May 9, 2025—The Ohio Light Opera (OLO), resident professional company of The College of Wooster, announces the retirement of Steven A. Daigle after 36 seasons with the company and 26 as artistic director. Daigle announced last December his decision to retire after the 2026 festival season to executive director Laura Neill and the OLO board of directors which supports both Daigle’s decision and the appointment of associate artistic director Jacob Allen to artistic director.
“Steven has led the Ohio Light Opera incomparably since 1999, with both unparalleled commitment to his training and artistic vision and a rare, diverse oversight in all areas of the company’s operations,” said Neill. “We are beyond grateful for his exceptional educational leadership, further placing OLO in a unique category within the operetta and lyric theater world. His longtime mentorship of Jacob Allen has created a special opportunity to pass the baton to another professional who is wonderfully situated to lead the company into the next decade of the company’s success.”
Combining an ever-growing love of lyric theater, dedication to preserving its legacy through respectful and insightful productions, and an extraordinary sense of what it takes to inspire performers to draw on their full potential, Daigle has guided OLO to its current position as the nation’s premier purveyor of operetta and classic musical theater. He has introduced 86 titles into the company’s repertoire, directed 111 shows, and overseen the artistic and design elements of more than 175 productions and 1,300 performances. His preservation, promotion, and production of rare European operettas and all-but-forgotten Broadway masterpieces have received global attention and been documented in scores of books and periodicals.
Citing a desire to spend more time with family and embark on new projects, Daigle will guide OLO through the next two summer seasons, ensure a smooth transition to the new artistic stewardship, and looks forward to celebrating and supporting the company’s mission in the future.
“OLO has been a way of life for me,” Daigle said. “Words cannot express my gratitude to this company, community, and the College for their roles in my artistic development. Countless artists from this company have enriched my creativity and given me more than three decades of the very best in musical and theatrical collaborations, many of which turned into friendships that will extend far beyond my time at OLO.”
Allen—under Daigle’s mentorship—has served OLO over the past two decades as performer (28 lead roles), stage director (19 productions), and administrator, in titles ranging from Gilbert and Sullivan to continental operettas to American musical comedy. “This next chapter of OLO is rooted in the same values that have always defined the company: excellence, collaboration, and a deep respect for the art form,” Allen said.
“Jacob’s knowledge of the repertoire, his day-to-day work during the summer festivals, and his administrative and educational experience outside the company make him a unique asset to the company’s continuing mission,” Daigle said.
