North Manchester Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Society
About North Manchester Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Society
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North Manchester Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Society Description
The North Manchester Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society began its life in 1919 as the Simpson Memorial Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, created from the merger of the Harpurhey Dramatic Society and the Simpson Memorial Tennis Club. Our home has been the Simpson Memorial Hall on Moston Lane since 1919 and to this day, it is where we not only rehearse almost every week of the year, but where we perform most of our dramatic productions and concerts.
Our first musical show was The Mikado, which we performed at the Simpson Memorial Hall in 1920. However, in 1922 the Society needed a bigger venue for its first play, Are you a Mason and took the decision to perform this at Newton Heath Town Hall. In 1925 we then moved our productions to the Queens Park Hippodrome, starting with Merrie England. 1929 found us on the move yet again, performing at St Johns Parochial Hall in Moston for our productions of Lilac Domino, Rebel Maid, Quaker Girl and Katinka. Then it was back to the Queens Park Hippodrome until it closed in 1952. In 1936, the Society put on Rose Marie at a cost of £500 and by the time it repeated this show in 1969 at the Palace Theatre Manchester, the cost of the production had risen to £5000. One of our most popular shows over the years has been The Desert Song which we first performed in 1938 and which would be repeated by us a further four times.
Rio Rita was successfully performed in the spring of 1939, but before another musical could be put into rehearsal, war broke out. Although a decision was the taken to suspend any large-scale activity, concert groups were organized to provide entertainment for troops, hospitals etc. , and to continue the fund raising function of the Society. All surplus funds held by the Society at that time were distributed amongst local charities and the Society was out into suspension. The last performance by the Society at that time, possibly as a gesture of defiance to the war, was a concert version of Merrie England in 1940. Once the war was over, a meeting was called to re-establish the Society and a decision was taken to restart with yet another concert version of Merrie England, not a very original choice perhaps, but somehow appropriate to the occasion. The Society continued its charitable donations with a bed provided for North Manchester Maternity Home in 1947 and a significant donation of £350 to the Lord Mayors War Memorial Fund in 1948.
In 1948 and with a leaking roof, the Simpson Hall was declared unfit for use and the Society had to move its next dramatic production to the Queens Park Hippodrome. The Society continued to perform there until the theatre closed in 1952. To mark the closure of Queens Park Hippodrome the Society performed the North West Premier of Annie Get Your Gun. We then moved to the Palladium (Cintra) on Rochdale Road and in 1954 revived The Desert Song. The Cintra was a long narrow theatre, with terrible acoustics and the audience had great difficult in hearing what was going on. The effect on ticket sales was disastrous and support declined at an alarming rate.
In 1955 with falling attendances, the Society was at crisis point. The Committee was faced with the choice of winding up the Society or finding another and more suitable venue. They made the risky decision to move to the Palace Theatre in Manchester and put on Showboat. With a cast of over 100 it was an outstanding success and a profit of £600 was made. Meanwhile the dramatic side had moved back to the Simpson. The glory days of the Palace continued until 1981 when rising costs forced the Society to move to the Royal Northern College of Music. The final show at the Palace was White Horse Inn and we opened our spell at RNCM with The Merry Widow. Again costs forced a move from RNCM in 1995 with the last show there being The Sound of Music.
Since then, our musical productions have been staged here in Middleton, our first, The Desert Song being at the Civic Centre. Throughout the 1990s the Society was able to perform two musical productions each year, but rising costs mean that we are now able to finance only one musical show each year, relying on our plays, concerts and other fundraising activities to fund these. NMAODS last show at the Civic Centre was our award-winning Anything Goes, however, with the closure of the Civic Centre in 2008 the Society has now moved to the new Middleton Arena, with which we look forward to a long association.
Reviews
Don’t forget to join us this week for our festive concert!
Looking back at last year and how great our first Christmas Cracker looked.
Please join us for our festive show!
With just under 2 weeks to go until opening night, things are really starting to take shape on stage! Please support us by coming along with your friends, family, colleagues, neighbours and that chatty old lady at the bus stop! If you can't make it, please at least share the poster with everyone you think might be interested! Thank you!
Join us for an evening of murder and intrigue! A classic by Agatha Christie, adapted for the stage by Leslie Darbon.
Miss Marple in Moston did you say?
Only £10 per person (£8 for concessions). Large group discounts available – please call the number below for more information.... Tickets available by phoning 0161 653 7728 or online via the link on this page.
