In more ways than one, WBTT's Hot Mikado is a mixed bag. The vehicle itself blends a 19th-century operetta with 20th-century swing, jazz, R & B, and gospel. Onstage, a pagoda flanked by bridges and flowery trees denotes Japan. But it's occupied by Black Americans ruled by an Imperial (also imperious) Mikado (Nate Jacobs, like Cab Calloway with muted hi-dee-hoeing). Everyone has Japanese names, and most wear colorful, flowery kimonos, though the "Gentlemen of Japan" jive in multicolored-striped zoot suits. Brass rules!
Lord High Executioner Ko-Ko (very tall, thin Don L. Johnson) wants to marry his ward, Yum-Yum (very young, short, chubby Naarai Jacobs), to funny visual effect. While he has committed the capital crime of flirting, he can't execute anyone else unless he first executes himself. Of course, the Mikado's en route to examine his execution record. So Ko-Ko agrees to let "Wandering Minstrel" Nanki-Poo wed Yum-Yum for a month, then kill him. Really the Mikado's son, Nanki-Poo (handsome, romantic Wesli Spencer) has fled from ugly old court spinster Kati-Shaw (neither ugly nor very old Ariel Blue ), who falsely claims he flirted with and thus must wed her. Who will end up alive and with whom is seldom in doubt.
Dancing encompasses as many styles as the music -- including swing, jitterbug, Lindy, tap (especially by Earley Dean, a slick Pooh Bah, who occupies every office except Ko-Ko's). Like the blocking of the action, the dance takes a while to get into properly. Not so for Tsadok Porter, Jnana Wilson, and Naarai Jacobs, who make quite a splash as "Three Little Maids" with Porter later at her best insisting, of Nanki-Poo, "He's Gonna Marry Yum-Yum." (In fact, Jnana Wilson's Peep Bo would make a better coupling with Spencer than Jacobs, who's more amateurish.)
Although her appearance doesn't fit Katisha, Ariel Blue has a voice to be reckoned with. Singing "The Hour of Gladness" and "Alone and Yet Alive," she's equally powerful as Porter with gospel styling.
When director Harry Bryce has his cast obviously camping, and with his exuberant choreography for the first-act finale, all goes well. His main problems are with certain casting, the ragged opening movements, and an anticlimactic appearance by the Mikado himself.
WBTT still hasn't got its sound system adjusted to the demands of the Historic Asolo. Brass drowns out too many lyrics; their cleverness is lost. And sometimes the singers and musicians aren't in sync. All still contribute to entertainment that's fun but could be more so and most probably will be as the engagement progresses.
