Leamington and Warwick Musical Society celebrates 100 years of music, song and dance

One hundred years of music, song and dance were celebrated by Leamington and Warwick Musical Society with a special event.

Life members of the company together with long service members, committee and production teams from across the years attended the unveiling of a centenary painting and commemorative plaque at the Spa Centre.

Among those attending was the painting's artist John Ellam, who is well known for his acclaimed set designs for local theatres, and Mark Thorburn, a long-standing theatre performer and director who has compiled and written the company’s souvenir brochure, What We Did For Love – The First 100 Years of LWMS.

The ceremony was carried out by the president of the society, Councillor Martyn Ashford of Warwick District Council.

Cllr Ashford said: "From small beginnings in 1921 to the highly professional company we see today, the society has given joy to thousands by bringing first-class performances of much-loved musical theatre shows to local audiences."

Throughout the 100 years the society has staged 96 productions.

This year’s scheduled show, Shrek the Musical, had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic but the society is aiming to be back in business next April with Evita, its 50th anniversary production at the Spa Centre.

Pat Montgomery, of the ‎Friends of Leamington and Warwick Musical Society, said: "What's remarkable is that we are the oldest musical dramatic society still in existence in the district today and because we have survived whereas, sadly, many other music and operatic societies throughout the country have folded."