Call for Directors and Music Directors
For our 2025-2026 season, the Victorian Lyric Opera Company will be presenting “The Zoo/Trial by Jury”, a Johann Strauss 200th Birthday Gala, “The Elixir of Love”, and “Patience”. All performances will be held at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville MD.
Individuals interested in directing for VLOC this coming season are invited to fill out the application below and send us your resume and a cover letter indicating the show(s) and position for which you would like to be considered. Prospective stage directors should also prepare a one-page treatment for the production desired.
We plan to schedule interviews with the Artistic Committee of the VLOC board in late April. Please respond to the form below, and we will be in touch as soon as possible. Thank you for your interest in working with the Victorian Lyric Opera Company.
Individuals interested in directing for VLOC this coming season are invited to fill out the application below and send us your resume and a cover letter indicating the show(s) and position for which you would like to be considered. Prospective stage directors should also prepare a one-page treatment for the production desired.
We plan to schedule interviews with the Artistic Committee of the VLOC board in late April. Please respond to the form below, and we will be in touch as soon as possible. Thank you for your interest in working with the Victorian Lyric Opera Company.
Please submit your application by April 11, 2025
"Trial by Jury" (by Gilbert & Sullivan) and "The Zoo" (Sullivan & Stephenson)
(in concert; semi-staged with dialogue)
Performances at F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater, September 5-7, 2025
Stage Director ... $500
(Music direction by Joseph Sorge)
Synopsis: Trial by Jury
Angelina is suing Edwin for breach of promise, claiming that he has broken his word to marry her. In his own defense, Edwin argues that it is unfair to punish him for loving one girl one day and, borecd with her, loving another the next. However, sight of this beautiful girl overcome by emotion and greatly distressed quickly captures the hears of the "impartial" jury. In an attempt to resolve the matter, Edwin offers to marry both girls but his suggestion is rejected. Faced with substantial damages, Edwin claims to be a drunkard and a bully and worth very little financially. Ultimately the judge becomes impatient with the whole affair and declares he will marry Angelina himself and the case is closed.
Synopsis: The Zoo
The farcical story concerns two pairs of lovers. First, Thomas Brown, a nobleman disguised as a commoner, goes to the zoo to woo Eliza, who sells snacks there. He tries to impress her by buying and eating all of her food. The other couple is a young chemist Aesclepius Carboy who believes that he has poisoned his beloved Laetitia by mixing up her father's prescription with peppermint that he had meant for her and wishes to kill himself. Laetitia's father comes looking for her. She begs her father to let her marry Aesclepius but he refuses. Then, Thomas Brown re-appears out of disguise and saves the day.
Stage Director ... $500
(Music direction by Joseph Sorge)
Synopsis: Trial by Jury
Angelina is suing Edwin for breach of promise, claiming that he has broken his word to marry her. In his own defense, Edwin argues that it is unfair to punish him for loving one girl one day and, borecd with her, loving another the next. However, sight of this beautiful girl overcome by emotion and greatly distressed quickly captures the hears of the "impartial" jury. In an attempt to resolve the matter, Edwin offers to marry both girls but his suggestion is rejected. Faced with substantial damages, Edwin claims to be a drunkard and a bully and worth very little financially. Ultimately the judge becomes impatient with the whole affair and declares he will marry Angelina himself and the case is closed.
Synopsis: The Zoo
The farcical story concerns two pairs of lovers. First, Thomas Brown, a nobleman disguised as a commoner, goes to the zoo to woo Eliza, who sells snacks there. He tries to impress her by buying and eating all of her food. The other couple is a young chemist Aesclepius Carboy who believes that he has poisoned his beloved Laetitia by mixing up her father's prescription with peppermint that he had meant for her and wishes to kill himself. Laetitia's father comes looking for her. She begs her father to let her marry Aesclepius but he refuses. Then, Thomas Brown re-appears out of disguise and saves the day.
"The Elixir of Love" by Gaetano Donizetti and Felice Romani (fully staged in English)
Performances at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater Performances February 27, 28, March 1 & March 6-8, 2026
Stage Director ... $1500
Assistant Stage Director ... $750
Assistant Music Director ... $750
(Music direction by Joseph Sorge)
Synopsis: "The Elixir of Love" tells the story of Nemorino, a poor young man deeply in love with the wealthy and beautiful Adina, who is largely indifferent to him; desperate to win her affection, he buys a supposed "love potion" from a traveling quack doctor, Dulcamara, which is actually just cheap wine. This leads to a series of comedic misunderstandings that ultimately reveals Adina's true feelings for Nemorino as she realizes his sincerity, despite the fake potion.
Stage Director ... $1500
Assistant Stage Director ... $750
Assistant Music Director ... $750
(Music direction by Joseph Sorge)
Synopsis: "The Elixir of Love" tells the story of Nemorino, a poor young man deeply in love with the wealthy and beautiful Adina, who is largely indifferent to him; desperate to win her affection, he buys a supposed "love potion" from a traveling quack doctor, Dulcamara, which is actually just cheap wine. This leads to a series of comedic misunderstandings that ultimately reveals Adina's true feelings for Nemorino as she realizes his sincerity, despite the fake potion.
"Patience" by Gilbert & Sullivan (fully staged)
Performances June 5-7 & 12-14, 2026 at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater
Stage Director ... $1500
Assistant Stage Director ... $750
Music Director ... $1500
Assistant Music Director ... $750
Synopsis: In Gilbert and Sullivan's "Patience," a satire on the Aesthetic Movement of the 1880s, a group of fashionable young women become obsessed with two poet-aesthetes, Bunthorne (the "fleshly" poet) and Grosvenor (the "idyllic" poet), while completely overlooking the simple milkmaid, Patience, who is the true object of their affections. The plot revolves around the women's infatuation with the poets' aesthetic ideals, ultimately leading to chaos and comical misunderstandings as they fight for their love, while Patience remains unmoved by their superficiality and desires a genuine connection.
Stage Director ... $1500
Assistant Stage Director ... $750
Music Director ... $1500
Assistant Music Director ... $750
Synopsis: In Gilbert and Sullivan's "Patience," a satire on the Aesthetic Movement of the 1880s, a group of fashionable young women become obsessed with two poet-aesthetes, Bunthorne (the "fleshly" poet) and Grosvenor (the "idyllic" poet), while completely overlooking the simple milkmaid, Patience, who is the true object of their affections. The plot revolves around the women's infatuation with the poets' aesthetic ideals, ultimately leading to chaos and comical misunderstandings as they fight for their love, while Patience remains unmoved by their superficiality and desires a genuine connection.
