jones, Paul Lewis, Glenn Mayo, Aidan McBride-Stewart, John Pemberton, Marcus Pointon, Lachlan Youngberg

Understudies
Pish-Tush .......................Tristan Glendinning
Nanki-Poo ................................Paul Lewis
Pooh-Bah .....................Aiden McBride-Stewart
Ko-Ko ...............................Jason Barry-Smith
Yum-Yum ........................Miranda Gehrke(Freeman)
The Fabulous Singlettes.......... Miranda Gehrke(Freeman)
.........................................Marissa Craig
Katisha ................................Georgia Duder
The Mikado ............................Les Dwight
Swing Boy................ Robert Dale
Swing Cover ................Glenn Mayo
Assistant to the Director .....Robert Dale
Ensemble Dance Captain .....Robert Dale
Singlette Dance Captain ......Miranda Gehrke
 

Our story begins in the town of Titipu in Japan where, having introduced themselves, Japanese nobles meet a wandering minstrel named Nanki-Poo. He tells them of his love for Yum-Yum whom he first saw as he was playing in the Titipu town band. Yum-Yum was engaged to Ko-Ko, a cut price tailor, but he has been sentenced to death for flirting, so Nanki-Poo returns to find his beloved Yum-Yum and marry her.

The death sentence for flirting is the idea of the bloodthirsty ruler of Japan, the Mikado. The gentlemen of Titipu decide to get round this law by creating Ko-Ko Lord High Executioner on the grounds that he is then unlikely to execute himself. All the senior Titipu civil servants resign in protest at these shenanigans only to find that the ambitious Pooh-Bah snaps up all their jobs, salaries and perks to become Lord High Everything Else.

Ko-Ko is set to marry Yum-Yum who arrives with her girl friends, Pitti Sing, Peep-bo and Yo-Ko - three little maids from school. When Yum-Yum sees the handsome Nanki-Poo, she is overjoyed since she does not love Ko-Ko, but duty makes her reluctantly realise that her wedding with the recently ennobled cheap tailor must take place.

Then a crisis hits the town. The Mikado is coming to visit Titipu to check that his savage law has been carried out. Since Nanki-Poo has decided to kill himself because he cannot marry Yum-Yum, Ko-Ko convinces him to become the necessary victim the Mikado wants to have executed. Nanki-Poo agrees on the condition: that he weds Yum-Yum and they enjoy a month's married bliss before he gets the chop - after which, Ko-Ko can marry her.

This seems to fit the bill, and everyone rejoices until another crisis descends in the frightening person of Katisha, an aristocratic older lady who was engaged to Nanki-Poo before he fled the court unable to face marrying her. She tries to reveal Nanki-Poo's identity as the son of the Mikado and heir to the Japanese throne, but the local people refuse to listen to her, and she storms off vowing revenge.

On Yum-Yum's wedding day, Ko-Ko brings news that due to another cruel law, the wife of a beheaded man must be buried alive, a fate Yum-Yum does not relish on account of its stuffiness. Pooh-Bah and Ko-Ko decide that the only solution is to do a snow job on the Mikado. They will let Yum-Yum and Nanki-Poo get married, pack them off abroad on a honeymoon, then draw up false documents and lie to the Mikado about the execution.

Accompanied by Katisha, the Mikado arrives and is informed by Ko-Ko, Pooh-Bah and Pitti-Sing of the alleged execution of Nanki-Poo. The deceit boomerangs however, since yet another crazy Japanese law insists that no matter how ignorant of their actions, everyone remotely associated with the death of the heir apparent must be boiled alive. Since the bloodthirsty and husband-hungry Katisha is keen to see the plotters killed, the only solution seems to be for someone to marry Katisha as quickly as possible, then get her to beg the Mikado for mercy. Ko-Ko draws the short straw and marries the dragon lady.

When Nanki-Poo and his wife appear, there is a lot of complicated explaining to be done. Fortunately, by a justification even crazier than the fictitious laws of the stage Japan, Ko-Ko manages to placate the Mikado, and with laughing song and merry dance, everyone lives happily ever after.

