New Rep Presents HOT MIKADO, Runs 5/3-5/22 at the Arsenal Center for the Arts

New Repertory Theatre, in residence at the Arsenal Center for the Arts, is thrilled to present Hot Mikado, book and lyrics adapted by David H. Bell with musical adaptation and arrangements by Rob Bowman. Hot Mikado opens for the press on Monday, May 3, 2010 at 7:30pm and plays through Saturday, May 22, 2010 at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in the Charles Mosesian Theater.

"There is no better way to end my Inaugural Season than with Hot Mikado," says Kate Warner, New Rep's Artistic Director, who will also direct the production. "This clever adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan's classic musical is filled with snazzy songs and swing dancing that is sure to engage and inspire our audience."

Todd C. Gordon and Kelli Edwards will join Ms. Warner as the Musical Director and Choreographer, respectively.

Hot Mikado will feature New Rep favorites Edward M. Barker (Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol and Dessa Rose) as Pooh-Bah; Cheo Bourne (Cabaret) as Nanki-Poo; and Aimee Doherty (Speed-the-Plow, Cabaret, tick, tick...Boom!, Wild Party, Ragtime, and Into the Woods) as Pitti-Sing. Making their New Rep debut are McCaela Donovan, who is a third year MFA Acting student at Brandeis University, as Yum-Yum; Kennedy Reilly-Pugh as The Mikado; and Broadway actress Lisa Yuen as Katisha.

In the mythical village Titi-Pu, where flirting is illegal, a young rocker on the run from his over-eager fiancée is searching for the woman who stole his heart. Unfortunately, she has already been promised to her much older guardian. A series of seemingly fool-proof plans are hatched, only to be foiled by the merciless Mikado. This snappy adaptation of a classic musical by Gilbert and Sullivan has tunes and styles ranging from jazz and swing to gospel and blues. In this zany world full of colorful characters, flash, and fun, there is no telling what a wink will get you and who will ultimately steal your heart.

New Repertory Theatre produces plays that speak powerfully to the essential ideas of our time. Through the passion and electricity of live theater performed to the highest standards of excellence, New Rep expands and challenges the human spirit of both artists and audience. New Rep presents world premieres, contemporary and classic works in
several intimate settings. We are committed to education and outreach, including special dedication to the creation of innovative in-school programming and providing access to underserved audiences. New Rep is an active advocate for the arts and a major voice in the national dialogue defining the role of theater in our culture.

The Artists
Edward M. Barker (Pooh-Bah) New Rep: Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (Bob Cratchit), Dessa Rose (Nathan), and Othello (Othello); SpeakEasy: Parade (Jim Conley-IRNE and Elliot Norton Award Nominations) and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Bazzard); Actors' Shakespeare Project: Taming of the Shrew (Tranio/Widow); Stoneham Theatre: A Year with Frog and Toad (Toad); Shubert: Abyssinia (Brother Samuels). Regional: Roundabout Theatre, North Shore Music Theatre, Goodspeed Opera, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Sacramento Music Circus, Portland Center Stage, Riverside Theatre (FL), Pioneer Theatre, and Weathervane Repertory Theatre, where he recently received the NH Theatre Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for Sweeney Todd. Film: Pledging Allegiance (Gene), Company Men with Tommy Lee Jones and Ben Affleck, and Valediction with Clarke Peters.

Cheo Bourne (Nanki-Poo) happily returns to New Rep where he appeared as Kit Kat Boy in Cabaret, and as Crooks/Slim in Of Mice and Men and Boxer in Animal Farm for New Rep On Tour. Other recent credits include Tom in Harriet Jacobs (Underground Railway Theater), Ugly in HONK! (Wheelock Family Theater), Elvis Wasowski in Jerry Springer The Opera (SpeakEasy Stage), and Doctor Pinch in The Comedy of Errors (Commonwealth Shakespeare Company). He has studied acting at Connecticut College and the British American Drama Academy in London.

