Ohio Light Opera 2024 Season Program

MUSIC FESTIVAL

2024 PRESENTED BY

CLEVELANDORCHESTRA.COM 216-231-1111

INDIANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK

SHOSTAKOVICH’S FIFTH SYMPHONY

JUN 29 l SAT 7 PM JUN 30 l SUN 7 PM

JUL 27 | SAT 7 PM

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING

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Resident Professional Company of The College of Wooster Freedlander Theatre

TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome...............................................................5 Annual Fund Donors........................................6 Endowment Gifts...............................................9 The James F. Stuart Legacy.........................11 Our Mission........................................................14 Ohio Light Opera 2024 Festival Company................................15 Guys and Dolls..................................................16 Cast, Musical Numbers, Argument, & Background The Sound of Music.......................................20 Cast, Musical Numbers, Argument, & Background Me and My Girl.................................................24 Cast, Musical Numbers, Argument, & Background The Gondoliers................................................ 28 Cast, Musical Numbers, Argument, & Background The Count of Luxembourg......................... 32 Cast, Musical Numbers, Argument, & Background The Arcadians.................................................. 36 Cast, Musical Numbers, Argument, & Background Administrative, Artistic, and Leadership Team...................................... 40 Festival Cast.....................................................46 Festival Orchestra.......................................... 55 Technical and Front of House Team........61 The College of Wooster.............................. 68 DVDs Available................................................70 CDs Available....................................................71 Complete Repertoire.................................... 72 Dining, Accommodations & Shopping..... 74 Acknowledgments......................................... 76 2024 Calendar................................................. 78 Special Events................................................. 78 Ticket Information & Prices........................ 79 “God Save the Queen”...............Back Cover

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Out of respect to the performers, the use of cell phones, cameras, or any other electronic device is prohibited in the theater. We ask that you please turn all these devices off completely for the duration of the performance, so that you and those around you can enjoy the show.

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*Hand Crafted Pasta* *Pizza * Soup * Salad * *Sandwiches * Steaks* *Coffee * Desserts * *12 Draft Beers* *Wine List * Craft cocktails * Full Bar Available* 4

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123 East Liberty Street Wooster, OH 44691 (330)263-2949

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Greetings from Wooster, Ohio!

W Steven A. Daigle Artistic Director

Laura Neill Executive Director

Michael Borowitz

Music Director

e are truly grateful for your steadfast support of the Ohio Light Opera. As we celebrate our 45th season, we are pleased to salute some of our “favorite things,” including many wonderful people: our cast, orchestra, production staff, front of house team, and—most of all—our patrons! This summer's festival will be a memorable one and we hope that you will take in as many productions as you can.

The journey of OLO from its humble beginnings in 1979 as a Gilbert and Sullivan repertory company to its current position as the nation’s leading purveyor of operetta and classic musical theater could not have been realized without the enthusiasm, encouragement, and backing of tens of thousands of fans like yourself, who share in the company’s unique history and artistic vision. The mission statement on page 14 provides some insights into our accomplishments, operations, and guiding principles—please take a look.

The 2024 festival features a terrific repertoire of beloved operetta and musical theater titles. The Sound of Music, Guys and Dolls, and Me and My Girl are three engaging musicals that you should not miss. One of our favorite Gilbert & Sullivan shows, The Gondoliers, returns with much enthusiasm after an 11-year hiatus. Both The Count of Luxembourg and The Arcadians are also making a much-anticipated return to our programming. Please look within the pages of this program and on our website (www.ohiolightopera.org) for additional information about this season.

As we begin planning for the 2025 season and beyond, we remain steadfastly dedicated to maintaining both the highest production values and the continued exploration of the lyric theater repertoire. Through the continuing support of the College of Wooster, the Wooster community, and you, these goals will be met.

We look forward to seeing you all this summer on the beautiful campus of the College of Wooster, where we’ll “sing high, sing low … wherever [we] go!”

Warm regards,

Wilson Southerland

Artistic Director e-mail: sdaigle@wooster.edu

Executive Director e-mail: lneill@wooster.edu

Associate Music Director

THE OHIO LIGHT OPERA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jacob Allen

Associate Artistic Director

Michael Miller, Chair Steven Daigle, Vice Chair Nan Miller, Secretary Marlene Kanipe, Treasurer Glen Grumbling Ron Holtman Amelia Laing Sara L. Patton David Rice

John Schambach Laura Neill, Executive Director EMERITUS DIRECTORS Bill Blanchard Jean W. Knorr Boyd & Eloise Mackus The Honorable John Ong Richard Seaman

Show illustrations in this program by Daniel Hobbs ohiolightopera.org

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THE OHIO LIGHT OPERA 2024 ANNUAL FUND We are grateful for the generosity of the following donors to the 2024 Ohio Light Opera Annual Fund.

Lord Chancellors ($10,000 and above)

Brad Bennett Tom & Patsy Doak The Heuer Foundation Joseph Loewenstein, M.D.

Clark R. Green Charitable Foundation Michael & Nan Miller The Honorable John Ong

Mikados ($5,000 to $9,999)

Carol Briggs Ron & Prue Holtman Ralph R. & Grace B. Jones Foundation Norman K. Keller David Knapp Pamela Mellor Burton D. Morgan Foundation

Richard Norton Sara L. Patton John Schambach Seaman Family Foundation Tim & Jenny Smucker Joseph & Marlene Toot

Sorcerers ($2,500 to $4,999) Virginia Cassady Clarence & Connie Drennon Steve & Nancy Gfell Glen & Lisa Grumbling Yvonne Kálmán

Jean Knorr & Family Cyril Ofori & Amelia Laing Mrs. Andrea Traubner, in memory of Richard Traubner

Pirate Kings ($1,250 to $2,499) Anonymous Bob Baer & Judy Cohen-Baer Kristen Briggs Ted Bromund Evan & Terry Buck Mrs. Shirley Buehler Mr. Carlton Conrad Richard Dean Jane Fondiller Martha Hancock LeRoy W. Haynes Mrs. Elizabeth Hooker Jim & Mary Anne Jicha Thomas Jorgensen & Jocelyn Ruf

Bruce Kinsel Dick & Mimi Lewellen Steve & Christine Matthew Dwight & Christina McCawley Betty McNutt Stephen Miles, in memory of Karl Warner Bill & Jane Miller Gordon F. Musch Christine & Robert Rosenow Dr. James Rybak Richard Springman & Pamela Elsass Lynn & Cyndy Willett Jean Wingate

Englishmen ($750 to $1,249) Mary L. Abbott Michael Acree Michele Anderson, in memory of Elsa Anderson Robert C. Anderson Lisa & Steve Armstrong Mike Berliner Mr. & Mrs. Brian W. Bishop Lucille Bowers Ms. Maureen Brennan George P. Cervantes Carlton Conrad Eugene L. Cox 6

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Lon & Leslee Deckard Philip & Kim Duke Kurt Erichsen Owen Faut Bill & Claudette Finke Marvin Fletcher Robert A. Goss, in memory of my mother, Margaret (Peg) L. Goss Willard H. Johnson Gail Jones-Nemeth & Gary Nemeth Daniel Lowenstein Mark & Beth Ann Mitchell Roy & Cindy Moore

Joyce H. Neill Robert & Sally Norton Jonathan Orser Robert Palmer Alan & Shirleyanne Schlang Ken Shafer James M. Smith Carol V. Stewart Drs. Mary Stockton & Jeffrey Perkins Timothy Strope Steve Woodward Tom Woodward

Peers or Peris ($400 to $749) Anonymous Chuck Armbruster William Ballam Gregory Barbu Pauline Bittner Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Borton Robert & Constance Bouchard Scott & Mona Buehler Lois Clemmer Donna Connolly Paul & Ruth Crowley Judith Driskell Joe & Mary Dulle Mrs. Dee Durbin Linda Earley Sheila & Bernard Eckstein Lisa Egan Katherine Eickmann

Anne & Tom Engel Lori & Bob Everett William Fenner Richard & Patricia Gordon Raymond & Marjorie Gunther Stan & Diane Hales Louise Hamel Iris & Tom Harvie Mary Beth Henthorne Eleanor & Joseph Hingten Carrie & Michael Johnson Allan Kazdan Stanley Kronenberger & Gretchen Green Joan & Stan Levy Julie Mennes The Mersol Family Randall & Karen Moore

Ted & Laura Motter Jeff & Jackies Nicholls John Petures David Porter & Margaret Poutasse J. Rufener & J. Young Joseph & Laura Rushton Dr. Martin Saltzman Kalina & Isaiah Schloneger, in memory of Victoria Bowers Talia Starr Mrs. Janice Steinbrenner Fred & Elizabeth Stueber Sheldon & Rebecca Taft J. Lynn & Adelia Thompson Bonnie Thurston Robert Weppler Douglas Whaley

Ms. Anne Lewellen Joan C. Long W. Berry Lyons & Anne E. Carey Judy Mallonn Bob McInnes Jan & Lynda Menuez Marc E. Miller Robert Mindek Tammy Mitchell, in memory of Joan Strope Lynn Moomaw Marion Mulligan Daniel Neer Amy & Frank O'Linn Dr. Richard & Nadine Osborn Pam & Don Peterman Alan Petrov

Ilona Pinzke Jean E. Pollock David & Karolyn Rice Arlie Rodhe John & Rebecca Schmidt Steve & Susan Shafer Jack Shepherd Kathy Shields John Simkiss Marion M. Sutton Mr. & Mrs. Charles Weller Linda Wilcox Randall Wilkins & Dianne Sattinger Elizabeth A. Young John & Linda Zimmermann

Yeomen ($250 to $399) Anonymous Bob & Dee Aufuldish Roy & Joan Burgess, in honor of Kathy Kapp Mary Chaiken Ted & Betha Christopher & Family John & Julie Costa John & Adriana Dryer Howard & Terry Epstein Tom & Renee Flowers Tom & Catherine Graves Alan Hamburger Roseanne & Allan Henderson Richard & Heidi Hillson Connie Hodgdon Kathy Kapp Dr. Dianne Kauffman

Flowers of Progress ($150 to $249) Kenneth Acuff Lucy Amsbaugh Elaine Arnold Mr. & Mrs. Warren Ashburn Shirley M. Ashby Gerald Austin Judy & Bruce Banks Herman & Joyce Bredenbeck Nicola Bromund Alison Brown, in memory of Maj. Siegmund Haider Jack & Judy Burnham Richard & Susanne Campbell Chaim Caron Wendell & Ruth Cole Alan Crittenden Emily & Donald Curie Mr. & Mrs. Peter Danford Brian & Ruth Dykstra Sarah Efremoff Louise Eggert, in memory of Dick & Julia Newton, who loved OLO with daughter Louise Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Elliott

Jon & Mary Fancher Ronald Fleming Jane Graebner Mr. & Mrs. Sidney Hastings Mary Hickey Doug & Suzanne Hicks Ira Hinden & Stefani Koorhan Jennifer & Brent Hofstetter Holly Horn Norma Horn Susan L. Hubbell MD Katherine Hull Louise Keating Suzanne Kosacheff Bob & Marilyn Kuhn Jennifer & Robert Larson Charles & Connie Lepold Eric Lozier & Dwite Barger Lynette Mattson & Matthew Long Beverly McCall Catherine McGraw Beth McLeod Antoinette S. Miller Jim & Nancy Norton

David & Pam Oliver Joanne Poderis Elin Quigley & C. Andrews Betty Raber Patricia Radigan William Reinhart Margaret Robinson Stanley & Kim Robinson Patricia A. Rogers John & Nancy Maria Schuesselin Rose Ella Sears John & Sondra Siegenthaler David S. Smith Hiram Lee Smith Terry & Maria Snoddy Phil & Karen Steiger Ruth I. Swallen Judy & Dick Wereley Myra & Craig Westfall Craig & Karen Wilde Nedra Zachary James Zimmerman

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Corporate Matching Gifts Battelle Memorial Institute

Robert Half Management

The Ohio Light Opera Annual Fund provides essential financing for each OLO season, and we are grateful for the loyal support of so many donors through the years. If you want to help ensure that the unique mission of the Ohio Light Opera continues, we ask that you make a gift to the 2024 Ohio Light Opera Fund. Please contact: Laura Neill at 330-263-2090, lneill@wooster.edu for information on how to make a gift to the Ohio Light Opera Annual Fund.

The donor list includes gifts received prior to May 28, 2024. Please let us know if your name has been inadvertently omitted or incorrectly listed.

The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Ohio Arts Council is committed to the economic, educational, and cultural development of the state. The Council believes the arts should be shared by the people of Ohio. The arts arise from public, individual, and organizational efforts. The OAC supports and encourages these efforts.

Production Sponsors

The Ohio Light Opera appreciates the generous support from the following corporations, foundations, and individuals who have helped underwrite production costs for the 2024 season: Brad Bennett Carol Briggs Tom & Patsy Doak Clark R. Green Charitable Foundation The Heuer Foundation Ron & Prue Holtman

Ralph R. & Grace B. Jones Foundation Norman K. Keller David Knapp Joseph Loewenstein, M.D. Pamela Mellor Michael & Nan Miller Burton D. Morgan Foundation

Richard Norton The Honorable John Ong Sara L. Patton Seaman Family Foundation John Schambach Tim & Jenny Smucker Joseph & Marlene Toot

Planned Estate Giving Ohio Light Opera, Resident Professional Company of the College of Wooster, is grateful for the hundreds of generous annual gifts from our patrons that help produce each season and ensure that the artistic magic of OLO continues well into the future. Thank you!

There is also a longer-term option for securing the financial future of Ohio Light Opera. Planned estate giving helps to create both a lasting legacy for you and opportunities for OLO to build on and expand its mission to preserve, promote, and produce the very best in operetta and classic musical theater. There are multiple ways to achieve these goals, reflecting your passion for the company’s work and your vision for its future.

Please contact Laura Neill, Executive Director, at 330.263.2090 or lneill@wooster.edu. She will be happy to work with you and the College of Wooster Office of Advancement to prepare an estate giving plan.

Our sincerest gratitude goes to the following supporters of the company whose personal estate wishes were realized this year.

Your memory has been honored in a wonderful way.

James W. Flowers Jr. Trust • Estate of Jean P. Selig

ANTIQUES • PRIMITIVE DECOR • GIFTS • FURNITURE HANDMADE & VINTAGE JEWELRY • HANDMADE SOAPS CANDLES • FARMHOUSE CHARM • HOME DECOR

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THE OHIO LIGHT OPERA ENDOWMENT The Ohio Light Opera Endowment was established in 1993 by a generous gift from founding Artistic Director James F. Stuart. Additional gifts have helped ensure the current and future financial stability of the Company. A restricted fund in The College of Wooster’s endowment, the Ohio Light Opera Endowment is managed professionally and provides support for a portion of annual OLO expenses. We encourage you to consider making a gift or estate commitment to the Ohio Light Opera Endowment.

Please contact Laura Neill at 330-263-2090, lneill@wooster.edu to receive information on how to make an endowment gift.

The Brian Woods Award Nineteen years ago, the company lost one of its most talented and supportive young company members. Tenor Brian Woods exemplified in so many ways the best that the Ohio Light Opera has to offer. He was a devoted and enthusiastic supporter of this company’s unique mission. Brian’s love for operetta extended far beyond this company. As a performer and educator, he gave selfless hours to bringing his love for operetta into the hearts of thousands of patrons and to many students. As part of his legacy, the company (along with his widow, Jessie Wright Martin) established an endowment in his honor. As part of this endowment, each year a company member is presented the Brian Woods Award. This is given to a returning company member who exemplifies some of the qualities that made Brian a champion for this company and the lyric theater art form. A few years ago, it was decided that in the future the award would be vetted by past award winners who are presently in residency (two performers), along with key artistic and administrative personnel. Although the majority of awards have been given to singers in the past, any company member may receive the award.

The 2024 Recipient of The Brian Woods Award:

Spiro Matsos SPIRO MATSOS, tenor, Wooster’s Escoffier, has participated in 40 seasons with the Ohio Light Opera. No other company member has participated as long as Spiro. He has appeared in 12 Kálmán productions. Spiro’s most memorable role is Toni in Romberg’s The Student Prince.

Over the years, countless OLO fans and company members have enjoyed Spiro’s carefully crafted comic cameos. He has been recorded singing professionally in both his native Greece and this country. His restaurant on Liberty Street in

downtown Wooster became a historical walkthrough of operetta and the memories of what makes OLO unique. There, the walls are covered with OLO production photographs from seasons past, and the booths are often occupied by company members. Spiro’s roles on stage might be small, but his heart is huge and overflows with his love for OLO, its past company members, its patrons, and the Wooster community. As Spiro often says, “You don’t have to be a superstar, just be a happy star.”

Past Recipients of The Brian Woods Award: ’07 Peter Nathan Foltz—singer ’08 Todd Strange—singer ’09 Stephen Carr—stage director ’10 Boyd Mackus—singer ’11 Ted Christopher—singer and stage director ’12 Nathan Brian—singer ’13 Benjamin Krumreig—singer ’14 Stephen Faulk—singer ’15 Eric Andries—coach/accompanist ’16 Jacob Allen—performer/director

’17 John Schuesselin—trumpet and orchestra personnel manager ’18 Katie Humphrey—stage manager ’19 Mark Snyder-Schulte—wardrobe master/tenor ’22 2020 Virtual Festival Company 2021 OLO Light! Company 2022 OLO Company ’23 Spencer Reese—choreographer, stage director, and cast member

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TAKING LIGHT OPERA SERIOUSLY! THE LEGACY OF OLO FOUNDER

S JAMES F. STUART S “I had long realized that operetta requires no less a commitment to quality than does grand opera, both in front of and behind the curtain. My objective from the beginning with OLO was to return artistic integrity to operetta. Through coaching on the importance of taking light opera seriously, the company has nurtured an audience that has itself gained a new appreciation for a once seemingly moribund art form.”

James F. Stuart Founding Artistic Director 1928-2005

James F. Stuart

When James Stuart, in 1979, began the Ohio Light Opera at The College of Wooster, he had already built a successful career as a musical and theatrical educator, producer, director, and performing artist. Born in Baton Rouge in 1928, he studied at LSU and earned a doctor of musical arts degree at the Eastman School of Music. For seven seasons, he performed the principal tenor roles with Dorothy Raedler’s American Savoyards and the Martyn Green Gilbert and Sullivan Company. Over several decades, he appeared with opera companies in New York, Boston, Cleveland, Chautauqua, Atlanta, and New Orleans. He sang the Husband in the world premiere of Raffaelo de Banfield’s Lord Byron’s Love Letter, opposite Patricia Neway, and performed the title role in the American premiere of Rameau’s Platée. Among the distinguished musical artists with whom Stuart performed are singers Beverly Sills, Joan Sutherland, Richard Tucker, and Robert Merrill; and conductors Franz Allers, Richard Bonynge, Boris Goldovsky, Louis Lane, Julius Rudel, and Robert Shaw.

Under Stuart’s vision and guidance, the Ohio Light Opera evolved into the nation’s premier venue for the presentation of both the masterworks and forgotten gems of the lyric theater repertoire. His translations for the Company include those for Auber’s Fra Diavolo, Lecocq’s La fille de Madame Angot, Hahn’s Ciboulette, Kálmán’s Die Bajadere and Der Zigeunerprimás, Strauss’ Der lustige Krieg, and Offenbach’s Monsieur Choufleuri.

In recognition of his contributions to lyric theater, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by The College of Wooster, and was invested in the College of Fellows of the American Theatre in a ceremony at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Stuart was further honored by his inclusion in several standard biographical works: Dictionary of International Biography, International Who’s Who in Music, Who’s Who in America, and International Who’s Who of Intellectuals.

James Stuart in The Gondoliers, 1996

S To make a lasting gift to the Ohio Light Opera, contact Executive Director Laura Neill at 330-263-2090. ohiolightopera.org

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How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Arizona Lady

Camelot

No, No, Nanette

H.M.S. Pinafore

No, No, Nanette

2023 season photos

by Matt Dilyard

Camelot

H.M.S. Pinafore

Orpheus in the Underworld

No, No, Nanette

Camelot

Orpheus in the Underworld

Arizona Lady

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Arizona Lady

America’s Premier Lyric Theater Festival OUR MISSION

Orpheus in the Underworld, 2023

Vision s a resident professional company of The College of Wooster, the Ohio Light Opera seeks to preserve the tradition of operetta and musical theater with engaging and accessible productions that uplift, educate, and entertain a diverse present-day audience.

A

Mission For 45 seasons, The Ohio Light Opera (OLO) has dedicated itself to exploring and producing the best of traditional operetta and musical theater.

Although the repertoire has evolved over the past four decades, “Light Opera” in our title reflects the rich tradition of OLO’s origin. The company was founded by James Stuart as a Gilbert and Sullivan repertory summer festival and has grown to encompass all forms in the light opera canon.

This includes the complete Gilbert and Sullivan repertoire and both the recognized treasures of Viennese, French, German, British, and American operetta and the rare gems of artistic value that were popular in their day but have long since been forsaken. In recent years, the company has expanded its offerings to include traditional musical theater—its forgotten musical gems and popular Broadway titles that are nevertheless being produced less often today.

The historical performance practices of each work are delicately balanced with the resources of a state-of-the-art theater, audience accessibility, and engaging performance values. A revolving repertoire season with at least six titles and over 50 performances allows patrons, throughout the summer, to attend performances of a specialized grouping of titles: three operettas or three musicals in two days, or all the titles of a summer season in four days. No other company offering a similar repertoire can provide this unique performance opportunity.

Between 15 and 20 thousand patrons each season see productions in The College of 14 Box Office: 330.263.2345

Wooster’s intimate Freedlander Theatre. Over 100 company members from throughout the United States are selected each year to participate in our residency program. The 30 performing artists who make up the vocal ensemble are chosen for their abilities to perform and work at the highest level in all disciplines demanded by the company’s specialized repertoire: singing, acting, and dancing. The 30 members of OLO’s orchestra perform full and original orchestrations of each season’s historical titles.

The Ohio Light Opera has built and earned a reputation for producing historical titles in the spirit of fidelity and faithfulness to the original material. This commitment over 45 years has brought over 750,000 patrons to our festival seasons. OLO balances past artistic practices with the sensitivities expected from today’s society. Whereas the music and orchestrations remain sacred, modifications to lyrics and dialogue and elimination of blatant stereotypes are at times undertaken to mitigate prejudices prevalent at the time of a work’s creation. To completely ignore these prejudices would be the same as not acknowledging or recognizing that they existed.

With 155 titles produced, and over 2750 performances, the Ohio Light Opera has become the forerunner in promoting the lyric theater genre. The company’s contribution to the preservation and promotion of traditional lyric theater has received recognition in prominent national and international publications, and its work is frequently cited by leading scholars of operetta, light opera, and musical theater. In residency on The College of Wooster campus, the summer festival offers a country setting with an inviting community that is proud of the unique service that this company has given to its many patrons and the art form.

