WHO ARE WE?
We are Hamilton Operatic and Dramatic Club. Since 1903 we have been entertaining audiences throughout the local community and beyond. Originally The Hamilton Select Choir, we have come a long way through two World Wars and a pandemic, but that hasn't stopped us from continuing to deliver world class performances on the amateur stage. Over the last few years we have continued to grow as one of the most popular clubs in the area and we haven't stopped growing! We are now in the second century of bringing some of the best loved and most popular productions to the stage and we look forward to the challenge of continuing to produce musical entertainment for our audiences for many years to come.
a history
Founded in 1894 by Frederick Pugh, a prominent musician in the town of Hamilton, a double quartet was formed, which developed into St Celia's choir and later became Hamilton Select Choir. In 1904 a venture into comic opera was made with a production of "HMS Pinafore". With the success of this new direction for the club, for many years the choir continued producing Gilbert and Sullivan and light musical comedy.
In 1934 the Select Choir changed it’s name to Hamilton and District Operatic Society and gave its first performance with “Yeoman of the Guard”. After the Second World War, the society, renamed Hamilton Operatic and Dramatic Club, opened with a repeat performance of their pre-war show, “The Desert Song” in October 1947.
In 2003, the centenary year, a Service of Thanksgiving was held in St Mary’s Episcopal Church. This was followed by the highly successful Lanarkshire premier of “Jesus Christ Superstar” in May. Thereafter, club members past and present, along with dignitaries and invited guests, attended a Civic Reception as guests of the Provost and Councillors of South Lanarkshire Council in the town’s Banqueting Hall.
previous shows
1904 HMS Pinafore
1905 Mikado
1906 Yeoman of the Guard
1907 Patience
1908 Iolanthe
1909 Gondoliers
1910 HMS Pinafore
Trial by Jury
1911 Merrie England
1912 Utopia Limited
1913 Dorothy
1914 Mikado
The 1st World War
1920 Patience
1921 Iolanthe
1922 Pirates of Penzance
1923 Mikado
1924 Facing the Music
1925 Yeoman of the Guard
1927 Patience
1928 Gondoliers
1929 Utopia Limited
1930 Falca
1931/2 Mikado
1933 Ruddigore
1934 Yeoman of the Guard
1935 Merrie England
1936 Tom Jones
1937 Quaker Girl
1938 Arcadians
1939 Desert Song
The 2nd World War
1947 Desert Song
1948 Rose Marie
1949 New Moon
1950 Katinka
1951 Good Night Vienna
1952 Chu Chin Chow
1953 Victoria and Her Hussar
1954 Pink Champagne
1955 Geisha
1956 Oklahoma
1957 Quaker Girl
1958 Annie Get Your Gun
1959 Desert Song
1960 Free as Air
1961 Brigadoon
1962 Kismet
1963 Calamity Jane
1964 South Pacific
1965 Carissima
1966 New Moon
1967 Passion Flower
1968 Rose Marie
1969 Finian’s Rainbow
1970 The Gypsy Princess
1971 Carousel
1972 The Merry Widow
1973 Brigadoon
1974 Lilac Time
1975 Guys and Dolls
1976 Naughty Marietta
1977 Kiss Me Kate
1978 The Great Waltz
1979 The Pajama Game
1980 Call Me Madam
1981 Kismet
1982 White Horse Inn
1983 Flower Drum Song
1984 Hello Dolly
1985 Desert Song
1986 Half a Sixpence
1987 Viva Mexico
1988 Annie Get Your Gun
1989 Mame
1990 The Pajama Game
1991 On Broadway
1992 Anything Goes
1993 Brigadoon
1994 42nd Street
1995 Kiss Me Kate
Melodies Familiar
1996 Fiddler on the Roof
Swing Into Spring
1997 Hot Jazz and Blues
My Fair Lady
1998 Crazy for You
1999 Love on a Star
Guys and Dolls
2000 Me and My Girl
Pop Into Broadway
2001 Encore
2002 Copacabana
South Pacific
2003 Jesus Christ Superstar
Let's Celebrate (100 years)
2004 42nd Street
Curtain Up
2005 Anything Goes
Hello Dolly
2006 Godspell
Oklahoma
2007 Centre Stage
2008 Crazy for You
Scrooge
2009 By Popular Demand
2010 Beauty and the Beast
2011 The Producers
2012 Fiddler on the Roof
Oliver!
2013 Chess
2014 Wizard of Oz
2015 Sister Act
2016 Me and My Girl
2017 A Musical Showcase
2018 Thoroughly Modern Millie
2019 Jesus Christ Superstar
COVID Pandemic
2022 9 to 5
2024 All Shook Up