The BCC Theatre will present "Too Many Sopranos," a one-act student-directed opera, at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, on the stage of the Barton Community College Fine Arts Auditorium.

The opera will be presented in black-box style with the audience seated onstage. The audience will enter through the stage door located in the hallway leading left from the Fine Arts Office. Students will be admitted free. Admission for the general public is $5. Tickets will be available only at the door.

Although it is called an opera, this production is not what most people may think of as opera. "We don’t want the word ‘opera’ to scare people," said Barton theatre director Erin Renard. "This is a comedic opera, very light, and all in English."

The production is a student project supported by the Theatre Department. "In a community college environment, we like to encourage our students to create," Renard said. "If they have a dream, we want to support them." For this production, Ellinwood freshman John Radenberg is the director.

In the opera, three Divas arrive in heaven to learn there is not enough room for all of them in the Heavenly Chorus. Because too many tenors and basses are in Hell, only one of the sopranos will be allowed into the chorus. The sopranos are appalled that they must audition, but they submit. After their impressive auditions, St. Peter can make no decision. Gabriel therefore mentions the Redemptions Clause: If the sopranos go to Hell and do a selfless deed, they can take back to Heaven as many tenors and basses as needed.

The cast members are: David Burdett as St. Peter; Rose Radenberg, Dame Doleful; Carmen Burrow, Madame Pompous; Joanne Stacey, Just Jeanette; Ben Gregg, Nelson Deadly; Chason Lueth, Enrico Carouser; Cody Clark, Unnamed Bass; John Radenberg, Orson; Ashley Dowgwillo, Sandman; and Grady Bolding, Gabriel. Music director is Jeri Hill-Harder and stage manager is Kristina Wagner.

For more information, contact Barton’s Fine Arts Office, 620-792-9391.