On Friday, you met three of the female leads in this weekend's production of The Mikado by the Durham Savoyards. (The fourth, Keely Freeman Phillips, figured prominently in our story about the Savoyards in the most recent print edition. That did not stop me from calling Keely "Kelly" in Friday's blog post. Aargh! Sorry, Keely.)
Today you'll meet the male leads, minus Michael Rowe as Pish-Tush, who, again, you've already met if you read the last issue. Trying to spread the Durham Mag spotlight around here, people.
Tickets are selling well, but there's still time to see the shows at The Carolina Theatre, which run Thursday-Sunday (all shows 8pm except for Sunday 2pm matinee). Click here to purchase. And I'm told there's usually some tickets left for those who spontaneously decide to catch a show this weekend. Come on out!
Without further ado, I give you: The Men...
RICHARD PALMER as The Mikado of Japan
BIO: Born, Austin, Texas; BS, UT Austin; US Navy, Pacific Fleet; PhD in Chemistry, Urbana-Champaign (while acting on the side with the University Theater); postdoc in Copenhagen; Duke Chemistry faculty '66-'08; age 74; lives in Durham; no formal voice training until recently; now directs The Focus Program at Duke as professor emeritus and teaches a Focus seminar, "The Drama of Science", in the fall.
SAVOYARDS EXPERIENCE: "I did special effects for The Sorcerer some years ago, and I've been in the cast of productions for the past three years, including Lt. Cholmondeley in Yeomen of the Guard. I've watched the Savoyards since their beginning and decided to get back on stage and directly involved as I phased out of my chemistry career."
ABOUT HIS CHARACTER: The Mikado is a very dramatic part, and, at the same time, a bit ridiculous – and has some great music."
HOW WOULD YOU GET SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW GILBERT & SULLIVAN TO COME CHECK OUT THE SHOW?: "The music is intricate and beautiful, and the plot, lyrics and dialogue are very witty."
STEVEN LUMPKIN as Nanki-Poo
BIO: "I'm pretty much a Triangle native by this point. I moved to Raleigh with my family when I was 10, went to UNC-Chapel Hill (for vocal performance, no less!), lived in Durham for 2 years after graduating, and now live in Raleigh again. My day job is a Quality Assurance tester for Funcom, a Durham-based videogame company, but I also conduct my church's choir. I'm 24.
SAVOYARDS EXPERIENCE: "This will be my third show in a row with the Savoyards. I had a friend in college (who is with the group to this day) who participated when we were at UNC. Once I got out of school and was looking for different opportunities to use my voice, I remembered the Savoyards and eagerly showed up at auditions for Yeomen of the Guard!
OTHER THEATRICAL PURSUITS: "I perform whenever I can, though I'm generally found on the more classical side of the fence. I'm currently working with the North Carolina Master Chorale's Chamber Choir on their Time Passages concert, which goes up the Thursday after The Mikado closes. I'm also working with a group producing a new musical based on the biblical story of Esther. I've worked with both Capital Opera and Opera Company of North Carolina, and I sincerely look forward to working with the new North Carolina Opera once it gets fully up and running!
ABOUT HIS CHARACTER: "I most enjoy Nanki-poo's cunning. It's a challenge to play a character in such a way that the audience realizes he knows what's going on, but is acting (for those on-stage with him) like he doesn't. My favorite song in The Mikado (besides A Wand'ring Minstrel, I of course) would probably be Miya Sama/ From ev'ry kind of man – the song the Mikado sings where Katisha jumps in all over him. It's both incredibly catchy and, I think, very entertaining."
HOW WOULD YOU GET SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW GILBERT & SULLIVAN TO COME CHECK OUT THE SHOW?: "I would tell them it's in English, it has both singing and spoken dialogue, it's not expensive, and it's absolutely riotously hilarious. Some of the stuff Koko and Katisha do onstage together leaves me in stitches every time."
ANYTHING ELSE?: "I find carnivorous plants fascinating, maintain an online blog, take lessons from a tenor named John Daniecki, and live with my wonderful wife and our two characterful cats."
