Incorporated in May 2024, Great Lakes Operetta (GLO) produces musical theater works of the operetta genre (also known as light opera, comic opera, or lyrical theater, amongst other monikers), re-imagined for contemporary audiences. GLO performs at various venues within the city of Chicago, along the North Shore, and elsewhere within the greater Chicago area.

Operetta is a hugely underrated genre which, just 80 or so years ago, was the pop music of its day. Its influence on modern musical theater cannot be overestimated. The genre is a treasure trove of great theatrical and historical interest…and simply fabulous music! To learn more about the genre, visit our About Operetta page.

Great Lakes Operetta is a Not-For-Profit Corporation and is registered as a Charitable Organization with the Illinois Attorney General. Great Lakes Operetta is a tax exempt organization under IRC Section 501(c)(3) and a public charity under IRC Section 509(a)(2).

SarahAnn Sutter is a singer, dancer, actor, costumer, choreographer, director, and the Co-Founder of Great Lakes Operetta. An operetta aficionado since the age of 6 (when she first watched the 1935 film version of Victor Herbert's Naughty Marietta), she is honored to serve as the Artistic Director of an organization she first dreamt of forming a decade ago. While a massive Gilbert & Sullivan fan since the age of 10, her favorite operetta is a tie between Lehar's Die Lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow) and Kalman's Czardas Fürstin (Czardas Lady). SarahAnn holds an MBA in Information Technology & Strategic Management from the University of North Texas, where she also studied voice and operatic directing.

SarahAnn Sutter
(she/her)

Artistic Director | Co-Founder | Secretary

SarahAnn Sutter is a singer, dancer, actor, costumer, choreographer, director, and the Co-Founder of Great Lakes Operetta. An operetta aficionado since the age of 6 (when she first watched the 1935 film version of Victor Herbert's Naughty Marietta), she is honored to serve as the Artistic Director of an organization she first dreamt of forming a decade ago. While a massive Gilbert & Sullivan fan since the age of 10, her favorite operetta is a tie between Lehar's Die Lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow) and Kalman's Czardas Fürstin (Czardas Lady). SarahAnn holds an MBA in Information Technology & Strategic Management from the University of North Texas, where she also studied voice and operatic directing.

Kristin Weed is an actress, singer, playwright, director, producer and the Co-Founder of Great Lakes Operetta. She is passionate about creating opportunities for artists in Chicago. She is honored to serve as Executive Director of the organization fulfilling a lifelong dream. Her favorite operetta is Gondoliers because she loves the light-hearted comedy and beautiful music of the show.

Kristin Weed
(she/her)

Executive Director | Co-Founder | President

Kristin Weed is an actress, singer, playwright, director, producer and the Co-Founder of Great Lakes Operetta. She is passionate about creating opportunities for artists in Chicago. She is honored to serve as Executive Director of the organization fulfilling a lifelong dream. Her favorite operetta is Gondoliers because she loves the light-hearted comedy and beautiful music of the show.

Eunice Ayodele is an active soloist in the Chicagoland Area. As an avid consumer of all things historical, Eunice takes pride in learning all she can from both music and ancient history. Currently, Eunice serves on the Board at GLO and is a part of the Tech Committee. Due to her obsession with French Grand Opera, her favorite operetta can easily be identified as La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein (The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein) . It's a delightful piece that incorporates everything that makes staged music great. Betrayal, love, and a girlie who can't catch a break. What more could you ask for!

Eunice Ayodele
(she/her)

Chair, Marketing & Tech Committee | Board Director

Eunice Ayodele is an active soloist in the Chicagoland Area. As an avid consumer of all things historical, Eunice takes pride in learning all she can from both music and ancient history. Currently, Eunice serves on the Board at GLO and is a part of the Tech Committee. Due to her obsession with French Grand Opera, her favorite operetta can easily be identified as La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein (The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein) . It's a delightful piece that incorporates everything that makes staged music great. Betrayal, love, and a girlie who can't catch a break. What more could you ask for!

Lindsey Baer, one of the founding Directors of GLO, is active as a singer, pianist, instructor, director, accompanist and vocal coach in the Chicagoland area. She has been a member of NSMTA for over 10 years and has served as Assistant Music Director and Chorus Master for the Savoyaires in Evanston for over 15 years. As a singer, a small fraction of her credits includes Zweite Dame in Die Zauberflöte (New Jersey Opera), Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lyric Opera of Kansas City), Dorabella in Così fan tutte (Peninsula Music Festival). Lindsey has sung in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to Chicago’s WFMT studios. She earned a Master of Music in Voice at Northwestern University, and has a particular love for the operetta music of Victor Herbert.

