My name is Liz and I’ve been with Opera-Lytes since 2020, when I was first cast in The Man With a Load of Mischief. I’ve been singing Gilbert and Sullivan almost as long as I could speak. I was that super cool kid who grew up watching Golden Age musicals and singing along with my mom’s G&S CDs.

I am beyond excited about The Merry Widow because the music is so gorgeous and so much fun to sing—like G&S, it’s complicated and clever. Valencienne is such a great character because she’s a Real Housewife of Petrovenia—she’s haughty and proud, but so insecure about Camille and his declarations of love.

My favorite song might be the Grisettes number in Act 3; it’s sassy and flirty, although I may change my mind when I have to dance at the same time!

One of the great things about community theater is how everything comes together and how each person gets to bring their passion to life. We’re there because we love doing what we get to do and that creates a wholly unique experience.

Bo started with Opera-lytes in 1997 in Iolanthe. Here's his take on his latest role: Niegus is the attaché or the assistant to Baron Zeta. He’s quite formal and everything he does is very official… like a sophisticated Jeeves. He seems to know every-thing that’s going on in the background of The Merry Widow. He has to put up with his oblivious Baron, who just doesn’t quite get that his wife is having an affair behind his back! But Njegus would never do anything to hurt the Baron and is there to make sure everything runs smoothly.

One of my favorite songs is "Tres Parisian," where Njegus comes up—top hat and cane, very formal—and all of a sudden shows he’s suave… quite Parisian. It’s just such a fun song!

I’ve been with Opera-Lytes since 2019, when I played Yum Yum in The Mikado. This year, I’m thrilled to take on the role of Hanna in The Merry Widow! What I love about Hanna is her courage—she expresses her emotions through music without ever losing her humor. She has so many beautiful songs, each special in its own way. One of my favorites is Vilja, a touching tale about a wild woodland spirit and a huntsman.

This show is full of vibrant dance music and hilarious moments of misunderstanding that make it a joy for audiences to experience. Community theater like this brings people together and adds a spark of joy to everyday life. I'm so grateful to share the stage with such an incredible cast and crew!

Chris Castleman aS Camille de Rosillon

Camille is a Frenchman who is head over heels in love with Valencienne, the wife of the Petrovenian ambassador. When he writes an indiscreet note on her fan, he nearly destroys the Petrovenian economy!

Chris joined Opera-Lytes for last fall's production of Gilbert and Sullivan's "HMS Pinafore," playing the love-sick lad Ralph Rackstraw. Chris reflects: “From my very first rehearsal for Pinafore, I was struck by the collective passion and community exhibited by everyone.”

Returning for his second Opera-Lytes role, Chris feels that he continues to grow as a singer and performer. He would like to thank the members of Opera-Lytes for the excitement and support they bring to every production.

I started with Opera-Lytes last Fall in the chorus of HMS Pinafore. Now, I'm playing the romantic lead, Danilo Danilovich. Danilo has a playboy aspect to him—he's always going to Maxim's nightclub and he has multiple mistresses—that's a different aspect to this character that I didn't experience in my previous acting roles. He knows that he's in love with Hanna the whole time, but claims he can't tell her 'I love you.' He's just pretending that he doesn't care, like he's too cool for love.

The fun thing about The Merry Widow is that you know exactly what's happening the whole time but the characters pretend like nothing is happening. Also, you know it’s a good show when the music gets stuck in your head, and that's exactly the case for The Merry Widow.

Ken started with Opera-Lytes in 1999 and has been in 17 of our Gilbert and Sullivan productions! Ken was in our first production of The Merry Widow as Njegus, the assistant to Baron Zeta (who was played by Alan Creech, someone Ken respects and admires). Twenty-five years later, things have come full circle with Ken playing the Baron. Ken would like to shout out his son Luke, a lifelong G&S fan, with whom he has done three Gilbert and Sullivan shows (so far...) at Opera-Lytes.