Rugby Operatic Society

Rugby Operatic And Musicals Society was established sixty-three years ago in 1963 as Rugby Young Teachers Operatic Society, before welcoming those from other professions and becoming Rugby Operatic Society (ROS). Originally founded by Barrie Woodward, Peter Carder and a group of seventeen fellow teachers, the group endeavoured to perform high quality opretta, particularly focussing on works by Gilbert & Sullivan. The first ever ROS production was Pirates of Penzance, and the company went on to perform most of Gilbert and Sullivan’s catalogue and a large volume of other light opera repertoire.

Lockdowns in 2020 hit the company hard, and a comeback was looking less and less likely as both membership numbers and bank balance continued to dwindle. Variety concerts and semi-staged G&S performances weren’t raising the funds or interest we needed to keep going, so the plan was formed - put on a great show, which would either raise some money to keep going, or would at least send us out with a bang.

So, as we celebrated the company’s 60th anniversary, we found an adventurous director and a rag-tag cast of seventeen performers willing to take risks, and staged our production of Godspell at St Andrews Church. This was also when the society name was changed to mark a new beginning and better reflect the music and theatre productions we were performing. 

ROAMS has always been a part of the cultural network in Rugby, keeping theatrical performance alive and giving everyone the opportunity to appear on stage, enabling people of all ages to work together. The Society has seen massive growth in the past two years, and we can’t wait to see what comes next!