Author: Richie DeMaria
Alan Freeman, director of Oxy’s upcoming rendition of The Mikado, doesn’t expect fans of the original to embrace his contemporary interpretation.
“They’ll hate it,” he said.
That’s because the Theater Department’s take on the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta-one of the most popular and well-known pieces in musical theater history-is hardly traditional. Mixing elements of modern and traditional theater, Freeman and cast have updated the comedic musical for a 21st century audience.
“The whole idea of the production is to mix the contemporary with the traditional,” he said. “We wanted to find a relevance to today’s world and to the Oxy community. The original lives as a museum piece, strictly 10th century British period piece-it can be problematic, theatrically and sociologically.”
This modernized Mikado will include current day dress, hip-hop dancing, a stylized Kabuki stage and topical references to modern political issues. The opportunity to satirize modern society was one of the reasons the department chose the piece.
Several students have taken issue with the department’s selection of the piece, deeming it a racist play. Freeman acknowledges the inherent racism inThe Mikado but assures viewers it was done with sensitivity.
“We should all be concerned it might be racist. The production will not be racist, but it could be depending on how it’s done,” he said. “There was racism in the piece when it was first written-born of ignorance and arrogance from the point of view of a dominant culture. Our production is attempting to eliminate that and to call attention to the fact that this could be demeaning to groups of people, and we have chosen not to make it so.”
As a way of educating the campus on the history of racism in the piece, there will be a display in the Keck Theater lobby depicting the history of The Mikado and racism in the play on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. There will also be two audience talk-backs following the Saturday performances.
Freeman acknowledges that there is a risk involved with The Mikado.
“It’s a tricky piece to do,” he said. “If it’s not funny, you look like a proponent of that you hope to ridicule.”
He reassures concerned students that though the play has the potential to offend, he’s on their side.
“I think it’s terrific and important that people are concerned, as they should be,” he said. “Everything I do is in respect for the dignity of other people-unless they’re tyrants.”
The Mikado performs Friday, April 20 through Saturday, April 21 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, April 22 at 2:00 p.m., Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday May 19, at 8:00 p.m. Admission is $9 for students, $15 for staff and faculty, and $20 general.
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