MIKADO GAME NIGHT (from AAP at Play!)

Written by Artists at Play founding member/producer Julia Cho. From Artists at Play ... at Play! (January 23, 2015), a special event to kick off our fifth year in Los Angeles theatre, featuring all-original pieces written by the AAP producers ...

Read the previous piece: Swimming in Circles

JULIA:

Mikado Game Night

ALL: Let’s play!

JULIA: How many people are excited about the Oscars this year? (gauge response) Can we all agree that Hollywood could do better in the diversity department? It’s not great, but you know what? Theatre is worse. That's right. WORSE.

So there's this quaint little operetta from 1885 called The Mikado by the British duo of Gilbert & Sullivan. The Mikado, which is set in Japan, is still being performed to this day.

Nicholas, Peter and Marie walk onstage with posters.

Here's the game: Nicholas here has to put these images in chronological order based on when that particular production of The Mikado was mounted.

   

Do you guys know any songs from the show? Anyone watch Alvin and the Chipmunks, maybe remember this episode?

[Cue video: http://youtu.be/L97VRxG7snI STOP at 50s]

Now imagine you're seeing that live, not with singing chipmunks but with people, specifically WHITE people. Playing JAPANESE people. I don't know about you, but I would feel SUUUUUPER UNCOOOOOMFORTABLLLLLLLLE. Let’s see how Nicholas is doing...

If not in the right order, the audience has a chance to help and Nicholas has one more chance to reset.

Julia corrects the order if necessary, lists the details of each photo, and expands upon the significant productions. Think you got it right? Click here to see the correct order.

JULIA: Kind of a downer, huh? Just wanted to give you a sense of the broader national context that Artists at Play works in. But hey, thanks for playing!

ALL: BREAK!

[Cue transition music: “China Girl” by David Bowie]

Read the next piece: You Chose ... Poorly