Past Productions

Whistle Down The Wind: October 2017

Based on the novel and subsequent produced film, Whistle Down the Wind follows the fortunes of a fugitive caught between the prejudice of adults and the innocence of the young.Swallow, a 15 year-old-girl growing up in America’s deep South in the fifties, discovers a mysterious man hiding out in a barn. When she asks who he is and the first words he utters are “Jesus Christ”, it’s as if all her prayers have been answered. Swallow and the town’s other children vow to protect the stranger from the world that waits outside – the townspeople who are determined to catch a fugitive hiding in their midst.  As fantasy and reality collide, Swallow is torn between the two and begins to discover who she is and where she is going.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s emotive score combines hauntingly beautiful love songs and explosive rock music with lyrics by acclaimed rock’n’roll songwriter Jim Steinman.  The score contrasts the relentless influence of the modern world with the traditional values of the old days – something which the community at the heart of Whistle Down the Wind yearns to return to.

Directed by Karen Hambleton


Reviews

Gallery

Whistle Down The Wind: October 2017 Read More »

Little Shop of Horrors: February 2017

by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman.
Little Shop of Horrors is a delectable sci-fi horror musical with an electrifying 1960s pop/rock score. Seymour Krelborn is a meek and dejected assistant at a floral shop who happens upon a strange plant, which he affectionately names “Audrey II” after his crush at the shop. Little does he know that this strange and unusual plant will develop a soulful R&B voice, a potty mouth, and an unquenchable thirst for human blood.

As Audrey II grows bigger and meaner, the carnivorous plant promises limitless fame and fortune to Seymour, as long as he continues providing a fresh supply of blood. Just when it’s too late, Seymour discovers Audrey II’s extra-terrestrial origins and his true drive for world-domination


Reviews

Gallery

Little Shop of Horrors: February 2017 Read More »

Crazy For You: October 2016

by George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin and Ken Ludwig
Crazy For You
is the story of Bobby Child, a well-to-do 1930s playboy whose dream in life is to dance. And despite the serious efforts of his mother and soon-to-be ex-fiancée, Bobby achieves his dream! Memorable Gershwin tunes include I Can’t Be Bothered Now, Bidin’ My Time, I Got Rhythm, Naughty Baby, They Can’t Take That Away from Me, But Not for Me, Nice Work if You Can Get It, Embraceable You and Someone to Watch Over Me. It’s a high energy comedy which includes mistaken identity, plot twists, fabulous dance numbers and classic Gershwin music

Directed by Steve Foster


Reviews

Gallery

Crazy For You: October 2016 Read More »

The Wizard of Oz: February 2016

The well-known score includes some of the best loved songs in the American musical pantheon

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum adapted by John Kane from the motion picture screenplay for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

With music and lyrics from the MGM motion picture score by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg : Background music by Herbert Stothart
Directed by Lee Smith


Reviews

Gallery

The Wizard of Oz: February 2016 Read More »

The Producers: October 2015

Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan. Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks

“The Producers” is a musical comedy that tells the story of a washed-up Broadway producer, Max Bialystock, and his mild-mannered accountant, Leo Bloom. After discovering that they can make more money with a flop than a hit, they set out to produce the worst show ever written, “Springtime for Hitler.” However, their plan goes awry when the show becomes a surprise hit. Filled with outrageous humor and catchy musical numbers, “The Producers” is a hilarious romp through the world of show business.

Directed by Karen Hambleton
Musical Director: David Blackwell


Reviews

Gallery

The Producers: October 2015 Read More »

Sunset Boulevard: February 2015

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Book and Lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton.

Burton Operatic Society were proud to announce that they obtained a licence to perform Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard for our February 2015 show.  The licence was allocated on a limited basis, and only for twelve months, so we were very fortunate to get this opportunity.  Our performance was the UK mainland amateur premiere.

Sunset Boulevard is a musical based on the 1950 film of the same name, which tells the story of Norma Desmond, a faded silent film star, and her obsessive relationship with a struggling young screenwriter, Joe Gillis. As Norma tries to make a comeback in Hollywood, she becomes increasingly delusional and possessive, ultimately leading to tragedy. With a lush and haunting score by Andrew Lloyd Webber and powerful performances, Sunset Boulevard explores themes of aging, fame, and the price of obsession.

Directed by Steve Foster.
Musical Director: David Blackwell


Reviews

Gallery

Sunset Boulevard: February 2015 Read More »

Carousel: October 2014

Music by Richard Rodgers: Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

In a Maine coastal village toward the end of the 19th century, the swaggering, carefree carnival barker Billy Bigelow captivates a gentle, if determined, millworker, Julie Jordan. They marry, but Billy loses his job and Julie becomes pregnant. In the famous “Soliloquy,” he expresses his excitement and concern about the responsibilities of fatherhood. Intent upon providing a decent life for his family, Billy aids in a robbery. Caught in the act and facing the certainty of prison, he takes his own life and is sent “up there.” Allowed to return to earth for one day fifteen years later, he encounters the daughter he never knew. She is a lonely, friendless teenager, haunted by her father’s reputation as a thief and bully. Selflessly, Billy restores a sense of hope and dignity to both the child and her mother, in a dramatic testimony to the power of love.

Directed by Steve Foster


Reviews

Gallery

Carousel: October 2014 Read More »

HMS Pinafore & Trial By Jury: February 2014

by Gilbert & Sullivan

H.M.S. PINAFORE, or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, which was the second-longest run of any musical theatre piece up to that time. H.M.S. PINAFORE was Gilbert and Sullivan’s fourth operatic collaboration and their first international sensation

Can you sue someone for breaking off an engagement? In Gilbert and Sullivan’s courtroom farce TRIAL BY JURY, it’s a very serious crime! The story concerns a ‘breach of promise of marriage’ lawsuit in which the judge and legal system are the objects of lighthearted satire. Gilbert based the libretto of TRIAL BY JURY on an operetta parody that he had written in 1868.

Director & Choreographer: Steve Foster
Musical Director: David Blackwell


Reviews

Gallery

HMS Pinafore & Trial By Jury: February 2014 Read More »

Oliver!: October 2013

Music, Lyrics and Book by Lionel Bart

Oliver! is a musical adaptation of the classic novel, Oliver Twist, written by Charles Dickens. The story follows a young orphan named Oliver who escapes from the workhouse and falls in with a group of pickpockets led by the criminal Fagin. Along the way, Oliver befriends a kind-hearted prostitute named Nancy and encounters the wealthy Mr. Brownlow, who may hold the key to Oliver’s true identity. The show features memorable musical numbers such as “Consider Yourself”, “Food, Glorious Food”, and “As Long As He Needs Me”, all set to Lionel Bart’s timeless score. With its mix of humor, drama, and memorable characters, Oliver! remains a beloved classic of musical theater.

Director & Choreographer: Lee Smith
Musical Director: David Blackwell


Gallery

Oliver!: October 2013 Read More »

Cinderella: February 2013

Music by Richard Rodgers. Book & Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

Originally presented as a television extravaganza, this famous fairy tale has been re-fashioned and set to music by two great masters of the musical. The characters are given greater depth plus a more human quality, and it is only through Cinderella’s innocent faith in a miracle that allows her wish to go to the ball to come true. Musical highlights include “In My Own Little Corner”, “A Lovely Night”, “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful?” and “Impossible”.


Directed by Karen Hambleton


Gallery

Cinderella: February 2013 Read More »

Scroll to Top