A Huddersfield theatre group has changed its name after 118 years.
Huddersfield Amateur Operatic Society – the town’s longest established presenter of stage musicals – is now called the Huddersfield Musical Theatre Company.
Since 1896 the society’s performances have been a regular feature of the town’s theatrical calendar.
The society is understood to be one of those represented at the meeting in Manchester that led to the founding of the National Operatic and Dramatic Association.
Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe was their first production at the Theatre Royal on February 16, 1897, and audiences over the five nights were so large that 100 guineas was distributed to charity.
Then followed a series of light operas and operettas which read like an early history of stage musicals.
Pictures from a 1999 production of Crazy For You
The society has continued to move with the times and has brought many of the most recent musicals of their era to local audiences whenever they have become available.
Grand opera, however, never became part of the repertoire.
Society vice-president Roger Broadbent said: “The society’s productions over the years have included almost every type of stage musical from the best known hits of their era to operetta and musical plays, some written locally. The majority of productions have been musical theatre titles originally staged professionally and subsequently released for production by amateur theatre groups.
“Early HAOS productions were mainly Gilbert and Sullivan operettas but new titles of their era were soon included – a policy which has continued ever since,” said Roger.
“The society has brought many recently released musicals to the Huddersfield stage for the first time and will continue to do so under its new name.”
November 2015 will see the first production in Huddersfield of Hairspray, recently released for amateur performances and requiring a large cast comprising character actors and a supporting cast who can both sing and dance.
Auditions for Hairspray are being held this Sunday and Sunday, March 1. Anyone wishing to be considered for a part in this production and who has not yet been in touch should contact HMTC at haos.org.uk as soon as possible.
A production of West Side Story is planned for November 2016.
Previously performed by HAOS in 1987, a strong cast of singers/dancers will also be required. Anyone who wishes to receive information later this year about the production of West Side Story is invited to use the company’s website.
