By Audrey Wade, general assignment reporter

 While the music and drama departments at Friends University are often busy with new shows, they are rarely busy with an operetta. And that is exactly what was performed Nov. 13 and 14.

In a One Act performance, "Le Docteur Miracle" showed a quick hour of laughter and music. It was first written and performed in France in 1857 by French composer Georges Bizet. Since then it has been translated into the English, which the operetta was performed in.

Set in the city of Padua, the humorous operetta focuses on the family of the Mayor. The Mayor, his wife Veronique, and his daughter Lauretta, are awakened by the racket of the quack Dr. Miracle who is actually Captain Silvio. Captain Silvio dresses as Pasquin, a servant, in order to become close to the lovely Lauretta.

It is quickly established that Lauretta is in love with Captain Silvio and that her father disagrees with her desires. In order to see Lauretta, Captain Silvio dresses as the servant Pasquin and offers to work for the family. Pasquin serves a terrible omelet to the family though only the Mayor actually eats it.

Just after the omelet incident the Mayor and Veronique go for a walk leaving Pasquin alone with Lauretta. It is then that he reveals himself to her as Captain Silvio and not the bumbling Pasquin. After the young couple makes plans to elope, the Mayor and Veronique discover the Captain Silvio and banish him from their home.

Captain Silvio sends a message to the Mayor telling him that he poisoned the omelet and in desperation, the Mayor calls for Dr. Miracle to find a way to heal him. Dr. Miracle, Captain Silvio in disguise, offers to heal the Mayor but for the price of his daughter’s hand in marriage.

With the demands made in writing and agreed on, Dr. Miracle reveals to the Mayor that the omelet was never poisoned and that he is really Captain Silvio. And with the arrangement in writing, Silvio and Lauretta are able to continue on with their plans to wed.

“I don’t necessarily think they could have done it better,” said Amelia Lepping, junior. “I think given what they have they did a great job.”

With only four characters in the operetta, there were few faces that were seen on stage. Each night four performers took the stage with only one person repeating their performance.

The sole repeat performer was junior Tyler Ray who played the part of Captain Silvio/Dr. Miracle/Pasquin.

Ray, in addition to most of the cast, is majoring in music. Out of the seven cast members and one vocal understudy there are six vocal performance majors and one music education major.

It was clear that the students have studied music and worked for their performance. At times the performance came across as overly practiced in facial expressions and gestures.

Overall, they gave a good performance with great comedic timing and wonderful vocal and instrumental performances. But the operetta is not my personal cup of tea and while the auditorium was not empty it seemed that most of the audience tends to enjoy a good musical.

It became clear why the University tends to perform musicals. It is not because the students cannot handle operettas or other performances. The student body definitely has the talent and ability to perform challenging pieces. It is the audience that seems to enjoy comedic musicals over comedic operas. And I am clearly part of that audience.