The Light Opera Theatre of Sacramento (LOTS) was founded in 1982 by Mike and Debbie Baad and Dolores Allen. Drawing on their considerable theater experience, including roles with the Sacramento Opera and Davis Comic Opera, the Baads assembled a core group of St. Mary's Church Choir members to start the St. Mary's Players.

H.M.S. Pinafore, the St. Mary's Players' first production in 1982, received rave reviews.  H.M.S. Pinafore was followed in 1983 by The Pirates of Penzance and in 1984 by The Mikado.

By this time, the St. Mary's Players, drawing on many talented performers from throughout the Sacramento area, had established itself with the theater-going public, and its productions were attracting larger and larger audiences.

In its fourth year, the St. Mary's Players became The Light Opera Theatre of Sacramento and moved to a new "home" at the Coloma Community Center.

In 1989, we moved to our present location at the 24th Street Theater. In addition, LOTS has performed at the Woodland Opera House, Theater El Dorado in Placerville, and in Davis and Roseville.

Mike and Debbie Baad continue to guide the development of LOTS, as Artistic Directors of the organization. The primary goals of LOTS have remained unchanged since its founding:

• to present the comic humor of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan
  
  
• to provide via an open audition process an opportunity for local performers to bring their talents to Sacramento audiences
  
  
• to promote the performing arts in the Sacramento region

In past years, LOTS has also presented works outside the Gilbert and Sullivan repertoire, including the ever popular  Man of La Mancha, and Stephen Sondheim's  Side by Side.

LOTS is a member of the Sacramento Area Regional Theater Alliance (SARTA) and a founding member of the League of Sacramento Theatres.