‘The Mikado' comes to Morristown Nov. 5

MORRISTOWN-Gilbert and Sullivan’s popular comic operetta The Mikado will be performed at The Community Theatre by the New York Gilbert & Sullivan players at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5. Ticket holders may attend a free pre-concert lecture about Gilbert and Sullivan at 7 p.m. NYGASP’s production is in the traditional mold, combining a modern playfulness with a respect for the creators’ original intent. Gilbert’s lyrics and Sullivan’s melodies have delighted over 100 years of operetta lovers. but they are still as fresh as “the flowers that bloom in the spring.” The Mikado features favorite Gilbert and Sullivan characters, Yum-Yum, Nanki-Poo, and Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner with his “little list” of potential victims, not to mention the fearsome Katisha, the hilariously ridiculous Pooh-Bah, and the emperor himself, with his own list of punishments to fit the crime. The New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players were founded in 1974 by artistic director and general manager Albert Bergeret. The company offers a dynamic blend of contemporary vitality and traditional respect for this specialized repertory. Bergeret’s energized vision of the Gilbert and Sullivan canon, combined with a dedicated corps of repertory singers, comic actors, and musicians, yields an ensemble with a unique style and flair. The Mikado, or The Town of Titipu was first performed in 1885 at the Savoy Theatre in London, and ran longer in its initial run than any other Gilbert and Sullivan opera. Some of its most memorable tunes have been recorded by everyone from Dame Joan Sutherland, to Ella Fitzgerald, to Alvin and the Chipmunks. It is a quintessential example of the satire of human nature at which Gilbert and Sullivan excelled. The Community Theatre is located at 100 South St., Morristown. Tickets are $35-50. For information, call 973-539-8008, or go online to communitytheatrenj.org.