The Gilbert and Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island a confirmed Savoyard. He’d served as vice president of the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Society, and even produced a televised version of The Mikado in 1949. When Helen Marx, president of the Camp Avenue School PTA, asked him if he could organize a fundraiser, his thoughts turned—as they so often did—to Gilbert & Sullivan. Initially the idea was for Packer and Waters to run an adult-education class in G&S that would culminate in a performance of The Mikado. But when Packer recruited an old friend, Sally Buckstone of Oceanside, to sing, the seeds of a new group were planted.
National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company "Daily Mail" gave the company five stars. "The Northern Echo" reviewed the 2015 tour, stating: "This company is so polished, so well-versed in the eccentricities of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, with excellent singing voices coupled with clear diction ... and comedic skill. ... [A] tuneful, jolly, laugh-out-loud evening’s entertainment. "The Manchester Evening News" gave the company four out of five stars, admiring its musical and comic polish, dancing and "magnificent" chorus. In 2017, a reviewer praised the principals and chorus of the company's "Mikado" production, commenting: "This is giggle-making, girth-busting comic opera at it's very best. Sensational singing with sumptuous