England has produced centuries of great writers and creative artists, but only very few have spoken a universal language, been taken to the hearts of the English speaking world and become popular institutions - icons of English speaking civilisation. It's all a matter of producing recognisable characters, lovable or otherwise, who speak and sing the language of the people. Chaucer
did it. Shakespeare did it. Dickens did it. Shaw, perhaps, did it. And Gilbert and Sullivan did it with a derry down derry and a willow, tit willow, tit willow. Even those high- brows who hate G & S - and what other writers of comic opera in the world are recognised by the mere initials of their surnames? - are infuriated by the enduring success of these two friendly enemies who set the British Empire and its descendants humming and chuckling.

How many people reading this remember with affection the first time they saw a Gilbert and Sullivan opera ? How many recall the fun and magic of being in a school production or having a family member or friend in one ? Probably as many as can quote or sing as much or more G & S than they can recite Chaucer or Shakespeare or Dickens or Shaw or the lot of them put together.

And for this joyful and jolly gift of our English speaking heritage, we have to thank not two, but three collaborators: William Schwenck Gilbert (1836 - 1911), Arthur Seymour Sullivan (1842 - 1900), and Richard D'Oyly Carte (1844 - 1901).

It was theatrical manager and impresario D'Oyly Carte who recognised that the former two totally opposed personalities were perfect matching talents. This same entrepreneurial - or as we'd say today, 'showbiz' - genius managed to keep the quarreling partnership writing hit after mega-hit (twelve in all - more than any musical writers since) for fourteen years. And even after their
final smash, The Gondoliers, they wrote two flops with more toe-tapping tunes in them than any of the successes of their day ... none of which has survived!

Known collectively as 'the Savoy operas' after the Savoy Theatre in London where most of them played, Gilbert and Sullivan's works instantly captured the imagination of the British - hence the Empire's - theatregoing public. They sang the songs. They laughed at the words. They recognised the characters. They relished the affectionate mockery of the fads and foibles of the day. In no time at all, Gilbert and Sullivan became more box-office than even Offenbach. Within one generation, G & S became classics of family entertainment.

Following Thespis (the music of which is lost and waiting to be found in some attic) in 1871, Gilbert and Sullivan wrote Trial By Jury (1875), The Sorcerer (1877), HMS Pinafore (1878), The Pirates of Penzance (1880), Patience (1881), Iolanthe (1882), Princess Ida (1884), The Mikado (1885), Ruddigore (1887), The Yeomen of the Guard (1888), The Gondoliers (1889), Utopia Limited (1893), and The Grand Duke (1896).

It is probably only of Shakespeare and Gilbert and Sullivan it can be said that somewhere in the English speaking world, one their works is being performed every night.

And our object all sublime is to delight you with Savoy musical comedy at its maddest and merriest as we sing and dance the topsy turvy carryings-on of a wandering minstrel, a Lord High Executioner, a Lord High Everything Else, three little maids from school. a yumyummish heroine, a timidly bloodthirsty tyrant, a dragon lady whose bark is worse than her bite, and some of the
wackiest and most athletic gentlemen of Japan the stage has ever seen - all a source of innocent merriment thanks to Gilbert and Sullivan.

Musical Numbers

Act I

If You Want to Know Who We Are ........Pish Tush & Ensemble
A Wand'ring Minstrel, I ........Nanki-Poo & Ensemble
Our Great Mikado,Virtuous Man ........Pooh-Bah & Ensemble
Young Man, Despair ........Pooh-Bah, Nanki-Poo & Ensemble
And I Have Journeyed For A Month ........Nanki-Poo & Pooh-Bah
Behold The Lord High Executioner ........Ko-Ko & Ensemble
As Some Day It May Happen* ........Ko-Ko & Ensemble
Three Little Maids From School Are We ........Pitti-Sing, Peep-Bo & Yo-Ko
So Please You, Sir, We Much Regret ........Yum-Yum, Pooh-Bah & Maids
Were You Not To Ko-Ko Plighted ........Yum-Yum & Nanki-Poo
I Am So Proud ........Pooh-Bah, Ko-Ko & Maids
Finale of Act I ........Katisha & Company

