| "Mikado"--Huntsville Invaded by Japanese | |
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Bald men, men with ponytails, little children, parasols, hoops, big fans, little fans, a pond filled with live fish and lily pads, beautiful Japanese women, and a good villain or two--all these things work together to transform Huntsville into the Japanese town of Titipu.
Director Ginger Beazley has put this cast through the paces to produce Gilbert and Sullivan's popular operetta, "Mikado," for an appreciative local audience. The story is a "topsy turvy" tale of the humorous love triangle of Nanki-Poo (played by Ron Roberts), Yum-Yum (Teri Nelson), and Katisha (Elizabeth Stephenson). Actually, there's more than one triangle in this story, with everyone wanting someone they can't have for one reason or another.
Teri Nelson does an outstanding job as Yum-Yum with her flirtatious smile and gentle giggles. Teri is a member of the Huntsville Community Chorus. Likewise, Elizabeth Stephenson is the perfect contrast to Yum-Yum, with her dramatic voice and long red fingernails. Stephenson is a resident of Athens and Choral Director for Huntsville's Grissom High School.
Jim Zilenski is remarkable as Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner. His original lyrics added to "As Some Day It May Happen," is worth the price of admission to this play! Zilenski's new verse makes mention of Jack Daniels in Lynchburg, the Monte Sano mud, St. Louis engineers, and parking at the Von Braun Center, and more Huntsville-inspired insider jokes touted as "none of these would be missed......" Zilenski is an accomplished director, actor, and singer.
