Welcome to NODA West Midlands

To access the existing regional website click here.

Welcome to the West Midlands, a diverse region covering some of the most densely populated areas outside the capital to some of those least populated in the British Isles. We have our share of wealth and poverty, beauty and squalor but there is an underlying search for culture resulting in over 250 Musical and dramatic societies in the region being affiliated to NODA.

You could be forgiven thinking that we are just that heavily populated and industrialised area centred on Birmingham and the towns and cities on its adjacent borders but of course this is a misconception.

The region encompasses the Moorlands of the Staffordshire Peaks, The Potteries, the Welsh Marches of Shropshire, this county also being the cradle of the industrial revolution at Ironbridge and Coalbrookdale. Herefordshire with its distinctive cattle and orchards, Worcestershire famed for its porcelain and Warwickshire the birthplace of that playwright we lovingly call 'The Bard”. For those with an interest in sport we have our fair share of Football Teams, playing in all divisions and the Cricket with the tests at Edgbaston and Worcester with its iconic playing area overlooked by the cathedral. In addition to the four major cities of Birmingham, Coventry, Stoke on Trent and Wolverhampton, we have the ancient cathedral cities of Hereford, Worcester and Lichfield.

We have our share of touring theatres, some of them new developments such as the Courtyard in Hereford, Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury and Belgrade in Coventry, this in addition to the long established theatres in Wolverhampton and Birmingham, the most recently to be refurbished and remodelled being 'the Mitch” in Stoke on Trent, so named after their well known son and designer of The Spitfire aeroplane, R. J. Michell. There are Theatres or Arts Centres in most other towns and all are used by our West Midland Societies along with ‘Little Theatres’, Schools, Village and Community Halls and any other available performing area, outside performances at historic venues are not unknown.

I hope by now you have dispelled any idea that West Midlands Region relates solely to dark dingy streets where the sun never shines and the people have a grey complexion. It is a very much alive region full of colour and diversity, culturally, ethnically historically and physically.

The Region holds its Annual Conference in early April and we are now preparing for the 2012 Conference, the Societies in the region have been busy and I hope that this is reflected in the reports attached. We are proud that NODA holds its Summer School in the Region, at the University of Warwick in Coventry, as the local Regional Councillor I was privileged to see the school in action.

With such talent as I saw being already on stage and in the wings I can only see the standards in Amateur theatre moving in one direction, that is up and ever upward.

Michael Hastilow - Regional Councillor

NODA West Midlands