In 1970 Paul R. Smith, the director of music at Zion UCC in Lehighton created Zion Opera Workshop. The groups first presentation was the Musical "Amahl and the Night Visitors" for Christmas. The show was a great success and Zion Opera Workshop was off and running to the successful group that it is today.

Each year since then, Zion Opera Workshop has presented a Broadway style musical every spring. Shows have ranged from "Fiddler on the Roof" to "Bye Bye Birdie" and have been accompanied by a full orchestra. It was Paul Smith's dream to offer Lehighton and the surrounding areas a great quality musical for a price that is basically unheard of anywhere. The goal of the group was not to make money. In fact, the group has been non-profit since its inception and has become one of the most popular and successful evangelisms at Zion United Church of Christ.

Each spring, Zion Opera Workshop opens Smith Auditorium in Derr Hall for its annual production and warmly welcomes nearly 1,000 people to see the production. For 38 years, Paul Smith, with his wife Linn constantly by his side continued this tradition of quality musicals. They retired after their 38th year but the group lives on through many of the people that the Smith' s have worked with for many years.

Zion Opera Workshop History

1970	Amahl and the Night Visitors	1983	The Music Man	1996	Guys and Dolls	2009	South Pacific
1971	Oklahoma!	1984	Hello, Dolly!	1997	Hello, Dolly!	2010	Once Upon a Mattress
1972	Fiddler on the Roof	1985	Bring Back Birdie	1998	Brigadoon	2011	The Music Man
1973	Carousel	1986	Carousel	1999	State Fair	2012	Guys and Dolls
1974	The Music Man	1987	My Fair Lady	2000	Once Upon a Mattress	2013	Crazy for You
1975	Annie Get Your Gun	1988	Annie Get Your Gun	2001	Damn Yankees	2014	Pajama Game
1976	The Most Happy Fella	1989	The Sound of Music	2002	Li'l Abner	2015	Annie Get Your Gun
1977	Fiddler on the Roof	1990	Damn Yankees	2003	Bye, Bye Birdie	2016	Thoroughly Modern Millie
1978	South Pacific	1991	South Pacific	2004	Crazy for You	2017	Nice Work If You Can Get It
1979	Bye, Bye Birdie	1992	Here's Love	2005	My Fair Lady
1980	Oklahoma!	1993	The Most Happy Fella	2006	State Fair
1981	Brigadoon	1994	Cinderella	2007	Oklahoma!
1982	The King and I	1995	The King and I	2008	Anything Goes