Gallery of past performances
Our premier production was in August 2023, a double bill of Gilbert and Sullivan's "Trial by Jury" and "The Dramatic Criminals" with music by Offenbach and libretto by Evelyn Clary.
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That was followed by a "Love, Laughter and Light Opera" cabaret in November of 2023.
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In February of 2024 we staged Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience.
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Despite Hurricane Helena, which caused us to cancel one performance and left several cast members without power (and did so much worse to so many others), we presented Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe in September of 2024.
Midlands Light Opera Society, with the sponsorship of the City of Forest Acres, is proud to present Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic masterpiece Pirates of Penzance May 15 - 18 at First Christian Church.
Apprentice pirate Frederic (Roddey Smith) is excited to be turning 21 and completing his apprenticeship to the Pirate King (Nikki Anderson). His former nursery maid Ruth (Evelyn Clary) would like to accompany him back to civilization as his wife, but Frederic comes face to face with the daughters of the Major General Stanley (no relation to the popular drinkware) (Clayton King) led by Mabel (Maria Beery and Caitlin Thomas White), Edith (Felicia Torres), Kate (Janice Mabrey) and Isabel (Briah Clary), and being that this is an opera, Frederic promptly falls in love with Mabel.
Along come the pirates, led by Samuel (Bob Folts), who see the lovely daughters and decide to marry them, despite the objections of the Major General. Eventually, the Sergeant of Police (Andrew Skaggs) and his officers are called in to protect the Major General and his daughters from the rough pirates.
Again, because this is an opera, there are many more plot twists - including a curious paradox that prevents Frederic from ending his apprenticeship for many more decades -and lots more singing before anyone has a chance of living happily ever after.
Joining our cast as the Stanley girls are Elizabeth Barrett, Genny Cordova, Robin Dorfer, Dianne Palmer-Quay. Our pirate crew is played by Mark Foil, Roderick Haynes, Jr, Alex Mabrey, Good Richard Remy; and our police officers are Emmett Kirwan, Duna Miller, Gary Rice, Eric P. Robinson, Sid Smith and Sidney Smith.
This production is directed and costumed by Susan Scaccia, conducted and assistant directed by Hollie Smith, produced by Evelyn Clary, choreographed by Nikki Anderson and Maria Beery with fight choreography by Roddey Smith, stage managed by Maria Beery and Caitlin Thomas White, accompanied on piano by Josh Evanovich and Lucinda Shields with Bonnie Ayers, Noah Graham, Grant Hamby and Meredith Jones adding their instrumental talents.
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Photo credit Alex Mabrey and Kim Foil
​​​​Midlands Light Opera Society is pleased to present Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta Iolanthe September 28 - 29. Performances will be at 7:30 on the 28th and at 3:00 on the 29th. All performances will be in Bennett Hall at First Christian Church (2062 N Beltline Blvd, Columbia - enter through the double doors under the driveway).
The Queen of the Fairies (Felicia Torres) has just pardoned Iolanthe (Evelyn Clary), whom she had exiled for 25 years for having married a mortal. Iolanthe spent her banishment at the bottom of a pond, so she could be near her half-fairy and half-mortal son, Strephon (Terry Artis), who is engaged to Phyllis (Christi Pirkle). Phyllis is a ward of the court, so the Lord Chancellor (Roddey Smith) must give his consent for her to marry, but he wants to marry her. So do Lord Tolloller (Nikki Anderson) and Lord Montararat (Ben Palmer). Leila (Stephanie Villamizar), Celia (Shelby Sessler), and Fleta (Amy Thomasson) lead the fairies in helping Strephon win Phyllis’s hand. Private Willis (Andrew Skaggs) attempts to keep order once deep seated family secrets come to light and the fairies start meddling in politics. The cast is rounded out by an all ages chorus of fairies and peers (Sophia Almeida, Lilith Clary, Mark Foil, Kim Foil, Harmony Hayslette, Julie Lumpkin, Alex Mabrey, Janice Boan Mabrey, Maria Martinez, Sara Martinez, Ashley Mize, Hollie Smith, Sidney Smith and William Thomasson).
The production is directed by Roddey Smith, accompanied on piano by Ashleigh Morse, musically directed by Ronnie Wise, costumed by Susan Scaccia, stage managed by Hollie Smith, choreographed by Leighton Mount and produced by Evelyn Clary.
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Photo credit for Iolanthe photos - Alex Mabrey and Kim Foil
Iolanthe
Photo credit Evelyn Clary
Photo credit Michael Brown
Photo credit Michael Brown
Photo credit Evelyn Clary
Photo credit Michael Brown