Act II

Braid The Raven Hair ........Pitti-Sing, Peep-Bo, Yo-Ko & Yum-Yum
The Sun Whose Rays Are All Ablaze ........Yum-Yum
Here's A How-De-Do ........Yum-Yum, Nanki-Poo, Ko-Ko & Pooh-Bah
Mi-Ya Sa-Ma ........Mikado, Katisha, Maids & Ensemble
A More Humane Mikado ........Mikado, Maids & Ensemble
The Criminal Cried As He Dropped Him Down ........Ko-Ko, Maids, Pooh-Bah & Ensemble
The Flowers That Bloom In The Spring ........Nanki-Poo, Ko-Ko, Yum-Yum, Maids & Pooh-Bah
Alone and Yet Alive ........Katisha
Willow, Tit-Willow........ Ko-Ko
There Is Beauty In The Bellow Of The Blast........ Katisha & Ko-Ko
For He's Gone And Married Yum-Yum........ Company
........(Finale of Act 2, 1885)
Finale 1996 Company

* Additional Lyrics by Drew Forsythe and Melvyn MorrowFinale 1996 Company

* Additional Lyrics by Drew Forsythe and Melvyn Morrow
 

Essgee Entertainment presents

Jon English Simon Gallaher
Geraldine Turner* Drew Forsythe
The Fabulous Singlettes David Gould
and Helen Donaldson as Yum Yum

in

The Mikado

by Gilbert & Sullivan

Gary Baade, Paul Batey, Peter Bodnar, Christophe Broadway, Damien Chambers, Robert Dale, Matthew Deshon, Walter Grkovic, Philip Hogan, Gary Jones, Carl Langford, David Lowe, David Scotchford.

Director & Choreographer.............. Craig Schaefer
Orchestrator & Conductor ..............Kevin Hocking
Sets & Costumes Designer.............. Graham Maclean
Lighting Designer............................ Gavan Swift
Sound Designer............................... David Gurney
Production Manager ............................Jean Burke
Stage Manager ................................Amanda Ferguson
Technical Manager............................ Jim Paine
Book & Lyrics update .....................Melvyn Morrow
Chorus Master & Vocal Coach ..............Jason Smith
Assistant Choreographer....................... Keith Hawley

Sound Designed & Engineered by Urban Dynamics
Scenery Manufactured by QPAT Workshop Division
Costumes Manufactured by Bill Goodwin
An original production conceived and produced by
Simon Gallaher & Essgee Entertainment © All international rights reserved

*Geraldine Turner replaced by Bev Shean in Sept.'95

Full Production Credits:

Directors: Simon Gallaher & Lisa J Gallaher

Executive Producer .......Simon Gallaher
Production Manager ............Jean Burke
Stage Manager ............Amanda Ferguson
Props Mistress ............Josephine English
Wardrobe Master............ Ray Godden
Costume Manufacture ......Bill Goodwin
....................................Lyn Lovett
Wigs ........................Judith Bellward
.................................Pat Kershaw
Headdresses ..................Mel Drummond
Footwear Handmade by Jodie E Morrison-'Steppin' Out' Sydney
Set Construction .....Queensland Performing Arts Trust Workshop
Project Manager .............Ian Audsley
Scenic Art ..................Scenic Capers
Props Maker ..................Roy Walker
Sculptor ........................Marion Hoad
Taiko Drum Construction ......Motoyuki Niwa
Head Technician,QPAT Workshop Ken Clark
Head Carpenter, QPAT Workshop Mark Gover
Steel Fabrication,QPAT Workshop John Pierce

Technical Manager ............Jim Paine
Sound Design ..................David Gurney
Sound System Engineering Urban Dynamics Pty Ltd
Sound Project Manager...... Chris Dickey
Sound System Engineer ......Kyle Remphrey
Sound System Operator ......Gillian Cowie
Senior Sound Technician ......Travis Henry
Radio Microphone Operators ....Adam Halliday
..............................Michelle Goldworthy
Additional Music Production Robert Kitney & KDM Productions
Articles on Gilbert & Sullivan,The Mikado and Synopsis Melvyn Morrow
Production Photography.................. Branco Gaica
Accountants Bracey Davidson............(Tim Davidson)
Advertising and Marketing Lewis Norman, Peter Murray
..............................Addyman Coles Munro Norman
Manager, Melbourne Season............ Robert Ginn
Publicity:National, Sydney & Melbourne Suzie Howie, Christine Monk,
........................Howie & Taylor Publicity
.......Brisbane .......Carolyn Rappel, QPAT
 

