This summer Mission Opera is happy to present a live outdoor operetta in one-act on June 5, 6, 12, and 13, in Santa Clarita.

Rarely performed, ‘Le 66’ is a French comedic operetta written in 1856 by composer Jacques Offenbach. Mission Opera will present the show with its original French libretto (with English dialogue) on Saturday, June 5 and Saturday, June 12 at 6:00 p.m. On Sunday, June 6 and Sunday, June 13 at 6:00 p.m. performances will be conducted in an all-English translation. All shows will take place outdoors in the private parking lot of Santa Clarita United Methodist Church.

“This show is just a fun and funny good time and that’s something we ALL need after this pandemic,” says Mission Opera Co-founder, performer and Board of Directors member Shawn Taylor. Each Le 66 presentation will begin with a pre-show featuring arias performed by up-and-coming local singers. The entire performance will last 1 hour and 20 minutes, including a 10 minute intermission.

Speaking of the pandemic and its related concerns, Mission Opera Artistic Director Dr. Joshua R. Wentz adds “I wanted to find a comedy that featured a very few number of singers, to ensure safety and that COVID protocols could be in place so everyone feels protected.”

For enhanced safety measures, Le 66 has only 3 singers and will be presented with piano only, not the typical full orchestra that Mission Opera has come to be known for. CDC protocols at the time of the show will be strictly followed, and face masks will be required at all times in the performing space.

For those unable to attend in person, the June 13 show will be streamed on Facebook Live at 6:00 p.m.

Synopsis
The story centers around two traveling German musicians who get lost as they are going to help a distant cousin. On the road, they meet a pedlar on the road who sells them a lottery ticket – with the winning number 66. When their luck turns, they do some pretty unusual things until fate snaps them back to reality.

Tickets
General admission tickets for the live show are $20 and can be purchased at www.missionopera.com or through Brown Paper Tickets at https://le66.brownpapertickets.com/.

Student and Senior tickets available for $15 with ID at the box office.

Concessions and merchandise will be sold before the show and during intermission.

Tickets to the streaming show are $4.99 and sold exclusively through Facebook, for the June 13 livestream. Visit www.facebook.com/missionopera for more details.

The Performers
Alba Franco-Cancel as Grittley (Saturdays)

Chris Hunter as Franz (Saturdays)

Gabriel Manro as Berthold (Saturdays)

Jessie Massoudi as Grittley (Sundays)

Shawn Taylor as Franz (Sundays)

Aaron Ball as Berthold (Sundays)

Jamie Sanderson (cover)

The Creative Team

Dr. Joshua R. Wentz, artistic director

Galina Barskaya, musical director

Shawn Taylor, scenic designer

Jerry Rhodes, lighting designer

Aaron Miller, sound designer

Brandon Coprich, costume designer

Zenith Hyden-Soffer, technician/intern

Performance Dates and Times
There will be four performances of Le 66 presented by Mission Opera at Santa Clarita United Methodist Church, located at 26640 Bouquet Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, 91350.

– Saturday, June 5, 2021 at 6:00 PM – sung in French with English dialogue

– Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 6:00 PM – sung in English with English dialogue

– Saturday, June 12, 2021 at 6:00 PM – sung in French with English dialogue

– Sunday, June 13, 2021 at 6:00 PM – sung in English with French dialogue

For additional information about Mission Opera contact Joshua Wentz at (661) 347-8270.

Find Mission Opera on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/missionopera/

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/mission.opera/

Website: www.missionopera.com