Oxford,
18
April
2017
|
16:01
Europe/London

Young stars of musical theatre gear up for ‘hot’ performance

Singers, dancers and actors from the Oxfordshire Youth Music Theatre will tread the boards of a famous Oxford venue as they perform their annual production.

The theatre group, part of Oxfordshire County Music Service, is staging Hot Mikado, an hilarious and ‘hot’ reworking of the Gilbert and Sullivan classic, at Oxford Playhouse.

It is directed by Paul Ansdell with musical direction by Debbie Rose. OYMT works with students aged between 14 and 19, and Debbie’s band is largely made up of school-aged instrumentalists taken from Music Service ensembles.

The production runs for four evening shows from Wednesday 26 April to Saturday 29 April (7.30pm, except on Friday 28 April when the show starts at 8pm). A matinee will also be performed on the show's last day at 2.30pm.

Tickets from oxfordplayhouse.com 01865 305305.

Past success

Oxfordshire Youth Music Theatre has previously scored great successes with musicals including Crazy for You, The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz and Miss Saigon, and many ex-OYMT cast members go on to have careers in the performing industry. Recent alumni include Ed Campbell Bird, Joseph Prowen and Tom Wolstenholme who have all recently been involved in West End shows, in plays and on TV

Head of Oxfordshire County Music Service Angela Turton said: “The high reputation of the Oxfordshire Youth Music Theatre goes before it., and the standard is incredibly high. I am really looking forward to seeing them perform in a full show for the first time since taking up my post last September. Please come along to watch – you will not be disappointed.”

Schools represented are:

  • Cheney School
  • Didcot Girls Schools
  • John Mason School
  • Matthew Arnold School
  • The Cherwell School
  • The Henry Box School
  • The Marlborough Church of England School
  • Wood Green School

About Hot Mikado

Hot Mikado is an hilarious and ‘hot’ updating of Gilbert and Sullivan's perennial classic, The Mikado, in which different cultures glide and collide.

Nanki-Poo is looking for the beautiful Yum Yum. He arrives in the town of Titipu, masquerading as a second trumpet player. After bribing various officials he learns that she is still going to be marrying a former tailor-turned-Lord-High-executioner, Koko.

Meanwhile, the Mikado demands that Ko-Ko execute one person within the next month. Nanki-Poo agrees to be executed as long as he can spend a month as Yum-Yum’s husband.

Needless to say the plan goes awry when the Mikado makes a surprise visit to Titipu and brings with him Katisha, an older woman who is pursuing Nanki Poo.

Get tickets

Tickets from oxfordplayhouse.com 01865 305305.