Program Design ............John Coles
Program Editor ............Peter Murray
Official Merchandising Addyman Coles Munro Norman
Mikado illustration .........Paul Newton
Oriental embroidery ......Judith Rutherford Antique Chinese Textiles

New Zealand Production 1996

Essgee Entertainment (NZ) presents

Jon English Derek Metzger
Drew Forsythe Bev Shean
The Fabulous Singlettes David Gould
and introducing Terri Crouch as Yum Yum*

in

The Mikado

by Gilbert & Sullivan

Jason Barry-Smith, Michael Bayly, Christophe Broadway, Robert Dale, Les Dwight, Tristan Glendinning, Gary Jones, Paul Lewis, Glenn Mayo, Aidan McBride-Stewart, John Pemberton, Marcus Pointon, Lachlan Youngberg,

Director & Choreographer ..........Craig Schaefer
Orchestrator & Conductor ..........Kevin Hocking
Sets & Costumes Designer ..........Graham Maclean
Lighting Designer ...............Gavan Swift
Sound Designer ................David Gurney
Production Manager ..............Jean Burke
Company Manager ...............Dee Jamieson
Stage Manager ...................Amanda Ferguson
Technical Manager.................... Jim Paine
Book & Lyrics update.......... Melvyn Morrow
Chorus Master & Vocal Coach ..........Jason Barry-Smith
Assistant Choreographer ..........Keith Hawley

Sound Designed & Engineered by Urban Dynamics
Scenery Manufactured by QPAT Workshop Division
Costumes Manufactured by Bill Goodwin
An original production conceived and produced by
Simon Gallaher & Essgee Entertainment © All international rights reserved

* introducing Miranda Freeman as Yum-Yum (Adelaide&Perth seasons '96)

Full Production credits:

The Mikado

for and on behalf of Essgee Entertainment (NZ) Limited.

Directors: Simon Gallaher & Ian Magan

Executive Producer ..........Simon Gallaher
Production Manager ..........Jean Burke
Company Manager ..........Dee Jamieson
Stage Manager ...........Amanda Ferguson
Technical Manager .............Jim Paine
ASM & Props Master ..........Ryan Paine
Wardrobe Master ...............Ray Godden
Wigs Mistress ..............Patricia Kershaw
Costume Manufacture.......... Bill Goodwin
.......................................Lyn Lovett
Wigs ....................Judith Bellward
Headdresses ..........Mel Drummond
Footwear Handmade by Jodie E Morrison-'Steppin' Out' Sydney
Set Construction Queensland Performing Arts Trust Workshop
Project Manager.......................... Ian Audsley
Scenic Art ..............................Scenic Capers
Props Maker .............................Roy Walker
Sculptor ..................................Marion Hoad
Taiko Drum Construction ..........Motoyuki Niwa
Head Technician,QPAT Workshop Ken Clark
Head Carpenter, QPAT Workshop Mark Gover
Steel Fabrication, QPAT Workshop John Pierce
Sound Design ..........David Gurney
Sound System Engineering Urban Dynamics Pty Ltd
Sound Project Manager ..........Chris Dickey
Sound System Operator ..........Gillian Cowie
Senior Sound Technician ..........Travis Henry
Radio Microphone Operator ........Mark Cheney
Additional Music Production ..........Robert Kitney & KDM Productions
Articles on Gilbert & Sullivan, The Mikado and Synopsis Melvyn Morrow
Production Photography Branco Gaica
Accountants (NZ) Fauvel & Associates (Pam Fauvel)
Accountants (Aust.) Bracey Davidson (Tim Davidson)
Advertising and Marketing Lewis Norman, Peter Murray
.................................Addyman Coles Munro Norman
NZ Advertising placement....Prime Time Communications
Manager, New Zealand Season ..........Robert Ginn
Publicity ..............................Dee Jamieson
Program Design ....................John Coles
Program Editor ......................Peter Murray
Official Merchandising Addyman Coles Munro Norman
Mikado illustration ....................Paul Newton
Oriental embroidery Judith Rutherford Antique Chinese Textiles

Essgee link: http://members.ozemail.com.au/~essgee/html/essgeepg2.html