Interview: New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players' Executive Director David Wannen Talks New Production of THE MIKADO

New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players (NYGASP) is continuing its expanded 49th season with its critically acclaimed new production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado. The repertory company is presenting 6 performances at New York’s Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College (68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues) on Saturday, January 6 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, January 7 at 3:00 p.m.; and Saturday, January 13 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, January 14 at 3:00 p.m.  

The Mikado, which was first performed at London's Savoy Theatre in 1885, pokes fun at topical aspects of Victorian society, but Gilbert & Sullivan cleverly cloak their satirical barbs behind a charming love story set in an imagined town in Japan, and NYGASP continues the time-honored tradition of topical updating for a modern audience. This production of the comic opera will feature original choreography and direction by NYGASP Stage Director David Auxier-Loyola, who also authored the show's prologue.

BroadwayWorld spoke with NYGASP's Executive Director David Wannen about the new production and its upcoming tour across the country. Read what he had to say below!

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Can you start by elaborating a bit on what makes this production different from versions of The Mikado that people might have previously seen?

It’s a good place to start! Performance practice, costuming, and the short prologue at the beginning of each performance are the three main areas that depart from traditional productions of The Mikado. The story, characters, and music are upheld and the production stays true to Gilbert’s intention, which is to satirize Victorian mores and universal human foibles through an imagined town in Japan. The prologue that frames the production simply creates a possibility for the setting to take place inside Gilbert’s mind in a dream, heightening the imagined setting. The dream allows for a more stark juxtaposition of the Victorian fantasy with the setting. In the piece itself, the setting, designed by Anshuman Bhatia, is representative of an actual Japanese period painting, while the character life is decidedly Victorian in costume, inspired by  fantastical elements, vibrant colors, and brilliant design by our costume designer Quinto Ott. Traditional productions more or less attempt ‘authenticity’ as it relates to the Japanese clothing, character life and setting. This is problematic for many reasons particularly because of more than a century’s worth of asian stereotyping and marginalization since the opera was written.  To create a production for the 21rst century that is inclusive for all audiences and artists, we wanted to firmly leave those practices in the past. 

I hear that work has been done with the prologue specifically. Can you explain a bit?

We don’t want to give away all the secrets- everyone will have to come to the show! The prologue never existed before this production, it is original and written by our director David Auxier. It is ten minutes of fun- and no - it isn’t trying to be Gilbert nor is it an attempt at perfect historical accuracy:)- where the audience gets to meet the real life characters of Arthur Sullivan, WS Gilbert, and D’Oyly Carte in imagined offices of the Savoy Theatre. Gilbert and Sullivan are arguing because they can’t come to an agreement on what to write next for Carte. A host of regular company members continue to interrrupt the gentleman. A container arrives from the Japanese exhibition at Knightsbridge and impresses the characters. The rest we’ll leave for the show! 
 

It's wild that this show has been around for well over a century. What is it about this story/G&S that you think still resonates today?

The Mikado is popular because it takes aim at very recognizable and eternal subjects for satire. Some of those subjects include aristocracy, corruption, crime and punishment, politics, greed, and professionals we can all joke we could do without. At the same time, the story itself very much follows several individual characters journey through a stressful predicament, and in this way Sullivan might have got what he asked for from Gilbert “a story of human interest and probability…”  These things never become out of date. They are eternal and human, and this is why the story and humor still resonate. The Mikado’s laugh at death and execution- a literary device called meiosis that deliberately treats serious subjects lightly, is timeless as well. Gilbert and Sullivan’s works have survived as living theatre for 149 years. They continue to delight audiences of all ages. I was 5 years old when I saw my firs Gilbert & Sullivan piece - The Pirates of Penzance in 1983 in the movie theatre! It was my first movie too! We bring this material to children all the time, both in the schools and bringing in school groups to our performances. The proof is in the pudding- it’s a thrill to have kids scream and laugh at the humor. G&S makes musical fans for life. 

I understand you will soon tour the country! What are you most excited about in bringing this story to audiences outside of NYC?

We tour nationally every year, and have toured this production to the southwest and California, the Pacific Northwest, and last year we had our first tour of this production in Florida and the Carolinas. Next year, we look forward to a tour of the midwest with The Mikado, and other regions with other titles. I am thrilled that we have a production that we can be proud of and that entertains and inspires audiences everywhere. Sometimes touring is extra magical because audiences are not used to seeing productions like ours all the time, so they can be quite large with great turnout- thousands of people at a time at a performance, and we surprise the audience with our humor and voices. Touring can be really electric! 

Elevator pitch: why do you think people need to see this show?

I always say that when you go see a Gilbert & Sullivan show you are guaranteed to walk out in better spirits than when you walked in. The orchestra, the singing, the tunes, the writing, the laughs will speak for themselves.  We can all use a healthy dose of Gilbert’s philosophy that life is absurd so we might as well “take it as it comes”. This particular production is historic and critically acclaimed- you don’t want to miss it! 

Photo credit: William Reynolds