Lindsey Baer
(she/her)

Finance Committee | Board Director

Lindsey Baer, one of the founding Directors of GLO, is active as a singer, pianist, instructor, director, accompanist and vocal coach in the Chicagoland area. She has been a member of NSMTA for over 10 years and has served as Assistant Music Director and Chorus Master for the Savoyaires in Evanston for over 15 years. As a singer, a small fraction of her credits includes Zweite Dame in Die Zauberflöte (New Jersey Opera), Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lyric Opera of Kansas City), Dorabella in Così fan tutte (Peninsula Music Festival). Lindsey has sung in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to Chicago’s WFMT studios. She earned a Master of Music in Voice at Northwestern University, and has a particular love for the operetta music of Victor Herbert.

Jack W. Ellis leads a double life as both an operatic bass-baritone, and as a chanteuse in the Chicago cabaret scene. Jack has been seen around the Chicagoland-area in productions with The Savoyaires, Roosevelt University, Chicago Summer Opera, CSO’s Symphony Center, and at Davenport’s Cabaret and Piano Bar. Mx. Ellis’s favorite operetta is either Victor Herbert’s Sweethearts, or Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Gondoliers. Jack is honored and excited to join the Board of Directors for Great Lakes Operetta.

Jack W. Ellis
(they/them)

Marketing & Tech Committee | Board Director

Jack W. Ellis leads a double life as both an operatic bass-baritone, and as a chanteuse in the Chicago cabaret scene. Jack has been seen around the Chicagoland-area in productions with The Savoyaires, Roosevelt University, Chicago Summer Opera, CSO’s Symphony Center, and at Davenport’s Cabaret and Piano Bar. Mx. Ellis’s favorite operetta is either Victor Herbert’s Sweethearts, or Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Gondoliers. Jack is honored and excited to join the Board of Directors for Great Lakes Operetta.

Isabel Schmitz graduated from UChicago with a degree in Music and Human Development. Recent credits include chorus in Murder in the Cathedral at City Lit Theater, Ensemble in The Gondoliers (The Savoyaires), Zweite Knabe in Die Zauberflöte and Despina role study in Così fan tutte (BOA), Ensemble in HMS Pinafore (Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company), Chorus in Suor Angelica (Music on Site), Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro (AAMA Salzburg). Isabel also teaches voice and piano, and has worked as a vocal director for several UChicago student theater productions.

Isabel Schmitz
(she/her)

Chair, Finance Committee | Board Director

Isabel Schmitz graduated from UChicago with a degree in Music and Human Development. Recent credits include chorus in Murder in the Cathedral at City Lit Theater, Ensemble in The Gondoliers (The Savoyaires), Zweite Knabe in Die Zauberflöte and Despina role study in Così fan tutte (BOA), Ensemble in HMS Pinafore (Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company), Chorus in Suor Angelica (Music on Site), Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro (AAMA Salzburg). Isabel also teaches voice and piano, and has worked as a vocal director for several UChicago student theater productions.

Conductor and opera singer Tierra Whetstone enjoys the state of excitement that comes upon others when a song is involved. Tierra holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from North Park University, where she studied conducting and voice. Tierra has had the honor to perform and collaborate with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Savannah Philharmonic, the Evanston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Fringe Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Thompson Street Opera, and the Elgin Symphony Orchestra. Tierra is now on her 5th season as the assistant conductor for the North Shore Choral Society.

Tierra Whetstone
(she/her)

Production Committee | Board Director

Conductor and opera singer Tierra Whetstone enjoys the state of excitement that comes upon others when a song is involved. Tierra holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from North Park University, where she studied conducting and voice. Tierra has had the honor to perform and collaborate with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Savannah Philharmonic, the Evanston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Fringe Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Thompson Street Opera, and the Elgin Symphony Orchestra. Tierra is now on her 5th season as the assistant conductor for the North Shore Choral Society.

Debra Hatchett

Special Advisor | Fundraising Committee

Jennifer King Russell

Special Advisor | Production Committee

Eugenia Bouboudakis

Production Committee

Jade Dashá

Marketing Committee

Cassandra Ward

Finance Committee