Join Us

The Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company is an exciting, fun and rewarding way of life to its members.  The only way it could be any better is if you, too, got involved.  If you think the company might be right for you, check out the answers to the questions below and then click at the bottom of the page to get things started.

WHEN AND WHERE DO YOU REHEARSE?  We rehearse on Tuesday nights and Thursday nights at the Chatterton School in Merrick; most weeks, most people are called for one or the other, but not both.

WHEN AND WHERE ARE YOUR PERFORMANCES?  Our performances are almost always on weekends—typically Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons—though occasionally a weeknight slips in.  We never perform daytime shows during the week.  Our main productions have performances between April and July; our revue shows are offered year-round.  As to location, we do shows from Manhattan to Montauk, but our core turf is Nassau and Suffolk County.  There aren’t many places on the Island where we haven’t performed … and we’re sure to get to them sooner or later.

IS THERE AN AUDITION?  There’s a simple and fairly straightforward audition for membership in the company, and a more substantial one if you’re looking for a principal role.  CLICK HERE to learn more about our audition process.

WHAT IF I’M NOT A SINGER?  Many of our members had never performed publicly before joining up.  That you aren’t a singer doesn’t mean that you can’t be a singer; give it a try, and you’ll likely be amazed at what you can do.  There are different levels of talent, though, and some people are better suited for the chorus than for principal parts—or, perhaps, better for offstage work in our tech crews or support personnel.  There’s nobody whom we can’t find a place for if they share our love for music, theater and Gilbert & Sullivan.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BE A MEMBER?  Members pay for their own scores (in most cases) and transportation, and may be asked to purchase basic costume and makeup items (a black shirt, for example, or pancake makeup) if they don’t already have them.  There’s no other cost involved.