Coastal Carolina University's Opera Workshop presents "The Ridiculous!" a series of comic scenes from opera and operetta, on Tuesday, April 28, at 7:30 p.m. in the Edwards Recital Hall. General admission is $5, faculty and staff is $4, and student admission is $3.

From the birth of opera to current day, laughter has been a common element of operatic masterworks. CCU's Opera Workshop will explore some of the comedic moments from well-known operas such as "Three Little Maids From Mikado" and others that are lesser known but still just as hilarious.

David Bankston, professor of music at CCU, directs and narrates the opera. He earned a bachelor's degree from Louisiana State University as well as master's and doctoral degrees from the University of South Carolina. He has performed extensively in opera and musical theater, singing leading roles with many American companies including Houston Grand Opera, Washington Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, New Orleans Opera and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. He has recorded two CDs of original songs and is an alumnus of San Francisco Opera's Merola Program and the Houston Grand Opera Studio.

Timothy Koch, member of the voice faculty at CCU since 2011, is director of music for the operatic production. He previously taught voice at Blackburn College in Carlinville, Ill., but the majority of his career has focused on the conducting and choral music fields. He earned degrees from Illinois Wesleyan University and the University of Illinois, and earned a doctor of musical arts from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. He is in his 13th season as music director and conductor of the Carolina Master Chorale.

Pianist Daniel Francis will accompany the singers. He earned a bachelor's degree in piano performance from Bob Jones University. He teaches piano and performs, and he is the collaborative pianist for the Carolina Master Chorale.

The student cast includes Nick Bone, Margaret Casella, Molly Gay, Justin Hall, Tabitha Martin-Gray, Chandler Parnell, Naomi Schulman, James Wilson and Caitlin Yarosz.

The Edwards Recital Hall is located in Room 152 of the Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts located at 133 Chanticleer Drive in Conway.

For more information, contact the Wheelwright Box Office at 843-349-ARTS (2787). Box office hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.