Dean Poling | The Valdosta Daily TimesValdosta High School seniors lead a student cast in the season-opening production of Gilbert & Sullivan's 'The Mikado.'

VALDOSTA — Ricardo Ipina opened a box filled with kimonos, wigs and hand fans.

All props for the Valdosta High School Theatre Arts production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Mikado.” 

First day of dress rehearsal. Students tangled with the ways to wear and knot the belts and sashes for their kimonos. Students walked off stage with wigs in hand and returned with wigs on their heads. Ipina warned students to be careful with the fragile fans; they must last through a week of dress rehearsals and three performances.

Ipina has a cast that features numerous Valdosta High students. Many are seniors who have performed in past productions. 

Given the number of seniors returning, Ipina said he knew they could pull off “The Mikado” for the season opening dinner-theatre production. Ipina traditionally chooses the shows for later in the season based on the talent available and interested in theatre during the first show.

Each afternoon, after classes, theatre students board a bus at the new Valdosta High School and travel to the old VHS to rehearse on the stage of the Performing Arts Center. The PAC is a busy venue despite the closed school connected to it, Ipina said.

Ipina and VHS Theatre Arts presented “The Mikado” a handful of years ago. Then, the director made several edits to the play for time consideration. The 2018 production is also an abridged version, Ipina said, but several of the previous cuts have been restored for the larger cast of students.

However, the essence of the story remains the same.

“The Mikado,” also known as “The Town of Titipu,” allowed W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan to spoof late 19th century British politics by setting the musical in Japan.

There is also a love story set within the satire and humor.

“The Mikado” has the feel of what would one day become musicals, but it maintains its place as an English-language opera.

Michael Thomas, Valdosta High School band director, leads a live student orchestra to provide the music. 

Audiences attending the show not only get to see a Gilbert & Sullivan comic opera but will be served a dinner of garden salad, chicken alfredo pasta, side of green beans and dessert, Ipina said.

Money raised will help fund VHS Theatre Arts productions throughout the 2018-19 season.

THE CAST: Alijah Patterson, Jalen Smith, David Bass, Andrew Deaver, Kathryn Plumb, Raven Ford, Samantha Kassum, Brooke Meindl, Marvens Cherelus, Isaiah Alexander, Lakembria Collins, Anna Consolini, Jade Conway, Makalee Cooper, Isaiah Fields, Dominique Goins, Kaycee Goodwin, Zion Hill, Christen Powell, Matthew Puckett, Arianna Robertson, Kaielle Sermons, Jalen Smith, Justice Smith, Maiyah Walker, Calvin Williams, Eryn Wilson, Nadia Yankovskyy.

SHOWTIME

Valdosta High School Theatre Arts presents Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Mikado,” as the annual dinner theatre fundraising performance.

When: 6 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sept. 7, 8; 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10. Doors open 5:30 p.m.

Where: Performing Arts Center, old Valdosta High School, 3101 N. Forrest St.

Tickets, reservations: $25; advance reservations a must for dinner theatre and reservations close 24 hours prior to each performance. Reserve seats by email: ripina@gocats.org.