The Light Opera Group of the Negev (LOGON) is a non-profit organization comprising an enthusiastic group of amateur singers and actors bent on producing a performance equal to that of professional companies. The group was formed in 1981 when it performed a short operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan, Trial by Jury, for local Omer audiences. Such was the success of this first venture that the group decided to proceed with the full length operetta Ruddigore. By the mid eighties LOGON had expanded to perform in all major cities in Israel. For the first few years all operettas were of Gilbert and Sullivan origin because these composers seem to provide the perfect combination of comedy, satire and catchy melodies admired by audiences all over the English speaking world. However, in 1990 LOGON ventured further to produce Offenbach's La Belle Helene, and in 1993 The Merry Widow by Franz Lehar was well received. After returning to G & S in 1994 and 1995 LOGON took the plunge and staged a full musical Fiddler on the Roof. Following sold out theaters for most performances the decision was made to continue in the same vein. So far the group has presented Oklahoma! , The Most Happy Fella, The Pajama Game, Carousel, The Music Man, Singin' in the Rain, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Our show in 2004 was the 1999 Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun, followed in 2005 by Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate, both of which we performed to sold out houses in several venues. For 2006 another popular Cole Porter show has been chosen - Anything Goes and this year we are doing Hello, Dolly!. The Musical and Artistic Director and choreographers are professional, and lighting and sound are also provided by a professional team. Although hard-core LOGONites include a few native Israelis and other nationalities, most of the members are from Anglo-Saxon countries, and rehearsals, as well as performances, are in English. Pretty much everyone on stage (and behind the scenes) is "something else" in real life - a doctor, a librarian, an English teacher, the manager of a kibbutz factory. Do they get paid for their efforts? On the contrary, they all pay membership dues for the privilege of rehearsing two, three, four, and five times a week and giving a hand building the scenery, too!
At the end of each performance, when the audience are wending their way home, all the members of the company help to dismantle the stage and load up the lorry with the scenery and equipment. It can be up to two hours after a performance is finished before the cast boards the bus to return to the Negev, arriving in the wee hours knowing that they have to get up to work in the morning.
The Director of Hello, Dolly! is Helen Eleasari, who directed several LOGON productions, including Fiddler on the Roof. The Musical Director continues to be David Waldman who has held this position for the last 10 years. His system of live musicians and playbacks combine to give a very professional background to the singers. The choreography will be arranged by the mother & daughter team of Adinah and Keshet Margalit.
LOGON is the only English-speaking amateur group that travels around the country with its shows. Apart from those in Beer Sheva, all the performances in the other cities are used by various charity groups as fund raising events. LOGON performs its shows in Tel-Aviv, Netanya, Haifa, Jerusalem and Kfar Saba. Click here for a list of this year's venues.
LOGON could not exist without the help of our dear friends. To learn more about them, click here. To learn how you can become a LOGON supportor, click here.
Click here to meet the cast and crew of 2007. For further information about the group over the years, read the book about LOGON, The Stage is Our World.
Our contact information:
The Light Opera Group of the Negev
POB 3311
Beer Sheva
Tel: 08-6414081
E-mail: light_opera@yahoo.com
Webmistress: lightopera@walla.co.il