South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-03-18
Large audience
At High School
GreetS "MikadO p"
First Performance Declared
Success To Repeat Home
Talent Play Tonight.

The initial performance OF the
'-2Ifkado." Thursday evening. was
met with decided appreciation by
the audience which filled the high
school auditorium to its utmost ca
pacity The play viii be repeated
tonight at the high school Ralph
Dumpke so cleverly played the part
OF Nanki-Poo In his unrequited love
aaair and it's subsequent difficulties
that his appearance was greeted
with enjoyment Delightfully."- ridic-
ulous was the song, 'Tit-willow,
sung by Ko-Ko. the lord high exc
cutioner. to Katisha. who Is TO be
bis bride by the command Of the
Mikado. other pleasing musical
numbers were "a Wandering Min
strcI I" Comes a Train Of Little
Ladies'" Three Little Maids From
school" and THE Moon Song" The
entire act was furnished by Miss
Katherine J. Wagner and Miss Dor
othy Davidson. Miss Wagner. who
has a voice Of rare sweetness, sang
"The japanese Maiden" from THE
Toy shop" Miss Davidson enter
tanned with quaint Japanese
dance.
The story Of the opera is all about
the handsome son OF tho Mikado,
who has such a difficult time elud-
ing the matrimonial intentions of Il
determined spinster that he fees
the court. determined 20 marry
Num-Yum. ward Of Ko-ko. lord
high executioner, who wants to
marry her himself. Yum-Yum's
marriage 10 Ko-Ko is arranged to
take place as soon as she returns
from school The pre-nuptial bliss
of Ko-Ko is rudely interruI ted by
an order from the Mikado TO be
head someone az once. bat there
is no one to behead so when NanlCi-
Poo appears on the scene bewail-
ing the fate that keeps him from
Yum-Yum and announces that ne
IS about TO commit suicide the crafty
eNecutioner sees way 10 assure
his position with the MikadO. lie
bargains with the prince that If he
viii allow him TO marry Yum Yum
and live with her for a month he
VIII allow himself TO be executed
at the end of that time. Nanki-Ppo
eagerly assents but when I'm
Yum hears IL is customary for The
wife of the executed man TO be
buried alive at the time OF the exc
Cution her submissive attitude
changes to a rebellion and she OBJ
jccts because the death is too
"stuffy." Ko-Ko arranges a false
statement OF execution and the Mi
kado appears unexpectedly and de
mands his son. Things are rather
complicated for the lord high exc
cutiOner until the prince himself
appears IIo-Ko is pardoned for his
deception on the condition that he
marries Katisha. the elderly spin
ster.
The work of the Choruses was d.
rected by Miss Fife f. Harmon and
the results Of the weeks Of prepare
ton are indeed a credit for the
music department Of the high
school The leading character parts
were assigned to the alumni OF the
school as being too heavy for the
high school students and the best
judgment was used in the selection
Of the voices.
The cast OF characters includes:
~The Nikado Of Japan Robert
Swintz, .Nanki-Poo." Ralph Dump
Ike. "Ko-Ko." A. e. Williamson;
'Poo-Bah." Otto Gofeney: "Pish-
Tush." Charles Baumgartner;
"Yuu-Yum." Lucille Varier; Pitt
sing" Isabel Barter; "Peep-Bo,'
Esther Freeman; "Eatisha. Mrs,
We're Strayeri attendant 20 Mikado,
sam Pace. Jr.. attendent 70 ko-KO.
Edmund Bierwagen: guards. Lucas
Brandon. Theodore KlOsiuski. Choir
us OF school sirlS and mobiles, Girls
and Boys Glee clubs
The committees active i'm the pro-
ductiOn Of the opera are.
Publicity. j. Y. Masters, j. : Nc
Cowan. Frances Makes Katherine
CoruwcU. Bertiuc HndelanE Edith
CARTS. Louis LaPierre. Ruth East
man Tickets. n. q. Miller. w.
Thornton. Board OF Control The
Book store. MARY Taylor Berulle
Hndclang EIva NeaglR Proper
ties: Mabel Taylor. Katherine
campbell. GeueVieve Hopkins.
Stage. Olive White. Miriam Dunbar.
a. a. Bush William Davis. Daniel
Rich g. O.. Miller Costumes.
Katherine Dennis Marjorie Welsh.
Miriam Dunbar Elizabeth Natheny.
Electricians: q. A. Bush. and assist
ants
The opera was presented IN
der tho direction Of Miss Effe r.
Harmon. supervisor or music OF the
Is fr-h -rrror Z =