Lamplighters Music Theatre Presents 'The Mikado'

The Bay Area's acclaimed Lamplighters Music Theatre opens its 56th season with Gilbert and Sullivan's delightful tale of star-crossed lovers, THE MIKADO.  Phil Lowery directs this fully-staged production featuring a live orchestra and the phenomenal voices of the Lamplighters Company, with Music Director Baker Peeples at the baton.  THE MIKADO plays July 31-August 2 at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek,  August 9-10 at the Napa Valley Opera House, and August 15-17 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. For tickets ($11-46) and information, the public may call the Lesher box office at (925) 943-7469, the Napa Valley Opera House box office at (707) 226-7372, and the Yerba Buena box office at (415) 978-2787, or visit lamplighters.org.

Very possibly the most popular musical comedy in the English language, THE MIKADO is a playful satire set in a fanciful (and wholly imaginary) Japan.  In a time when flirting is a capital offense, wandering minstrel Nanki-Poo has fallen in love with the beautiful Yum-Yum, fiancé to the recently appointed Lord High Executioner Ko-Ko.  When the honored Mikado, emperor of Japan, demands the execution of Ko-Ko, and Nanki-Poo volunteers to take Ko-Ko's place under the condition that he first be allowed to marry Yum-Yum, chaos, desperation, and comical mayhem ensue in classic Gilbert and Sullivan style, with impromptu marriages, forged death certificates, and the revelation of a prince in disguise.

Lamplighters Music Theatre has assembled a gifted ensemble for THE MIKADO, including John Brown as Nanki-Poo; Jennifer Ashworth and Elena Krell alternating in the role of Yum-Yum; Chris Uzelac as Ko-Ko; Paul Murray as Pish-Tush; and Charles Martin and Jonathan Spencer alternating in the role of Pooh-Bah.  Also featured are Allyson Paris and Rebecca Marques alternating in the role of Pitti-Sing; Rose Frazier and Brett Ruona alternating in the role of Peep-Bo;  Katy Daniel and Cary Rosko alternating in the role of Katisha; and Charles Martin and Ray Thackeray alternating in the role of the Mikado.

Director Phil Lowery returns to Lamplighters to helm THE MIKADO.  Lowery has directed theatre, opera and operetta around the Bay for several years, including productions at Berkeley Opera, Pocket Opera, North Bay Opera, Altarena Playhouse, Dreamweavers, and the Drama Mamas.  In 1991, he co-founded Berkeley Contemporary Opera and served as its Artistic Director for three years. With Lamplighters, Lowery directed La Perichole, A Little Night Music, and Candide, and he performed the role of King Gama in Princess Ida.  He has been a proud member of the Lamplighters chorus for a half-dozen G&S shows and galas.

Lamplighters' resident music director Baker Peeples conducts THE MIKADO. One of the Bay Area's leading lyric tenors, Peeples has sung and conducted hundreds of performances for the company, and served as music director and principal conductor for the Lamplighters' first CD, A Song to Sing, O!, recorded at the Skywalker Sound studios. In addition to his work with Lamplighters, Peeples served as music director for Cinnabar Opera's La Bohème, and has appeared with the San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Utah, and Sacramento Symphony orchestras, as well as the San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento Ballets, and numerous choral organizations around the Bay Area.

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