—Steven A. Daigle, Artistic Director

OHIO LIGHT OPERA 2024 FESTIVAL COMPANY ADMINISTRATIVE, ARTISTIC, AND LEADERSHIP TEAM LAURA NEILL, Executive Director STEVEN DAIGLE, Artistic Director MICHELLE FRAZIER, Box Office and Business Manager MICHAEL BOROWITZ, Music Director JACOB ALLEN, Associate Artistic Director WILSON SOUTHERLAND, Associate Music Director SPENCER REESE, Choreographer, Director, Tenor ERIC ANDRIES, Pianist KIAH KAYSER, Set Designer/ Production Manager DANIEL HOBBS, Set Designer/ Production Manager JEN GILLETTE, Costume Director/Costume Designer SUWATANA ROCKLAND, Costume Designer BILL BREWER, Costume Designer BROOKE KESLER, Costume Designer NICOLE WATTS, Design Assistant/Designer BRITTANY SHEMUGA, Lighting Designer RACHEL LAUREN, Lighting Designer CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER, Sound Designer LAURA KELLOGG, Flute/ Orchestra Personnel Manager ELLIOTT CARNELL, Technical Director SAMI HANSEN, Production Stage Manager CHYNA MAYER, Scenic Designer/Scenic Charge Artist WREN BEERS, Prop Master & Artisan NINA ANDERSON, Box Office Assistant EMMA CHARLTON, Assistant Box Office Manager GRACELYN JACK, House Manager AUDREY KLOSTERMAN, House Manager LYDIA OTTO, House Manager SANDY McILVAINE, Administrative Assistant PATRICK POLSIN, Assistant Stage Director CAST SADIYAH BABATUNDE MADISON BARRETT KATE BILENKO SOPHIA BRAUSER, Youth Cast CONNOR BURNS

MADELINE COFFEY JAMES COVINGTON LYDIA DUNLAP, Youth Cast ZACHARY ELMASSIAN JULIA FEDOR VINCENT GOVER NIGEL GRIMES, Youth Cast TREVOR GRIMES, Youth Cast R. PORTER HIATT VIVIENNE KIST, Youth Cast JORDAN KNAPICK MICHAEL KOUTELOS DANE KUZMA, Youth Cast MAGGIE LANGHORNE BLAKE LEVINSON PAIGE LEWIS, Youth Cast OWEN MALONE ORI MARCU SPIRO MATSOS ANDREA McGAUGH LAURA McKENNA JAMES MITCHELL JACK MURPHY SARA NEALLEY NICHOLAS ORTH ARIANNA PAZ NATE PETSCHE CHRISTINE TAYLOR PRICE DAVIAN RAGGIO NATHANIEL RICHARD COLIN RING JERON ROBINSON HOLLY THOMAS YVONNE TROBE STELLA VODILKO, Youth Cast WILLIAM VOLMAR JULIANNA WASON, Youth Cast MADDIE WASON, Youth Cast ACADIA WEBB, Youth Cast RACHEL WEINFELD MICHAEL YOUNKIN, Youth Cast ORCHESTRA MADELINE ARNEY, Harp JACOB BODNAR, Horn STEPHANIE BUECHE, Clarinet CATHERINE BUTLER, Flute & Piccolo TONY DAISE, Violin WILLOW DiGIACOMO, Clarinet & Alto Saxophone NEIL FAULKNER, Percussion TOM FLOWERS, Bass ANN GILBERT, Bass EMILY GRISSING, Cello LAUREN HINKLE, Trumpet JUAN ÁLVAREZ JIMÉNEZ, Viola PATRICIA JOHNSTON, Bass MICHELLE KENYON, Violin LOGAN LEISTER, Clarinet ISAAC MORTON, Trumpet LUKE ORTH, Cello GOZDE PARLAKTUNA, Violin KELSEY PHILBRICK, Violin DREW POSTEL, Bass CAMERON RANDALL, Trombone JONAH RICHARDSON, Oboe

THOMAS ROBLEE, Percussion LEV ROSHAL, Violin GRAY SMILEY, Horn GER VANG, Oboe ABREAL WHITMAN, Violin LEAH WIDMAIER, Viola SPENCER WILSON, Bassoon TECHNICAL TEAM ALLIANCE AKINS, Shop Foreman CLAIRE ALDERFER, Assistant Stage Manager DAVID BAXTER, Costume Shop Manager JILLIAN BENTLEY, Properties Artisan/Run Crew MADELEINE CARROLL, Sound Assistant HALLIE CHARLEFOUR, Run Crew/Spot Op LEO CHAVOLLA, Lead Sound Assistant ELLA DIETZEL, Props Artisan ATLAS DWYER, Carpenter SASHA GOODNER, Stitcher SARAH GREENE, Draper JULIAN GRIMES, Carpenter MADELEINE GUY, Scenic Painter CARRIGAN HUGHES, Assistant Stage Manager CAELAN INGRAM, Wardrobe Assistant LANA JEFFCOAT, Assistant Lighting Designer ERIN KIMBALL, Assistant Stage Manager HANNAH LoGIUDICE, Run Crew/Painter ADRIENNE McLAUGHLIN, Sound Assistant AUSTIN MEADOWS, Run Crew/ Spot Op LIZ MITAN, Scenic Artist MAKI NIIKURA, Wardrobe Supervisor ROBERT PFOST, Master Electrician ANNE PLUMMER, Carpenter MOIRA SEGER, Props Artisan ABBY SCHINDELL, Run Crew AVERY SMITH, Wardrobe JASPER SOMERS, Wig and Makeup Supervisor EVAN STEHLIK, Stitcher COOPER THOMAS, Stitcher DYLAN TILLERY, Electrician/ Board Operator MAKENZIE VAUGHAN, First Hand HADLEE WALKER, Head Carpenter BRADY ZALAC, Carpenter

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GUYS AND DOLLS (1950) Music and Lyrics....................................................... Frank Loesser Book.............................................. Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows Conductor:........................................................... Michael Borowitz Stage Director:.............................................................. Jacob Allen Choreographer:....................................................... Spencer Reese Set Designer:............................................................... Daniel Hobbs Costume Designer:....................................................... Jen Gillette Lighting Designer:...........................................Brittany Shemuga Sound Designer:........................................Christopher Plummer Assistant Stage Director:.......................................Patrick Polsin Stage Manager:........................................................... Sami Hansen Nathan Detroit........................................................ James Mitchell Miss Adelaide.........................Maggie Langhorne* Ori Marcu** Sarah Brown......................Christine Price* Madeline Coffey** Sky Masterson..............................................................Jack Murphy Arvide Abernathy....................................................Vincent Gover Harry the Horse..................................................... William Volmar Nicely-Nicely Johnson.......................................... Spencer Reese General Matilda Cartwright.................................. Yvonne Trobe Big Jule.......................................................................Davian Raggio Lieutenant Brannigan................................... Zachary Elmassian Benny Southstreet................................................Jeron Robinson Rusty Charlie........................................................Michael Koutelos Mimi.......................................................................... Rachel Weinfeld Agatha................................................................................Julia Fedor Martha.............................................................................Kate Bilenko Calvin.................................................................... Nathaniel Richard Master of Ceremonies..........................................Blake Levinson Joey Biltmore.............................................................Patrick Polsin Sioux City Gangster.................................................Connor Burns Ensemble: Sadiyah Babatunde, Madison Barrett, Kate Bilenko, James Covington, Zachary Elmassian, Julia Fedor, Jordan Knapick, Michael Koutelos, Blake Levinson, Laura McKenna, Nicholas Orth, Nate Petsche, Davian Raggio, Nathaniel Richard, Jeron Robinson, William Volmar, Rachel Weinfeld

This production of GUYS & DOLLS was licensed by Music Theatre International.

Understudy for Nathan Detroit: Jacob Allen Understudy for Sky Masterson: Connor Burns * 6/8, 6/15, 6/25, 6/30, 7/9,7/20, 7/28 ** 6/12, 6/21, 6/28, 7/2, 7/6, 7/12, 7/25

This production has been partially underwritten by gifts from: Ralph R. & Grace B. Jones Foundation • Tim & Jenny Smucker Joseph & Marlene Toot 16 Box Office: 330.263.2345

SETTING ACT I Scene 1: Broadway Scene 2: Interior of the Save-A-Soul Mission Scene 3: A phone booth Scene 4: The Hot Box, a nightclub Scene 5: A street off Broadway Scene 6: Exterior of the Mission—noon, the next day Scene 7: A street off Broadway Scene 8: Havana, Cuba—El Café Cubano Scene 9: Outside of El Café Cubana— immediately following Scene 10: Exterior of the Mission

ACT II Scene 1: The Hot Box Scene 2: Forty-Eighth Street Scene 3: A crap game in the sewer Scene 4: A street off Broadway Scene 5: Interior of the Save-A-Soul Mission Scene 6: Near Times Square Scene 7: Broadway

MUSICAL NUMBERS Overture ACT I Runyonland Fugue for Tinhorns..........................Nicely-Nicely Johnson, Benny Southstreet, Rusty Charlie Follow the Fold........................................................................Sarah, Arvide, Agatha, Mission Group The Oldest Established...........................................................Nathan, Nicely, Benny, Crapshooters I’ll Know............................................................................................................................................Sarah, Sky A Bushel and a Peck...............................................................................Miss Adelaide, Hot-Box Dolls Adelaide’s Lament...........................................................................................................................Adelaide Guys and Dolls.........................................................................................................................Nicely, Benny Havana...............................................................................................................................................Sarah, Sky If I Were a Bell......................................................................................................................................... Sarah My Time of Day........................................................................................................................................... Sky I’ve Never Been in Love Before................................................................................................ Sky, Sarah 15-Minute Intermission ACT II Entr’acte Take Back Your Mink...........................................................................................................Adelaide, Dolls Adelaide’s Second Lament...........................................................................................................Adelaide More I Cannot Wish You.................................................................................................................... Arvide The Crapshooter’s Dance Luck Be a Lady.............................................................................................................. Sky, Crapshooters Sue Me.................................................................................................................................Adelaide, Nathan Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.................................................................................................. Nicely Marry the Man Today........................................................................................................ Adelaide, Sarah Finale: Guys and Dolls (reprise)..............................................................................................Ensemble

S “Please forgive this helpless haze I’m in …

I’ve really never been in love before.”

S ohiolightopera.org 17

ARGUMENT ACT I: Surrounded by Broadway’s seedy street life, horse players Nicely-Nicely Johnson, Benny Southstreet, and Rusty Charlie look over the day’s scratch sheet.

They are interrupted by a mission band, led

by Sarah Brown, who, denouncing those who wallow in the sin of cards, horses, and dice, invites all to her Save-A-Soul Mission.

Gambler Nathan Detroit, always trying to set up a crap game out of the sight of Police Lieutenant Brannigan, laments his financial woes—he cannot even buy a present for chanteuse Adelaide on the 14th anniversary of their engagement. Nathan, desperate for cash so that he can rent a space for his crap game, makes a bet with high-rolling Sky Masterson that Sky cannot persuade Sarah to accompany him to Havana the next day.

Posing as a repentant sinner, Sky visits the mission and tries coaxing Sarah into a nextday dinner in Cuba. She refuses, but gradually softens. At the Hot Box Nightclub where she performs, Adelaide tries to entice Nathan into marriage. When she learns that he has reneged on his promise to give up gambling, she becomes furious and lapses into the psychosomatic cold that she has endured for the past 14 years. Mission director General Cartwright tells Sarah that, because of lack of attendance, the mission must be closed.

Sky intervenes and guarantees that there will be a dozen sinners at the next meeting—the General is overjoyed. Sightseeing in Havana, Sarah and Sky stop for a milkshake, whose rum flavoring leaves Sarah tipsy, as a brawl breaks out. Back in New York, Sarah and Sky discover that Nathan and his cohorts have been shooting craps in the mission.

Sarah, thinking that she has been set up, walks out on Sky. ACT II: Told that Nathan is off visiting a sick aunt, Adelaide, knowing after all these years what that means, lapses into her sneezing and sniffling. Arvide, Sarah’s grandfather and fellow mission worker, tells her that, if she loves Sky, she should follow her heart and not worry about what he is.

Sky, well aware of the promise he had made 18 Box Office: 330.263.2345

Sarah, catches up with a big crap game in the sewers and proposes his own game: for each throw he wins, the loser must show up at the mission meeting. One by one the gamblers emerge from the sewer and head to the mission, where they give testimony.

Challenges ensue as Brannigan arrives, inquiring about the alleged crap game in the mission, and Sarah and Adelaide meet on the street to discuss their men problems. …

BACKGROUND Few Broadway musicals have achieved the legendary status enjoyed by Frank Loesser’s 1950 Guys and Dolls, based on Damon Runyon’s short story The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown. Whether through its characters (Sky Masterson, Sarah Brown, Nathan Detroit, Miss Adelaide, Nicely-Nicely Johnson), its choreography (Michael Kidd), its script (Abe Burrows), its director (George S. Kaufman), or its setting amidst the seedy street life of New York City, the show bristles with American vitality. It appeared at the end of a decade in which the most successful Broadway shows—Oklahoma!; Carousel; Kiss Me, Kate; and South Pacific—all paid respects to the operetta stylings of days past.

Guys and Dolls was different—it was gritty musical comedy and, as such, represented a highly risky venture for producers Cy Feuer and Ernest Martin, who had just recently joined forces for Loesser’s highly successful 1948 Where’s Charley? Would the public warm up to a story whose principal focus was on sustaining a crap game? How convincing could a romance be between a notorious gambler and a straight-laced mission (à la Salvation Army) worker trying to enforce universal repentance?

Librettist Abe Burrows was writing his first Broadway musical, composer Frank Loesser, only his second. And, of course, there was the challenge, which became increasingly daunting during the show’s creation, of transferring to the musical stage the pervasive seediness in Runyon’s story.

To be sure, mainstream Broadway had dealt before with gamblers (Show Boat), seedy characters (Pal Joey), and the Salvation

Army (Major Barbara and The Belle of New York), but never so intensely and incessantly as in Guys and Dolls.

The Broadway opening on November 24, 1950 was a major success, reviews were near-unanimously positive, and the show ran for 1200 performances. It won Tony awards for Best Musical, Best Choreographer, Best Director, Best Actor (Robert Alda as Sky), and Best Featured Actress (Isabel Bigley as Sarah). Abe Burrows, who admitted to difficulties in securing a ticket for even himself during the opening months of the run, summed up best the universal appeal of the show: “Nothing is in there that doesn’t belong. There are no love ballads which are written in a different language from the dialogue…. The dances are strictly in character. There’s a crap game ballet which looks like a crap game.” Famed critic/ playwright Eric Bentley included—as the only musical—Guys and Dolls in his 1956 collection From the American Drama. He thought it possibly the best of all American musical comedies.

No Broadway show has provided more tunes to whistle on the way out than Guys and Dolls. “Adelaide’s Lament” has been labeled by theater historian Thomas

Hischak “the funniest female solo in the American musical theater.” Originally intended for the “stripteaser” Adelaide, who caught colds in her scanty costumes, its lyric was rewritten by Loesser after the writers recast her as a nightclub singer. Adelaide also delivered what proved to be the show’s most popular song, “A Bushel and a Peck.”

If, in his score, Loesser ever tipped his hat toward operetta, it was in Sky and Sarah’s old-fashioned love duet “I’ve Never Been in Love Before.” “Luck Be a Lady” became a signature song for Frank Sinatra, although it was not his Nathan Detroit character who sang it in the 1955 film version, but rather Marlon Brando as Sky. Loesser’s tribute to early-morning New York comes in the way of Sky’s “My Time of Day,” only 16 bars long, but remarkably evocative.

Finally, Nicely-Nicely’s “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” belongs in that class of infectious Broadway revivalist numbers that includes Cole Porter’s “Blow, Gabriel, Blow” from Anything Goes and Loesser’s own “Brotherhood of Man” from his 1962 How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

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ohiolightopera.org 19

THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1959) Music............................................................................... Richard Rodgers Lyrics..................................................................... Oscar Hammerstein II Book...........................................Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse Suggested by "The Trapp Family Singers" by Maria Augusta Trapp

Conductor:..............................................................Wilson Southerland Stage Director:.................................................................. Steven Daigle Choreographer:............................................................... Spencer Reese Set Designer:.......................................................................... Kiah Kayser Costume Designer:................................................................ Bill Brewer Lighting Designer:...................................................Brittany Shemuga Sound Designer:................................................Christopher Plummer Assistant Stage Director:...............................................Patrick Polsin Stage Manager:................................................................... Sami Hansen The Mother Abbess......................... Sara Nealley* Yvonne Trobe** Elsa Schraeder............................................................... Jordan Knapick Captain Georg von Trapp........Vincent Gover* Zachary Elmassian** Max Detweiler.................................................................. James Mitchell Maria Rainer, a postulant at Nonnberg Abbey......................Julia Fedor* Rachel Weinfeld** Sister Berthe, mistress of novices......................... Madison Barrett Sister Margaretta, mistress of postulants................... Arianna Paz Children of Captain von Trapp Liesl.........................................................Ori Marcu* Holly Thomas** Louisa................................................. Lydia Dunlap1 Acadia Webb2 Brigitta.......................................... Stella Vodilso1 Sophia Brauser2 Marta................................................ Maddie Wason1 Vivienne Kist2 Gretl.................................................. Julianna Wason1 Paige Lewis2 Friedrich............................................ Dane Kuzma1 Trevor Grimes2 Kurt................................................Michael Younkin1 Nigel Grimes2 Rolf Gruber..................................... Blake Levinson* Nate Petsche** Sister Sophia.....................................................................Christine Price Franz, the butler...........................................................Davian Raggio Frau Schmidt, the housekeeper..........................Andrea McGaugh Herr Zeller.................................................................... Michael Koutelos Frau Zeller..........................................................................Christine Price Baron Elberfeld..................................................................Owen Malone Baroness Elberfeld............................................................... Arianna Paz A New Postulant............................................................ Laura McKenna Admiral von Schreiber................................................... R. Porter Hiatt Ursula................................................................................. Laura McKenna Fräulein Schweiger................................................... Andrea McGaugh Singing Trio....................................... Owen Malone, Davian Raggio, ........................................................................ Nathaniel Richard SS Soldiers............................ Michael Koutelos, James Covington, ............................................................................ Jeron Robinson Ensemble: Sadiyah Babatunde, Madison Barrett, Madeline Coffey, James Covington, R. Porter Hiatt, Jordan Knapick, Michael Koutelos, Owen Malone, Andrea McGaugh, Laura McKenna, James Mitchell, Arianna Paz, Christine Price, Davian Raggio, Nathaniel Richard, Jeron Robinson Understudy for Max Detweiler: Nicholas Orth Cover for Sister Sophia: Sadiyah Babatunde (6/22) * 6/13, 6/19, 6/29, 7/7, 7/13, 7/20 ** 6/15, 6/22, 7/5, 7/11, 7/16, 7/26 1 2

6/13, 6/22, 6/29, 7/11, 7/13, 7/20 6/15, 6/19, 7/5, 7/7, 7/16 (Lydia covers for Acadia), 7/26

20 Box Office: 330.263.2345

THE SOUND OF MUSIC is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. www.concordtheatricals.com

This production has been partially underwritten by gifts from: Carol Briggs Ron & Prue Holtman Burton D. Morgan Foundation Seaman Family Foundation

SETTING The story takes place in Austria, early in 1938.

ACT I Scene 1 Nonnberg Abbey Scene 2 Mountainside near the abbey Scene 3 The office of the Mother Abbess— the next morning Scene 4 A corridor in the abbey Scene 5 The terrace of the Trapp villa—that afternoon Scene 6 Outside the Trapp villa—that evening Scene 7 Maria’s bedroom—later that evening Scene 8 The terrace of the Trapp villa—six weeks later Scene 9 A hallway in the Trapp villa—one week later

Scene 10 The living room—the same evening Scene 11 A corridor in the abbey Scene 12 The office of the Mother Abbess— three days later ACT II Scene 1 The terrace—the same day Scene 2 A corridor in the abbey—two weeks later Scene 3 The office of the Mother Abbess Scene 4 A cloister overlooking the chapel Scene 5 The terrace—one month later Scene 6 The concert hall—three days later Scene 7 The garden of Nonnberg Abbey— that night

MUSICAL NUMBERS ACT I Preludium............................................................................................................................................................Chorus The Sound of Music............................................................................................................................................ Maria Maria......................................................................................................................................Sisters, Mother Abbess My Favorite Things....................................................................................Maria, Mother Abbess, Margaretta Do-Re-Mi.......................................................................................................................Maria, Von Trapp Children Sixteen Going on Seventeen...................................................................................................................Rolf, Liesl The Lonely Goatherd................................................................................................Maria, Von Trapp Children How Can Love Survive?............................................................................................................................ Max, Elsa The Sound of Music (reprise).............................................................. Von Trapp Children, Captain, Maria So Long, Farewell.................................................................................................................... Von Trapp Children Nun’s Processional: Morning Hymn............................................................................................................Sisters Climb Ev’ry Mountain.................................................................................................................... Mother Abbess 15-Minute Intermission ACT II Entr’acte Opening (reprises).........................................................................Max, Von Trapp Children, Captain, Maria No Way to Stop It..................................................................................................................... Elsa, Max, Captain An Ordinary Couple......................................................................................................................... Maria, Captain Processional...............................................................................Chorus, Mother Abbess, Sisters, Postulants Canticle—Confitemini Domino....................................................................................................................Chorus Sixteen Going on Seventeen (reprise).............................................................................................Maria, Liesl Do-Re-Mi (reprise)................................................................................... Maria, Von Trapp Children, Captain The Concert Do-Re-Mi..................................................................................................... Maria, Captain, Von Trapp Children Edelweiss..................................................................................................... Captain, Maria, Von Trapp Children So Long, Farewell..................................................................................... Maria, Von Trapp Children, Captain Finale Ultimo: Climb Ev’ry Mountain.................................................................................................. Ensemble

S “My heart wants to sing ev’ry song it hears.”

S ohiolightopera.org 21

ARGUMENT Maria is a nun at an abbey in 1938 Austria, but her personality doesn’t fit the lifestyle practiced within its walls. The Mother Abbess sends her to be governess for the recently widowed Captain von Trapp.

Although she quickly wins over his seven children, awakens romantic feelings in him, and strange new feelings in herself, she is confused by these emotions and flees back to the convent. The children are very distraught, especially as their father is to wed the wealthy, not very kind, Elsa Schraeder. The Abbess decides that Maria should not use the convent as an escape from the world and orders that she return as governess. Elsa, meanwhile, breaks off her engagement to von Trapp because of his refusal to accept the encroaching German position. Maria and von Trapp are married, but when offered a commission in the German navy, he realizes that he and his family can no longer remain in Austria.

Under the pretense of an entertainment at a local festival, the family manages to escape the clutches of Nazi soldiers and—with the help of both nuns in the abbey and the conscience-stricken former boyfriend of the oldest von Trapp daughter—finds its way to safety through the mountains into Switzerland.

BACKGROUND When The Sound of Music opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on November 16, 1959, it became part of what now appears to have been the Golden Age of Broadway musical theater. My Fair Lady, Gypsy, and The Music Man were among its neighbors.

Although the reviews were mixed—both the New York Times’ Brooks Atkinson and the New Yorker’s Kenneth Tynan found it regrettably old-fashioned—it settled in for a run of 1443 performances. London audiences ignored “blistering first-night reviews” (as Richard Rodgers recalled), and the show ran there for 2385 performances.

From the start, The Sound of Music was conceived as a starring vehicle for Mary Martin. Vincent J. Donehue, who directed 22 Box Office: 330.263.2345

Martin in a televised version of Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth, had seen a German movie about the Trapp Family Singers that Paramount had under option to remake, with Audrey Hepburn as the heroine. He persuaded Martin and her producer husband, Richard Halliday, that the story was a natural for a musical with Martin in the lead. Producer Leland Hayward joined in the efforts to secure rights from Baroness Maria von Trapp and other family members. The Baroness, who was then actively engaged in missionary work in the Pacific, was persuaded that the royalties could help her mission in New Guinea. Veteran writers Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse (Anything Goes, Life with Father, Call Me Madam) were commissioned to write the book. Initially, the plan was to use the songs that the Trapps had performed on their tours, supplemented by more up-to-date tunes. But when Richard Rodgers was approached, he wisely argued against such a mixture, insisting that what was needed was either an anthology of old songs or an entirely new score. He and Oscar Hammerstein II agreed to create the music and lyrics, but only after the premiere of their Flower Drum Song.

The Sound of Music was the tenth and last of the Rodgers/Hammerstein collaborations that had begun in 1943 with Oklahoma! During the run-up to the opening, Hammerstein was diagnosed with cancer; he died in August 1960. His last song was “Edelweiss,” written in Boston during the pre-Broadway tryout. The high level of Hammerstein’s craftsmanship is evident in lyrics that are sentimental (“An Ordinary Couple”), inspirational (“Climb Ev’ry Mountain”), playful (“The Lonely Goatherd”), and witty (“How Can Love Survive?” skewers the notion that poverty is required for true love). He and Rodgers are masters at making songs integral to the story.

Rodgers’ tunes are especially persuasive in conveying Maria’s understanding of children and their high spirits and innocence.

The 1965 movie, one of the most profitable ever made, saved Twentieth Century-Fox from bankruptcy and was

awarded five Oscars: Best Picture, Director, Sound, Scoring, and Film Editing. In the late 1980s in England, the movie developed a cult audience that was encouraged to attend in appropriate costumes and to sing along.

An interactive version with subtitled musical numbers was introduced to the United States in 2000.

Adapted from the original of Raymond McCall

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PREMIERE

ME AND MY GIRL (1937) Music...............................................................................................Noel Gay Book and Lyrics.....................Douglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose Revised Book................................. Stephen Fry, with contributions ........................................................................................... by Mike Ockrent Conductor:................................................................... Michael Borowitz Stage Director:...................................................................... Jacob Allen Choreographer:............................................................... Spencer Reese Set Designer:........................................................................ Chyna Mayer Costume Designer:...............................................................Jen Gillette Lighting Designer:................................................................ Rachel Aho Sound Designer:................................................................. Leo Chavolla Assistant Stage Director:...............................................Patrick Polsin

Stage Manager:................................................... Carrigan Hughes

Gerald Bolingbroke, a good-looking young man.....................................................................Jack Murphy Lady Battersby........................................................... Andrea McGaugh Lord Battersby.................................................................Davian Raggio Lady Jacqueline Carston, a dazzling young blonde..............Maggie Langhorne* Madison Barrett** Charles Heatherset, manservant............................Jeron Robinson Mr. Parchester, family solicitor................................. James Mitchell Lord Jasper Tring, a nonagenarian...........................Owen Malone Maria, Duchess of Dene, a middle-aged martinet.......................................... Yvonne Trobe Sir John Tremayne, a middle-aged baronet......... R. Porter Hiatt Bill Snibson, Cockney Lord Hareford..................... Spencer Reese Sally Smith, Bill’s girl........................................................Kate Bilenko Telegraph Boy.............................................................James Covington Mrs. Brown, landlady.....................................................Sarah Nealley Bob Barking, Sally’s friend....................................... William Volmar Police constable.......................................................Nathaniel Richard Ensemble: Sadiyah Babatunde, Connor Burns, James Covington, Julia Fedor, Jordan Knapick, Blake Levinson, Owen Malone, Andrea McGaugh, Laura McKenna, Jack Murphy, Sara Nealley, Nicholas Orth, Arianna Paz, Nate Petsche, Davian Raggio, Nathaniel Richard, Colin RIng, Jeron Robinson, Holly Thomas, William Volmar

ME AND MY GIRL is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com

Understudy for Bill Snibson: James Covington Understudy for Sally Smith: Rachel Weinfeld * 6/20, 6/27, 7/13, 7/17 ** 6/22, 6/29, 7/6, 7/25

This production has been partially underwritten by gifts from: Brad Bennett • Tom & Patsy Doak • Clark R. Green Charitable Foundation Sara L. Patton 24 Box Office: 330.263.2345

SETTING The story takes place in late 1930s London, in and around Hareford Hall, Hampshire, Mayfair, and Lambeth ACT I Prologue Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 Scene 4 Scene 5

Mayfair Hareford Hall, Hampshire The kitchen The drawing room The Hareford Arms The terrace

ACT II Scene 1 The garden at Hareford Hall— the next afternoon Scene 2 The library Scene 3 Hareford Hall—weeks later Scene 4 Hareford Hall—shortly after

MUSICAL NUMBERS Overture ACT I A Weekend at Hareford............................................................................................................... Ensemble Thinking of No One but Me............................................................................Gerald, Lady Jacqueline The Family Solicitor............................................................................................... Parchester, Ensemble Me and My Girl.................................................................................................................................. Bill, Sally An English Gentleman.....................................................................................................Hethersett, Staff You Would if You Could..........................................................................................Lady Jacqueline, Bill Hold My Hand.................................................................................................................................... Bill, Sally Once You Lose Your Heart....................................................................................................................Sally The Fugue......................................................................................................................................... Ensemble The Lambeth Walk.....................................................................................................Bill, Sally, Ensemble 15-Minute Intermission ACT II Entr’acte The Sun Has Got His Hat On.......................................................................................Gerald, Ensemble Take It on the Chin....................................................................................................................................Sally Once You Lose Your Heart (reprise)..................................................................................................Sally Song of Hareford.........................................................................................................Duchess, Ancestors Love Makes the World Go Round................................................................. Bill, Sir John, Ensemble Leaning on a Lamp Post............................................................................................................................Bill The Hunt Ball Finale.................................................................................................................................................. Ensemble

S “Everything free and easy … do as you darn well pleasey.”

