With over 100 productions under its belt, STOS has produced West End spectaculars, amateur premieres, and old favourites.
Click on each to see a brief description of the show, pictures and published crits from the local press.
West Side Story
Sheffield Teachers Operatic Society
presents
West Side Story
based in a conception of Jerome Robbins
Book by Arthur Laurents
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Originally produced on Broadway by Robert E. Griffith & Harold Prince by arrangement with Roger L Stevens
This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Limited on behalf of Music Theatre International of New York
WSS Production Team
Director: Dee Bennie-Marshall
Assistant Choreographer: Claire Harriott
Musical Director: Anna Wright
Production Manager / Stage Manager: Peter Brown
Assistant Production Manager: Sue Cox
Deputy Stage Manager: Helen Holmes
Assistant Stage Managers: Peter Ellis & Paul Minott
Stage Team: Andrew Brown, Steve Culmer, CHris Ellis, Martyn Green, Neil Howson, Michael LeCount, Grayson Radcliffe, Tim Sanders, Bill Sellers, Sandra Staniforth, Stan Standiforth
Lighting: Gary Longfield and team
Sound: Dave Gregory and team
Set: Scenic Projects Ltd
Costumes: Molly Limpet's Theatrical Emporium
Wigs: Brian Chapman for Xpressions
Make-up: Pat Bunting and team
Props Manager: Christine Froggatt
Wardrobe Manager: Janet Sanders
Wardrobe Team: Judi Johnson Hart, Judy McMurray, Martin Scattergood, Judy Ward, Brenda Wilson
West Side Story Crits
Sheffield Star
"When two gangs, The Sharks and The Jets go to war there will ultimately be no winners. Cleverly adapting Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Romeo and Juliet, our star crossed lovers are a beautiful Puerto Rican immigrant, Maria and Tony a Polish boy born in America.
Catherine Harban as Maria and Josh Coburn as Tony have great voices and sing some sweet harmonies together, including Tonight and One Hand, One Heart. They act appropriately ingenuously having fallen in love at first sight. Josh is only seventeen and should have a fine career ahead of him.
Maria’s brother Bernardo, leader of The Sharks, is played by the consistently terrific Mark Harris. He shares great on stage chemistry with sexy girlfriend Anita, played by Sarah Mashford.
Riff, the leader of The Jets, is played by youngster Jonathan Stewart. He puts in a commanding performance, looking to be in total control of his gang. Phil Brownhill does a Columbo as Schrank and Gareth Lloyd is an almost cartoonish Officer Krupke.
Acknowledgements
STOS would like to thank the following for their help, advice and assistance in bringing this production to the stage:
Ecclesall Junior School, Ringlinglow; Wesley Hall, Corkkes; Abbeydale Picture House, Abbeydale - rehearsal facilities
The STOS Ladies Committee for their ongoing and continued support
Phil Brownhill and Pat Hobson - help with the programme
Keith Arrowsmith - all his work on the STOS website
Alan Thompson - company photographs
The Print & Design Factory Limited - Programme Design & Print
Members & Friends - programme sales
The Shakespeare pub, Gibralter Street, Sheffield - venue for photo shoot
Catherine Benson, Karen Cook & Andrew Griffiths - rehearsal accompanists
Joan Bennett / Croft House Theatre Company for help with photographs
Mary Newey for all her work on publicity
Mark Feakins - additinal programme photograph
Background
If you would like some background on this show, STOS suggests the following links to information about the musical and the film version:
For the official website, click here:
From the last Broadway production:
Beauty and the Beast
The Sheffield Teachers' Operatic Society production of
Disney's
Beauty and the Beast
Music by Alan Menkin
Lyrics by Howard Ashman & Tim Rice
Book by Linda Woolverton
Originally Directed by Robert Jess Roth
Originally Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions
Tuesday 16th November - Saturday 20th November 2010
at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield
Dee Bennie Marshall was our Director/Choreographer and came very highly recommended by NODA and from many people who have seen her work. She lives semi locally and so will be available at all our rehearsals. Dee has Directed in Wakefield, Rotherham and her Youth Theatre have performed at the Disney Park in Paris on more than one occasion.
We welcomed back Anna Wright as our Musical Director and Claire Harriott as our Assistant Choreographer/Dance Captain.
