Not so fast.
From bias free of every kind this trial must be tried!
In your young woman’s defense, there is a portion of theater majors who refuse to believe that musical theater should be considered a part of “theater.” It is “musical theater,” and as such not to be considered seriously by those interested in becoming involved with “Theater.”
I mean, after all, one does not “act” in musical theater. (just channeling some theater majors).
I’m disappointed that the Wikipedia disambiguation page for the term Mikado doesn’t include the Chevy Mikado.
Rick loved it so much that, at the end of the episode, he was rehearsing “I Am a Pirate King” (horribly) so that he could audition for the lead in ***Pirates of Penzance *** next season.
I have to admit, my first exposure to G&S and *The Mikado * was from this movie as well.
There’s only one universal pop culture reference and if you’re name ain’t Superman you’re not it.
I mentioned Dr. Who in a staff meeting the other day. No one knew what that was.
I mentioned Puff the Magic Dragon to a woman of about 19 a couple weeks ago. Blank look.
I mentioned the Velvet Underground to a 60-year-old self-professed Lou Reed fan on Sunday. Not one clue.
There is no such thing as common knowledge anymore.
In Yiddish? for real? Wow! I live a sheltered life out here in the Midwest.
OK, of all those, this is the one I really don’t understand. That’s like being a long-time Paul McCartney fan and not knowing he played in The Beatles. Granted, The Beatles were a good bit more popular than VU, but in terms of influence and importance, they’re about equal.
If you are a theatre major on the university level, you should probably know who G&S are and their major works.
And in my humble opinion…
If you not a theatre major on the university level and you have ears and taste, you should know who they are so you can avoid them at all costs. G&S are the most overrated hacks in the musical world. No good music came from the UK until 1964.
This. They’re very big on Long Island.
I’ve got a little list . . . and you’re on it!
Animaniacs proper did them at least once - a whole cartoon based around them, in fact.
Episode 3 has the HMS Yakko segment, which does parodies of several songs from Pirates of Penzance and HMS Pinafore - With Catlike Tread, I Am The Captain of the Pinafore, Never Mind the Why and Wherefore, and I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General. I think they may have done another Major-General parody at some point, since they did a lot of list songs, and it’s a good choice to go to for them.
So… Purcell, Britten, Ralph Vaughan Williams… none of that was any good?
Nope.
But G&S are sublime. Anyone who hates them is seriously lacking in something fundamental to being Human.
Not so. Yes, they did fall into a rut for a while and then came up with the Mikado, which was wonderful. Even Shakespeare had off days, and the Beatles too. Paul McCartney wrote a lot of crap that made it popular because of good melody, but crap lyrics. “Let Em In” is hardly quality music.
Hacks or not, we have evidence they’ll still be remembered in 150 years.
Paul McCartney was in another band before Wings?
Sharon Tate is common pop culture knowledge? I barely remember her as being somone Charles Manson killed.
I’m telling you, Superman or GTFO.
Off the top of my head - songs showed up from time to time in “Cheers” and “Frasier.” “Mad About You” had an episode about putting on Pirates of Penzance. Animaniacs did a Modern Major General parody. Aaron Sorkin loves G&S, so SportsNight had G&S references, the “It’s Surely to Their Credit” episode of the “West Wing”'s title is a direct reference and involved an argument about G&S, and song lyrics showed up more than a few times throughout the show, and Studio60 did a parody of Modern Major General and kept referencing back to G&S over their episodes. Several quotes in the final season of “Angel,” after Gunn had the download into his head.
I wouldn’t be surprised if hasn’t heard of the Mikado, but Gilbert and Sullivan is (are?) hardly obscure.