Sin City Opera's "The Medium" at The Onyx Theater

You're going to have to ignore the fact the The Onyx theater is in a pretty seedy shopping area, sandwiched between what appears to be a clothing store for male strippers and a sex show that's recently been sued by the county because it's too raunchy for Las Vegas.

Inside, you'll find a delightful little theater complete with a vintage snack bar and a luxe lobby with leopard-print furniture. Even if you're not on the theater "in-crowd," it feels like a show among friends -- patrons hoot and holler as the theater manager raffles off some passes to a buffet, and the bar consists of a friendly volunteer pouring a red table wine into clear plastic Solo cups.

The stage is so close to the hundred or so seats that you feel like you're in the actors' personal space. No mics required, but you'd better clap and look engaged. I was a bit irked when a very touchy couple in the front row very obviously stood up and walked out in the middle of the show. There's no hiding or slipping out under your fellow patrons' noses.

We saw a Nov. 9 showing of "The Medium," an opera written by Gian Carlo Menotti and first performed in 1946. It's about a psychic who bilks her grief-stricken customers with promises to conjure up their dead children. In reality, the medium's daughter is faking all the voices -- or so she thinks. Soon, supernatural things really start happening, and the con artist begins a witch hunt for what may be a real ghost.

It's a charming little opera, with half a dozen actors accompanied by a keyboard and cellist, and it leaves you wondering about the blurred lines between the natural and supernatural.

My favorite part was the sweet chemistry between the medium's daughter and a mute servant boy who takes the blame for the ghosts. Their pillow fights and innocent romance are a tender foil to the wicked whims of the bloated, calculating medium.

The show, with its professional set, solid singing/acting and up-close-and-personal setup, was an excellent use of $15. Looking forward to future performances by Sin City Opera.