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OPEN DAY AT NMAODS - 98 years old this year (not me!). We cordially invite you to come and visit and see what we are about and maybe discuss the opportunities at the society which you can take advantage of. We have a lot of events planned over the next two years that we would love you to be a part of. Rain or shine, nip along and see. No obligation. Refreshments are included. Please share as much as you can.
Anyone interested?
Now taking bookings
Our forthcoming production of The Vicar of Dibley.
we really loved Dibley, never stopped laughing and over the moon with all the characters. we feel this could go on at the palace in Manchester and wouldn't be out of place.. well done all of you
Vicar of Dibley was very funny. If would be unfair to single any one person out as everyone played a good part. Well done.
Vicar of Dibley was hilarious. Laughed from the get go
This society is friendly, professional and extremely diverse. Their 12 month programme has something for everyone from Gilbert and Sullivan to Pirate themed evenings. Join!
Saw it on Friday and thought it was absolutely brilliant, the cast were fantastic and we we couldn't stop laughing!! Congratulations to everyone on an amazing production x
I've just had the utter pleasure of seeing Agnatha Christies A Murder Is Announced. I highly recommend people to see this. The cast were all fantastic but a special mention for Jane Pearson & Pat Smithies who was flawless from beginning to end. If I had to mention anything at all it would be that this pearl was difficult to find, I am on most social media and a lot of Moston pages and would have known it was on without passing a banner on the gates. Well done guys you were all amazing!
I thoroughly enjoyed the Vicar of Dibley by NMAODS. I laughed from start to finish. Not going to single anyone out as the whole cast were a perfect team.
I must add that I have been privileged to work with a few cast members and hope the opportunity arises again xx
Huge congrats to everyone at Dibley!!!!!
Great show with talented director and cast, also rest of the team did a great job bringing the show up to very high standard. Well done to all concerned!
Congratulations to the cast and crew of 'The Vicar of Dibley', watched the show on Friday night and laughed do much! It was absolutely fantastic. We only recently moved to the area and it was our first local event. We really enjoyed the show. Well done to the cast! I am looking forward to the next show.
This is the 1st performance I have been to by the nmaods and I thought the standard was very high, from the ticket purchase online, refreshments inc wine (nice surprise especially for a Friday night) to the production, sets and most of all the brilliant acting. Would defo recommend looking out for the next show they are performing. Well done to everyone involved for a good evenings entertainment, locally and at a great price.
we really loved Dibley, never stopped laughing and over the moon with all the characters. we feel this could go on at the palace in Manchester and wouldn't be out of place.. well done all of you
Vicar of Dibley was very funny. If would be unfair to single any one person out as everyone played a good part. Well done.
Vicar of Dibley was hilarious. Laughed from the get go
This society is friendly, professional and extremely diverse. Their 12 month programme has something for everyone from Gilbert and Sullivan to Pirate themed evenings. Join!
Saw it on Friday and thought it was absolutely brilliant, the cast were fantastic and we we couldn't stop laughing!! Congratulations to everyone on an amazing production x
I've just had the utter pleasure of seeing Agnatha Christies A Murder Is Announced. I highly recommend people to see this. The cast were all fantastic but a special mention for Jane Pearson & Pat Smithies who was flawless from beginning to end. If I had to mention anything at all it would be that this pearl was difficult to find, I am on most social media and a lot of Moston pages and would have known it was on without passing a banner on the gates. Well done guys you were all amazing!
I thoroughly enjoyed the Vicar of Dibley by NMAODS. I laughed from start to finish. Not going to single anyone out as the whole cast were a perfect team.
I must add that I have been privileged to work with a few cast members and hope the opportunity arises again xx
Huge congrats to everyone at Dibley!!!!!
Great show with talented director and cast, also rest of the team did a great job bringing the show up to very high standard. Well done to all concerned!
Congratulations to the cast and crew of 'The Vicar of Dibley', watched the show on Friday night and laughed do much! It was absolutely fantastic. We only recently moved to the area and it was our first local event. We really enjoyed the show. Well done to the cast! I am looking forward to the next show.
This is the 1st performance I have been to by the nmaods and I thought the standard was very high, from the ticket purchase online, refreshments inc wine (nice surprise especially for a Friday night) to the production, sets and most of all the brilliant acting. Would defo recommend looking out for the next show they are performing. Well done to everyone involved for a good evenings entertainment, locally and at a great price.