Teachers Resources

This video essay puts the legacy of The Mikado into context, looking at relevant historical events and occurrences, and gives an idea of why the Lamplighters took this production in a new direction. It posits a way for the music and story to continue delighting audiences, without the racial insensitivity inherent in the “traditional” way of producing the piece. Lamplighters acknowledges the work yet to be done in our own allyship with Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. We specifically also acknowledge the prior harm done to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community with standard works in the Gilbert & Sullivan canon. We are actively working to address these issues to ensure that there is no racial prejudice in any of our creative productions. Our treatment of the show will (and must) continue to adapt and evolve as the world does. We embrace G&S and Social Justice. The responsibility of critical examination is part and parcel of our search for dynamic possibilities to continue presenting this work. The beautiful music and witty lyrics and dialogue are worth preserving, and its valid jabs at bureaucracy and effective social satire are timeless.

If you wish to continue the discussion on this topic, please email diversity@lamplighters.org.

Production Team

Narration – Melissa Sondhi
Director – Kristin Avila
Video Editor – Kristin Avila
Video Production – Ronan Beltracchi, Katherine Feller, Jonathan Potter, Elisabeth Reeves, Paul Zawilski
Script Development – Kristin Avila, Siri Louie, Jonathan Potter, Arie Singer
Interviewer – Jonathan Potter
Interview Guest – David Hirata
Photographers – Lucas Buxman, Joe Giammarco
Lamplighter Protest photo credits – Cheryl Blalock, Miriam Lewis, Kelcey Poe, Arie Singer
LMT Multimedia – Elisabeth Reeves, Rose Waldman
“Little List” Performed by Phil Wong
Lyrics by Phil Wong
Music by Arthur Sullivan
Music selected from The NEW Mikado Performed by the Lamplighters Orchestra (2016) Special thanks to AFM Local 6