S ohiolightopera.org 25

ARGUMENT ACT I: As guests head off for a weekend at stately Hareford House, the in-residence family is distraught: The late Earl of Hareford has died without a suitable heir.

The family solicitors, after a deep look down the family tree, have tracked down a distant, but legitimate, candidate to assume the family title and property. He is Bill Snibson from Lambeth, unschooled—to say the least—in the ways of polite society. In order to assume the position, he must pass muster with the late Earl’s executors: the formidable Duchess of Dene and Sir John Tremayne. As the Duchess acknowledges that Bill is the very last in the family line, she emphasizes the need for a proper consort for him. No problem, says Bill … he dashes off to his car and brings in girlfriend Sally Smith, equally unaccustomed to the demands and rigor of upper-class behavior. Lady Jacqueline has taken a shine to Bill, as Sally, sensing that she is an obstacle to Bill’s position as Earl, decides to return to Lambeth. But she has a plan up her sleeve.

ACT II: Still with Bill, but observing his sincere efforts to get into the “earlish” way of life, Sally—encouraged by the Duchess— eventually says her goodbye to Bill. His pleas to the Duchess fall on deaf ears as the family portraits come to life and remind him of his noblesse oblige familial responsibilities.

Sir John and family solicitor Parchester sympathize with Bill’s romantic plight, as they also have their own challenges with the ladies. Bill tracks down Sally back in Lambeth, but she hides from him and slips away. Back at Hareford, a despondent Bill, still chased by Lady Jacqueline, decides to give it all up and part ways from the family.

But Sir John has something else in mind. …

BACKGROUND On November 12, 1935, a musical titled Twenty to One opened at London’s Coliseum. Billed as the “funniest musical sporting farce ever staged,” it played an impressive 383 performances and was produced by and starred Lupino Lane 26 Box Office: 330.263.2345

(1892–1959), who—as a member of the famed and expansive Lupino family of entertainers, including second cousin Ida Lupino—had already established himself in music hall, revue, pantomime, on Broadway (including Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado), and in silent film. In Twenty to One, he played cockney tout (i.e., peddler/ scalper) Bill Snibson, a repentant bookmaker who joins, but through his antics manages to singlehandedly dismantle, the AntiGambling League So popular was the show and Lane’s portrayal that he commissioned a follow-up piece—one that would again let him portray his zany Snibson character. The book for the new show was furnished by Twenty to One librettist Arthur Rose and lyricist Douglas Furber, whose 1917 co-authored song “The Bells of St. Mary’s” later became a hit as the title tune of the 1945 Bing Crosby film of the same name. Although billed as a sequel to the earlier musical, the new show, titled Me and My Girl, had—other than Lane’s name and general wackiness—little in common with the earlier show. The music was supplied by Noel Gay (born Reginald Moxon Armitage), who for more than a decade, and with notable success, had churned out popular songs for British revues, musicals, and films. By the time the show opened at London’s Victoria Palace Theatre on December 16, 1937, the score had been trimmed to just seven numbers. But no matter … the title song and the irresistibly catchy “Lambeth Walk,” coupled with an engaging and comical storyline, captivated audiences for 1646 performances.

Over the next handful of years, with the goal of filling out the score, the authors wrote some additional songs for numerous amateur productions that popped up across England. Fast forward more than 40 years to 1984 and a new, expanded production of the work mounted by the composer’s son Richard Armitage. With a score augmented by those new songs that the authors had added to the score, as well as by several other Noel Gay tunes, the show—with Robert Lindsay starring as Bill Snibson— opened at the Leicester Haymarket Theatre

and then transferred to London’s Adelphi Theatre, where it ran a whopping 3300plus performances. Instantly recognizable by the audience was the interpolated tune “Leaning on a Lamp Post,” which Gay had originally written for a 1937 film titled Feather Your Nest and which, in 1966, was appropriated and re-popularized by the rock group Herman’s Hermits. In 1986, Lindsay crossed the pond and headlined a Broadway production that played 1420 performances and earned him a Tony. Within a few years, the show had spread to Australia, Mexico, Hungary, Germany, and Japan, the latter staged by the all-woman Takarazuka troupe.

In 1939, the BBC televised a live performance of the show, the first-ever complete musical to be afforded a television broadcast.

Michael D. Miller

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BEAUTIFUL, The Carole King Musical, July 12– August 11, 2024: Senney Theater, Additional Performances Thursday July 25, and August 1, 8, 2024.

Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com.

BEAUTIFUL, The Carole King Musical Book by Douglas McGrath Words and Music by Gerry Goffin & Carole King, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil Music by Arrangement with Sony/ATV Music Publishing Orchestrations, Vocals, Incidental Music Arrangements by Steve Sidwell Originally Produced on Broadway by Paul Blake, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Mike Bosner Directed by Scott Spence, Music Directed by Larry Goodpaster, Choreography by Lauren Marousek.

Locally Produced Premiere, July 12– August 11, 2024: Senney Theater Additional Performances Thursday July 25, and August 1, 8, 2024 Sponsored by The John P. Murphy Foundation Tickets start at just $10 SmartSeats ® at BeckCenter.org, 216-521-2540. Buy your tickets at 216-521-2540.

ohiolightopera.org 27

THE GONDOLIERS or The King of Barataria (1889) Music........................................................................... Arthur Sullivan Libretto.................................................................William S. Gilbert Conductor:........................................................... Michael Borowitz Stage Director:........................................................ Spencer Reese Choreographer:....................................................... Spencer Reese Set Designer:............................................................... Daniel Hobbs Costume Designer:.................................................. Brooke Kesler Lighting Designer:........................................................ Rachel Aho Sound Designer:........................................ Adrienne McLaughlin Assistant Stage Director:.......................................Patrick Polsin Stage Manager:.............................................................Erin Kimball The Duke of Plaza-Toro, a Grandee of Spain........................................... Vincent Gover Luiz, his attendant.................................................. Nicholas Orth Don Alhambra del Bolero, the Grand Inquisitor................................ Zachary Elmassian Marco Palmieri, Venetian gondolier......... Owen Malone* Davian Raggio** Giuseppe Palmieri, Venetian gondolier....... William Volmar* Connor Burns** Inez, foster mother to Marco and Giuseppe................................ Maggie Langhorne Antonio..................................................................Michael Koutelos Francesco.......................................................................Jack Murphy Giorgio......................................................................... R. Porter Hiatt Annibale.........................................................................Nate Petsche The Duchess of Plaza-Toro............................ Andrea McGaugh Casilda, her daughter............Sadiyah Babatunde* Holly Thomas** Gianetta, contadina.............. Sara Nealley* Laura McKenna** Tessa, contadina................................. Ori Marcu* Julia Fedor** Fiametta.....................................................................Christine Price Vittoria............................................................................. Arianna Paz Giulia..........................................................................Jordan Knapick Ensemble: Kate Bilenko, Madeline Coffey, James Covington, R. Porter Hiatt, Jordan Knapick, Michael Koutelos, Blake Levinson, James Mitchell, Jack Murphy, Arianna Paz, Nate Petsche, Christine Price, Nathaniel Richard, Colin Ring, Jeron Robinson, Yvonne Trobe, Rachel Weinfeld Understudy for Don Alhambra: Nathaniel Richard Understudy for the Duchess of Plaza-Toro: Arianna Paz Understudy for Luiz: Colin Ring * 6/26, 7/10, 7/19, 7/27 ** 6/28, 7/12, 7/24

This production has been partially underwritten by gifts from: Joseph Loewenstein, M.D. • The Heuer Foundation • David Knapp 28 Box Office: 330.263.2345

SETTING The story takes place in 1750.

ACT I: The Piazzetta in Venice ACT II: The pavilion in the Palace of Barataria—three months later

MUSICAL NUMBERS Overture ACT I List and Learn........................................................................................................ Contadine, Gondoliers From the Sunny Spanish Shore.......................................................... Duke, Duchess, Casilda, Luiz In Enterprise of Martial Kind................................................................ Duke, Duchess, Casilda, Luiz O Rapture, When Alone Together.....................................................................................Casilda, Luiz There Was a Time....................................................................................................................Luiz, Casilda I Stole the Prince.......................................................Don Alhambra, Casilda, Duchess, Luiz, Duke But, Bless My Heart............................................................................................ Casilda, Don Alhambra Try We Life-Long.......................................................Casilda, Duchess, Luiz, Duke, Don Alhambra Bridegroom and Bride....................................................................................... Contadine, Gondoliers When a Merry Maiden Marries.......................................................................................................... Tessa Kind Sir, You Cannot Have the Heart........................................................................................Gianetta Finale................................................................................................................................................. Ensemble 15-Minute Intermission ACT II Of Happiness the Very Pith...............................................................................Men, Marco, Giuseppe Rising Early in the Morning............................................................................................. Giuseppe, Men Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes............................................................................................................Marco Here We Are, at the Risk................................................................................... Contadine, Gondoliers Dance a Cachucha............................................................................................... Contadine, Gondoliers There Lived a King........................................................................... Don Alhambra, Marco, Giuseppe In a Contemplative Fashion.........................................................Gianetta, Tessa, Marco, Giuseppe With Ducal Pomp......................................................................................................Men, Duke, Duchess On the Day When I Was Wedded.............................................................................................. Duchess To Help Unhappy Commoners........................................................................................Duke, Duchess I Am a Courtier.................................................................Duke, Marco, Giuseppe, Casilda, Duchess Finale................................................................................................................................................. Ensemble

S “Take a pair of sparkling eyes.”

S ohiolightopera.org 29

ARGUMENT

BACKGROUND

ACT I: At birth, Casilda, the now 21-yearold daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Plaza-Toro, was married by proxy to the then infant son and heir of the King of Barataria. Unfortunately, the King became a rather bigoted Wesleyan Methodist, and the Grand Inquisitor, Don Alhambra— determined that such a trend should not continue—arranged for the heir to be kidnapped and taken to Venice. There he was placed in the care of a respectable gondolier who raised him alongside his own son. Now gondoliers themselves, his “sons,” Marco and Giuseppe, have recently selected brides, Gianetta and Tessa, from their large female following. Meanwhile, as the result of an insurrection, the throne of Barataria has been vacated and Casilda’s father, now in hard straits, wishes to establish his daughter as queen. Accompanied by the Duchess, Casilda, and Luiz, he has traveled to Venice in search of his daughter’s missing husband. Upon hearing from her father of her childhood marriage, Casilda is distraught, as she is in love with Luiz, the Duke’s attendant and drummer. Don Alhambra announces that, as Marco and Giuseppe’s “father” has since died, the only person who can identify the prince is Inez, who was his childhood nurse. Emissaries have been sent to bring her to Venice. Until the matter is settled, Marco and Giuseppe agree to rule Barataria jointly—they set out for the island kingdom as their new wives wave goodbye from the canal bank.

The sunniest of all the Savoy operas was preceded by dissension and followed by the bitterest of quarrels between the collaborators. After The Yeomen of the Guard (1888), Gilbert and Sullivan exchanged peevish letters, each accusing the other of swamping his efforts. Producer Richard D’Oyly Carte helped to make peace, and they began their next comic opera as (in Gilbert’s words) “master and master—and not as master and servant.”

During the premiere of The Gondoliers at the Savoy Theatre on December 7, 1889, the demand for encores almost doubled the length of Act I. Critics praised not only the score and the text, but also Hawes Craven’s lavish sets (although grumbling that the scene change for Act II took too long) and Percy Anderson’s costumes. The Topical Times called attention to the short skirts worn by the chorus, revealing “to a curious world that the Savoy chorus are a very well-legged lot.” Punch celebrated the occasion with a cartoon depicting author and composer dressed as their joint rulers of Barataria, the caption stating: “Monarchs of all they Savoy.” The initial run of 554 performances, however, was not matched in the United States, where meager box office receipts prompted one producer to refer to it as “The Gone Dollars.”

The amenable Gilbert, in sending the first installment of the libretto to Sullivan, pointed out that the first nine pages called for continuous music, with no interruptions for dialogue; in its finished form, the opening scene offers more than fifteen minutes of unbroken music. Sullivan, also amenable, accepted Gilbert’s suggestions for the setting of “In a Contemplative Fashion.” In shaping his libretto, Gilbert also intended to rebuke certain members of the D’Oyly Carte Company who, in his opinion, had become too self-important. On the principle of “all shall equal be,” he distributed the solos among nine major roles and gave unusual prominence to ensembles.

Not that Gilbert had become a champion of egalitarianism. Some of his sharpest satire

ACT II: Settled in Barataria as joint kings, with all their friends appointed to high positions, Marco and Giuseppe lament their menial life and the absence of their wives.

Gianetta and Tessa miss their husbands equally and have traveled to Barataria, anxious to learn which of them will be queen. Complications arise when Don Alhambra informs the two gondoliers that not only is one of them a king, but also a bigamist, married two decades earlier to Casilda. Finally, the nurse arrives and is called upon to make her judgment. …

30 Box Office: 330.263.2345

is directed at republican excesses. When Marco and Giuseppe, self-styled ardent republicans, become rulers of Barataria, they declare that their followers are their equals— with the consequence that the two kings must do all the work, because the others are too busy enjoying their new status. The Grand Inquisitor reminds Marco and Giuseppe: “When every one is somebodee / Then no one’s anybody!” But Gilbert also deflated snobbery—in this instance, embodied by the haughty but impecunious Duke of PlazaToro, who incorporates himself so that he can peddle his name and influence.

Sullivan, who had visited Venice in the summer of 1889 and whose mother was of Italian descent, seemed to find a temperamental affinity for Gilbert’s Venetian setting. In several places, he employs rhythms and harmonies often heard in popular Italian songs and dances, and, in the opening scene, Marco, Giuseppe, and the maidens exchange compliments in charming textbook Italian.

Again and again, Sullivan creates music that perfectly fuses with the words. For example, when Tessa and Gianetta in Act I anticipate the glory of becoming “a right down regular

Royal Queen,” the music bounces with an adolescent enthusiasm and tells us that the girls would dance their way through any palace ceremony. The quartet “In a Contemplative Fashion” simultaneously expresses the efforts of two married couples to remain calm amidst their exasperated accusations.

Following a performance of The Gondoliers at Windsor Castle on March 6, 1891, Queen Victoria wrote in her diary that the music “which I know and am very fond of is quite charming throughout….

The dialogue is written by Gilbert and very amusing.” What the monarch thought of the highly publicized quarrel that had developed among the three partners, she did not record.

Gilbert, who increasingly felt that he was the odd man out in the triumvirate, concluded that he was being cheated by Carte out of his share of the profits. A reconciliation was patched up and, although Utopia Limited and The Grand Duke later appeared, the great period of joint creativity was at an end.

Adapted from the original of Raymond McCall

Asshland Symphony Orc rch rc chestra tr tra

www.ashlandsymphony.org 419-289-5115

M cha Mi c el Repp e er* epp

Music Direc Mu r tor and Conductor rec

*2023 G GRAMMY Y® Best Orchestral Performance

114 E. Liberty St, Wooster 330-725-7623 ohiolightopera.org 31

THE COUNT OF LUXEMBOURG (1909) Music................................................................................. Franz Lehár Original German Libretto..................................... Alfred Willner ....................................................................and Robert Bodanzky English Book............................................................. Nigel Douglas English Lyrics................... Eric Maschwitz and Nigel Douglas Conductor:......................................................Wilson Southerland Stage Director:..........................................................Steven Daigle Choreographer:.......................................................Spencer Reese Scenic Designer:.........................................................Chyna Mayer Costume Designer:................................................. Nichole Watts Lighting Designer:........................................................Rachel Aho Sound Designer:............................................... Madeleine Carroll Assistant Stage Director:.......................................Patrick Polsin Stage Manager:....................................................... Claire Alderfer René, Count of Luxembourg.................................. Jack Murphy Prince Basil Basilovitch.............................................. Jacob Allen Countess Stasa Kokozov.............................Maggie Langhorne Armand Brissard, painter................................. William Volmar Juliette Vermont................................................... Jordan Knapick Angèle Didier, an opera singer.........................Christine Price “The Three” Sergei Mentchikoff....................................Zachary Elmassian Pavel von Pavlovitch................................................. Colin Ring Pélégrin, a notary............................................. R. Porter Hiatt Anatole Saville, painter.......................................... Connor Burns Henri Boulanger, painter........................................ Nicholas Orth Charles Lavigne, painter......................................Spencer Reese Robert Marchand, painter..............................James Covington Sidonie, artists’ model................................ Sadiyah Babatunde Coralie, artists’ model........................................ Madison Barrett François, servant............................................................. Colin Ring Manager of the Grand Hotel.............................. Davian Raggio Hostess............................................................................. Ori Marcu Waiters and Waitresses................................... Madison Barrett, ...................................... Michael Koutelos, Spencer Reese

English translation by Nigel Douglas. Used by arrangement with European American Music Distributors Company, U.S. and Canadian agent for Glocken Verlag Ltd., London, publisher and copyright owner.

Ensemble: Sadiyah Babatunde, Madison Barrett, Kate Bilenko, Connor Burns, Madeline Coffey, James Covington, Zachary Elmassian, Vince Gover, R. Porter Hiatt, Jordan Knapick, Michael Koutelos, Maggie Langhorne, Ori Marcu, Andrea McGaugh, Nicholas Orth, Arianna Paz, Nate Petsche, Spencer Reese, Davian Raggio, Colin RIng, Holly Thomas, Rachel Weinfeld Understudy for René: Owen Malone Understudy for Juliette Vermont: Rachel Weinfeld Understudy for Angèle Didier: Sara Nealley

This production has been partially underwritten by gifts from: The Honorable John Ong • Norman K. Keller • Pamela Mellor • John Schambach 32 Box Office: 330.263.2345

SETTING ACT I: In the studio of Brissard ACT II: In the Palace of Angèle Didier ACT III: In the vestibule of the Grand Hotel, Paris

MUSICAL NUMBERS ACT I Mardi Gras, All Around Is Mardi Gras..................................... René, Juliette, Brissard, Ensemble An Attic for Two, A Room with a View....................................................................Brissard, Juliette The Feast of Mardi Gras............................................................................................. Juliette, Ensemble Mardi Gras (reprise).........................................................................................................René, Ensemble I’m So in Love........................................................................Basil, Pavlovitch, Pélégrin, Mentchikoff A Cool Half-Million Francs................................... Basil, René, Pavlovitch, Pélégrin, Mentchikoff Fancy Free.............................................................................................................................................Angèle Finale................................................................................................................................................. Ensemble 15-Minute Intermission ACT II Hail, Angèle.....................................................................................................................Angèle, Ensemble I Know This Must Be Love................................................................................................... Angèle, René Lip to Lip.............................................................................................................................Juliette, Brissard A Simple Plot................................................................................................................Basil, Angèle, René Why, Surely This Is Love?.....................................................................................................................René Razzle-Dazzle Basil............................................................................................................... Basil, Juliette Finale................................................................................................................................................. Ensemble There will be no intermission between Acts II and III ACT III Waltz Intermezzo Lip to Lip (reprise)...........................................................................................................Juliette, Brissard Angel, You’re My Heart’s Delight...................................................................Juliette, Brissard, Basil Happiness Is Mine.................................................................................................................. René, Angèle Finale Ultimo................................................................................................................................... Ensemble

S “I know this must be love.”

S ohiolightopera.org 33

ARGUMENT

BACKGROUND

ACT I: In Brissard’s Parisian studio, a group of Bohemian friends are enjoying a Mardi Gras party. Brissard’s friend and patron, René, the impoverished Count of Luxembourg, is approached by Prince Basil Basilovitch, who is in love with opera singer Angèle Didier, but is forbidden to marry a commoner. He offers René half a million francs to marry a woman— namely Angèle—whom he will never see; she thus becomes a countess and, after three months, René will divorce her and she will be free to marry the Russian prince. During the three months, René must absent himself from Paris and assume a different name. Basil’s men fetch Angèle, and one of Brissard’s paintings is used as a screen to separate the bride and bridegroom during the ceremony. They treat the ceremony lightheartedly, but each one’s curiosity is aroused.

Franz Lehár (1870–1948), born in Komárom, Hungary, studied composition with his bandmaster father and at the Prague Conservatory, where he was encouraged by no less than Antonin Dvořák. After playing in or directing various military bands, he settled in Vienna, where he was appointed conductor at the prestigious Theater an der Wien. After two moderately successful operettas in 1902, Wiener Frauen (Viennese Women) and Der Rastelbinder (The Tinker), and two unsuccessful ones, Der Göttergatte (The Husband God) and Die Juxheirat (The Mock Marriage), both in 1904, he penned in 1905 Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow), to this day the most recorded and performed of all operettas. Triumphant in virtually every theatrical capital of the Western World (and beyond), it had an initial run of more than 400 performances in Vienna, 500 in Germany, and 778 in London. Opening in New York in 1907, it set off a Merry Widow craze that enriched theater managers and makers of souvenirs.

The prolific Lehár saw three of his operettas open in Vienna in the fall of 1909 and early winter of 1910. The second of these, Der Graf von Luxemburg (The Count of Luxembourg), premiered at the Theater an der Wien on November 12, 1909. The libretto by A. M. Willner and Robert Bodanzky is a rehash of a plot that Willner had co-written for an 1897 Johann Strauss operetta, Die Göttin der Vernunft (The Goddess of Reason). The story of an impoverished count who enters a marriage of convenience with a singer who needs his title has parallels with Millöcker’s The Beggar Student and Kálmán’s The Gypsy Princess. The Count, like Symon in The Beggar Student, eventually falls in love with the woman to whom he is married.

Russian Prince Basil, like Edwin in The Gypsy Princess, tries to overcome the social taboo of marriage beneath his station.

Lehár’s distinctive melodic gifts—especially his genius for sensuous waltzes—readily induced a suspension of disbelief as the action unfolds. The Count of Luxembourg

ACT II: After three months, René returns to Paris, calling himself the Baron de Reval.

He has fallen in love with Angèle, whom he visits at her home, but she—unaware of his identity—tells him that she is married.

He replies that he is also married, but both reveal that they are in the process of getting divorced. Meanwhile, Brissard has resumed his pursuit of Juliette, his former model, who is now Angèle’s companion. Basil shows up, eagerly anticipating his wedding the next day, and tries to get rid of René. Basil admits to Angèle’s guests that she is married to the Count of Luxembourg. Angèle cynically describes this marriage of convenience, but when she learns that the Count is none other than René, she insists—to his delight and Basil’s fury—that she is still his wife.

ACT III: A short time later at the Grand Hotel, the elderly Countess Stasa Kokozov searches for Basil, whom she claims as her fiancé, with the Tsar’s blessing. Embraced by the Countess, Basil reluctantly agrees that René will stay married to Angèle. René, whose family fortune has been restored, returns the half million francs to Basil. Brissard and Juliette, who have been married at the registry office, join René, Angèle, and their friends in celebrating the triumph of love.

34 Box Office: 330.263.2345

had an initial run of 226 performances in Vienna and 340 in London. The New York Times critic commented on the score’s “one delicious wave of melody following another” when the show opened at Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre on September 16, 1912.

On the occasion of a Broadway revival in 1930, the Times noted that The Count of Luxembourg “remains fresh and vigorous ... the Lehár tunes still float out gently and with zest.”

Beginning in the mid-1920s, Lehár composed a series of romantic operettas— Paganini (1925), Der Zarewitsch (1927), Friederike (1928), Das Land des Lächelns (1929), and Schön ist die Welt (1930)—all designed to showcase the tenor voice of Austrian opera star Richard Tauber. His recording of “Dein ist mein ganzes Herz” (known in English as both “You Are My Heart’s Delight” and “Yours Is My Heart Alone”) from The Land of Smiles is perhaps the most internationally recognized of all operetta arias. Like Arthur Sullivan,

Lehár had operatic ambitions; his last major work, Giuditta—starring Tauber and Jarmila Novotná—was produced at Vienna’s Staatsoper in 1934 and fulfilled the composer’s lifelong ambition to see his work on Vienna’s premiere opera stage. Although his wife was Jewish, Lehár elected to remain in Austria after the Anschluss. He died at his villa in Bad lschl in 1948.

