Both Bob and Lynn commented on the production of “The Mikado” that was put on by Santa Barbara Junior High School (SBJHS) when we were there. As I recall, we three were in 9th grade at the time. To this day I think it is one of the best musical productions I’ve ever been a part of. For a bunch of kids in grades 7-9 to successfully perform Gilbert & Sullivan’s best operetta with such style and class is almost unimaginable. Thank you Irwin McGuire, the music director there, for that wonderful experience.
Paul Uyesaka (also 9th grade) played the male lead of Nanki-Poo and Kathy Belkowski (7th grade, I think) was the female lead of Yum-Yum. Lynn played cello in the orchestra and Bob, I think, played bass. I was supposed to play the piano part in the orchestra, but when the music arrived, there was no piano part. So McGuire created a part for me, which was the umbrella carrier for the Mikado. It was an extremely minor role, but I did get a good laugh during the curtain calls: when the Mikado bowed, I did also, lowering the umbrella so it blocked him and revealed me. It was an accident, but it worked.
SBJHS was a marvelous school in those days, and I have many fond memories of my teachers and fellow students.
DC's Asian Adventures 