SHOWS AnD HISTORY
About Us
The West Virginia Charleston Light Opera Guild was founded in 1949 by area vocal teachers and a relocated former professional singer and actor, Leonard Stocker. The first production was HMS Pinafore. Early productions were operettas.
The Guild is a community theatre that strives to present quality classic, new, and cutting edge musical theatre to local area audiences at affordable prices and to provide an outlet for nurturing the talents of singers, actors, dancers, musicians, stage hands and crew, and behind the scenes volunteers.
As of the 2018 season, the Guild had produced 229 shows of 146 unique titles in it's 68-year history.
A production of Oklahoma! in 1960 introduced the Broadway musical.
All cast members are chosen in open auditions by the show directors and an audition committee.
Annually, Guild productions provide performance opportunities for over 200 singers, actors, dancers, orchestra members, and crew.
Over 14,000 audience members view a Guild production each year and co-productions with the Clay Center enable another 2,400 students to attend a performance.
Productions are mounted in the Charleston Civic Center Little Theatre, the Clay Center's Maier Performance Hall, Norman L. Fagan State Theatre at the Cultural Center, and at our own Charleston Light Opera Guild Theatre.
The Charleston Light Opera Guild owns and maintains its own theatre and workshop where costumes are stored, some sets are built, productions are rehearsed, and some smaller summer musicals are presented.
The Guild has an active summer theatre program that is nearly fifty years old. Summer theatre is (mostly) designed for older high school and college age students plus young adults.
The first Guild African–American musical, The Wiz, was mounted thirty years ago.
The Guild is governed by an elected Board of Directors and a contracted artistic and musical director.
The Guild has mounted a new production for FestivALL Charleston since FestivALL's origin in 2005.
The Guild credits many working professionals in theatre, dance, music and production among its alumni including Jennifer Garner, Kathy Mattea, Ann Magnuson, and Joe Chrest.
A gala benefit show and reception was hosted by Golden Globe winning actress and Guild alumna Jennifer Garner during the FestivALL 2009 production of Thoroughly Modern Millie at the Charleston Civic Center. The Charleston Light Opera Guild presented The Civil War at the Culture Center in June 2013 as part of the West Virginia Sesquicentennial Commission's official commemoration of West Virginia's 150th birthday. Guest artists included West Virginia native and noted actor David Selby who appeared as Abraham Lincoln on June 20 and Mountain Stage host Larry Groce. In February 2014 the Guild recognized 40 years of continual summer theatre for teens and young adults by reprising the first summer theatre production, Godspell. Many original cast members were present including Grammy winner and honoree Kathy Mattea.
The Charleston Light Opera Guild is the recipient of the Mayor's Award for the Arts, the 2016 Arts to the Max Award from Charleston Area Alliance and an award for Excellence in Support of the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts Organization Leadership Recognition presented at the 2016 Governor's Arts Awards.
Proceeds from ticket sales only cover a small portion of the cost of producing a musical. The Guild is very grateful for sponsorships, grants, and donations.
The Charleston Light Opera Guild was honored as the recipient of the Arts Organization of the Year at the 2018 Governor's Awards for the Arts.
Selected Early Show Photos
Show History
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Production
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
The Addams Family
Anything Goes
Bridges of Madison County
Sister Act
A Christmas Story
Jesus Christ Superstar
Beauty and the Beast
The Wiz
Spamalot
A Christmas Story
Mary Poppins
Cabaret
La Cage aux Folles
Into the Woods
Miracle on 34th Street
Fiddler on the Roof
The Wedding Singer
Catch Me If You Can
9 to 5: The Musical
Godspell
Les Misérables
Chicago
The Civil War
Evita
Hello, Dolly!
Legally Blonde
Next to Normal
The Color Purple
Annie
Hairspray
Thoroughly Modern Millie
The Drowsy Chaperone
Dreamgirls
Hair
Barnum
Gypsy
Pirates of Penzance
Peter Pan
Rent
Curtains
South Pacific
HMS Pinafore
The Producers
Grease
Pump Boys and Dinettes
A Chorus Line
Cinderella
High School Musical
They're Playing Our Song
Ragtime
Into The Woods
Guys and Dolls
1940's Radio Hour
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Beauty and the Beast
Anything Goes
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
The Wiz
The Sound of Music
Seussical
Little Shop of Horrors
Pippin
The Music Man
Babes In Arms
Smokey Joe's Cafe
1776
Chicago
Footloose
Tintypes
Annie
42nd Street
Fame
The Fantasticks
A Little Night Music
The Gift of the Magi
Fiddler On The Roof
Grease
Kiss Me, Kate
Peter Pan
A Chorus Line
Follies
Man Of La Mancha
Li'l Abner
The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas
Gypsy
The Sound of Music
Pippin
Hello, Dolly!
La Cage Aux Folles
Company
Cinderella
The Will Rogers Follies
Showboat
She Loves Me
Ain't Misbehavin'
Mame
Damn Yankees
The Goodbye Girl
Godspell
Dreamgirls
My Fair Lady
I Do, I Do
Annie
Guys and Dolls
Sugar
Into The Woods
Funny Girl
A Chorus Line
South Pacific
Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Gypsy
Pump Boys and Dinettes
Oklahoma!
Cabaret
Jerry's Girls
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum
Fiddler On The Roof
Anything Goes
The Robber Bridegroom
Leader Of The Pack
Evita
42nd Street
Little Shop of Horrors
Pippin
The Music Man
Sweet Charity
Grease
Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Annie Get Your Gun
The Wiz
A Chorus Line
Something's Afoot
Barnum
The Sound of Music
Life After High School
They're Playing Our Song
Guys and Dolls
Company
Annie
Rodgers and Hart
Carousel
Pirates of Penzance
The Apple Tree
Man of La Mancha
Chicago
On a Clear Day
Babes in Arms
The King and I
Grease
Cabaret
Diamond Studs
Unsinkable Molly Brown
Pippin
Side by Side by Sondheim
Li'l Abner
My Fair Lady
Oliver
Fiddler On The Roof
Shenandoah
How to Succeed In Business
Brigadoon
The Music Man
Jacques Brel
Promises, Promises
I Do, I Do
Gypsy
1776
Company
Godspell
Man of La Mancha
Applause
No, No, Nanette
Cabaret
Wildcat
Guys and Dolls
Fiddler on the Roof
Oklahoma!
Your Own Thing
Mame
Showboat
Most Happy Fella
Spoon River Anthology
Little Mary Sunshine
Ten Nights In A Bar Room
Hello, Dolly
West Side Story
Oliver!
South Pacific
Camelot
How To Succeed In Business
Kiss Me, Kate
My Fair Lady
The Music Man
The Sound of Music
Kismet
Damn Yankees
Carousel
Guys and Dolls
Brigadoon
Annie Get Your Gun
The King and I
South Pacific
Oklahoma!
The Firefly
Oh, Kay
Ruddigore
HMS Pinafore
Where's Charley
Countess Maritza
Mikado
Girl Crazy
Roberta
Carousel
No, No, Nanette
New Moon
Patience
Naughty Marietta
Pirates of Penzance
Red Mill
Chocolate Soldier
Mikado
Sweethearts
Gondoliers
HMS Pinafore