Adapted from the original of Raymond McCall

132N.N. N.Walnut WalnutStreet Street 132 132 Walnut Street 330-804-0096 330-804-0096 330-804-0096

Wed-Fri 10am-5pm | Sat 10am-4pm | Closed Sun-Tue

Wed-Fri 10am-5pm 10am-5pm || Sat Sat10am-4pm 10am-4pm| |Closed ClosedSun-Tue Sun-Tue Wed-Fri

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THE ARCADIANS (1909) Music...............................Lionel Monckton and Howard Talbot Lyrics.......................................................................Arthur Wimperis Book........................ Mark Ambient, Alexander M. Thompson, .................................................................. and Robert Courtneidge Conductor:......................................................Wilson Southerland Stage Director:..........................................................Steven Daigle Choreographer:.......................................................Spencer Reese Scenic Designer:........................................................... Kiah Kayser Costume Designer:......................................Suwatana Rockland Lighting Designer:.......................................... Brittany Shemuga Sound Designer:.........................................................Leo Chavolla Assistant Stage Director:.......................................Patrick Polsin Stage Manager:........................................................... Sami Hansen James Smith/Simplicitas...................................... Vincent Gover Sombra......................................................................Laura McKenna Chrysaea...................................................................... Holly Thomas Eileen Cavanaugh............................................... Madison Barrett Jack Meadows.........................................................Spencer Reese Bobbie........................................................................James Mitchell Peter Doody............................................................... Connor Burns Mrs. Smith...................................................................Yvonne Trobe Amaryllis.................................................................Madeline Coffey Astrophel............................................................................Colin RIng Strephon.....................................................................R. Porter Hiatt Father Time......................................................Zachary Elmassian Sir George Paddock.................................................. Jack Murphy Lady Barclay..................................................................Arianna Paz Percy Marsh............................................................. Blake Levinson Soloists.............................................................. Act I: Sara Nealley ...................................................................... Act III: Blake Levinson Ensemble: Kate Bilenko, Madeline Coffey, Zachary Elmassian, Julia Fedor, R. Porter Hiatt, Michael Koutelos, Maggie Langhorne, Blake Levinson, Owen Malone, Ori Marcu, Andrea McGaugh, James Mitchell, Jack Murphy, Sara Nealley, Arianna Paz, Christine Price, Nathaniel Richard, William Volmar

This production has been partially underwritten by gifts from: Michael & Nan Miller • Richard Norton 36 Box Office: 330.263.2345

SETTING ACT I: Arcadia ACT II: Askwood racecourse ACT III: The Arcadia in London restaurant

MUSICAL NUMBERS ACT I Arcadians Are We.........................................................................................................................Ensemble I Quite Forgot Arcadia..................................................................................... Father Time, Ensemble The Joy of Life.................................................................... Sombra, Chrysaea, Strephon, Astrophel Chorus of Fear................................................................................................................................Ensemble The Pipes of Pan Are Calling........................................................................................................Sombra All a Lie.............................................................................................................................................Ensemble Sweet Simplicitas..................................................................................................Simplicitas, Ensemble Finale................................................................................................................................................ Arcadians 15-Minute Intermission ACT II That’s All Over, Bar the Shouting............................................................................................Ensemble Back Your Fancy........................................................................................................... Bobbie, Ensemble The Girl with a Brogue................................................................................................. Eileen, Ensemble Shower Chorus...............................................................................................................................Ensemble Arcady Is Ever Young................................................................................................Sombra, Ensemble Somewhere....................................................................................................................................Simplicitas Charming Weather...................................................................................................................Eileen, Jack Finale.................................................................................................................................................Ensemble 15-Minute Intermission ACT III Plant Your Posies...........................................................................................................................Ensemble I Like London...................................................................................................................................Chrysaea Half Past Two..............................................................................................................................Jack, Eileen Cheer for Simplicitas...................................................................................................................Ensemble All Down Piccadilly...............................................................................................Simplicitas, Ensemble Truth Is Beautiful.............................................................................................Jack, Bobbie, Simplicitas My Motter............................................................................................................................................... Doody My Heart Flies Homing...................................................................................................................Sombra Finale Ultimo...................................................................................................................................Ensemble

S “I’ve made a hit, in fact I’m it, or rather, I am him.”

S ohiolightopera.org 37

ARGUMENT ACT I: Shepherds and nymphs celebrate the simple life in Arcadia, a land that time has forgotten. Sombra describes to them a place called London, where everyone lives in cages of brick and stone and where nobody tells the truth. The Arcadians’ desire to see these “monsters” is unexpectedly fulfilled when James Smith, a middle-aged London caterer, crash-lands his flying machine in the midst of Arcadia. He flirts with Sombra, then lies to her that Astrophel no longer loves her, but rather Chrysaea. Appalled by the lie, the Arcadians dip Smith in the Well of Truth. He emerges as a youthful shepherd named Simplicitas, anxious to indulge in the pleasures of Arcadian life. But Sombra insists that he return to London with her and Chrysaea to preach the simple life and banish lies.

ACT II: London’s smart set have gathered at the Askwood racecourse, where Jack Meadows has bet a huge sum on his horse Deuce. His attention is diverted by the charming Eileen Cavanaugh, the niece of James’ wife Mrs. Smith. Suddenly, a storm hits, at the end of which Sombra, Chrysaea, and Simplicitas appear. The Londoners take them for circus performers and are unimpressed by Sombra’s message extolling Arcadian truth, beauty, and youth. Mrs. Smith is smitten with the youthful looks of Simplicitas, who reminds her of James when he was courting her. Simplicitas succumbs to her urging and agrees to help her open a new restaurant called Arcadia in London. Jack hints that he will propose to Eileen after Deuce has won the race.

But his jockey, the dour Peter Doody who has never won a race, is injured by Deuce.

When Sombra volunteers to recruit a new jockey, Jack impulsively kisses her, making Eileen jealous. Sombra enlists Simplicitas to ride Deuce and, after an unpromising start, Deuce wins by a nose.

ACT III: Mrs. Smith’s new restaurant—with its fake Arcadian decor, waitresses costumed as nymphs, and Peter Doody as a waiter named Ganymede—is a smashing success.

38 Box Office: 330.263.2345

Jack and Eileen are about to make up, but she becomes jealous again when he betrays an interest in the waitresses and is caught kissing Sombra again. Simplicitas, far from preaching Arcadian truth, has become the darling of the smart set for the way he appreciates London’s pleasures. Sombra persuades Eileen that Jack truly loves her, but she becomes suspicious of Simplicitas and begins to yearn for home. When Doody deduces that Simplicitas is really James Smith, the Arcadians’ mission in London begins to unravel, especially when Simplicitas lies about his identity and tumbles into the restaurant’s well of truth. …

BACKGROUND Arcadia is the name given by pastoral writers to that never-never land where shepherds and nymphs enjoy perpetual youth and the simple life. The book for The Arcadians

by Mark Ambient, A. M. Thompson, and Robert Courtneidge subjects Edwardian London to the Arcadian point of view, in a manner reminiscent of Gilbert’s use of the fairy world to poke fun at Victorian society. In brief, a London caterer, Jim Smith, after crashing his airplane in Arcadia, is transformed into a shepherd named Simplicitas. Accompanied by two nymphs, Simplicitas returns to London to preach the Arcadian values of truth and simplicity. But Londoners, like Simplicitas himself, prove to be incorrigible—remaining more interested in horse racing, romance, and the latest fashionable theme restaurant.

The book is full of topical references, but its genial satire of the smart set’s foibles is not out of date. What might be out of date is the author’s penchant for outrageous puns. For example, at one point Smith observes: “A pair of trousers covers a multitude of shins.” The book also makes Eileen Cavanaugh Irish, not because the plot demands this nationality but because it gives her the chance to sing “The Girl with a Brogue.” And when Peter Doody, the hapless jockey-turned-waiter, sings “My Motter” in Act III, the action seems to have strayed from operetta land to the music

hall. Indeed, The Arcadians tends to blur the categories of musical theater. Labeled “a fantastical musical play in three acts” on the score’s title page, it is referred to variously by theater historians as operetta or musical comedy. The score itself contributes to the discrepancy in labeling. The music for the Arcadian scenes in Act I has harmonies and rhythms that suggest the styles of Arthur Sullivan and Edward German; the quick step, however, dominates the London scenes.

Simplicitas, like Bunthorne in Patience, saunters down Piccadilly, but the tune is definitely not pre-Raphaelite.

However we categorize it, The Arcadians, which opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre on April 28, 1909, was one of the greatest successes of its time. The Broadway production at the Liberty Theatre (January 17, 1910) opened when Oscar Straus’ The Chocolate Soldier was in its 18th week and Leo Fall’s The Dollar Princess was in its sixth month. The New York Times reviewer was especially impressed by the Askwood racetrack scene in Act II, a scene that anticipates the Ascot race in My Fair Lady.

“Instead of simple bare-legged beauties in graceful, clinging draperies, the modish, up-

to-date show girls, in high-tilted coiffures, sweeping trains, and blazing jewels, fill the frame with beauty and give variety, color, and dash to the picture.”

The musical numbers are evenly divided between Lionel Monckton and Howard Talbot, whose styles are virtually indistinguishable. Monckton (1861–1924) spent much of his career co-composing West End operettas with Belgian-born Ivan Caryll. Two of his solo efforts, however— The Country Girl in 1902 and The Quaker Girl in 1910—joined with The Arcadians as box office smashes and stellar exemplars of the post-Gilbert and Sullivan Edwardian stage.

Howard Talbot (1865–1928) was born in America but raised and educated in England. He penned music for more than two dozen stage shows, including A Chinese Honeymoon (1899), the first musical to play for more than 1000 consecutive performances. He also collaborated with Monckton on The Boy (1917), which had a London run almost as healthy as that of The Arcadians.

Adapted from the original of Raymond McCall

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ADMINISTRATIVE, ARTISTIC, AND LEADERSHIP TEAM Listed alphabetically … respectful of the ensemble spirit that has characterized OLO since its founding.

JACOB ALLEN, associate artistic director, returns for a 17th season with OLO as director of Guys and Dolls and Me and My Girl. As a member of the artistic team, Jacob is responsible for all casting for the summer season and also participates as a performer with the company.

Earlier OLO directing credits include How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Arizona Lady, Hello, Dolly!, The Student Prince, South Pacific, The Pajama Game, Brigadoon, My Fair Lady, The King and I, Guys and Dolls, and 2011’s “Triple Bill.” OLO veterans may remember Jacob as Frosch in Die Fledermaus, Hale Underwood in Oh, Lady! Lady!!, Mordred in Camelot, The Prince in Jubilee, Horace Gripps in The Cabaret Girl, Benny in The Desert Song, and Jimmy Jack John Bondy in The Duchess of Chicago. Jacob, a native of Oxford, ME, serves as professor and chair of the Department of Theatre & Dance at the University of Memphis. He holds performance degrees in acting and voice from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI, a graduate degree in stage direction from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied under OLO artistic director Steven Daigle, and a doctoral degree in performance from the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music. As a director and performer, Dr. Allen has worked extensively throughout the Midwest and New England. Recent productions include The Wedding Singer, West Side Story, Oklahoma!, Titanic, Chess, Fiddler on the Roof, Children of Eden, The Phantom of the Opera, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Bat Boy, The Winter’s Tale, and She Loves Me. As a teacher, he is fascinated by the challenges faced by young singers in their development as theatrical performers, and is dedicated to the integration of acting and singing.

ERIC ANDRIES, pianist, is pleased to return to Ohio Light Opera for a 14th year. He has a wide range of musical experience in several genres.

Over the past few years, he has been the rehearsal pianist for several opera companies, including First Coast Opera, Voices Immersion Program at Castleton, Omaha Opera, Des Moines Opera, Amarillo Opera, Opera Tampa, Shreveport Opera, Mobile Opera, Syracuse Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Ashlawn Music Festival, and Opera Idaho. Eric has been the musical director 40 Box Office: 330.263.2345

for touring educational opera troupes with Opera Iowa, Portland Opera, and Nashville Opera. In addition, he is an avid jazz pianist and has worked with Princess Cruise Line as piano player for the showband. He was also the keyboardist/arranger for a local salsa music group that was featured at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

Eric has been band leader and pianist for several musical shows as well. A native of Baton Rouge, he holds degrees from LSU in piano performance and has studied abroad in France and Austria.

WREN BEERS, prop master and artisan, hails from Tampa, FL but is thrilled to be back at OLO for their third season, second season as prop master. Their array of strange talents was amassed through 16-plus years of being a nerdy costumer and general craft gremlin, as well as getting their BA in theater tech and design at the University of South Florida. Some of their work has included a faux cooked turkey (with removable leg) for OLO’s 2022 production of Hello, Dolly!, a giant snake for OLO’s 2023 production of Orpheus in the Underworld, and breakable stained glass windows for a production of The Owl Answers at USF. Outside of the summer, Wren worked from 2021–24 for the USF as prop master and paints and props lab supervisor, sharing their strange array of talents and techniques with the students willing to give the wonderfully weird world of props a shot.

MICHAEL BOROWITZ, music director, is currently in his 15th year as associate professor and music director of the Turner-Fischer Center for Opera at LSU, where this season he conducted performances of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Brandt and Beber’s Kassandra, Menotti’s The Medium, Françaix’ Paris, à nos deux! and Candey and Svich’s La Casa de Bernarda Alba. Next season he will lead performances of Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore, Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, and Chabrier’s L’Étoile. As artistic director with Opéra Louisiane, he led performances of SaintSaëns’ Hell’s Bell, Borzoni and de los Santos’ The Christmas Spider, and Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia. His recordings include Offenbach’s Bluebeard, Kern’s The Cabaret Girl, Herbert’s Mlle. Modiste (also released on DVD), Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore and Patience, a DVD of Kálmán’s The Duchess of Chicago, and with

soprano Lisette Oropesa, a recital entitled Aux filles du désert.

BILL BREWER, costume designer, has designed for theater, ballet, opera, film, and television across the country and abroad. His work has been seen at Berkeley Rep, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, American Stage, Triad Stage, and Playmakers. Bill has designed five different productions of Sweeney Todd, the first starring Jean Stapleton and the last starring Annie Golden, and Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby. His time at Lucasfilm includes work on the films Willow, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, and Howard the Duck. Bill’s designs have been included in World Stage Design and Prague Quadrennial exhibits. Bill is a professor, and the director of the costume design programs, at UNCSA and member of United Scenic Artists 829.

ELLIOTT CARNELL, technical director, is happy to be back at OLO for the second year.

Elliott received his BFA in theater technology from Baylor University and his MFA in technical direction at Indiana University. Recent credits of his include technical director for Cabaret and The Winter’s Tale at Indiana University, and Natural Affection with American Lives Theatre. Elliott will begin as the assistant technical director in the fall with the Houston Grand Opera.

STEVEN A. DAIGLE, artistic director, is an emeritus professor of opera and former artistic director of the Eastman Opera Theatre program at The Eastman School of Music. He has served as part of the artistic staff for more than 300 lyric theater productions and called over 400 professional operatic performances as a production stage manager. Daigle’s experience as a stage director encompasses over 180 productions and a wide range of lyric theater repertoire. Productions include collaborations with legendary Broadway composer Charles Strouse, Pulitzer Prize-winning composers Robert Ward and Carlisle Floyd, and conductors Louis Lane, Robert Spano, and Evan Whallon. While at the Eastman School of Music, Daigle created a lyric theater stage directing curriculum and MM in opera directing degree track. The opera theater program at Eastman has included residency and collaborations with Ricky Ian Gordon, Adam Guettel, Jake Heggie, Gene Scheer, Robert Ward, Carlisle Floyd, and Charles Strouse. In his last ten years as artistic director, Eastman Opera Theatre has engaged ten living composers to participate in projects and productions within the program. Composers include Anthony Davis,

Ricky Ian Gordon, Adam Guettel, Jake Heggie, Lori Laitman, Missy Mazzoli, Ben Moore, Kevin Puts, Kate Soper, and Errollyn Wallen. With OLO, Daigle has served on the technical or artistic staff for over 150 productions and directed 100 titles.

As artistic director with OLO, he has expanded the offerings to include traditional musicals and introduced over 70 new titles to the company’s unique repertoire. Daigle has served on the faculty of Kent State University, the Oberlin Conservatory, and on the faculty of the Oberlin in Italy summer program in Urbania. In the spring of 2006 he received the Outstanding Alumnus award from Southeastern Louisiana University.

From 2008–13 and 2017–18, he served as chair of the voice and opera department at the Eastman School of Music. In May 2015, Steven received the Eisenhart Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Eastman School of Music and the University of Rochester. In May 2023, he received the Inclusive Excellence Award from the Eastman School of Music. Steven is an avid luthier and a member of the Guild of American Luthiers.

MICHELLE FRAZIER, business and box office manager, is excited to be back at OLO for her ninth season. Michelle is a 1994 graduate of Mount Union College, where she studied accounting and business administration. She has spent the majority of her professional career in the consumer packaged goods industry in various capacities. During those years, Michelle worked in sales and marketing with Kraft Foods, Inc. and The J.M. Smucker Company, where she was manager, category development. Michelle’s hobbies are working out and flipping houses.

Working as business and box office manager for OLO not only allows Michelle to work in a field that she loves, but it also allows her to utilize her previous business experience. Michelle lives in Wooster with her English bulldog Benson Butch Barkeley Frazier, while her son Mason Frazier golfs for Cleveland State University and her daughter Maddie Rae Frazier attends The College of Wooster.

JEN GILLETTE, costume director and costume designer, is enjoying her first season with OLO, working on Guys and Dolls and Me and My Girl.

Costume design credits include The Cunning Little Vixen (Manhattan School of Music), Bud, Not Buddy, and Digging Up Dessa (The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts), Menagerie (The Washington Ballet), Our Black Death and Don Juan (Taffety Punk), Porgy and Bess (Hattiloo Theatre), La bohéme (Opera Memphis), and Into the Woods and Gypsy (McLeod Summer ohiolightopera.org 41

Playhouse). She holds an MFA in costume design from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and is the author of the recently published book Digital Painting and Rendering for Theatrical Design (Routledge, 2024). Jen resides in Tallahassee, where she is assistant professor of costume design at Florida State University.

IG @jengillettedesign SAMI HANSEN, production stage manager, is thrilled to be back with Ohio Light Opera for another season. Previously at OLO, Sami worked on Camelot, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Student Prince, The Fantasticks, and more. Currently based in Southern California, Sami just completed her MFA at the California Institute of the Arts in May of 2024. Recent productions and events at CalArts include Seven Deadly Sins, Island of Servants, Graduation 2023, and Halloween. A transplant from Boston, Sami still enjoys trips to New York City to see Broadway productions, as well as the occasional drive from her family’s home to Newport, RI to tour the Newport Mansions and dream of living in the Gilded Age. DANIEL HOBBS, assistant production manager and scenic designer, is a scenic, projection, and costume designer and professor, as well as the assistant professor of scenic design at Coastal Carolina University. He is excited to return for another season with the Ohio Light Opera, designing for Guys and Dolls and The Gondoliers.

Past shows with OLO include recent titles such as Camelot, The Student Prince, and Into the Woods.

His recent credits include Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet for Toledo Opera, and Lear on the Second Floor for Eastman School of Music.

KIAH KAYSER, production manager and set designer is a freelance scenic designer, originally hailing from Minnesota and currently serving as an assistant professor at Albion College. This is Kiah’s eighth summer working at Ohio Light Opera as a scenic designer. Some of her favorite shows she has designed for OLO are: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Fantasticks, Candide, Girl Crazy, and La Périchole. Her recent design credits at other locations include: In the Next Room, StopKiss, Eurydice (Albion College), Curious Incident (Hollins University), Potus, Roe, A Doll’s House, The Taming, and Peter Pan (Playhouse on the Square), and It’s a Wonderful Life (TheatreSquared). She received her MFA in scenic design from the University of Arkansas. In addition to her design work, Kiah has also worked as a scenic artist for Irish 42 Box Office: 330.263.2345

Repertory Theatre, Infinite Scenic, Variety 57, Opera Memphis, and Cedar Rapids Opera.

LAURA KELLOGG, orchestra personnel manager and flute, is thrilled to be returning to OLO for a ninth season. Despite hating the cold and snow, Laura lives in Fargo, ND. She teaches applied flute, chamber music, and woodwind methods at North Dakota State University and Minnesota State University Moorhead.

She is the executive director of the FargoMoorhead Area Youth Symphonies and director of the NDSU Music Academy. In addition to OLO, her other opera pit experience includes performances with the Fargo-Moorhead Opera, NDSU Theater, Cimarron Opera, Chautauqua Music School Festival Orchestra, and opera productions at the University of Oklahoma and Wright State University. She has played flute and piccolo in the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, South Bend Symphony Orchestra, Fort Smith Symphony, Jackson Symphony Orchestra (MI), the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, and the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra. Laura’s flute mentors are Richard Sherman, Christopher Chaffee, Valerie Watts, Amanda Blaikie, Jeff Zook, and Sharon Sparrow. She has a BM from Michigan State University, an MM from Wright State University, and a DMA from The University of Oklahoma. She looks forward to the OLO performances this summer, reading non-academic books, and hiking at Spangler Park in Wooster. www.laurakelloggflutist.com BROOKE NICOLE KESLER, costume designer, is thrilled to be joining the team at Ohio Light Opera for another season, designing for The Gondoliers. She currently is a freelance designer based in Southern California and a lecturer in costume design and technology at San Diego State University. Past designs with OLO include: No, No, Nanette, Arizona Lady, and Orpheus in the Underworld. Recent regional designs include: Thelma Louise, Dyke Remix (Diversionary Theatre), Cymbeline (University of San Diego/ The Old Globe Theatre), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (University of San Diego/The Old Globe Theatre), Peter and the Starcatcher (University of San Diego), The Mystery of Irma Vep (Diversionary Theatre), and Interstate: A New Musical (East West Players). You can enjoy more of her work at brookenicolekesler.com.

RACHEL LAUREN, lighting designer, is returning for a fourth season with OLO. This season, she will be designing Me and My Girl,

The Gondoliers, and The Count of Luxembourg.

Previous designs for OLO include No, No, Nanette, Arizona Lady, The Mock Marriage, and The Pirates of Penzance. Outside of OLO, Rachel spends most of her time in DTW, flying across the country to various companies such as Sacramento Ballet, Sacramento Opera, Western Plains Opera, Kansas City Ballet, and Playhouse on The Square.

She would like to thank her family for their endless support and constant encouragement.

year he was the keynote presenter for an immersive audio conference at Kyoto University of the Arts for his work in immersive and transparent sound in live events, skills that are on showcase here at OLO. Christopher is a past sound commissioner for The United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) and is currently co-chair of education for the Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association (TSDCA), as well as the editor of the USITT Teaching Archive.

CHYNA L. MAYER, scenic designer and scenic charge artist, is a freelance scenic and projections designer and educator from Broken Arrow, OK. Returning for their third season at OLO, they are the scenic designer for Me and My Girl and The Count of Luxembourg. For OLO’s 2023 season, they designed H.M.S. Pinafore. Other recent credits include Head Over Heels and Cabaret at Indiana University and Natural Affection with American Lives Theatre. They received their MFA in scenic design from Indiana University.

In addition to design work, they served as scenic charge artist at Indiana University, American Lives Theatre, University of Arkansas, and more.

Visit chynamayerscenicdesign.com for more information.

SPENCER REESE, choreographer, director, tenor, is thrilled to return to OLO for season number eleven ... his lucky number. This season he will celebrate his 60th production in his Wooster summer home. Making his name as an old-fashioned song and dance man, he is excited to cut a rug as Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls, Bill Snibson in Me and My Girl, and Jack Meadows in The Arcadians. Recent OLO highlights include J. Pierrepont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (2023), Billy Early in No, No, Nanette (2023), Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! (2022), and Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance (2019, 2022). Spencer is delighted to direct this summer’s production of The Gondoliers, after directing H.M.S. Pinafore last summer and Cinderella in 2022. He earned a masters of music in stage direction from the Eastman School of Music and a DMA in voice from UConn. Spencer is the artistic director of the Connecticut Gilbert and Sullivan Society, staging director for UConn Opera Theatre, and a teaching artist with Goodspeed Musicals. When not making music, you can usually find him crafting, reading, or strolling around a Disney park.

PATRICK POLSIN, assistant stage director, is thrilled to be returning for his second season at the Ohio Light Opera. Patrick recently graduated with his master of fine arts in directing from the University of Memphis, where he directed Into the Woods for their 2023–24 season. In addition to directing, Patrick is also an intimacy director for the stage and in a previous life was a sketch and improvisational comedian who performed internationally. Patrick hails from the rainy Pacific Northwest, where he developed a penchant for flannel and black coffee. In addition to assistant directing the 2023 Ohio Light Opera season, some favorite previous credits include Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls (director), Murder Ballad (intimacy choreographer), and his sketch group, The Babes (writer/performer/director) CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER, sound designer, developed the sound degrees at Michigan Technological University and has experience in theater and film sound design, recording, live sound reinforcement, theater directing and devising, sound system consulting, and broadcast sound for sporting events. His photography and sound design has been seen in Egypt at the Climate Accords, at the Prague Quadrennial, in New York City, on PBS, in numerous film festivals, and on MotorTrend, among many other venues. This past

SUWATANA (PLA) ROCKLAND, costume designer, who also uses the nickname Pla, is delighted to join Ohio Light Opera as costume designer for The Arcadians. She is currently a resident costume designer, professor, and costume shop supervisor at The College of Wooster.

Suwatana is originally from Thailand. She is a former professional dancer, actress, director, choreographer, and designer. Suwatana has worked on industrials, commercials, television shows, and stage productions. In addition to her full-time employment, she finds time to freelance as a costume designer and guest lecturer for universities and theaters in the United States and Thailand. She holds a master of fine arts degree (MFA), focus on costume design and technology, from Kent State University and is a member of USITT. Her professional credits in Ohio have included Kent State, The Players Guild Theatre, ohiolightopera.org 43

Porthouse Theatre, Beck Center for The Arts, and Case Western Reserve University, as well as the Cleveland Playhouse, Dobama Theatre, Karamu House, Cleveland Public Theatre, and professional credits in Sarasota, FL, including Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. www.Plarocklanddesign.com BRITTANY SHEMUGA, lighting designer, is excited to return to OLO for her eighth season.

