LEEDS GILBERT AND SULLIVAN SOCIETY

Since 1953 Leeds Gilbert & Sullivan Society has been performing G&S operettas at the Civic Theatre in Leeds. We believe that we are the only amdram society in the UK to rehearse in the canteen of a steel pressings factory...the canteen at Braimes Engineering on Hunslet Road, with its beautiful 1920s tiles, has been our rehearsal venue every Monday night (7.30pm - 9.30pm) for many years. The acoustics are fantastic - and the tea is even better! And there's obviously something in the tea - one of our members recently celebrated 60 years as a member of NODA. They breed 'em tough up north!

The Society has one major production of a G&S opera every March and performs occasional concerts throughout the year. 2005's production is HMS Pinafore (8th - 12th March) and instead of the usual Trial By Jury curtain raiser, we are performing The Zoo - Arthur Sullivan's and Bolton Rowe's collaboration, which is a half hour jam packed with victorian melodrama. It's very silly,has some sparkling tunes, and is proving great fun to perform.

This will be the Society's last year at the Leeds Civic Theatre, as the council are closing the theatre to turn it into a museum. Happily, they are building a brand spanking new theatre, the curiously named Carriageworks, across Millennium Square from the Civic, which becomes our new home from October 2005. It is fitting that we are finishing our time at the Civic with HMS Pinafore, as it was also the first opera we performed there back in 1953. However, the nautical theme will continue across Millennium Square, when we perform the Pirates of Penzance at the Carriageworks in Spring 2006.

Society members range in age from 14 upwards and contain several family groups. As ever with amdram societies, there are several couples appearing on stage together and there will be three generations of one family on stage in Pinafore this year! Everyone is very sociable and we have a good laugh together, running many trips to see rival - I mean sister - societies performing and a lot of our social events revolve around FOOD. Music rehearsals take place up until christmas and in the new year we start floor rehearsals.

We welcome new joiners, both as playing and non-playing members. Come and join us - ah go on go on go on! Our website will give you more information.