The Mikado

O’Reilly Theater

Oct. 3-Oct. 26

$25 with Student ID

Box Office: (412) 316-1600

… The Mikado

O’Reilly Theater

Oct. 3-Oct. 26

$25 with Student ID

Box Office: (412) 316-1600

The Mikado has been celebrated as exotic, colorful, vibrant and lush. All of these adjectives sound enticing and much-needed during these autumn Pittsburgh days.

The Pittsburgh Public Theater presents “The Mikado,” an operetta set in Titipu, Japan, intended to entice music, theater and entertainment enthusiasts. A Gilbert and Sullivan comical musical trifecta, “The Mikado” stands out as one of their most striking musicals to date. This high-energy comedy transports audience members to an exotic world where colorful, silk costumes, a dramatic storyline and lyrical, magical voices unfold on a unique stage setting at the O’Reilly Theater.

Ted Pappas, artistic director and choreographer of “The Mikado,” spoke on a panel last Monday evening and predicts that this production will be a crowd pleaser because of its humor and drama.

“Opening the season with a musical is something different for us,” Pappas said, “But an extraordinary cast and artistic team has been assembled to turn the O’Reilly’s stage into the exotic world of Titipu. With the beautiful music, singers, costumes and sets, it’s an event for the whole family.”

“The Mikado” is a classic tale of love triangles. Nanki-Poo, son of the Mikado of Japan, flees his father’s imperial court to escape an arranged marriage with Katisha, an elderly woman. Disguised as a traveling musician, Nanki-Poo meets and falls in love with Yum-Yum. However, Yum-Yum is already engaged to her guardian, and Nanki-Poo, hopeless and in solitude, leaves Titipu.

This production is perfect for the intimate O’Reilly Theater, which seats 650 and boasts an up-close, thrust-style stage, enabling viewers to almost physically interact with the artists. The Mikado is a topsy-turvy extravaganza that can be viewed from any seat in the house.

This production should be a success that you won’t want to miss.