She will be designing Guys and Dolls, The Sound of Music, and The Arcadians. Her recent designs include the 2023 season’s Camelot, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Orpheus in the Underworld. She also designs at various theaters throughout the Washington, DC area, including for Mosaic Theater of DC and Constellation Theatre. Originally from Akron, Brittany received her MFA in lighting from the University of Maryland and is the owner of Casey Electrical Contracting.

WILSON SOUTHERLAND, associate music director, is in demand throughout the United States, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. He made his conducting debut to high acclaim with Philip Glass’ Les enfants terribles at North Carolina Opera in 2012 and was the principal conductor for Eastman Opera Theatre’s production of She Loves Me in 2013. Wilson recently made his Kodak Hall debut (Rochester, NY) conducting Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas. After first appearing as rehearsal pianist at OLO from 2006–08, Wilson has since traveled the world: he served as pianist, coach, assistant conductor, and recitalist at Opera Africa in Pretoria, South Africa, the New Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv, Les Azuriales Opera in France, AIMS Graz in Austria, Si parla, Si canta in Italy, and The Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman.

He was one of 24 singer/pianist duos worldwide chosen to compete in the Wigmore Hall International Art Song Competition in London. Stateside, Wilson was a principal coach for Seattle Opera’s Young Artist Program, as well as an as-

sociate conductor/pianist at Opera Omaha, Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Birmingham, Opera Memphis, Spoleto USA, and the Mark Morris Dance Group. For six years Wilson was the senior coach and primary pianist under Lorin Maazel at the Castleton Festival, and he went on to accompany the esteemed conductor-violinist in recital at the Kennedy Center. A former faculty member of Vanderbilt University, Wilson was chosen to perform on Juilliard’s Vocal Arts Honors Recital in Alice Tully Hall. He ushered in the 2014–15 season as associate conductor, head coach, and language specialist for La Rondine at The New Israeli Opera, featuring Angela Gheorghiu. In the fall of 2015 he joined the faculty of the University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa, where among his coaching and performing duties he conducted Sondheim’s A Little Night Music for the UA Opera Theatre.

In 2016 Wilson joined the faculty of the Eastman School of Music as assistant professor of opera, where he conducted the revised world premiere of Jake Heggie’s Out of Darkness in 2017 under the composer’s guidance. He has given masterclasses at Vanderbilt University (TN) and Roberts Wesleyan University (NY). He holds degrees in piano from Vanderbilt University and The Juilliard School.

NICOLE WATTS, design assistant/designer, is a freelance costume designer and technician. This is her first season with OLO and she is thrilled to join the company. Other companies she has worked for include Denver Center Theatre Company, Curious Theatre Company, Creede Repertory Theatre, Glimmerglass Festival, The Catamounts, McLeod Summer Playhouse, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, New Orleans Shakespeare Festival, NETworks, Loyola University, Southeastern Louisiana University, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, and The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities. Training: BFA–University of Wyoming, MFA–Tulane University www.nicolekwatts.com

Tickets, news ohiolightopera.org & information.

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AKRON CONCERT SERIES TUESDAY MUSICAL PRESENTS: the Akron Concert Series, our 137th season: 2024-2025.

OCTOBER 22

FEBRUARY 11

MICHAEL FEINSTEIN’S TRIBUTE TO TONY BENNETT

CZECH NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC

NOVEMBER 19

MARCH 4

SIMONE DINNERSTEIN

ISIDORE STRING QUARTET WITH PIANIST JEREMY DENK

DECEMBER 3

APRIL 22

JOYCE DIDONATO WITH KINGS RETURN

AKRON BICENTENNIAL CONCERT

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ANNOUNCING THE 2024–25 SEASON It’s too soon for dates and venues, but here’s what’s coming…

WHAT’S NEW?—Songs from current Broadway musicals THE GERSHWINS ARE GIRL CRAZY! • 1962 ON STAGE AND SCREEN • A CHRISTMAS CABARET LEGENDARY BLACK SINGERS…GREAT BROADWAY SONGS (VOLUME 2) I’M GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER AND TAKING IT ON THE ROAD For more information and to be added to our mailing list, call 216-860-1518.

Dates/venues will be posted on our website when they are scheduled.

MusicalTheaterProject.org

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FESTIVAL CAST SADIYAH BABATUNDE, soprano, is delighted to be making her OLO debut as Casilda in The Gondoliers and more.

As a native-born Texan, but an Ohioan at heart, she has had the honor to perform throughout Ohio. This includes performances with the Lima Symphony Orchestra, Firelands Symphony Orchestra, and Columbus Symphony Orchestra.

Along with opera and musical theater, her interest in jazz led to her collaboration as the vocal soloist in presenting Michael Shirtz’ To Rise Above: Journey of a Tuskegee Airman with the Michael Shirtz Quartet. Offstage, you can find Sadiyah thrifting, caring for cats, watching anime, or reading manga and lots of books. She holds a BA in vocal performance and a BSBA in marketing from The Ohio State University. Sadiyah was a student of C. Andrew Blosser.

MADISON BARRETT, mezzosoprano, is thrilled to be returning to the Ohio Light Opera as Eileen in The Arcadians, Lady Jacqueline in Me and My Girl, and Sister Berthe in The Sound of Music.

Madison is an Orlando native currently based in the Midwest and has recently been seen performing with companies including Four Seasons Theatre, Middleton Players Theatre, and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. Other role credits include Margaret (The Light in the Piazza), Flora (La Traviata), Nancy (Albert Herring), and The Beggar Woman (Sweeney Todd). Madison is currently pursuing her doctoral of musical arts degree in voice performance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she is a recipient of the prestigious Collins Fellowship.

KATE BILENKO, mezzosoprano, is mega-excited to join OLO this season as Sally Smith in Me and My Girl, as well as ensemble in The Arcadians, The Count of Luxembourg, The Gondoliers, and Guys and Dolls.

She is a rising senior at Rider University, pursuing a BFA in musical theater. Previous professional credits include Nunsense (Sister Robert Anne) with Revival Productions at Uptown! Knauer PAC, and a Singer/Dancer with RWS Entertainment Group.

Selected University credits: Kiss Me, Kate (Swing), which she performed opening night, and Much 46 Box Office: 330.263.2345

Ado About Nothing (Ursula/Conrade), which she too choreographed. Kate is also a proud alumna of The Verdon Fosse Legacy Training Program in NYC. She is Philadelphia-born and raised.

Endless gratitude to her family and her coach, Louis F. Goldberg.

SOPHIA BRAUSER, youth cast, is very excited to be making her professional debut as Brigitta in The Sound of Music with OLO. She has also performed the roles of Serena in Legally Blonde The Musical JR. and Peter Pan in Shrek The Musical JR. As a 6th grader at St. Francis Xavier School, Medina, Sophia loves math, playing volleyball, and anything Taylor Swift. Sophia is a student of Kimberly States of KS Vocal Studio.

CONNOR BURNS, baritone, is honored to be spending his first season with OLO in the roles of Giuseppe Palmieri in The Gondoliers, Peter Doody in The Arcadians, and covering the role of Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls. Hailing from Lakewood, CO, he is currently studying at New York University’s Steinhardt School, pursuing a BM in vocal performance. He is a voice student of Christopher Preston Thompson. At NYU, under the direction of Ted Sperling, Connor has performed the role of Harry Easter in a concert version of Kurt Weill’s Street Scene, and as Mr. Andrews in Maury Yeston’s Titanic, a fully-staged production which helped to inaugurate the new Iris Cantor Theater.

MADELINE COFFEY, mezzosoprano, is thrilled to make her debut at OLO this summer performing Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls and Amaryllis in The Arcadians. Originally from Floyds Knobs, IN, Madeline currently resides in New York City. She was most recently seen as a soloist in concert with the Oratorio Society of Virginia. Her credits include Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore (Indiana University Opera Theater), Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance (Cedar Rapids Opera), Elsa von Schraeder in The Sound of Music, Valencienne in The Merry Widow (Charlottesville Opera), among others. In the 2023 season, Madeline returned to Charlottesville

Opera as an Ader Emerging Artist, where she covered the role of Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls. Madeline was the first prize winner of the 2022 Indianapolis Matinee Musicale competition, a prize winner in the 2022 National Society of Arts and Letters competition, and was a finalist in the 2021 John Alexander vocal competition.

Madeline is an aluma of Indiana University.

JAMES COVINGTON, baritone, is honored to make his OLO debut as a resident young artist this season. James, originally from Madison, MS, is a rising junior at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA, where he is pursuing a BFA in musical theater with minors in vocal performance and dance. He has studied voice with Samantha Miller and Winona Costello. James’ professional credits include Dollywood Theme Park’s Hydro Jive Junction and Alluvion Stage Company’s The Music Man. Most recently, he performed as Henry Etches and served as a student choreographer in Liberty’s production of Titanic: the Musical. Other performance credits include Curtains (Randy Dexter), Jane Austen’s Emma (Philip Elton), and Cinderella (Raccoon/ Ensemble). James has served as a choreographer for school and community theater productions and for award-winning show choirs. He is also an experienced lighting designer and graphic designer. More information on his work can be found at www.jamescovingtonmtdd.com.

LYDIA DUNLAP, youth cast, is pleased to be returning to OLO as Louisa in The Sound of Music. You may have previously seen Lydia as Tom of Warwick in Camelot. Lydia is a member of the Wooster High School drama club and was in its performances of The Addams Family as the conquistador ancestor, and Rosaline Wrecked It All as Juliet. Lydia is also part of the track and cross-country teams at Wooster High School and is a member of the choir. Lydia would like to thank her friends and family for always supporting her.

ZACHARY ELMASSIAN, bassbaritone, is thrilled to be making his OLO debut in the roles of Don Alhambra del Bolero in The Gondoliers, Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music, Father Time in The Arcadians, Sergei Mentchikoff in The Count of Luxembourg, and Lt.

Brannigan in Guys and Dolls. A Michigan native, Zachary nevertheless completed his undergraduate studies in Ohio at Denison University, where he majored in history. He attained his MM at Northwestern University, after which he attended the Merola Opera Program in San Francisco and was a resident artist with Florida Grand Opera.

Favorite roles include Leporello (Don Giovanni), Gianni Schicchi (Gianni Schicchi), Don Alfonso (Così fan tutte), Jeronimus (Maskarade), PoohBah (The Mikado), and Pirate King (The Pirates of Penzance). Next, he will sing Mozart’s Figaro in Weimar, Germany. Zachary studies voice with Armen Boyajian.

JULIA FEDOR, mezzosoprano, is delighted to be making her return to the Freedlander Theatre stage as Maria in The Sound of Music and Tessa in The Gondoliers.

In Ohio Light Opera’s 2023 season, Julia was sassy and classy as Lucille in No, No, Nanette and Miss Krumholtz in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

Other favorite roles include Clara in The Light in the Piazza, Ella in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, and Phyllis in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe. Julia graduated from The Eastman School of Music with a BM in vocal performance with an arts leadership certificate. In addition to her performing career, Julia runs her own music studio, where she teaches voice, acting, piano, and guitar. Julia is grateful for the entire OLO team and for her talented castmates. She would also like to thank her incredible family for their endless support, along with her extraordinary friends, students, and last but certainly not least, her darling Felix, the cat.

VINCE GOVER, baritone, is tickled mauve to be returning for his sixth season at OLO, this time as the Duke of Plaza-Toro in The Gondoliers, Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music, Arvide Abernathy in Guys and Dolls, and James Smith/Simplicitas in The Arcadians. In previous OLO seasons, Vince has appeared as Merlyn/Pellinore in Camelot, Jupiter in Orpheus in the Underworld, Horace Vandergelder in Hello, Dolly!, Henry in The Fantasticks, and every Gilbert and Sullivan patter role since 2020. He has performed roles with Sarasota Opera, Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, the Bronx Opera, Utopia Opera, and the Victor Herbert Renaissance Project. A native ohiolightopera.org 47

of Clarksville, MD, he has earned BM and MM degrees from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and has studied composition and vocal performance at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Based in Maryland, he performs regularly with regional theaters all over the United States.

Also a composer, he is the creative force behind Lend Me a Roll, a hilarious Covid-themed operetta that can be found on YouTube.

NIGEL GRIMES, youth cast, would like to thank Ohio Light Opera for this wonderful opportunity to join The Sound of Music as Kurt von Trapp.

An 8th grader at Wooster High School, Nigel has been a chorus member in two musicals, The Music Man with Summer Stage Wooster and The Addams Family with Wooster High School Drama Club. Nigel was also featured in Summer Stage Wooster’s summer showcase.

TREVOR GRIMES, youth cast, is delighted to be joining OLO as Friedrich von Trapp in The Sound of Music. He has been studying classical ballet, jazz, and modern dance for almost 13 years and is currently a sophomore in the Wooster High School Concert Choir and symphonic band. Previous theater experience includes performing in several of the Wooster High School drama club productions, including Elf the Musical and Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic, and performances of The Music Man and a summer showcase with Summer Stage Wooster.

R. PORTER HIATT, baritone, is thrilled to be joining OLO for the first time as Sir John Tremayne in Me and My Girl, and counselor Pélégrin in The Count of Luxembourg. Porter is currently working towards a BA in vocal performance at the University of Utah, studying under Seth Keeton. He has performed in a wide array of opera, musical theater, operetta, and straight play. Some of his favorite past credits include: The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, The Usher in Trial by Jury, King Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors, and various brothers in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. In addition to performing in various forms of staged performance, Porter 48 Box Office: 330.263.2345

also loves performing concert works. A few past experiences include the baritone solo in Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem and the baritone solo for Mendelssohn’s Psalm 42.

VIVIENNE KIST, youth cast, is thrilled to be making her OLO debut as Marta von Trapp in The Sound of Music. Viv is a student of Susan Wallin at the West Side Vocal Academy and has been a dance student of Mark and Erin Smith at Studio West in Akron. Viv participated this year in the National Association of Teachers of Singing Student Auditions. A former soloist with the Copley-Fairlawn Middle School choir, Viv is a graduate of several workshops at Weathervane Playhouse and is a former student of multimedia artist Jennifer Davis. In her spare time, Viv is the co-founder of the Graphic Novel Book Clubs at Copley-Fairlawn City Schools and loves to watch movies, play soccer, and eat cupcakes that have sprinkles.

JORDAN KNAPICK, soprano, is thrilled to join the OLO company for the first time this summer as Juliette Vermont in The Count of Luxembourg and Elsa Schraeder in The Sound of Music. Originally from Rockford, IL, she received her MM in voice performance from Boston University this spring, where she studied voice under Lynn Eustis.

During her time at BU, Jordan sang Noémie in Cendrillon, Soprano I in Hydrogen Jukebox, and Oberto in Alcina. Specializing in both operatic and musical theater-style singing, she previously received her BM in vocal performance and music theater from Oklahoma City University, where she studied under Jeffrey Picón. Other previous roles include Lisette in La Rondine, Anne Egerman in A Little Night Music, and Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte. After this summer, Jordan will make the cross country move from Boston to Seattle, where she is excited to be reunited with her partner, explore the beautiful national parks of the Pacific Northwest, and dive into a new music and performance scene.

MICHAEL KOUTELOS, baritone, is filled with joy and gratitude to share his first season at the Ohio Light Opera with you.

He looks forward to performing the roles of Rusty Charlie in Guys and Dolls and Antonio

in The Gondoliers, as well as ensemble roles in The Arcadians, The Count of Luxembourg, and The Sound of Music, one of his favorite musicals.

Last summer, Michael enjoyed the preeminent distinction of “tenor” in roles such as Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. Pinafore and Colonel Fairfax in The Yeomen of the Guard at College Light Opera Company in Falmouth, MA. Michael’s other roles include Fabrizio in The Light in the Piazza and the Emcee in Cabaret, performed while he earned his BA in Italian at Middlebury College. A native of New Jersey, he hopes to retire there someday.

Michael has studied voice with Carol Christensen and Adam Guettel.

DANE KUZMA, youth cast, is enthralled to be joining OLO as Friedrich von Trapp in The Sound of Music. Soon to be entering his sophomore year at Wooster High School, he has been working in community theater around Wooster, Mansfield, and Barberton.

Dane is greatly appreciative to be included in the Ohio Light Opera. Most recently, he has been cast in Wooster High School’s fall musicals as Michael Hobbs in Elf the Musical and Lucas Beineke in The Addams Family, as well as in his high school drama club’s spring plays as Harry in Puffs and Romeo in Rosaline Wrecked It All. When not involved in shows, Dane can be found in any of his favorite activities: cross country, track, band, choir, or speech and debate. Dane would like to provide special thanks to his parents for support and Lydia Dunlap for the invitation to auditions.

MAGGIE LANGHORNE, soprano, is delighted as can be to be back with OLO again, this season as Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Jacqueline Carston in Me and My Girl, Inez in The Gondoliers, and Countess Stasa Kokozov in The Count of Luxembourg. A true “crossover” artist whose experience ranges from contemporary opera to Shakespeare, Maggie’s recent credits include Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance with Blue Hill Troupe, Hero in Much Ado About Nothing with Scenic City Shakespeare, Miss Muffet in Babes in Toyland with The Victor Herbert Renaissance Project, and an off-Broadway one-woman adaptation of Anne of Green Gables with Royal Family Productions.

Originally from Santa Barbara, CA, Maggie went on to receive her BM from Oberlin Conservatory and worked with The College Light Opera Company throughout her collegiate years. She now

lives with her husband Mark and their bearded dragon in NYC. Her New Year’s resolution is to have a website up and running for you to peruse by the time this program is printed.

BLAKE LEVINSON, tenor, is gratified to be joining OLO for his first summer season following his previous summer at the College Light Opera Company in Falmouth, MA. As an incoming senior in Temple University’s musical theater department, Blake recently closed their spring 2024 production of Pippin, in which he played the titular character.

Other notable credits include Fabrizio Naccarelli in The Light in the Piazza, Will Bloom in Big Fish, Barnaby Tucker in Hello, Dolly!, Tommy Djilas in The Music Man, and Flounder in The Little Mermaid. Blake is an aspiring composer and lyricist and spends free time arranging popular music for collegiate performances and competitions. He is also an avid competitive swimmer, and coupled with his extensive ballet and jazz training, Blake finds his personal health within graceful movement. Blake is a native of San Francisco and voice student of Daniel Neer.

PAIGE LEWIS, youth cast, is excited to be joining OLO as Gretl in The Sound of Music.

Paige is an incoming third grader at Saint Ambrose School.

Previous shows include Frozen Jr. (Young Anna), Seussical!

(Cindy Lou Who, Cadet), Seussical KIDS (Jungle Citizen), and Finding Nemo Jr. (Ensemble).

Theaters include Brecksville Theatre, Brunswick High School, Saint Ambrose School, and Wadsworth Footlighters. She studies voice at KS Vocal Studio. Paige enjoys singing in her church choir, cheerleading, playing baseball, swimming, and Girl Scouts.

OWEN MALONE, tenor, is excited to return to OLO for his second season this summer as Marco in The Gondoliers and René (cover) in The Count of Luxembourg. You may have seen him previously in Wooster as Bill Sanders in Arizona Lady or perhaps witnessed his one-night engagement as Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. Pinafore. He has also performed as Charlie Dalrymple in Brigadoon, Prince Christopher in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, and Laurie in Little Women. Owen ohiolightopera.org 49

hails from Young Harris College in the Georgia mountains, where he is pursuing a BA in music.

Owen is a student of Jeff Bauman.

ORI MARCU, mezzo-soprano, is very pleased to make her OLO debut as Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Liesl in The Sound of Music, and Tessa in The Gondoliers. She received her undergraduate degree in vocal performance from the Eastman School of Music as a student of Katherine Ciesinski. Ori was an apprentice artist at Palm Beach Opera during its 2023–2024 season and has participated in numerous competitions, placing 1st in the Kyrenia Opera Competition (2023) and singing in the finals of the Mildred Miller Competition (2023). Ori takes pride in her involvement in theater, not only as a performer but as a crew member, having recently worked as assistant stage manager for Eastman’s production of Florencia en el Amazonas and assistant director and stage manager for Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s Rigoletto.

ANDREA McGAUGH, mezzosoprano, is ever excited to be making her OLO debut as The Duchess of Plaza-Toro in The Gondoliers and Lady Battersby in Me and My Girl. Most at home in comedic opera and musical theater, favorite roles include Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance, Jack’s Mother in Into the Woods, Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, Doris, the “Goddess of Wire-Walking,” in Elizabeth Cree, and Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd. Andrea lives in Rochester, NY, where she enjoys a multifaceted music career as a singer, choral librarian, teacher, costumer, and audience member. She is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, holding bachelor degrees in voice performance and music education, a master’s in voice performance and literature, and an arts leadership certificate from the school’s Institute for Music Leadership.

LAURA McKENNA, soprano, is thrilled to be making her debut with OLO as Sombra in The Arcadians and Gianetta in The Gondoliers. A true crossover performer, her favorite credits include: Evelyn Nesbit in Ragtime (American Stage), Sister Mary Leo in Nunsense (Mountain Playhouse), The Music Man (St. Petersburg Opera Company), Celia in 50 Box Office: 330.263.2345

Shakespeare’s As You Like it, Helga (Cabaret), Patience (Patience), and Woman 2 (Songs for a New World). A native of Sarasota and graduate of Florida Southern College (BFA in musical theater and BM in vocal performance, dance minor), this summer at OLO, Laura will be performing as a nun for the third time in one year. She also works as a certified pointe shoe fitter and social media manager. Special thanks and love to Mom, Dad, Lindsay, and Robyn. Website: www.lauramckenna.com, Instagram: laura_mckenna JAMES KENON MITCHELL, tenor, is pleased to return to Ohio Light Opera in his third season as Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, Max in The Sound of Music, and Parchester in Me and My Girl. In previous seasons James has been seen as Arthur in Camelot, Mr. Twimble in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Styx in Orpheus in the Underworld, and Huckabee in The Fantasticks.

James was director of opera theater at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV for six years. He recently directed Romeo and Juliet for Toledo Opera. James holds a master of music degree in collaborative piano and opera coaching from Westminster Choir College, as well as a bachelor’s degree in music theory and a master of music degree in opera stage directing from the Eastman School of Music.

JACK MURPHY, tenor, is beyond thrilled to return to OLO for his second season, this time as smooth operator Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, the spendthrift Count René in The Count of Luxembourg, and racehorse-owner Sir George Paddock in The Arcadians. Last season, he was seen as singing cowboy Roy Dexter in Arizona Lady and the goofy violinist Orpheus in Orpheus in the Underworld. Other recent role highlights include Fleet/Guggenheim in Titanic, Sam Kaplan in a concert version of Street Scene, and the title role of Idomeneo. Additionally, Jack originated the role of The Glutton/Sky in Benjamin Halstead and Joey Contreras’ new musical, Heartbreakers in Hell. When not singing musical theater and opera, Jack frequently performs, records, and tours with several rock bands. His debut album, “Of Days and Nights” by hewitt., is out on all streaming platforms now. A native of America’s Dairyland, Jack recently graduated with a master of music in musical theater vocal performance and

vocal pedagogy from NYU Steinhardt. For more information, please visit www.jackfmurphy.com SARA NEALLEY, soprano, is a native of Ardmore, PA. She is delighted to be working with OLO for the first time as Gianetta in The Gondoliers, The Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music, and as the cover for Angèle Didier in The Count of Luxembourg. Sara completed her undergraduate studies in vocal performance at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY and her graduate studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow and at the Wales International Academy of Voice in Cardiff. She is currently based in Philadelphia and studies with Randall Scarlata and Jack LiVigni.

Her previous roles include Violetta in La Traviata, Tracy Lord in Cole Porter’s High Society, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow, and Constance in The Sorcerer. When not performing, Sara enjoys Scottish and English country dancing, hand embroidery, reading, and other such pursuits befitting a wannabe Austen heroine.

NICHOLAS ORTH, tenor, is excited to be returning for his second season at OLO as Luiz in The Gondoliers. In last year’s season, Nicholas performed as Pluto in Orpheus in the Underworld and Mr. Gatch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Recent performances include Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance, Bill in A Hand of Bridge, and Anthony in Sweeney Todd. Originally from Orland Park, IL, he recently graduated with his MM from the Boyer College of Music at Temple University, where he studied with Lawrence Indik.

When not in rehearsal, Nicholas can usually be found searching for a new coffee shop or book store to explore.

ARIANNA PAZ, mezzosoprano, is delighted to be making her company debut with OLO this season. Recently, she received her MM from the Mannes School of Music and made her debut in Italy as a soloist with the Orchestra Sinfonica Abruzzese.

Favorite performance credits include Pane in La Calisto, Despina in Così fan tutte, Phoebe in The Yeomen of the Guard, Cinderella in Into the Woods, and the title role in Cendrillon.

A psychology researcher turned opera singer, Arianna holds a degree in cognitive neuroscience from Harvard University. When her nose isn’t in a music score, you can usually find it in a fantasy novel (bonus points if dragons are involved).

Arianna is a student of Margaret Lattimore and an alumna of Classic Lyric Arts.

NATE PETSCHE, tenor, is overjoyed to be joining OLO for his first season as Rolf in The Sound of Music. Last summer, Nate had the joy of performing for herds of buffalo at the Black Hills Playhouse in The Drowsy Chaperone and 9 to 5. Other favorite roles of his include Arpad in She Loves Me, Edward in Big Fish, Amadée in O Pioneers!, and Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors. As a native of Ankeny, IA, Nate has enjoyed embracing his role of the youngest child by getting a BM from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln while his sisters both work towards their doctorates. Having just graduated this past spring, Nate looks forward to waiting tables and figuring out what he wants to be when he grows up.