Aimee Doherty (Pitti-Sing) is thrilled to be back at New Rep, having appeared in Speed-the-Plow (Kelly), Cabaret (Sally Bowles), tick, tick...BOOM! (Susan), The Wild Party (Ensemble/Queenie u/s), Ragtime (Evelyn Nesbit), and Into the Woods (Cinderella). Other regional credits include: Young Edie in Grey Gardens, Young Phyllis in Follies, Kesa/the Wife/an Actress in See What I Wanna See, and Lureena in Adrift in Macao (Lyric Stage); Ida in Honk! (Wheelock Family Theatre); Kelly in The Pain and the Itch (Company One); Peggy in The Women, Scarlet in Bubbly Black Girl..., and Kathy in Company (SpeakEasy Stage); Mindy in The Dinosaur Musical (Stoneham Theatre); and Anita in On the 20th Century staring Alice Ripley (Overture Productions). Aimee recently received IRNE Acting nominations for her work in Cabaret, Speed-the-Plow, The Pain and the Itch, and Grey Gardens.

McCaela Donovan (Yum-Yum) is thrilled to make her New Rep debut! Boston and regional credits include: Cunegonde in Candide (Berkshire Theatre Festival), Lynette ‘Squeaky' Fromme in Assassins (Company One), Katherine of France in Shakespeare on Love (Commonwealth Shakespeare), and the Duchess of Hapsburg in David R. Gammons' production of Funnyhouse of a Negro. New York credits include: A Sondheim Showcase (dirs-Austin Pendleton, Joanna Merlin; and mus dir-Paul Gemignani), A Tale of Oliver Twist at the New York Musical Theatre Festival (original cast recording), and The Devil and Thomas Briggs (The People's Theatre Lab). Film/Television credits include Guiding Light (CBS), Smoked (Magic Pitcher Films NYC), and The Company Men (dir-John Wells). She has done Commerical/Industrial work for Hewlett-Packard, RockStar Videogames, Scholastic Publishing, and SPOTCo, Inc. McCaela is a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Ithaca College and an MA in Theatre Education from Emerson College, and is an MFA Acting student at Brandeis University, going into her third year. She is also an audition coach in the Boston area. www.mccaeladonovan.com

Kennedy Reilly-Pugh (The Mikado) is proud to make his debut with New Rep. His credits include the European tour of the musical Hair and regional productions of Six Degrees of Separation, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Sideman, The Full Monty, Aida, Jesus Christ Superstar, Crowns, The Boys Next Door, Blues in the Night, it ain't nothin' but the blues, and many more. He has also been seen on television's All My Children, as well as SNL.
Lisa Yuen (Katisha) made her Broadway debut in Miss Saigon. Other theatrical credits include: the Original Broadway Company of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; the National Tours of The Scarlet Pimpernel, The King and I, Flower Drum Song, and Pirates of Penzance; Off-Broadway; Carnegie Hall; Lincoln Center; and over 30 regional productions. Favorite stage roles include Lizzie in Baby, Christine Colgate in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Cordelia in Falsettos, and Star-to-Be in Annie. For 22 episodes, Lisa appeared as Rachael on All My Children. Other film and TV credits include World Trade Center, The Martha Stewart Show, and The Today Show. Lisa has a BA from UCLA.

David H. Bell (book and lyrics) has had a prolific career in the theatre as a director, choreographer, and writer in cities across the United States and internationally. While serving as Artistic Director of Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. from 1984 to 1987, Mr. Bell created hit adaptations of A Christmas Carol and Hot Mikado, for which he won a Helen Hayes Award for Best Director. He then opened productions of Hot Mikado in both Chicago and London, where it was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Musical. Mr. Bell went on to work as an author and director in New York City, both on and off Broadway, with such all-star productions as Give My Regards to Broadway at Carnegie Hall. He has directed over twenty productions as an associate director at the ALLIANCE THEATRE in Atlanta. In the past decade, Mr. Bell has directed numerous productions at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, winning 9 Joseph Jefferson Awards, as well as an After Dark Award for Best Director for his 2001 production of As You Like It.

