Opening Night

Walmsley Church Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society’s Opening Night proved that sometimes stepping away from the “full show” formula can be just as successful. Under the direction of Steve Benson, with musical direction by Adrienne Wormald and choreography by Lara Syddall, this revue-style evening was a confident, well-paced celebration of musical theatre—drawing from shows the society hasn’t previously staged and giving both performers and audience something refreshingly different.

Rather than a single narrative, Opening Night unfolded as a curated journey through musical theatre favourites and hidden gems. Act One leaned into classic crowd-pleasers, opening with high-energy numbers from The Producers, where the full company immediately set a lively tone. The transition into “Journey to the Past” (Anastasia) and “You’ll Be in My Heart” (Tarzan) brought a welcome emotional contrast, showing the company’s ability to handle both spectacle and sincerity.

The Hairspray trio— “Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now,” “Timeless to Me,” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat”—was a standout segment, bursting with character and tight ensemble work. The chemistry between Ava, Louise and Steevie was fabulous.

A more dramatic shift came with selections from Love Never Dies and Chicago. Eileen’s excellent performance of “Love Never Dies” carried a strong emotional core, while “Mr Cellophane”, by Mike Taylor, who was also our host, offered a nicely judged moment of understated humour. “All That Jazz,” delivered by Lauren, Molly, Kiersten, and Zoe, brought style and confidence, with a polished, sultry edge. The Les Misérables section closed Act One on a high. “Master of the House” provided comic flair, while Matthew’s “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” was a sincere and moving highlight. The full company “One Day More” was exactly what it needed to be: bold, layered, and musically satisfying.

Act Two shifted gears with a vibrant Motown medley, featuring a large ensemble that filled the stage with energy and cohesion. From there, the programme explored a mix of contemporary and classic pieces. Louise’s solo stood out for its emotional clarity, while numbers from The Witches of Eastwick gave Ava, Lindsay, Stevie, and Adrienne opportunities to shine in smaller groupings.

“A Musical” from Something Rotten! injected humour and self-awareness into the evening, with Adam, Steve, and company clearly enjoying the theatrical in-jokes. Meanwhile, “I Feel Pretty” (West Side Story) brought a lighter, playful tone, led by a strong female ensemble. The final number, “Tonight” from West Side Story, gathered a wide range of performers for a fittingly grand and harmonious close, reinforcing the sense of ensemble that had carried the entire production.

Across the board, the cast demonstrated commitment and versatility. With such a large company, it would be easy for individuals to get lost, but the structure of the show ensured that many had their moment to step forward. Benson’s direction kept the evening flowing smoothly, never allowing the format to feel disjointed. Wormald’s musical leadership was evident in the confident vocals and well-balanced harmonies, while Syddall’s choreography made excellent use of the space and varied effectively between numbers.

What makes Opening Night particularly successful is its sense of purpose. This wasn’t just a concert—it was a thoughtfully assembled showcase that highlighted the society’s range and gave audiences a taste of shows they might not otherwise see from this group. It felt both like a celebration and a statement of intent.

Jason Crompton

Opening Night is a concert of songs from Blockbuster Musicals not performed by Walmsley Church AODS.

Walking into the Parish Hall, seating is relaxed cabaret style with rich red cloths on the tables and lights. To Stage Right was an armchair with screen behind and red cloth draped on the screen. Small table to the right with candle. The stage was a series of block creating levels and the sides covered in a cream glittery material. Long silver strips of silver material dramatically hung down at the back which was effective when various lights in different colours were projected onto them. Set Construction John West and Dave McGreavy. Lighting was cleverly used throughout. Lighting by Norman Bowers and Sound unobtrusive as should be by Lea Royse and Elodie Perrier. With nearly 40 people on stage, the movement was thoughtfully worked out. Choreographer was Lara Syddall and additional Choreography by Adrienne Wormald who was also Musical Director for the show. The harmonies were lovely as was the evening itself, making sure people got a chance to shine.

Steve Benson was the Director and we were given information and titbits about each section by Mike Taylor the Host. The stage was used well and the levels helped and worked. The theme of black, red and silver outfits was very striking and added glitz to the whole evening with the men in black tie and suits. A cohesive and tight production.

The show opened with a joyous number Opening Night from The Producers leading in to We Can Do It from the same production which featured Adam Manning and Callum Burton bringing the comedy and making good use of the stage. Lauren and Company gave us a lovely version of Journey To The Past from Anastasia. We were then treated to You’ll Be In My Heart from Tarzan by the Ladies chorus.

The next section was from Hairspray - great harmonies from Ave Deveney, Louise Gaffney and Steevie-Leigh Crossley singing Mama, I’m A Big Girl Now and then more comedy from Joe Davies and Julie Ogden giving us Timeless To Me.

A highlight for me was Eileen Reeves singing Love Never Dies from the eponymous musical by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Mesmerising to watch. The Company ended that section with Til I Hear You Sing. The next section featured Chicago and Mike Taylor surprised us taking centre stage with a great version of Mr Cellophane and no, you didn’t take up too much of our time! Act One finished with songs from Les Mis’ as only the Youth are allowed to do this - it was lovely to hear the mature voices. Kiersten Keogh and Adam Manning looked like they enjoyed getting stuck into the Thenardiers, having fun with the words. Empty Chairs at Empty Tables and One Day More really pulled out the emotions and the male chorus impressed.

Act Two opened with a Motown Medley which was certainly foot tapping, each singer taking a turn to lead a song and have fun with it - another joyous moment and Cole, you got soul, Cole Howard!

The next section was from The Witches of Eastwick - Lindsay Farnworth, Steevie-Leigh Crossley and Adrienne Wormald giving us the conjuring of their dream man in Make Him Mine. The Ladies chorus reply to the trio with Dirty Laundry. Julie Ogden and Company then give us a song from Children of Eden and Adam Manning, Steve Benson and company sing A Musical from Something Rotten having fun and bringing the energy. Heather Hughes takes on I Feel Pretty with the Ladies chorus all giving a jubilant performance. Opening Night finished with a fitting Tonight from Westside Story.

I’ve said a few times and don’t mind saying again - it was a joyous evening and the audience lapped it up. All the solos were great and Louise Gaffney bring out the goosebumps and showing us why she won Best Vocal in D5. Lovely to see new faces and everyone contributing to the evening. Thank you for the invite and hospitality from my guest Ursula and I. Thank you to the Front of House team, especially Barbara Martin.

Liz Hume-Dawson