CHRISTINE TAYLOR PRICE, soprano, earned her masters and artist diploma of opera studies in vocal performance at The Juilliard School. She recently made her Paper Mill Playhouse debut as Baroness Elberfeld and ensemble in The Sound of Music. She has performed as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic, New World Symphony, Portland Baroque Orchestra, as well as at Carnegie Hall, Caramoor, Alice Tully Hall, and BAM. Christine has participated in summer festivals, including Ravinia, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and Wolf Trap, and is a previous semi-finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. While at Juilliard, she performed many roles, including Frau Fluth in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Serpetta in La finta giardiniera, and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte.

Other roles include Adina in L’elisir d’amore with Opera in Williamsburg, Governess in The Turn of the Screw with Opera Columbus, and The Rose in The Little Prince with Tulsa Opera. Christine made her OLO debut last season as Eurydice in Orpheus in the Underworld and is thrilled to be returning to OLO this summer.

DAVIAN RAGGIO, tenor, is excited to return for his second season with the Ohio Light Opera as Marco in The Gondoliers and Big Jule in ohiolightopera.org 51

Guys and Dolls. Last year, Davian made his OLO debut as Morpheus (yes, Morpheus) in Orpheus in the Underworld and in the featured tap ensemble of No, No, Nanette. Hailing from the Lone Star State, Davian is eager to hang up his chaps and spurs for a lively summer of music-making in the state full of Buckeyes. When he is not riding his horse or dueling at high noon, Davian is on stage performing both musical theater and opera. His recent credits include Javier in Luisa Fernanda, Fabrizio Naccarelli in The Light in the Piazza, Alfred in Die Fledermaus, Il Contino Belfiore in La finta giardiniera, Bellerose in Monsieur et Madame Denis, and the Duke of Dunstable in Patience. This past May, Davian received his bachelor of music in voice performance from the Baylor University School of Music.

SPENCER REESE, choreographer, director, tenor, is thrilled to return to OLO for season number eleven ... his lucky number.

This season he will celebrate his 60th production in his Wooster summer home.

Making his name as an old-fashioned song and dance man, he is excited to cut a rug as Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls, Bill Snibson in Me and My Girl, and Jack Meadows in The Arcadians. Recent OLO highlights include J. Pierrepont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (2023), Billy Early in No, No, Nanette (2023), Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! (2022), and Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance (2019, 2022).

Spencer is delighted to direct this summer’s production of The Gondoliers, after directing H.M.S. Pinafore last summer and Cinderella in 2022.

He earned a masters of music in stage direction from the Eastman School of Music and a DMA in voice from UConn. Spencer is the artistic director of the Connecticut Gilbert and Sullivan Society, staging director for UConn Opera Theatre, and a teaching artist with Goodspeed Musicals. When not making music, you can usually find him crafting, reading, or strolling around a Disney park.

NATHANIEL RICHARD, baritone, is a singer and actor working in the New Orleans area and is joining Ohio Light Opera for the first time this summer. He is currently studying opera and musical theater at Loyola University New Orleans under Tyler 52 Box Office: 330.263.2345

Smith, where he has most recently performed the roles of L’horloge Comtoise/Le Chat in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges. He spends much of his time performing with local choirs such as the chamber choir Krewe de Voix, and in February of 2023 sang in the chorus for Andrea Bocelli’s concert at the Smoothie King Center during his North American tour. Nathaniel has been a member of the New Orleans Opera Chorus for two years, most recently performing in their 2024 production of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor.

He has also been a cover soloist with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in a recent performance of Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem and was a soloist in a recent performance of Handel’s Messiah.

COLIN RING, tenor, is thrilled to be returning to OLO for his second season as Astrophel in The Arcadians, Pavel von Pavlovitch in The Count of Luxembourg, Major Domo in Me and My Girl, Luis (cover) in The Gondoliers, and ensemble of Guys and Dolls.

Prior to OLO, Colin has performed various opera, operetta, and musical theater roles across Europe and the United States, such as Frederick Barrett in Titanic the Musical, Gherardo in Gianni Schicchi, Bratt in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Gastone in La Traviata. A native of Lake Geneva, WI, Colin recently graduated from The University of Colorado at Boulder with a bachelor of music in musical theater degree and a business minor. Colin is a student of John Seesholtz. @Colin_Ring JERON ROBINSON, baritone, is thrilled to be making his OLO debut as Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls and in the other wonderful shows this season.

Jeron is pursuing his BM in musical theater at Oklahoma City University, where he studies with Catherine McDaniel and has appeared as Sipos in She Loves Me, Mr. Fogg/Ensemble in Sweeney Todd, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, and Dr. Cajus in Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor. Helming from Lubbock, TX, Jeron can’t wait to experience the joys of his first summer in Ohio.

HOLLY THOMAS, soprano, is thrilled to be joining OLO for the first time this season as Liesl in The Sound of Music, Casilda in The Gondoliers, and Chrysaea in The Arcadians.

Previously, Holly performed with the Queen

City Opera, Teatro Nuovo, Chicago Summer Opera, The University of Memphis, and The University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music. Her favorite roles include Lucia in The Rape of Lucretia, Lisa in La Sonnambula, and Rose in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore. Holly recently completed a master’s degree at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, as well as a level I certification in Yoga Voice®. In the choral realm, she has attended the Seraphic Fire Workshop at the Aspen Summer Music Festival, sings regularly with Craig Hella Johnson’s Vocal Arts Ensemble, and made her Tenebrae debut this past spring. In addition to performances, she has dabbled in directing with the CCM Opera Club and served as an assistant director for Le Nozze di Figaro at the University of Memphis.

WILLIAM VOLMAR, baritone, is thrilled to be making his OLO debut as Giuseppe Palmieri in The Gondoliers and as Armand Brissard in The Count of Luxembourg. William has performed in a number of productions with companies including Madison Ballet, Opera in the Ozarks, and Chicago Summer Opera. A native of Milwaukee and recent graduate of University of Wisconsin–Madison, William has been keeping plenty busy with his shiny new BM. Recently seen charming audiences and stealing hearts as Fabrizio Naccarelli in The Light in the Piazza, William has been working on building his resume and taking the opera world by storm, one heartthrob at a time. Other past notable roles include Sid in Albert Herring and Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd in Ruddigore.

YVONNE TROBE, soprano, most recently made her solo debut at the Tanglewood Music Center as a vocal arts fellow, performing works by Gabriela Lena Frank, Respighi, and Sibelius. An avid performer of opera, operetta, and musical theater, Yvonne has performed the roles of Amelia (Un Ballo in Maschera), Micaëla (Carmen), Juliette and Stephanó (Roméo et Juliette), Anna (Nabucco), Konstanze (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Emma Goldman (Ragtime), and The Witch (Into the Woods). Her accolades include the Renée Fleming Endowment Scholarship, The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition District Winner, Manatee Opera Guild Helen Jepsen Dellera Award for Deserving Studio Artist, and the Daniel R. Mandelker & Marlene N. Harris Award. This is Yvonne’s fourth season with the Ohio Light Opera and she is thrilled to be back in Wooster for another season.

JULIANNA WASON, youth cast, is excited to be joining OLO as Gretl in The Sound of Music.

She loves to perform, and her previous credits include Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (ensemble) and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Woodstock). Julianna cannot wait to be a 3rd grader next year and loves to play soccer, read, and dance everywhere she goes. She studies musical theater and has danced competitively for five years at James Dance and Performing Arts Center, and is a voice student of Amanda Beagle.

STELLA VODILKO, youth cast, is pleased to be joining OLO as Brigitta in The Sound of Music. She has also performed the roles of Anna in Disney’s Frozen Jr., Tiara in Elf the Musical, Aunt Em in The Wizard of Oz, Youth Edition, Kate in Legally Blonde Jr., and Young Fiona in Shrek the Musical Jr. Stella is from Wadsworth, OH and an 8th grader at Highland Middle School. Stella is also passionate about wildlife conservation and animal welfare.

She is a student of Denise Milner Howell.

MADDIE WASON, youth cast, is delighted to be joining OLO as Marta in The Sound of Music. No stranger to the stage, her previous credits include Something Rotten (featured dancer), Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (ensemble), Sister Act (choir boy), and Our Town (Rebecca Gibbs).

Maddie will be entering the 7th grade next year and enjoys reading, baking, and playing the piano and saxophone. She studies musical theater and has danced competitively for nine years at James Dance and Performing Arts Center, and is a voice student of Amanda Beagle.

ACADIA WEBB, youth cast, is delighted to be joining OLO as Louisa in The Sound of Music. With a repertoire as diverse and rich as a box of chocolates, Acadia brings seven ohiolightopera.org 53

years of experience and a pinch of sass to her latest role. From navigating emotional depths as Anne Frank’s penpal Nina in Dear Anne, From Nina to making a splash as Andrina in The Little Mermaid, Acadia has proven her agility on the stage. Currently a freshman and member of the drama club at Wooster High School, Acadia balances her studies with her passion for the stage.

She is incredibly grateful for this opportunity to participate in a professional theater production RACHEL WEINFELD, soprano, is thrilled to be making her OLO debut. She has had the opportunity to perform some of musical theater and opera’s great leading ladies, including Amalia Balash in She Loves Me, Marian Paroo in The Music Man, Phoebe D’Ysquith in Gentleman’s Guide, and Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro. She made her concert debut singing Julie Jordan in the “bench scene” from Carousel, alongside Nathan Gunn, and has also sung as a guest soloist with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. Most recently, she was a semi-finalist in the 2024 Lotte Lenya Competition. A Michigan native, Rachel completed her BM in voice performance at Ball State University under the tutelage of Meryl Mantione and her MM in voice performance at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, studying with Yvonne Gonzalez-Redman

and Sarah Wigley. In addition to performing, Rachel is also a voice teacher and coach and teaches at the University of Vermont and through her own private studio.

MICHAEL YOUNKIN, youth cast, is 14 years old and is a freshman at Wadsworth High School. Previous shows include The Prom (Ensemble), Joseph …

(Benjamin), Annie Jr. (Rooster), Mean Girls HS Edition (ensemble), The Wizard of Oz Jr. (Tin Man), Finding Nemo Jr. (Nemo), Sister Act (ensemble), Elf (ensemble/Michael US), Sweeney Todd (Tobias Ragg), Newsies (ensemble), Kinky Boots (Young Charlie), The Sound of Music (Friedrich), Les Misérables (Gavroche), A Chistmas Carol (Master Robert, James Crachit, adolescent Scrooge), Mary Poppins Jr. (Michael Banks), The Music Man Jr. (Winthrop), and many more. Theaters include: Beck Center for the Arts, Great Lakes Theater, Rubber City Theater, Weathervane Playhouse, Walsh Jesuit High School, Near West Theater, Wadsworth Middle School, and the Wadsworth Footlighters. In addition to performing onstage, Michael has also stepped into various roles on production teams. Michael dedicates his whole life to theater. Michael would like to thank the cast, crew, family, and friends for their support and this amazing opportunity.

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2024 FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA

Madeline Arney Harp

Jacob Bodnar Horn

Stephanie Bueche Clarinet

Catherine Butler Flute and Piccolo

Tony Daise Violin

Neil Faulkner Percussion

Emily Grissing Cello

Lauren Hinkle Trumpet

Juan Álvarez Jiménez Viola

Laura Kellogg Flute

Michelle Kenyon Violin

Logan Leister Clarinet

Isaac Morton Trumpet

Luke Orth Cello

Gozde Parlaktuna Violin

Kelsey Philbrick Violin

Drew Postel Bass

Cameron Randall Trombone

Lev Roshal Violin

Gray Smiley Horn

Ger Vang Oboe

Abreal Whitman Violin

Leah Widmaier Viola

Spencer Wilson Bassoon

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FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA MADELINE ARNEY, harp, is excited to be returning to OLO for the second time this season.

Madeline has served as the principal harpist of the Bowling Green Youth Symphony Orchestra, Western Kentucky University’s Symphony Orchestra, CCM Philharmonia, CCM Concert Orchestra, and CCM Wind Ensemble. Madeline also served as the harp orchestral fellow for the 2021 Sewanee Summer Music Festival.

Professionally, Madeline has performed with the Binghamton Philharmonic, Symphony of the Mountains, Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Paducah Symphony Orchestra, and the Peoria Symphony Orchestra. Madeline was also a finalist for the 2022 American Harp Society Marcel Grandjany Competition. Madeline is a recipient of the 2024 Matinee Musicale Scholarship Encouragement Award. This past spring, Madeline graduated from the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music, with a BM in harp performance, studying under the tutelage of Gillian Benet Sella.

JACOB BODNAR, horn, is excited to be joining OLO for his first season. A Wooster native, Jacob is a graduate student of Kiirsi Maunula Johnson at The University of Akron, where he serves as the graduate assistant for the horn studio and performs with the Lunaris woodwind quintet. He earned his BA in music and business from Ashland University, where he was a student of Michael Metcalf. Outside of UA, he performs with the Wooster Symphony Orchestra and the AFM Local 159. Previous shows he has performed in include Amahl and the Night Visitors, Once Upon a Mattress, Big! The Musical, and Oklahoma! In addition to performing, he maintains a private studio of students of all ages throughout Northeast Ohio.

STEPHANIE BUECHE, clarinet, is excited to be here this summer for OLO’s 45th season.

Originally from Michigan, they are a graduate of Grand Valley State University and are currently pursuing their MM at Austin Peay State University, where they study with Spencer Prewitt. Stephanie has performed with the Paducah Symphony Orchestra, toured with the GVSU New Music Ensemble on its 2022 National Parks tour, and was recently invited for a guest performance at the ICA ClarinetFest 2024 in Dublin. When not playing the clarinet, you will likely find Stephanie hanging out with their cat, Doc. 56 Box Office: 330.263.2345

CATHERINE BUTLER, flute and piccolo, is excited to be returning to OLO for her second season in the pit orchestra. A Michigan native, Catherine lives in a practice room in Boston, where she received her masters in flute performance from Boston University (BU) last May. She earned her bachelor’s in instrumental music education and flute performance from Wayne State University in Detroit. Currently, Catherine is a student of Linda Toote, principal flutist of the Boston Lyric Opera, and is continuing her flute studies at BU to earn her performance diploma. To escape the practice room, Catherine loves to freelance around Boston in local orchestras and delights in teaching the little ones how to play Hot Crossed Buns on the piano. She was recently a finalist in the James Pappoutsakis Memorial Flute Competition in Boston and enjoys working as the assistant music director for the BU Catholic Center, where she sings and plays the piano.

TONY DAISE, violin, is thrilled to be joining OLO for the first time this season. A native of Maryland, Tony frequently performs as an orchestral and chamber musician in and around the New York Tri State and New England areas.

He has had the pleasure of performing in beautiful venues such as Carnegie Hall, Jorgen Center for the Performing Arts, Leith Griffith Recital Hall, and Thayer Hall, among others. Tony currently serves as the principal second violin of the University of Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, is entering into his final year of undergraduate study pursuing a BM with Solomiya Ivakhiv, and was formerly a study of Renate Falkner through the Peabody Conservatory’s Pre College Program.

WILLOW DiGIACOMO, clarinet/alto saxophone, is honored to return for a third season with OLO, where she will be assisting in The Count of Luxembourg. She performs all over NE Ohio on clarinet, alto saxophone, bass clarinet, and flute. Her most notable performances include subbing REED 2 in the Broadway tour of Tootsie, as well as performing with the Ashland Symphony Orchestra, and opening the International Clarinet Association Conference with the Venner Clarinet Choir in Knoxville. Willow has a music education degree from the University of Mount Union, a clarinet performance degree from University of Akron, and a wind band conducting degree from the University of Akron. Her professors include Jayne Naragon, Kris Jones, Todd Gaffke, and Galen Karriker.

NEIL FAULKNER, percussion, is excited to be returning to the Ohio Light Opera for his second season. A native of the Metro Detroit area, he received his BM from Oakland University.

He was awarded a graduate assistantship at Bowling Green State University, where he earned an MM and graduate certificate in percussion performance. Highlights of his time at BGSU include being named a finalist in the Graduate Concerto Competition and performing as a member of the Landlocked Percussion Quartet.

Neil is currently based in northwest Ohio, where he is a freelance musician and teacher. As an orchestral percussionist, he has performed with the Lima, Adrian, Perrysburg, and Livingston Symphonies. An active educator, Neil is one of the percussion directors for the Maumee City School District, where he teaches percussion classes for grades 6–12, as well as directing the front ensembles for the fall and winter marching seasons. Additionally, he leads community drumming lessons through the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts, as well as teaching lessons privately. Neil’s favorite musical experience was getting to perform Third Coast Percussion’s rescoring of the film Paddle to the Sea. TOM FLOWERS, double bass, is excited to be returning to the OLO pit orchestra. Originally from Wheeling, WV, he now lives in Elyria, OH. When not teaching, he performs with the Akron Symphony, acts as principal bass of the Firelands Symphony, and frequently performs with the Cleveland Pops Orchestra and other Ohio orchestras. He has performed with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Italy and the AIMS orchestra in Graz, Austria. As a tubist, he performed with the Walt Disney World All American College Band. His education and performance degrees are from West Virginia and Kent State Universities.

His bass teachers include Anthony Knight of The Cleveland Orchestra, Paul Robinson of The Ohio State University, and Walter Coplin of WVU. Tom enjoys international travel, amateur radio, and is an enthusiast of Gilbert & Sullivan operettas, so he’s thrilled to be in the pit orchestra for The Gondoliers.

ANN GILBERT, double bass, is excited to be returning to the OLO pit orchestra. Originally from Lakewood, OH, she is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Juilliard School of Music. When not teaching, she performs as principal bass with the BlueWater Chamber Orchestra and the Akron Symphony and as a member of the Cleveland Pops Orchestra and the Lakeside Symphony. She has performed with

the Symphonic Orchestra of the State of Mexico, the Oregon Symphony, and the Symphonic Orchestra of Seville, Spain. Her bass teachers have included Harry Barnoff and David Perlman of the Cleveland Orchestra and John Schaeffer of the New York Philharmonic. Ann enjoys teaching and church music and is the orchestra director at Bay Village Middle School and director of music at Rocky River Presbyterian Church.

EMILY GRISSING, cello, is thrilled to be returning for her seventh season with OLO. Emily was captivated by live classical professional orchestral music at age two in her Rochester, NY hometown and immediately dove into a life dedicated to in-depth study and performance of music. From a young age, Emily practiced piano, composed music, listened to opera, jazz, and more. She has studied cello, conducting, free improv, flute, voice, viola, double bass, musical theater, music theory, early music, and more, while establishing herself as an accomplished, collaborative musician. Currently based in North Carolina, she is a cellist in the Winston-Salem and Greensboro Symphonies and freelances/is a sub cellist with other SE orchestras. Emily has participated in prestigious music festivals, such as the Aspen Music Festival, the National Repertory Orchestra, Eastern Music Festival, Chautauqua Institution, and the National Orchestral Institute.

Close to Emily’s heart is sharing music with others through performance, mentoring, and teaching.

LAUREN HINKLE, trumpet, is delighted to return for her second season with OLO. Originally just a kid from Akron, she currently resides in Cleveland, where she recently finished her fourth year teaching at Notre Dame College. She also leads a large studio of middle and high school students across Northeast Ohio, slowly taking over the world with extremely talented trumpet players. When she is not practicing Hot Cross Buns, Lauren can be found playing in local pits, with past shows including The Addams Family, Die Fledermaus, The Music Man, and Hello, Dolly! She holds a BM from Kent State University and an MM from Cleveland State University, where she was the winner of the 2022 Daniel Rains Solo Competition, performing the Haydn Trumpet Concerto. Lauren enjoys spending time at local cafes and grocery shopping at Aldi.

JUAN ÁLVAREZ JIMÉNEZ, viola, is excited to make his debut with OLO this season. During his time at the Eastman School of Music, Juan studied under the esteemed Ying Quartet and gained experience performing with the Eastman ohiolightopera.org 57

Philharmonia Orchestra and Eastman Opera Orchestra. Juan’s musical journey has taken him from the Symphony Orchestra of Escuela Superior de Música in Mexico, where he served as principal viola, to sharing the stage with the prestigious Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

Notable highlights include his recognition as a finalist in the Eastman viola concerto competition, and his involvement in community outreach projects. Originally from Mexico, Juan continues his viola studies under the mentorship of Masumi Per Rostad.

PATRICIA JOHNSTON, double bass, is thrilled to be subbing her first season with OLO. She relocated back home to Ohio as a freelance double bassist at the end of 2019. She is currently the principal bassist with Suburban Symphony Orchestra, and has enjoyed performing concerts with regional orchestras across Northeast Ohio.

Patricia is a faculty member for Contemporary Youth Orchestra in Cleveland, serving as both the double bass and chamber coach. She maintains a full studio of private students (who play with COYO, AYSO, and OMEA All-State Orchestra), and offers regular sectional coaching to area schools. Her undergraduate studies were with Virginia Dixon at Wheaton College, David Young at the Colburn School of Music, followed by graduate studies with CSO’s Robert Kassinger at DePaul University.

MICHELLE KENYON, violin, is overjoyed to be returning for her second season at OLO. Michelle graduated from Duquesne University (Pittsburgh) in 2023 with a BM in violin performance and a minor in philosophy under the guidance of Charles and Rachel Stegeman.

Michelle is currently pursuing her masters degree in viola performance under the instruction of Timothy Deighton, enjoying performing on both instruments professionally. Michelle is also a lover of period instruments, performing regularly under the tutelage of Paul Miller on the baroque violin and the viola d’amore, a seven-stringed shoulder instrument that flourished in the baroque period.

After graduating, Michelle plans on pursuing a career as a pit musician and continuing to perform in baroque ensembles.

LOGAN LEISTER, clarinet, is pleased to be joining OLO as a new member for the 2024 summer. Originally from Oregon, he recently finished a performance season with OrchestraNEXT, a ballet orchestra in Eugene, OR that performs both classic works and world premieres. Logan played clarinet and bass clarinet 58 Box Office: 330.263.2345

from the pit for shows such as The Nutcracker, The Little Mermaid, Petrushka, and Peter Pan. Aside from his love for being under the big stage, he is also passionate about cooking, swimming, hiking, climbing, and anything outdoor-related.

Although his love for trees, mountains, and lakes has somehow found him in Ohio, Logan has the pleasure of studying at the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, where he is pursuing a masters degree in clarinet performance under Pavel Vinnitsky.

ISAAC MORTON, trumpet, is pleased to enter his second season with OLO. A recent graduate of Indiana University, Isaac has had the fortune of studying with John Rommel and Joey Tartell.

He looks forward to beginning his master’s degree at IU in the fall. Recent performances include Gustav Holst’s The Planets and a string of musical productions with the Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis. Isaac has diverse musical experience, playing in everything from big bands to brass quintets to large orchestras. Recent solo performances include a new music premiere of a concerto for trumpet and orchestra by one of IU’s talented composition students, and a solo recital in Evansville, IN. In the future, Isaac hopes to build a career around bringing diverse musical selections to audiences and educating the next generation of trumpeters.

LUKE ORTH, cello, is excited to be part of OLO again this summer. A native of Cincinnati, he began his undergraduate studies in Toronto at the Glenn Gould School, where he studied with Hans Jørgen Jensen and Andres Diaz. After studying there for three years, Luke decided to transfer to UC’s College Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Alan Rafferty and from which he graduated last spring. Luke has won prizes in numerous competitions, including Tennessee Cello Workshops Competition, the NFMC’s Mary Alice Cox Award, and most recently, the Matinee Musicale Scholarship Competition. He has a seat in the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra. In his spare time, Luke enjoys hiking and reading novels.

GOZDE EVA PARLAKTUNA, violin, is excited to be part of The Ohio Light Opera. She completed her bachelor’s degree in violin performance from the Anadolu University in Turkey. She attended Turkish National Youth Philharmonic Orchestra (TUGFO) and she had the opportunity to perform in Wiener Konzerthaus, Beethoven Festival at Bonn, and Brucknerfest at Linz. She moved to the United States and plays with the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic. She is currently pursuing

her artist diploma at Ball State University, studying with Dr. Yu-Fang Chen, where she held a graduate assistantship for a year. In her free time, she enjoys candle painting and loves traveling and exploring new places with her husband and dog.

KELSEY PHILBRICK, violin, began her career in the North Carolina area and recently relocated to New York City, where she continues to pursue her career in performance and pedagogy. Kelsey was born on Cape Cod, MA and raised in the Chapel Hill, NC area, where she attended the Duke University String School. She earned a BM from UNC-Greensboro and an MM from Appalachian State University. Kelsey has played in many regional symphonies and held several titled positions, including assistant concertmaster and soloist with the Western Piedmont Symphony and Symphony of the Mountains. She has performed with renowned soloists and groups in the classical realm and beyond, from Anne Akiko Meyers, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, and James Ehnes, to Béla Fleck, Michael Bublé, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and Mannheim Steamroller. Kelsey has spent summers at festivals such as the Brevard Music Festival, Eastern Music Festival, and PRISMA festival in British Columbia. Currently, Kelsey teaches students of various ages and levels around NYC, and her gigs have so far taken her to the Dimenna Center, Kaufman Music Center, and Carnegie Hall.

DREW POSTEL, double bass, is thrilled to return for his second summer with OLO, because as the saying goes “third time’s the charm, you’ll get them next time, champ.” Drew attended Ohio State University and Duquesne University.

CAMERON RANDALL, trombone, is excited to return for his second season with OLO. Currently based in Chicago, he recently completed an MM at DePaul University, where he studied with Mark Fisher, Charlie Vernon, and Scott Tegge. He also holds a BM from Oberlin Conservatory, where he studied with John Gruber and Dennis Nulty.

