By Jennifer R. Demuth
Each year approximately 22,000 people make the journey to the Freedlander Theatre on The College of Wooster’s campus (located at 329 E. University Street, Wooster) to take in theatrical performances like no other available in Ohio and, in many cases, even across the United States. Known as Ohio Light Opera, the resident professional company of The College of Wooster, the company regularly performs the entire Gilbert and Sullivan repertoire, as well as rarely performed American, British, and continental operettas of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
With a performing season that starts in mid-June and continues through mid-August, Ohio Light Opera isn’t the long, drawn-out and difficult to understand opera style that one can see portrayed in the movies. In fact, British theatre critic Richard Morris, of The Schubert Institute, wrote the following about the Ohio Light Opera: “This is not a local ‘operatic’ society churning out an annual production...but a serious attempt to preserve an authentic operetta tradition. The new translation made it very easy to keep up with the complicated comings and goings of the plot.”
This summer, as part of the company’s 31st season, theatre lovers have through August 8 to view a spectacular matinee or evening performance of Fiddler on the Roof, Of Thee I Sing, Mlle. Modiste, H.M.S. Pinafore or The Lass That Loved a Sailor, Ruddigore or The Witch’s Curse, The Beautiful Helen of Troy, and A Night in Venice. All performances are expertly portrayed by professional cast and orchestra members who have been recruited from a national tour. Ohio Light Opera’s artistic staff traveled to eight states to listen to vocal talent during a 10-day audition tour. “People are often very impressed with the talent,” explained Sarah Warrick, business and sales manager for Ohio Light Opera. “Many local people do not realize that we recruit from all over or that our designers are also professional and may have traveled from another state to design just for Ohio Light Opera that season.”
Of course, performing numerous shows across three months is certainly challenging for the professionals. “We perform in revolving repertoire fashion, meaning once a show opens it stays open for the entire season,” shared Warrick. “By the end of the season all seven shows are rotating. This puts enormous pressure on cast members who may be in six of the seven shows...imagine keeping lines, dance moves and costumes straight when you are in a different show every day, sometimes two shows a day!”
The results of Ohio Light Opera’s hard work and dedication to quality performances are known worldwide as the company has produced numerous recordings, usually recorded live in performance. Many of the recordings have received favorable reviews from Fanfare and other music magazines. “Ohio Light Opera has produced the only complete CD recordings of many rare works, making our CD sales and ticket sales international,” noted Warrick.
Ohio Light Opera certainly fulfills its mission “to promote, produce, and preserve the best operettas ever written, and to do them in traditional settings.” Lovers of theatre and music are sure to enjoy Ohio Light Opera’s performances. To get tickets for this year’s productions, call 330-263-2345. For those who can’t get there this summer, visit the Ohio Light Opera Web site at http://olo.wooster.edu for more information and to learn about the summer 2010 season.