STUART ALBERT as Ko-Ko
BIO: "I was born and raised in the tiny town of Robbins, North Carolina, in Moore County. I've never had any formal voice training; this is the first time I've had to sing on-stage. I grew up acting in the school drama club for the first 18 years of my life, but proceeded to get distracted for the next 18 years with other things. I'm 36 years old now, and this is my first time back on stage since high school. I live in Cary, where I work as a freelance Japanese translator and editor."
SAVOYARDS EXPERIENCE: "This is my first year with the Savoyards, but they're so welcoming that I think I will be auditioning for them again many times in years to come. I didn't know they existed until a friend of mine told me about the auditions for The Mikado."
ABOUT HIS CHARACTER: "I love comedy, and Ko-Ko is one of the funniest characters ever to appear in the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. Ko-Ko is the pinnacle of the G&S "topsy-turvy" fantasy, where a character is thrust into a position he definitely should not be in, with hilarious consequences as things in his newly-elevated world start to fall apart. I have two favorite songs, only one of which I sing: Hearts Do Not Break, as sung by our Katisha, Kate Farrar, perfectly showcases her stunning voice, while The Criminal Cried has me in a position where I am put on the spot and have to come up with the convincing lie that starts everything spiraling out of control. (Plus, I get to flex my guns for all the cute girls as I'm singing it!)"
HOW WOULD YOU GET SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW GILBERT & SULLIVAN TO COME CHECK OUT THE SHOW?: "If for no other reason, come and watch me make a complete fool of myself in front of an audience."
JIM BURNETTE as Pooh-Bah
BIO: "I live in Raleigh. Originally from Charlottesville, Virginia, but I am a Tar Heel since the age of 4! I studied voice with Joyce McDonald of New York and Raleigh. In real life, I am Director of the Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division for the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. If, like Frederic in Pirates, I had been born on the 29th of February, I could say I am only 14.5 years old. Since I wasn't, I can't, but you can do the math anyway!!"
SAVOYARDS EXPERIENCE: "I have been most fortunately a part of the Savoyards' family since 2005, when I was cast in their production of The Pirates of Penzance as the Pirate King. I have performed in every mainstage production since that time. I had seen Savoyards productions previously in Raleigh many years, and more recently at The Carolina Theatre. I saw their audition notice for Pirates printed in their Ruddigore program in 2004, contacted Karen Guidry their producer to schedule an audition. The rest is, as they say, history! Following Pirates, I was elected to the Board of Governors as a Member-at-Large, and have served on that Board ever since, for the past two years as President.
OTHER THEATRICAL PURSUITS: "I been performing onstage in Triangle-area community theatres for nearly 30 years, having gotten my start at the Raleigh Little Theatre, where many other Savoyards have and do perform. My interest is musical theatre, especially musical comedy."
ABOUT HIS CHARACTER: "Pooh-Bah is a pompous, corrupt politician who openly accepts bribes for his services – I mean, how timely is that?. The opportunities for comedy in such role are mind-boggling, especially with a character who can trace his ancestry back to a primordial, protoplasmal, atomic globule! Favorite song: I am so proud, where Pooh-Bah laments the fact that he must set aside his inconceivable family pride and decline the high honor of being named Lord High substitute – the first to be beheaded by the Lord High Executioner – even though such appointment would realize his fondest dreams!
HOW WOULD YOU GET SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW GILBERT & SULLIVAN TO COME CHECK OUT THE SHOW?: "It's simply great fun and the best entertainment value this side of New York. Musical comedy at its best: great performances, hilarious dialogue, catchy tunes, completely family-friendly fun for all ages. We're the only community theatre around to perform with a live orchestra, and where else can you enjoy an evening at the theatre with Queen Victoria and her entourage in attendance???"
Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 2:34PM
1. Pub Iron Chef Competition — Think you have cooking skills? Show your stuff Sunday at the West 94th St. Pub at 4pm. Submit dishes in one of three categories: meat (flank steak), vegetable (squash) or seafood (shrimp). The dish must contain 16 ingredients, serve at least six people and be prepared at home. For additional questions call 403-0025. 4711 Hope Valley Rd. 