Hailed for his versatility and skills as a doubler, Cameron’s performing career has taken him across the Midwest, having performed with the Festival City, Fox Valley (IL), Evanston, and Firelands Symphonies, among others, on alto, tenor, bass, and contrabass trombones, tuba, euphonium, and bass trumpet. Aside from his career as a freelance musician and educator, Cameron works as a stage manager at DePaul and in the greater Chicago area. A native of Des Moines, he is greatly looking forward to a break from city life this summer.

JONAH RICHARDSON, oboe, is ecstatic to be playing his second season with OLO. He is currently pursuing his BM at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studies under Frank Rosenwein. Hailing from Columbus, Jonah began his oboe journey in his middle school’s symphonic band. Since then, he has fallen in love with the oboe and began pursuing it as a career from a young age. He attended Interlochen Arts Academy during his high school years, where he worked diligently to hone his skills and expand his knowledge of the classical music world.

Excluding his work with OLO, Jonah plays with multiple orchestras in the greater Cleveland area.

THOMAS ROBLEE, percussion, is thrilled to be returning to OLO for a 14th season. He is an assistant professor of music and director of bands at Walsh University, having taught music in Alliance City Schools and The College of Wooster. Thomas performs with the Akron Symphony, Tuscarawas Philharmonic, and as a freelance percussionist throughout Northeast Ohio. He recently completed a term as president of the Ohio Private College Instrumental Conductors Association and conducts a summer series of the Canton Concert Band annually. Thomas works actively with Ohio schools, presenting demonstrations of traditional African percussion music and creating cultural exchange opportunities with Ghanaian dance troupe Saakumu.

LEV ROSHAL, violin, is delighted to return to Wooster for his third year with the Ohio Light Opera, and his first as concertmaster.

He is currently a doctoral student at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, where he is pursuing simultaneous degrees in violin performance (DM) and music theory (Ph.D.).

At Jacobs, he is the newly elected president of the Graduate Theory Association and serves as a coordinating instructor of music theory and musical skills. Lev is also a member of the Carmel Symphony Orchestra and can frequently be heard performing at The Palladium at the Center for Performing Arts. Earlier this year, Lev was deeply honored to have been named the dedicatee of Andrew Mead’s Sonata No. 2 for Solo Violin, following a performance of the work on one of his recent recitals. Also this year, he has undertaken a project to record the complete violin/piano duo works of the Ukrainian composer Sergei Bortkiewicz, with the pianist Albert Newberry.

When not performing or writing about music, Lev enjoys a good board or soccer game.

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GRAY SMILEY, horn, was born in Greenville, NC. Having mastered music at Indiana University, Gray is now a doctoral student at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. He has extensive pit orchestra experience ranging from Puccini to Philip Glass, Gilbert & Sullivan, and Lerner & Loewe. This is Gray’s second year in the Ohio Light Opera and he is extremely pleased to return. Gray’s research interests lie primarily in community engagement and service: identifying artistic assets, resources, and gaps in his communities and designing collaborative programs to foster meaningful community engagement with the arts. This past spring, he and his colleagues carried out a survey of the artistic needs of the Harrisonburg community and will use the information to design community programming at JMU. Outside of professional music, Gray is an avid swing dancer and dance teacher. He has been dancing Lindy hop for three and a half years and dabbles in many other forms of partner dance.

GER VANG, oboe, is delighted to begin his return for a second season with OLO. He is actively performing in Greensboro, NC with his chamber wind group, Cardinal Sound Collective.

Throughout the 2023–24 academic year, he has been face-planting in computer screens, learning about why music is a thing as he pursues his DMA. When he is away from the computer screen, Ger will spend a copious amount of time looking for perfect half circles in his cane.

LEAH WIDMAIER, viola, is thrilled to be returning for a second season with OLO. Hailing from Chicago, Leah is currently working to complete her bachelor’s degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studies with the wonderful Lynne Ramsey and Jeffrey Irvine.

Leah’s passion for pit orchestra began in high school, when she performed in an Interlochen Arts Academy production of Sweeney Todd, and

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she is excited to continue pursuing that passion this summer. Leah’s other passions include animals, books by Stephen King, and existing in nature. Her musical heroes include Hilary Hahn, Chris Thile, and Dolly Parton.

SPENCER WILSON, bassoon, is thrilled to join the Ohio Light Opera for his sixth season. A Virginian by birth, Spencer has lived the past eight years in Dallas, working as a gigging musician, teacher, and reed maker. As a performer, he has played numerous times with the Dallas Winds, the Rapides Symphony, and the Fort Smith Symphony as a principal musician. For his work as an educator, Spencer maintains a studio spanning across four districts in southern Dallas, as well as serving as adjunct professor of bassoon for Dallas College. Beyond these duties, he also serves as a mentor for the Dallas Winds Honor Band and has been a featured presenter for University of Texas Arlington’s Double Reed Day and All-State Bassoon Intensive programs. Spencer is a graduate of James Madison University and of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University as an artistic excellence fellow, studying under Susan Barber and William Ludwig, respectively. Additionally, he has learned and performed as a fellow for the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival. Spencer is very much looking forward to a summer of performing great shows, escaping the Texas heat, and enjoying all that Wooster has to offer.

ABREAL WHITMAN, violin, graduated from the Eastman School of Music in 2023, where she was studying with Juliana Athayde.

Originally from Maine, Whitman has performed with various orchestras, including the Mozart Mentors, Augusta Symphony, Junior Repertory Orchestra, Repertory Orchestra, and Boston Youth Symphony. In high school, she attended Idyllwild Arts Academy, where she studied with Todor Pelev. Junior year, she was chosen as a summer admissions intern and spent the summer in Idyllwild, CA helping recruit musicians for the academy. During her senior year at Eastman, Whitman won a position as a substitute in the New World Symphony. This summer, she is excited to join the Ohio Light Opera festival for the second year in a row. Whitman attends the LSU School of Music, studying with Espen Lilleslatten for her master’s in performance. She has been awarded a 20-hour assistantship from the school. During her first year there, she won the associate concertmaster position in the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, and recently returned from touring Poland with them.

TECHNICAL AND FRONT OF HOUSE TEAM SCENE SHOP AND STAGE CREW ALLIANCE AKINS, shop foreman, is ready to join the Ohio Light Opera for her fourth season.

A graduate of The University of Arkansas, and most definitely not a silly goose, she is excited to announce that she will be starting her graduate degree program at Ohio University in the fall. She is looking forward to extending her time in Ohio and is excited for what the future may bring.

CLAIRE ALDERFER, assistant stage manager, is excited to return for her second season with the Ohio Light Opera after serving as a carpenter and member of the run crew last year. They graduated in May from The College of Wooster with a bachelor of arts in theater and dance, and minors in education and music. During their time at the College, Claire has enjoyed stage managing shows such as Stop Kiss and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, as well as multiple dance concerts.

She is also a lighting designer for dance and has worked as a technician in the Freedlander scene and electric shop for the past three years, recently assisting the department of music with managing the new LED light fixtures in Gault Recital Hall.

HALLIE CHARLEFOUR, run crew/spot op, is excited to be working her first season at OLO. She is a student at Albion College in Albion, MI, where she will graduate in May 2025. In her time there, she has stage managed Twelfth Night, Stop Kiss, Silent Sky, and more. Hallie has been awarded three certificates of merit by the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for her stage management on Stop Kiss, The Play That Goes Wrong, and 2AZ. She has been involved in theater since middle school, when she fell in love with the magic of theater. Throughout her involvement in theater, she has worked in many roles backstage, such as run crew, spotlight, house manager, and sound board op.

ATLAS DWYER, carpenter, is joining the Ohio Light Opera for the first time this summer as a member of the technical crew. Atlas is a current student at the College of Wooster, and has worked in the scene and electric shop on the campus for the last year. In this position, they have worked in scenic design and construction, and also designed the lighting for student dance performances and theatrical works (notably within the 2024 Festival of New Works lineup).

JULIAN GRIMES, carpenter, is happy to be hired on for their second season as part of the shop crew for Ohio Light Opera. Outside of OLO, Julian has worked on the sets for Wooster Community Theater’s production of The Music Man, and the College of Wooster’s productions of Caged, Trifles, and Alicia and the Real Wonderland. Julian is a Wooster local, graduating from Wooster High School, and is now a rising senior at the College of Wooster.

MADELEINE GUY, scenic painter, is excited to work her first year with Ohio Light Opera. She recently graduated with her BFA in theater design and production at Coastal Carolina University.

Her previous work includes scenic design for Cabaret and Cinderella at CCU, as well as scenic designing the 2023 summer season for Pendragon Theatre in Saranac Lake, NY. CARRIGAN HUGHES, assistant stage manager, hails from Fayetteville, AR and is a rising junior undergraduate student studying at the University of Arkansas, while majoring in theater design and technology and German and minoring in psychology. Carrigan is elated to be joining OLO this summer for the incredible opportunity to collaborate on and contribute to the wonderful productions seen here on stage. Some of her previous show credits include calling stage manager for Trike Theatre’s (Ovations+) touring production of Journey to Oz, stage carpenter and strike demolition lead for Tent Theatre’s 2023 summer season, and a variety of UArk positions, such as stage manager for Rollie Pollie, Witch, and Lungs and assistant stage manager for Isolation and Anatomy 101. Looking forward, she will be the stage manager for UArk’s spring production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. ERIN KIMBALL, assistant stage manager, is thrilled to join the OLO team for the first time.

She recently left her position as stage manager at La Comedia Dinner Theatre, where she had been working the past two years. From Hamilton, OH, Erin was accepted into Northern Kentucky University’s stage management program and has worked with community theaters in the Cincinnati area. Some of her favorite shows she’s been involved with are: Peter and the Starcatcher, Bring It On: The Musical, Little Women (twice), Sleuth, Escape to Margaritaville, Cinderella, Grumpy Old Men, and The Marvelous Wonderettes. ohiolightopera.org 61

SCENE SHOP AND STAGE CREW HANNAH LoGIUDICE, run crew/painter, is pleased to be returning to OLO as a scenic painter and member of the run crew. She graduated from Wooster High School, where she served as the stage manager for seven productions. Hannah is currently pursuing a bachelor of fine arts in theater design and technology at Syracuse University. At Syracuse, she was a member of the wardrobe crew for its production of Guys and Dolls.

AUSTIN MEADOWS, run crew/spot op, is from Jackson, TN. He is a junior studying political science and theater arts at Brown University. This is his first season with OLO, and he’s very excited about joining the company. Austin started doing theater his sophomore year of high school as a stage manager for his school’s production of Newsies and has loved doing it ever since. Since then he has worked with several companies and made theater his lifelong career aspiration. Austin wants to thank all of the wonderful people at OLO for being so welcoming and kind during his time here. He also wants to especially thank his high school theater teacher, Carrie Pennel Prewitt, for starting his theater journey.

LIZ MITAN, scenic artist, is a rising senior at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. Her work will be shown at USITT 2025. If Liz is not in the paint shop, she can be found at the nearest coffee shop.

ANNE PLUMMER, carpenter, is excited to be returning to OLO for a second season. Anne is a former student of arts at Finlandia University and is now pursuing a degree in scenic design at University of Wisconsin Parkside. Anne is a certified welder and amateur taxidermist.

ABBY SCHINDELL, run crew, is a senior studying theater arts and mathematics at Brown University. She is so excited to begin her first season with Ohio Light Opera and looks forward to working with the entire team here. Abby started her journey in technical theater working on the build crew for On the Town, and has been

working behind the scenes for shows ever since.

Some notable shows she’s worked on include tech director for Great Comet, assistant stage manager for Jesus Christ Superstar, tech director for Pippin, fly rail operator for Something Rotten, and prop designer for an MFA thesis production.

Abby would like to thank her friends and family for supporting her, Alex Haynes for introducing her to technical theater, and everyone at OLO for making this season incredible.

MAKENZIE VAUGHAN, first hand, is excited to be a part of the Ohio Light Opera for the first time. She is currently a graduate student at FSU. Previously she was the assistant costume shop manager at Bay Street Theater, a cutter/draper at The Rev, and first hand at The Riverside Theatre.

She thanks her family for their support, and Jen for opportunity.

HADLEE WALKER, head carpenter, recently graduated Coastal Carolina University with a BA theater major, focusing on scenic and stage management. Growing up, they were always interested in theater, doing school productions, and helping out at local community theaters. It wasn’t until they got to CCU that they found their passion for scenic, props, and stage management.

At Coastal, they have worked on almost every show while attending, whether it was in the scene shop or backstage. Last summer they worked as a carpenter and stagehand at the Forestburgh Playhouse, where they worked with their team to build ten shows for the season. They would like to thank all their friends and mentors that helped them to get where they are, as well as their very supportive family and fiancé.

BRADY ZALAC, carpenter, is from Marysville, MI, and is excited to be coming to OLO for his first season. He is studying at Albion college as a theater major and just finished his first year.

When not studying, Brady spends his time either working in the theater shop or in rehearsal for the multiple shows during Albion’s season.

COSTUMES AND WARDROBE DAVID JORDAN BAXTER, costume shop manager, is currently serving as visiting assistant professor of costume production at Oklahoma State University. He also served two years as staff draper at Charleston Stage Company, a regional theater based in historic Charleston, SC. David received his MFA–costume design from Florida State University, 62 Box Office: 330.263.2345

2021, and his BA in music from Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, KY, 2016.

CAELAN INGRAM, wardrobe assistant, is going into his senior year at the University of Memphis as a design and technology concentration with an emphasis in costume design. He has designed many shows there and in surrounding Memphis

theaters: Elektra, Greater Illinois, Hamletmachine, and many others. He is very excited to be spending the summer in Wooster for his first summer stock experience. He hopes you enjoy the show.

SASHA GOODNER, stitcher, is studying costume technology at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. She’s going into her third year at the school and is excited to learn more. Sasha is from Seattle and worked at Spectrum Dance last year on a production of The Harlem Nutcracker. She enjoys sewing cosplays of various Nintendo characters in her free time, her favorite to sew being Princess Peach. Sasha loves spending time with her dog, Jinx, when she’s home on breaks.

SARAH GREENE, draper, is thrilled to join OLO for the first time this summer. Having recently graduated from The University of Alabama with her MFA in costume design and technology, Sarah’s most recent (and most rewarding) credits include costume designing The Rocky Horror Show, and working with student, faculty, and guest choreographers on various dance productions during her time at UA. A native of Clemson, SC, Sarah previously designed and constructed all of the costumes for Romeo & Juliet at the Warehouse Theatre in Greenville, SC, and worked for several years at both the South Carolina Children’s Theatre and the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities as a costume designer and technician for theater and dance. Sarah is so grateful for the opportunity to work with the wonderful cast and crew members at OLO, and is equally grateful to finally be done with school (for now …).

MAKI NIIKURA, wardrobe supervisor, is excited to work at OLO for her first season. They are a recent graduate of the BFA costume design program at University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and have had the pleasure of studying under both Bill Brewer, the costume designer for The Sound of Music this season, and Jen Gillette, costume designer for Guys and Dolls and Me and My Girl. She has worked the past two summers in the wardrobe department at Glimmerglass Opera Festival and is eager to transfer her skills from there to here.

AVERY McLINTOCK SMITH, wardrobe, is excited to start his first season at OLO, where he’ll be working with a professional theater company for the first time. Avery is currently seeking his BFA from University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he has done wardrobe for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and wardrobe-supervised for Lo frate ’nnamorato.

JASPER SOMERS, wig and makeup supervisor, is so excited to be joining OLO for the first time this season. He just graduated with a BFA from UNC School of the Arts and is thrilled to be able to put his knowledge to good use. He has supervised and designed plenty of shows through his time at UNCSA, preparing to make sure he brings the designers vision to life on stage in the best way possible.

EVAN STEHLIK, stitcher, is excited to be joining OLO for the first time. Owosso, MI native Evan is a graduate of Central Michigan University, where he received a BFA in technical theater with a focus in costuming. Currently, Evan is the costume shop supervisor at Albion College in Albion, MI. He is a colleague of Kiah Kayser. Evan has presented several costume, makeup, and hair designs at KCACTF District 3 conferences. He has also constructed wigs for Midland Center for the Arts and has worked with Peach State Summer Theater in Georgia as part of their wardrobe, stitcher, and hair/makeup crews. In his free time, he loves spending time with his Golden Retriever Mazie and taking care of houseplants. Some of his favorite hobbies include makeup artistry, painting, and styling wigs. Evan is also a drag entertainer by night and goes by their stage name Remington Rose.

COOPER THOMAS, stitcher, is highly anticipating his first season at OLO as a stitcher in the costume shop. Previously, Cooper has worked as assistant costume designer for the Oklahoma State University production of May We All, as well as a stitcher for OSU’s Airness, Macbeth, Ride the Cyclone, and Ada and the Engine. He has also worked as wardrobe for the Broadway productions of The Lion King and The Book of Mormon. Born in South Korea, but raised in Bixby, OK, Cooper is now attending OSU and working on his BA in theater, emphasis in design, and further expanding his skills in costume design and technology.

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PROPERTIES JILLIAN BENTLEY, properties artisan/run crew, is thrilled to join the Ohio Light Opera for her first summer stock program. Jillian was born in Trenton, MI, and has been studying history and theater at Albion College. She is eternally grateful to her family and to her wonderful mentor, Kiah Kayser, who has been nothing but supportive of her.

ELLA DIETZEL, props artisan, is excited for her first season with OLO. Ella is a senior at Coastal Carolina University, where she will receive her BFA in design and production. At Coastal her work has been seen in Cabaret, Saturday Night/ Sunday Morning, The Green Bird, Urinetown, and Crazy for You. She has also designed props and technical costumes for the Aiken Community Theatre in Aiken, SC. She placed in the design competition at SETC for both property design and costume construction in 2024. And when

she’s not doing theater (which isn’t often), she enjoys people-watching, reading, and hanging out with her roommates.

MOIRA SEGER, props artisan, is excited to be returning to OLO for their second season.

Apart from OLO, they have previously worked in several different roles for productions at the College-Conservatory of Music, including as prop manager for The Cunning Little Vixen, assistant scenic designer for The Rape of Lucretia, scenic charge for Everybody, and as a props artisan and scenic painter for many other shows there. Living in Cincinnati, Moira is currently pursuing their BFA in stage design, props, and scenic art at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. In their free time, they like to explore different art mediums, such as crochet, painting, sculpting, and dice making.

ELECTRICS & SOUND MADELEINE CARROLL, sound assistant, is thrilled to be joining OLO for her first season.

She is currently pursuing a BFA in theater with a concentration in sound design and technology at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

Her favorite shows that she worked on in the 2023–24 season were Rent (A1), Witch (audio engineer), and Tracy Letts’ Bug (sound designer).

She is now in the process of audio-engineering Oklahoma! presented by Lyric Theatre at UIUC. LEO CHAVOLLA, lead sound assistant, recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with degrees in music performance, theater technology and design, and art. Leo has enjoyed performing a variety of artistic roles, including A1(mix)/sound co-designer for James and the Giant Peach, bassist for Cabaret and Seussical the Musical, bass trombonist for Isthmus Brass, and band director for the Onalaska High School Show Choirs. His sound design for Dr. Faustus earned the 2024 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival National Sound Design Award.

In his free time, Leo enjoys jazz improvisation and magnet fishing. Leo would like to thank Ben Golden, Laurie Kincman, Jeff Sherwood, Jing Zhao, Brad Berridge, and Justin Schmitz for their mentorship.

LANA JEFFCOAT, assistant lighting designer, is excited and ready for her second season here at the Ohio Light Opera. Recent credits of hers include lighting designer for The Incredible Fox 64 Box Office: 330.263.2345

Sisters and Dangerous Corner, both presented at Lamar University, and head electrician/lighting designer for the Lamar University Dance Team Show, Illuminate. She recently graduated with a BS in theater and dance, concentration in technical theater, from Lamar. Lana has spent the past three years working with IATSE Local #183 while attending school. After this season, she hopes to take her skills on the road and tour.

ADRIENNE McLAUGHLIN, sound assistant, received their bachelor of science in music theory and composition from Hofstra University, NY in 2017, before moving to Chicago in 2018. They began their career in audio by working on indie films, first as a production assistant, and then as a boom operator, finding that there is just as much creative expression in sound design as there is in music composition. They enrolled at SAE Institute of Chicago in September of 2023 in the audio engineering program, while continuing to work on projects throughout the Chicagoland area and northwest Indiana. Adrienne is honored to be returning to their theater roots and continuing their education and experience this year with OLO. ROBERT PFOST, master electrician, is thrilled to join OLO for the second time this season.

Given the professional name “Bobert” by his colleagues, Robert has been working in technical theater since high school at the Wesley Chapel PAC. He has also designed lights for True West

in Plant City, FL. When he isn’t working, he likes to play DND and video games with his friends.

Robert plans to further his technical skills around the country.

DYLAN TILLERY, electrician/board operator, is excited to join the OLO crew this year for the first time. Born in Gainesville, FL, he is a recent graduate of the University of West Florida with his BFA, and will be returning to schooling in the fall at the University of Tennessee for his MFA. Previously, he has served as a staff electrician for the Brevard Music Center, and as an assistant lighting designer for the Pensacola Opera 2023– 24 season, working on Lucia di Lammermoor and Die Fledermaus.

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ADMINISTRATIVE/FRONT OF HOUSE STAFF NINA ANDERSON, box office assistant, is a recent graduate of the College of Wooster, having received BAs in both Russian studies and religious studies with a minor in music. She plays tuba in the Wooster symphonic band and works as an usher and language tutor during the school year.

Nina is thrilled to contribute, for her second summer, to the experience of audience members in the very place where she, herself, fell in love with light opera.

EMMA CHARLTON, assistant box office manager, is excited to work with OLO for her second summer. In the past, she has appeared on stage as well as backstage at Ritz Theatre Tiffin, OH, and Heidelberg University’s Children’s & Teen Theater. A native of Tiffin, OH, Emma has just completed her second year at The College of Wooster, majoring in early education and studio art.

GRACELYN JACK, house manager, is excited to join Ohio Light Opera for its 2024 season as part of the house management team. A native of Louisville, she is currently working on a BM in music composition at the College of Wooster.

When she’s not writing music, she enjoys spending

time outdoors and attending performances by the Cleveland and Louisville orchestras. Gracelyn is thrilled to meet everyone, and to utilize her experience in the music world this summer.

AUDREY KLOSTERMAN, house manager, is excited to be returning for her second year with OLO. A 2023 Wooster theater graduate, she was previously located in New York City, serving as a production intern at 59E59 Theaters. After the summer season is over, she will be the 2024–25 stage manager apprentice at Olney Theater, located in the greater Washington, DC area.

SANDY McILVAINE, front of house. Yes folks, she’s still here! … 1998–2024 with a few breaks now and then. She is grateful for every and any opportunity to be a part of this amazing organization. Thank you to my wonderful colleagues and brilliant College of Wooster students who make it a joy to come to work.

Enjoy another wonderful season.

LYDIA OTTO, house manager, is returning for her second year working at OLO. Lydia was active in her high school’s drama program. She was part of the tech crew for many shows and finally graced the stage for a production of The Curious Savage. Lydia graduated from Wooster High School in 2022. She is entering her junior year at Waynesburg University in Pennsylvania.

She is studying public history and plans to work in a museum following graduation. Lydia hopes to travel abroad next year with her university, but for now, she is enjoying her summer working for OLO once again.

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THE COLLEGE OF WOOSTER A proud history with an international reputation for excellence

T

he College of Wooster is the nation’s premier college for mentored undergraduate research and the most internationalized campus in Ohio.

Since 2002, U.S. News has asked college presidents, chief academic officers, and deans which colleges provide the best undergraduate research opportunities and senior capstone experiences. Only two have made both lists every year: Wooster and Princeton.

Wooster offers an excellent, comprehensive liberal arts education in a spirited residential setting, culminating in every student creating new knowledge through a rigorous, in-depth project of inquiry or creative expression. Working in partnership with a faculty mentor to conceive, organize, and complete a significant project on a topic of the student’s own choosing, every Wooster graduate develops abilities valued by employers and graduate schools alike: initiative, collaboration, self-confidence, independent judgment, creative problem solving, and strong written and oral communication skills.

Wooster is a vibrant, diverse, unpretentious community of learners with a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Students can be themselves at Wooster, discover and pursue their passions, connect learning in the classroom to the real world through paid internships, research fellowships, and other experiential opportunities, and forge lifelong bonds with faculty, coaches, and staff.

New York Times columnist Ron Lieber praises Wooster for its exceptional combination of quality faculty, affordability, and undergraduate research in his new book, The Price You Pay for College. Lieber devotes an entire chapter to answering How the College of Wooster Puts It All Together, highlighting Wooster’s up-front attitude

68 Box Office: 330.263.2345

in helping prospective students understand the financial package they will receive and the satisfaction students get from faculty mentorship.

Academics, research, experiential learning, community service, social activism, athletics, the arts, environmental sustainability, and diversity and inclusion all play an important role in a Wooster student’s life.

For over 10,000 years, many native communities have moved through and cared for the land the College of Wooster stands on today. The name “Ohio” derives from the Haudenosaunee language, referring to their name for the Ohio River, Ohiyo, which means “great river” or “beautiful river.” Indigenous narratives and experiences are part of this collective history.

By acknowledging the complex and sometimes painful history, it allows us to be here today, learn more about the Wooster community, how to better care for the land we inhabit, and to show respect to the diverse peoples and cultures who preceded us and those who come together now in this place.

Something fun is always happening in Downtown Wooster with more than 90 free attractions each year!

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8 COMPLETE PERFORMANCES

AVAILABLE ON DVD

These DVDs, recorded live during our summer festivals, are available in the lobby during the season.

Patrons may also call the Ohio Light Opera at 330-263-2345 to purchase DVDs, or visit www.ohiolightopera.org to view DVDs and order online.

