Written by Doris Baizley and Ken Narasaki
Directed by Chil Kong
Produced by Jai Lim and Phil Young
Associate Producer Juliet Wong
Sound Designer / Musical Director Dennis Yen
Choreographer Rodney To
Set Designer Mina Kinukawa
Lighting Designer Christopher M. Singleton
Costume Designer Ivy Y. Chou
Stage Manager Juliet Wong and Angie Tsang
Technical Director Brian P. Nichols
Music
Cast:
Kennedy Kabasares
Allen C. Liu
Bylthe Matsui
Erin Quill
Ronald M. Banks
Julia Cho
Feodor Chin
Michael Kuya
Rachel Morihiro
Miki Yamashita
Phil Young
About me: Lodestone’s first musical production, The Mikado Project follows a struggling Asian American acting troupe as it tries to create its own de-constructed, politicized version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic “Japanese” musical The Mikado, while dealing with grant deadlines, interpersonal problems, sexual/political issues and an ex-lead actor-turned-TV star-turned-has-been.
Who I'd like to meet: Performances for The Mikado Project are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 3 pm., April 14 – May 20, with special low-priced previews on April 12 and 13. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $13 for students and seniors. Group rates of $11 each are available for reservations of ten or more. Tickets for the April 14th Opening Night Gala with a post-show reception are $25. All Sunday matinees (except May 20) will be pay-what-you-can admission with a $1 minimum.
For more information, call the Lodestone Theatre Ensemble hotline at (323) 993-7245 or visit www.lodestonetheatre.org
and here is the map to the GTC Burbank theater and directions
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Cast has a blast with 'Mikado'
F. Kathleen Foley, Charlotte Stoudt, Philip Brandes, David C. Nichols
April 27, 2007
"The Mikado Project," Doris Baizley and Ken Narasaki's world premiere musical, presented by Lodestone Theatre Ensemble at GTC Burbank, makes serious points about cultural stereotypes and the endemic racism of certain classics, in this case "The Mikado." However, the play's political context is sugar-coated subtext to what is, first and foremost, solid entertainment of a charmingly wacky stripe.
The action takes us backstage at a small Asian American theater company that is running out of cash and may be forced to close. Artistic director Lance (humorous Allen C. Liu), a dedicated fussbudget who lives for his theater, hopes that a radically contemporized production of Gilbert and Sullivan's "colonialist" classic will revive his company's fortunes.
It's a slight but serviceable concept that yields a plethora of barbed parody lyrics and plenty of fun that this cheekily ebullient cast is obviously happy to share. Director Chil Kong keeps the proceedings convincingly spontaneous, lending a warm and inclusive air to the production.
Don't let the apparent offhandedness fool you. Under the casualness lies an impressive stringency, both in Kong's staging and in Dennis Yen's musical direction. The winning cast includes Kennedy Kabasares, Blythe Matsui, Erin Quill, Julia Cho and Feodor Chin. Ronald M. Banks, memorable for his eponymous turn in East West Players' recent production of "Sweeney Todd," is a particular standout, an accomplished actor-singer whose casually funny manner is a pleasant surprise, particularly in light of his bitterly virtuosic previous portrayal.
