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.
That was followed by a "Love, Laughter and Light Opera" cabaret in November of 2023.
In February of 2024 we staged Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience.
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.
2025 brought us Pirates of Penzance - our first production with an orchestral ensemble, and two original one act operas, "Dramatic Criminals" and "Night of the Singing Dead," both of which with libretti by Clary.
2026 saw another performance with a string quartet and harpsichord, Purcell and Tate's Dido and Aeneas.
Midlands Light Opera sails to ancient Carthage for Purcell and Tate’s beloved opera Dido and Aeneas May 14 -17, 2026. Performances will be Thursday and Friday (5/14 and 5/15) evening at 7:30, and Saturday and Sunday (5/16 and 5/17) at 3:00 in the Pool Building of Bethel UMC (4600 Daniel Drive, Columbia).
Queen Dido (Christine Powell-Thomas) fled Tyre after her husband’s murder, and has established a kingdom in Carthage. Despite the urging of her handmaidens Belinda (Maria Beery) and Second Woman (Paula Morris, Janice Mabrey), she has chosen not to accept suitors. Aeneas (Roddey Smith), fled Troy after it fell to the Spartans, and he is following his destiny of establishing a new home for his Trojan followers in Italy. When he and his son Ascanius (Lina Cordova) make a pit stop in Carthage to rest and recover from their journey, the two monarchs fall in love. Dido’s happiness has angered the wicked Sorcerer (Ben Palmer) and witches (Belle Posso and Bella Strehl), who plan to break up the happy couple through a plot involving the spirit of Mercury (Sabrina Palmer, also singing the Sailor). Can love survive the pull of fate and the machinations of a trio of evil witches?
Rounding out are cast are dancers and onstage chorus (Bethany Cely, Lilith Clary, Janice Mabrey, Patrick Pilat, Dianne Palmer-Quay) and offstage chorus (Chavous Camp, Will Cordova, Evelyn Clary, Douglas Deaderick, Robin Dorfer, Alex Mabrey, Sara Martinez, Duna Miller, Kevin Oliver).The production is directed and produced by Evelyn Clary, musically directed by Grant Hamby, accompanied by Josh Evanovich and Lucinda Shields, and costumed by Rob Richards, who is also serving as propsmaster. There will also be a string quartet.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for students and seniors. In order to encourage young people to gain exposure to opera, for our Thursday, 5/14 performance, student tickets will be pay what you can. Those wishing to lend further support may purchase friend ($25) and super friend ($50) tickets. Tickets are available online at MidlandsLightOperaSociety.org and can also be purchased at the door. Doors open thirty minutes before curtain.
Midlands Light Opera Society is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization existing to provide an opportunity to our community members of all ages and experience levels to perform light opera and opportunities for our community members to see family friendly live opera.
Midlands Light Opera Society is pleased to present a program of two fun family-friendly one act operettas October 23 - 26 at First Christian Church in Columbia.
“Night of the Singing Dead: A Truly Terrible Operatic Musical” is a comic parody of the classic Night of the Living Dead. When Barbara (Felicia Torres) and Ben (Will Cordova) go to visit their father’s grave, they are attacked by a ghoul. Barbara escapes to a farmhouse where Benita (Nikki Anderson), Harry (Roddey Smith), Helen (Evelyn Clary) and Karen (Lilith Clary) have also found refuge. Tensions rise as they sing about their plight and watch harrowing news reported by reporters (Duna Miller, Bella Strehl, LiAnne Crosby) and the CDC epidemiologist (Julie Lumpkin). Can the Army Guy (Good Richard Remy) save them all? The singing dead are brought to life - er- afterlife - by Genny Cordova, Lina Cordova, Bob Folts, Amy Kyzer, Jazmine Kyzer, Ember Rucker, Lillian Sherr and Sidney Smith). This show is much more funny than scary and is suitable for all ages. While the lyrics are original, you will hear music from operas by George Bizet, Arthur Sullivan, Giuseppe Verdi, W.A. Mozart and more.
“The Dramatic Criminals” is a modern-day SC reimagining of Jacques Offenbach’s operetta “Tromb-al-ca-zar.” Lucy (Lauren Sherr), Victor (Rob Richards) and Ginger (Evelyn Clary) are a troop of actors running from a media conglomerate which recently purchased the rights to their show. They seek shelter in Billybob (Roddey Smith’) piano bar, and, seeing as this is an opera, there are mistaken identities, secrets, romance and of course - singing. And because this is set in SC, there is an appearance by one of our most famous cryptids because - why not?
“This is going to make for a very fun show,” says Clary. “Yes, you will recognize most of the music - if only from hearing it on Looney Tunes - but you’ve never seen opera like this before! The stories are compelling, and there are lots of laughs. There is something for everyone, from the opera aficionado, to the musical theater fan to someone who may never have seen a staged production before. Come see us!”
This production is directed by Roddey Smith, accompanied on piano by Lucinda Shields, and stage managed by Hollie Smith. The book and lyrics are written by Evelyn Clary with some scenes of Night of the Singing Dead written by Mary Ann Clary.
First Christian Church is located at 2062 N. Beltline Blvd. in Columbia (across from Casa Linda). Please enter through the double doors under the covered walkway. Performances are 10/23 and 10/24 at 7:30pm and 10/25 and 10/26 at 3:00 pm. Tickets are $10 for children, students and seniors and $15 for everyone else. Tickets may be purchased through our website or with cash, check or card at the door. We recommend advance ticket purchases. We thank our presenting sponsor, the City of Forest Acres.
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.
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.
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