Kálmán: A Soldier’s Promise • The Duchess of Chicago • The Little King • The Little Dutch Girl Herbert: Mlle. Modiste • Dream City and the Magic Knight • Lehár: Cloclo • Kern: Have a Heart

70 Box Office: 330.263.2345

GILBERT & SULLIVAN

H.M.S. Pinafore THE OHIO LIGHT OPERA J. Lynn Thompson

Steven Daigle

CONDUCTOR

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

43 COMPLETE RECORDINGS

AVAILABLE ON CD

Tomás Bretón La Verbena de la Paloma

André Messager Véronique

Reginald De Koven Robin Hood

Lionel Monckton The Arcadians

Rudolf Friml The Vagabond King • The Firefly

Jacques Offenbach The Brigands • Bluebeard

Gilbert & Sullivan Utopia Limited • Patience • Princess Ida The Grand Duke • The Gondoliers The Mikado • Ruddigore • The Sorcerer The Yeomen of the Guard The Pirates of Penzance • H.M.S. Pinafore

Sigmund Romberg Maytime • Blossom Time

Victor Herbert Dream City and the Magic Knight Eileen • Mlle. Modiste Naughty Marietta • The Red Mill Sweethearts • The Fortune Teller Emmerich Kálmán The Bayadere • Sari • Autumn Maneuvers Countess Maritza • The Violet of Montmartre A Soldier’s Promise • Miss Springtime Jerome Kern The Cabaret Girl

Franz Schubert Das Dreimäderlhaus John Philip Sousa El Capitan Oscar Straus The Chocolate Soldier Johann Strauss A Night in Venice Carl Zeller Der Vogelhändler Compilations Gems from The Ohio Light Opera, Vol. 1 Gold and Silver

These recordings are mastered and adapted from our summer productions. Most are released as two-CD sets and are available in the lobby during the season and in finer book and music stores. Patrons may also call the Ohio Light Opera at 330-263-2345 to purchase compact discs or visit www.ohiolightopera.org to view CDs and to order online.

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COMPLETE REPERTOIRE 1979-2024

THE OHIO LIGHT OPERA S STEVEN A. DAIGLE, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Richard Adler & Jerry Ross The Pajama Game...................................... ’18 Daniel Auber Fra Diavolo................................................. ’88 Lindsay Warren Baker & Amanda Jacobs Pride & Prejudice....................................... ’06 Ralph Benatzky & Robert Stolz White Horse Inn......................................... ’05 Irving Berlin Call Me Madam.......................................... ’14 Annie Get Your Gun................................... ’16 Leonard Bernstein Candide...................................................... ’18 Jerry Bock & Sheldon Harnick Fiddler on the Roof..................................... ’09 Tomás Bretón La verbena de la paloma............................. ’99 Emmanuel Chabrier L’étoile................................................. ’91, ’08 Federico Chueca & Joaquín Valverde La gran vía.................................................. ’99 Noël Coward Bitter Sweet.......................................... ’93, ’98 Reginald De Koven Robin Hood................................................ ’04 Leo Fall The Dollar Princess..................................... ’95 Madame Pompadour.................................. ’11 Rudolf Friml The Vagabond King............................. ’87, ’04 Rose Marie.................................................. ’03 The Firefly................................................... ’06 Noel Gay Me and My Girl.......................................... ’24 Edward German Merrie England........................................... ’84 Tom Jones................................................... ’92 George & Ira Gershwin Of Thee I Sing............................................ ’09 Lady, Be Good!.......................................... ’13 Oh, Kay!..................................................... ’15 Primrose..................................................... ’17 Girl Crazy................................................... ’19 William Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan The Gondoliers.’79, ’82, ’85, ’88, ’92, ’96, ’01, ’06, ’13, ’24 H.M.S. Pinafore...... ’79, ’80, ’81, ’82, ’83, ’84, ’85, ’87, ’90, ’93, ’98, ’02, ’06, ’09, ’13, ’17, ’23 Iolanthe.... ’79, ’81, ’84, ’87, ’91, ’98, ’05, ’10, ’18 The Mikado..... ’79, ’80, ’81, ’82, ’84, ’85, ’88, ’92, ’95, ’00, ’04, ’08, ’12, ’16 The Pirates of Penzance. ’79, ’80, ’81, ’83, ’84, ’86, ’89, ’94, ’99, ’03, ’07, ’11, ’14, ’19, ’22 Ruddigore.. ’79, ’82, ’85, ’88, ’95, ’02, ’09, ’15 72 Box Office: 330.263.2345

Trial by Jury..... ’79, ’80, ’81, ’84, ’86, ’89, ’98, ’11,’21 The Yeomen of the Guard..... ’79, ’81, ’84, ’86, ’90,’97, ’01, ’08, ’15 Patience............ ’80, ’83, ’86, ’91, ’97, ’04, ’10 Princess Ida..................... ’80, ’85, ’94, ’99, ’07 The Sorcerer............. ’80, ’82, ’86, ’89, ’96, ’05 Utopia Limited........ ’80, ’83, ’87, ’93, ’00, ’12 The Grand Duke........................... ’81, ’95, ’03 Reynaldo Hahn Ciboulette................................................... ’90 Victor Herbert Naughty Marietta ............................... ’89, ’00 Eileen.......................................................... ’97 The Red Mill............................................... ’01 Sweethearts................................................. ’02 Mlle. Modiste.............................................. ’09 The Fortune Teller....................................... ’11 Dream City and The Magic Knight................ ’14 The Lady of the Slipper................................. ’17 Jerry Herman Hello, Dolly!............................................... ’22 Richard Heuberger The Opera Ball........................................... ’90 Emmerich Kálmán Countess Maritza............ ’85, ’89, ’94, ’03, ’17 The Gypsy Princess....................... ’86, ’93, ’10 The Bayadere.............................................. ’98 Sari/Der Zigeunerprimás............................. ’01 Autumn Maneuvers .................................... ’02 The Violet of Montmartre........................... ’04 A Soldier’s Promise/Der gute Kamerad........ ’05 The Duchess of Chicago............................. ’07 Marinka: The Mayerling Story.................... ’08 Miss Springtime.......................................... ’12 The Little King............................................ ’14 The Little Dutch Girl.................................. ’16 The Devil’s Rider........................................ ’19 Arizona Lady.............................................. ’23 Jerome Kern The Cabaret Girl......................................... ’08 Oh, Lady! Lady!!........................................ ’14 Have a Heart.............................................. ’16 Music in the Air.......................................... ’19 Eduard Künneke The Cousin from Batavia..................... ’00, ’02 Charles Lecocq Clairette/La fille de Madame Angot............ ’89 Le petit duc................................................. ’00 Franz Lehár The Merry Widow........... ’83, ’90, ’96, ’04, ’11 The Count of Luxembourg..... ’88, ’97, ’10, ’24 The Land of Smiles.............................. ’90, ’03 Giuditta...................................................... ’94 Gypsy Love................................................. ’95 The Czarevitch............................................ ’08

Friederike.................................................... ’15 Cloclo......................................................... ’18 The Mock Marriage.................................... ’22 Mitch Leigh Man of La Mancha..................................... ’05 Alan Jay Lerner & Frederick Loewe Camelot........................................ ’00, ’11, ’23 Brigadoon............................................ ’02, ’15 My Fair Lady....................................... ’03, ’14 Frank Loesser Guys and Dolls.................................... ’12, ’24 How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying............................. ’23 André Messager Véronique.................................................... ’97 Karl Millöcker The Beggar Student.............................. ’87, ’96 Lionel Monckton The Arcadians...................................... ’98, ’24 Otto Nicolai The Merry Wives of Windsor...................... ’95 Ivor Novello The Dancing Years...................................... ’16 Perchance to Dream.................................... ’19 Jacques Offenbach The Brigands................................. ’83, ’92, ’03 La Périchole.................................. ’84, ’93, ’18 La vie parisienne........................... ’85, ’99, ’16 La belle Hélène............................. ’86, ’94, ’09 Bluebeard............................................. ’87, ’07 Orpheus in the Underworld...... ’88, ’91, ’01, ’23 The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein......... ’89, ’13 Christopher Columbus................................ ’95 Robinson Crusoe........................................ ’96 Regrets Only/M. Choufleuri................. ’96, ’98 The Island of Tulipatan............................... ’05 Evening Wind............................................. ’11 Cole Porter Jubilee......................................................... ’11 Silk Stockings.............................................. ’13 Can-Can..................................................... ’15 Kiss Me, Kate.............................................. ’16 Anything Goes............................................ ’17 Fifty Million Frenchmen.............................. ’18 Heinrich Reinhardt The Daring of Diane................................... ’21 Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II Carousel...................................................... ’01 South Pacific........................................ ’04, ’19 The Sound of Music............................. ’07, ’24 Oklahoma!................................................. ’08 The King and I............................................ ’13 Cinderella................................................... ’22 Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart A Connecticut Yankee................................. ’12 Babes in Arms............................................. ’18 Sigmund Romberg The Student Prince... ’82, ’85, ’92, ’99, ’07, ’17, ’22 The Desert Song............................ ’86, ’95, ’08

The New Moon............................. ’91, ’97, ’06 Maytime...................................................... ’05 Blossom Time............................................. ’12 Harvey Schmidt & Tom Jones The Fantasticks.................................... ’21, ’22 Franz Schubert & Heinrich Berté Das Dreimäderlhaus................................... ’02 Stephen Sondheim Into the Woods........................................... ’19 John Philip Sousa El Capitan................................................... ’10 Oscar Straus The Chocolate Soldier................... ’88, ’98, ’12 A Waltz Dream........................................... ’91 Johann Strauss A Night in Venice................... ’81, ’91, ’99, ’09 The Gypsy Baron................... ’82, ’89, ’00, ’13 Die Fledermaus............... ’86, ’92, ’97, ’05, ’14 Wiener Blut................................... ’87, ’93, ’98 The Merry War........................................... ’01 The Queen’s Lace Handkerchief................. ’06 Jule Styne & Stephen Sondheim Gypsy......................................................... ’10 Arthur Sullivan & F.C. Burnand Cox and Box.... ’79, ’80, ’81, ’84, ’89, ’96, ’99, ’11 Arthur Sullivan & B.C. Stephenson The Zoo...................................................... ’99 Franz Von Suppé Boccaccio............................................. ’83, ’02 My Fair Galatea.......................................... ’90 Heitor Villa-Lobos Magdalena.................................................. ’92 Robert Ward Lady Kate................................................... ’94 Robert Ward & James Stuart A Friend of Napoleon................................. ’05 Kurt Weill Street Scene................................................. ’90 Kurt Weill & Ira Gershwin The Firebrand of Florence........................... ’99 Kurt Weill & Ogden Nash One Touch of Venus................................... ’15 Meredith Willson The Music Man.................................... ’06, ’17 Quade Winter & William Gilbert Thespis........................................................ ’96 Quade Winter & Frank Desprez The Carp..................................................... ’99 Robert Wright & George Forrest The Great Waltz.......................................... ’94 Song of Norway.......................................... ’96 Kismet......................................................... ’10 Vincent Youmans No, No, Nanette......................................... ’23 Carl Zeller Der Vogelhändler.......................... ’93, ’94, ’07

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DINING, ACCOMMODATIONS & SHOPPING Dining Broken Rocks Café & Bakery....... 330-263-2949 The Leaf Restaurant...................... 330-804-0126 Mariola Italian.............................. 330-845-8889 Olde Jaol Steakhouse & Tavern.... 330-262-3333 Pine Tree Barn............................... 330-264-1014 TJ’s Restaurants............................ 330-264-6263 Tulipan Pastry & Coffee Shop....... 330-264-8092 Accommodations Bed & Breakfast Black Squirrel Inn.......................... 330-317-6627 Market Street Inn.......................... 330-262-4085 Cabins/Campgrounds Meadow Lake Park....................... 330-435-6652 Roosevelt Glamping...................... 330-465-6321 Hotel/Motel Best Western Plus Wooster Hotel & Conference Center................ 330-264-7750 Casa Mirabella Guest House......... 330-737-1683 Comfort Suites Wooster................ 844-209-2103 Hampton Inn Wooster.................. 330-345-4424 Quality Inn.................................... 330-262-5008 St. Paul Hotel................................ 330-601-1900 Entertainment/Attractions Ashland Symphony....................... 419-289-5115 Beck Center for the Arts................ 216-521-2540 Canton Symphony Orchestra........ 330-452-2094 The Cleveland Orchestra............... 216-231-7300 Lakeside Chautauqua.................... 419-798-4461 Main Street Wooster..................... 330-262-6222 Meadow Lake Park....................... 330-435-6652 The Musical Theater Project......... 216-860-1518 National First Ladies Library........ 330-452-0876 Porthouse Theater......................... 330-672-3884 Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens......... 330-836-5533 Summit Choral Society.................. 330-434-7464

Tuesday Musical Association........ 330-761-3460 Wayne Center for the Arts............. 330-264-2787 Wayne County Convention and Visitors Bureau................... 330-264-1800 Wooster Country Club.................. 330-263-1890 Shopping Books in Stock.............................. 330-262-2665 Coblentz Chocolates..................... 800-338-9341 Friendtique.................................... 330-262-2012 JK Gift Shop.................................. 330-725-7623 Journey In Time............................ 330-465-6709 Local Roots................................... 330-263-5336 Nancy’s Draperies......................... 330-855-7751 Nest by Friendtique....................... 330-804-0096 Olive Lane Oils & Vinegars.......... 330-601-1645 Roomscapes.................................. 330-262-1088 VHSource LLC.............................. 917-815-8899 Wooster Floral and Gifts............... 330-264-9630 Wooster Gift Corner..................... 330-264-6117 World Crafts................................. 330-857-0590 Services/Manufacturing Seaman Corporation..................... 330-262-1111 WKSU/Ideastream......................... 216-916-6100 Wooster Eye Center....................... 330-345-7200 Wooster Floral and Gifts............... 330-264-9630 Banking/Financial Briggs & Starr Wealth Management............................. 330-264-2811 Commercial & Savings Bank......... 330-263-1955 Critchfield, Critchfield & Johnston, Ltd............................ 330-264-4444 Edward Jones (Portage Rd.).......... 330-264-2168 Edward Jones (Riffel Rd.).............. 330-262-3572 Farmer’s Trust Company............... 330-439-4495 The Western Reserve Group.......... 800-362-0426

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2024 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Over the last 46 years, the staff at The College of Wooster has been instrumental in Ohio Light Opera’s success. Without their enthusiasm and support of our endeavors, the Company would not function as seamlessly as it does. The “in kind” services and “hidden assets” over the years have made it possible for OLO to exist as a unique part of the educational mission at Wooster.

We acknowledge them with grateful hearts for their support and assistance.

HEARTFELT THANKS go out to: Ohio Light Opera would like to thank the following institutions for providing costume rentals for the 2024 season.

Without their support, this season’s productions would not be as beautifully costumed: Utah Shakespeare Festival, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Florida State University

Ron Holtman for your advice and hard work on behalf of the company.

Ben Small, Gail Smith, and John Schambach, for your tireless work on behalf of the company all year around.

Kiah Kayser and Daniel Hobbs, for their help in assembling the artistic and tech team.

Michael and Nan Miller for your never-ending commitment to the company.

The families of our youth cast in The Sound of Music. We realize that each family has made a summer commitment to participate. Your enthusiasm and dedication are making this season a special one.

Spiro Matsos for being our #1 patron and supporter.

To our staff colleagues of the College of Wooster for 46 years of supporting OLO all year.

Sandy McIlvaine, for your tireless work with and in support of OLO for so many years.

Michael Borowitz, for his preseason work on the orchestra parts.

The Ling Family Piano, located in Freedlander Theatre lobby, is a gift from the Ling daughters to the College of Wooster. Stu Ling was a regular pre-performance lecturer for OLO and would play tape excerpts from the shows to help educate audience members. Both he and Terry were wonderfully supportive of the company through both participation and word, from the company’s inception.

Karen Ling writes: “Stuart Ling came to the College of Wooster in the fall of 1949 to teach Music Education and direct the bands. His wife of one year, Terry, immediately joined the Wooster Symphony under Dan Parmalee and became a fixture in the cello section until she retired from playing well into her 80s. But these trained musicians also brought something else to Wooster: a love of musical theater.

Prior to his tenure at Wooster, Stuart had put together revues and skits for his college friends and to provide entertainment during WWII. Terry was president of her high school drama club and even wrote a musical for them to perform. Once at Wooster, they both participated in ‘Faculty Follies’ shows produced by Stuart and colleague Winford Logan from the speech department. It was natural for Stuart to become musical director for the college productions of Gilbert & Sullivan, South Pacific, Carnival and many others. For her part, one of Terry’s favorite ‘party pieces’ to perform was ‘Adelaide’s Lament’ from Guys and Dolls.

From its acquisition in 1966 until Stuart’s death in 2008 the Kawai Model 500 grand piano resided in the music room at 839 N Bever Street and served as Stuart’s partner as he wrote, arranged and rehearsed; Terry’s assistant as she taught and accompanied cello students and rehearsed for musical presentations as a vocalist and cellist; and— sometimes—as an instrument of torture to their three daughters, Kris, Karen and Kati, as they sat practicing piano for 30 minutes a day—with a timer!

When the time came in 2023 to empty the home on Bever Street it looked like it might have to be rolled to the curb with a ‘FREE’ sign on it. In an off-hand remark, one of the Ling daughters asked Laura Neill ‘hey, do you want a piano?’ Through the extraordinary efforts of OLO, the college’s Office of Advancement and the Ling family, the donation was accomplished.

How fitting that this very experienced instrument should find a home one-half block up the street at the place that meant so much to the family.”

76 Box Office: 330.263.2345

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Jesus Christ Superstar June 14–29

Director: Terri J. Kent Choreographer: Martiń Ceśpedes Music Director: Jennifer Korecki Music by ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER Lyrics by TIM RICE

Nunsense A MUSICAL COMEDY

July 5–13

Director & Choreographer: Eric van Baars Music Director: Jonathan Swoboda Book, Music & Lyrics by DAN GOGGIN

Annie

July 19–Aug. 4 Director: Terri J. Kent Choreographer: Martiń Ceśpedes Music Director: Alexandre Marr Book by THOMAS MEEHAN • Music by CHARLES STROUSE Lyrics by MARTIN CHARNIN Original Broadway Production Directed by MARTIN CHARNIN • Based on “Little Orphan Annie”®

By Permission of Tribune Content Agency, LLC

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of The Really Useful Group. www.concordtheatricals.com • NUNSENSE is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com • ANNIE Is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

ohiolightopera.org 77

THE OHIO LIGHT OPERA 2024 PERFORMANCE CALENDAR SUNDAY

MON.

2PM

TUESDAY 2PM

WEDNESDAY 2PM

THURSDAY

7:30PM

2PM

7:30PM

FRIDAY 2PM

7:30PM

SATURDAY 2PM

7:30PM

June 8 ★ Guys & Dolls* June 9

June 10

June 11

June 12 Guys & Dolls

June 16

June 17

June 18

June 13

June 19

June 24

June 25

June 20

Guys & Dolls June 30

July 1

Guys & Dolls July 7

July 8

July 15

July 16 Sound of Music

Count of

The Arcadians

July 9 Guys & Dolls

Luxembourg

July 21

Me and My Girl

The Gondoliers

POPS CONCERT

July 22

July 23 The Arcadians

July 10

July 11

July 17

July 18 ★ The Arcadians

Me and My Girl July 24 Count of Luxembourg

July 5

The Gondoliers

Guys & Dolls

Sound of Music*

Me and My Girl*

July 13

Guys & Dolls*

July 19

Me and My Girl

Sound of Music*

July 20 The

Luxembourg Gondoliers*

July 25 Me and My Girl

June 29

Guys & Dolls

July 12

Count of

Sound of Music*

July 6

Sound of Music

★ The Sound of Count of Gondoliers Music Luxembourg

The Gondoliers

Me and My Girl

June 28

Guys & Dolls*

June 22

The Guys & Me and Dolls Gondoliers* My Girl

July 4

July 3

June 21 Guys & Dolls

June 27

Guys & Dolls

Sound of Music July 14

July 2

June 26 ★

June 15 Sound of Music

★ Me and My Girl

Sound of Music June 23

June 14

★ Sound of Music

July 26

Sound of Music

Guys & Dolls*

July 27

The Sound of The Count of Music Arcadians* Gondoliers Luxembourg*

July 28 Guys & Dolls

★ Indicates an Opening Performance * Indicates a Pre-Performance Lecture at 6:30 p.m. prior to Friday & Saturday evening performances.

Informative & Free!

July 25 10:30 a.m. Special Concert & Luncheon by Invitation Only

OLO 2024 FESTIVAL SPECIAL EVENTS JULY 4 – POPS CONCERT 7-8 p.m. Downtown Wooster JULY 5 – KIDS DAY The Sound of Music, 1-2 p.m.

Lean Lecture Room (adjacent to Freedlander Theatre).

Aye Aye Captain! Join us for The Sound of Music and get a backstage tour of the theater, meet cast members, make a captain craft, and learn a song from the show!

78 Box Office: 330.263.2345

JULY 25 – SPECIAL CONCERT 10:30 a.m. A donorappreciation concert celebrating OLO’s 45-year history.

Offered by the artists of our summer festival, it features vocal selections drawn from the repertoire that has defined our unique mission. Please contact the box office for further details.

JULY 26 – OPERETTA MANIA XV Lean Lecture Room 10:30 a.m. A program of video clips drawn from rare international performances. Free admission.

TICKET INFORMATION & PRICES Season Subscriptions: Subscribe for the Season! Ticket Exchanges: You have the privilege of Choose four, five, or six performances at a discount exchanging tickets, subject to availability, within from individual ticket prices. the 2024 season.

Individual Ticket Pricing Single Tickets............................................................$62 Students (ages: 16-23)..........................................$20 Children (ages: 3-15)..............................................$10 Subscription Rates (Price Per Ticket) 4 Different Performances.....................................$61 5 Different Performances.....................................$60 6 Different Performances.....................................$59

Tickets being exchanged must be RECEIVED in the ticket office no later than 48 hours prior to the performance date on the original tickets.

Exchanges may be made in person or by mail.

There is a $3.00 PER TICKET charge for exchanges.

No other exchanges are possible.

Unused Tickets: Ticket holders unable to use or exchange their tickets may notify the ticket office so that those tickets can be resold. These “turnbacks” make seats available to other music Ordering Tickets: The Ohio Light Opera accepts lovers and can provide additional income to OLO. Visa, MasterCard, and Discover Card. You Lost Tickets: If you lose your original tickets, may call 330.263.2345, order tickets online at duplicates can be made for you. ohiolightopera.org, or mail your order to the box Parking Information: Parking is FREE in all College office at: of Wooster signed lots. Spaces fill up quickly The Ohio Light Opera so please plan to arrive early. Visit the website The College of Wooster for more information on parking at Freedlander 1189 Beall Avenue Theatre, as well as directions to the theatre and Wooster, OH 44691 any known road construction.

If you have requested your tickets to be mailed, Air Conditioning: Freedlander Theatre is air you will receive them at least one month prior to conditioned. Some Ohio Light Opera patrons the performance. might like to bring a sweater or jacket to wear NO REFUNDS. NO CANCELLATIONS. during the performance.

Box Office Location & Hours: (Please note the locations of our winter & summer offices) January 10 – May 10, 2024: The Ohio Light Opera The College of Wooster Westminster Church House 353 East Pine Street (Corner of College Ave and E. Pine St.) Wooster, OH 44691

Decorum Reminder: Freedlander Theatre is an intimate space. Please keep in mind that talking during the overture and/or throughout the performance is distracting to fellow audience members as well as to the performing company.

Also, please refrain from opening noisy candy or gum wrappers during the show. Please turn off all noise-emitting devices before entering the theater. Photography and recordings of any kind are prohibited.

Late Seating: All performances begin promptly at 2 p.m. for matinees and 7:30 p.m. for evening shows. In deference to the comfort and listening pleasure of the audience in the house, late-arriving patrons will not be seated while the performance is Monday-Friday.............................. 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. in progress. Latecomers are asked to wait quietly Saturday (beginning June 15)........... 12 noon–4:30 p.m. until the first convenient break in the program, Sunday (beginning July 7)......................12:30–4 p.m. when ushers will assist you into the theatre.

24-Hour Order Online: Visit our secure website, These arrangements are at the discretion of the ohiolightopera.org, to view available seats, order, house manager in consultation with the artistic director and performing artists. Thank you for your and pay for your tickets. cooperation.

Group Discounts: Last year, more than 2,000 people saw Ohio Light Opera performances with Pre-Performance Talks Friday and Saturday Evenings at 6:30 p.m.: Enhance your enjoyment our group discount plan. of the evening’s performance by learning lesser20–46 people........................................... $60 per ticket known facts about the show’s history and tips 47–100 people...........................................$59 per ticket to recognize the unique special pleasures of Put together a group of people and come to Wooster each show. We feature lecturers seasoned in the for an afternoon or evening of operetta—a joy for experience and study of operetta. No reservations all at wonderful savings! Call the Box Office at are necessary. Lectures begin promptly at 6:30 330.263.2345 or 330.263.2329 to order tickets for p.m. and are held in the Lean Lecture Room, down your group. Our group sales coordinator will be glad the hall from Freedlander Theatre lobby. Check for signs in the lobby for the location of these to assist you with your plans. informative and free gatherings!

May 13 – July 28, 2024: Freedlander Theatre 329 East University Street Wooster, OH 44691

ohiolightopera.org 79

God Save The Queen In keeping with the tradition established at the Savoy Theatre in London during the premiere of each Gilbert & Sullivan production, we ask you to join us in singing God Save the Queen before each performance of The Gondoliers.

S

God save our gracious Queen, Long live our noble Queen, God save the Queen: Send her victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us: God save the Queen.

S Queen Victoria