Rob Bowman (music) most recently served as Music Director/Pianist/Arranger for the Broadway production of All About Me with Dame Edna and Michael Feinstein. For the last twelve years, he has served as Music Director/Conductor for Elaine Stritch and has worked with her on every musical venue including the Tony Award-winning Elaine Stritch At Liberty and all four of the critically acclaimed club acts at the Café Carlyle in New York City. He is presently working on a return engagement of Elaine Stritch Singin' Sondheim One Song At A Time at the Café Carlyle, as well as various cities in the states and abroad. He served as Music Director for the Broadway production of Chicago for five years and conducted the National Tour as well. In 1986, he wrote the music arrangements for Hot Mikado and has written and arranged other music scores including a jazzed-up version of The Boys From Syracuse and A Christmas Carol which was performed every yuletide season from 1986 to 2003 at the Ford's Theater in Washington, DC. He has conducted numerous shows on and off Broadway, national tours, and regional theaters throughout the country.

Kate Warner (director, New Rep's artistic director) Made her New Rep directing debut with Mister Roberts. Before coming to New Rep, Kate Warner was Artistic Director of Dad's Garage Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. Her body of directorial work includes, for Dad's Garage: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Skin, and Mojo; for Actor's Express: The Last Five Years, Pulp, and Octopus; for Theatrical Outfit: Waiting for Godot and The Island; for American Stage: Proof; and for Magic Theatre: Octopus. She has championed new work from playwrights such as Lisa Kron, Alice Tuan, Chris Craddock, Kyle Jarrow, Suzan-Lori Parks, Megan Gogerty, David J (Bauhaus), Caridad Svich, Ross Maxwell, Rolin Jones, David Holstein, John Pierson, Steve Yockey, Heather Woodbury, Chay Yew, and Greg Kotis. Kate serves as a board member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national service organization for non-profit theatres. She is also a member and facilitator of the Lincoln Center Theatre Directors' Lab in New York, a member and panelist of the Directors Lab West in Los Angeles, and a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. In summer 2004, Kate completed the Executive Program for Non-Profit Leaders in the Arts at Stanford Graduate School of Business and the New Artistic Leadership Institute with TCG/Dance USA at the McCarter Theatre. Recognition for Kate's recent local and national directing work includes a Suzi Bass Award Nomination for Best Director and Best Musical 2008, Sunday Paper Top 10 Director 2007 and 2008, Suzi Bass Award for Best Director and Best Play 2006, and Best Director Readers' Pick in Creative Loafing's Best of Atlanta 2007 and 2006. She is a graduate of Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, MI with degrees in Theatre and Anthropology.

Todd C. Gordon (music director) Having served as Music Director for New Rep's Cabaret, Gutenberg! The Musical, Dessa Rose, Side by Side Sondheim, The Wild Party (IRNE Nominee, Best Music Director), Into the Woods (IRNE Award, Best Music Director), The Threepenny Opera (IRNE Nominee, Best Music Director), and musical supervision for According to Tip, Todd is thrilled to be working on Hot Mikado and subsequently on Sophie Tucker: The Last of The Red Hot Mamas this summer. He was seen as the onstage pianist for New Rep's Bill W. and Dr. Bob and has worked in the New England area on productions for Lyric Stage, Publick Theatre; Charles Playhouse/Second Stage, Stoneham Theatre, and Emerson Stage.

Kelli Edwards (choreographer) returns to New Rep after choreographing Cabaret and The Wild Party (IRNE Nominations for Best Choreography), Ragtime, Romeo and Juliet, Into the Woods, Scapin, and The Threepenny Opera (IRNE Nomination). Other credits in choreography and movement direction include: Actors' Shakespeare Project (Love's Labour's Lost); American Repertory Theatre (A Marvelous Party, In the Jungle of Cities, The King Stag, and The Taming of the Shrew); Stoneham Theatre (Gypsy); and the Huntington Theatre Company (How Shakespeare Won the West, The Cherry Orchard with Kate Burton, and Springtime for Henry). Her work has also been presented at the ICA (Boston), Green Street Studios, Dance Complex, Peabody House Theatre, Marblehead Festival of the Arts, Smith College, Amherst College, City in Motion (Kansas City), and in Portland, ME. She is currently on the performing arts faculty at Milton Academy.

Tickets: Full Price $40-$59. Seniors $7 off full price. Student rush $13.
Call: 617-923-8487 or buy online at www.newrep.org.
Discounts available for Groups of 10 or more, call 617-923-7060 extension 211