WHO ARE WE?
We are Hamilton Operatic Dramatic Club. Since 1903 we have been entertaining audiences throughout the local community and beyond. Originally The Hamilton Select Choir we have came a long way through two World Wars 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 yet! We are now in the second hundred years of bringing some of the most well loved and best selling productions to the stage and we look forward to the challenge of continuing to produce musical entertainment for our audiences for many more for many more years to come.
In 1934 the Select Choir changed it’s name to Hamilton and District Operatic Society and gave it’s 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.
a history
Founded in 1894 by Frederick Pugh, a prominent musician in the town of Hamilton there was formed a double quartet, which developed into St Celia's choir and later become 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 in production of Gilbert and Sullivan and light musical comedy.
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
1996 Fiddler on the Roof
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
2001 Encore
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