This amateur production is presented by permission of Joseph Weinberger Limited on behalf of Music Theatre International of New York.
Crits
Audience Reaction:
"Fantastic show as always!"
"Being a retired member of both Croft House Operatic and The Wednesday Club, it is some time since I have had a chance to see a Teachers Show from the audience instead of backstage and I would just like to say that Beauty and the Beast was one of the best shows my wife and I have seen in ages.
"We recently paid about £76 to see 'Flashdance' in London and [we thought] it was rubbish so in future we'll stick to the 'amateurs'. There wasn't a weak actor/singer on stage but if I had to pick out one person it would be Belle who has one of the most wonderful voices I have heard. Helen deserves a pat on the back for being such a wonderful Teapot (and a special word for 'Chip') and Mark Harris as Lumiere but I repeat, they were all wonderful - thanks for a great night out"
Newspaper Crits:
Sheffield Telegraph Review
"Beauty and the Beast, Lyceum
IT isn’t difficult to appreciate why this is such a hugely popular show. It’s a good old-fashioned musical.
Production Team
Production Manager / Stage Manager: Peter Brown
Assistant Stage Manager: Sue Cox
Deputy Stage Manager: Helen Holmes
Assistant Stage Managers: Pete Ellis, David Mason & Paul Minott
Stage Team: Matthew Bevan, Andrew Brown, Steve Culmer, Chris Ellis, Martyn Green, Neil Howson, Michael LeCount, Grayson Radcliffe, Joanne Ringrose, Tim Sanders, Bill Sellars, Sandra Staniforth, Stan Staniforth, Josh Wysel-Wood
Lighting: Gary Longfield and team
Sound: Dave Gregory and team
Set: Scenic Projects Ltd, AFX (UK) Ltd, UK Productions
Costumes: Molly Limpet’s Theatrical Emporium
Wigs: Brian Chapman for Xpressions in Hair
Make-up: Pat Bunting and team
Props Manager: Christine Froggatt
Props Team: K Gandhi Furness, Cassandra Orme, Matthew Orme
Wardrobe Manager: Janet Sanders
Wardrobe Team: Joan Bennett, Jane Blythe, Phil Brownhill, Sue Brownhill, Sue Cox, Judy McMurray, Joan Nelson, Laura Panter, Laura Radcliffe, Martin Scattergood, Louise Walker, Judy Ward, Brenda Wilson
PACT children invited to "Be Our Guest"
STOS are about to embark on their 105th production. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast will be performed at the Lyceum Theatre from the 16th – 20th November.
Beauty and the Beast is essentially a children’s fairy tale, so the opportunity to support a local children’s charity seemed too good to miss.
PACT (Parents’ Association of Children with Tumours and Leukaemia) was formed in 1977 by a group of parents who recognized the need to provide mutual support to children and their families at a very difficult time in their lives. They provide a “Home from Home” a few minutes walk from Sheffield Children’s Hospital where families can stay and at least have some measure of normality in their lives whilst attending the hospital for treatment. The charity does invaluable work combating boredom, one of the biggest enemies during cancer treatment by providing toys, TV’s and videos for the children to use as well as organizing outings to events such as football matches and in this case a trip to the theatre.
Hello, Dolly!
“And what do you do for a living, Mrs. Levi?”, asked Ambrose Kemper in the first scene of this most delightful of musical comedies. Some people paint, some sew…I meddle”, replies Dolly and we are off on a whirlwind race round New York and Yonkers at the turn of the century as we follow the adventures of that most mischievous matchmaker, Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi.
The committee are pleased to announce that our next production in November at the Lyceum Theatre w/c 17th – 21st November 2009 is to be “HELLO DOLLY”. We welcome back John Cumberlidge as our Director/Choreographer, and Anna Wright as our Musical Director. We are also pleased that Mark Harris will be Assistant Director, and Claire Harriott as Assistant Choreographer. What a team!
Any queries please contact us.
Book by Michael Stewart, Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman.
Based on the play "The Matchmaker" by Thornton Wilder.
Original Production Directed and Choreographed by Gower Champion.
Produced for the Broadway stage by David Merrick and Champion-five Inc.
Archive of Previous Shows
STOS has successfully produced over 100 shows. The most recent appear on this website. Others are the subject of the Society's book, published in celebration of the Society's centenary. If you would like a copy, please contact us.