The first version of a jazzed-up
Gilbert & Sullivan Mikado
was done in 1939 and called The Hot Mikado,
with an all-black cast starring Bill Bojangles Robinson.
It was performed both on Broadway and at the
1939 New York World's Fair.
In 1986, a new adaptation...called Hot Mikado...
was produced with every ethnicity represented...
The character of the Mikado was dubbed the Big Cat of Japan.
It featured jitter bug, zoot suits and
an Andrews Sisters take on those Three Maids (below)!
Above the Three Little Maids
from the 1995 London production:
Paulette Ivory, Alison Jiear, and Veronica Hart.
And as you can see below,
those "Maids" have been represented in a variety of ways!
David H. Bell updated the Gilbertian book and lyrics,
Rob Bowman the arrangements...
It has yet to be on Broadway,
but London, Dublin, Illinois, and community theatrical troupes
everywhere seem to love it. :)
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