WELCOME TO OUR WEBSITE
Hello and welcome to the online home of Leeds Gilbert & Sullivan Society! Thank you for taking the time to explore our website, where we hope we've been as thorough as possible in giving you all the information you came here to find.
If you're interested in learning a little history of the society, just click the four brief HISTORY links on this page, and to meet the team who run the show scroll down.
To read up about our current production click the link below - we're currently working on a section to showcase as many past performances as possible - stay tuned!
Leeds Gilbert and Sullivan Society was first known as Hunslet St Silas Choral and Operatic Society and it began its life over 100 years ago - in 1909 to be precise. A group of young people decided to support the local church “as a means of healthy recreation and to foster and develop a love of music in Hunslet.” This area of Leeds was at the time a thriving centre for the engineering industry in Leeds and the Society had many members who were, by day, involved in some way or another, with that industry.
The Society not only survived through two world wars, economic depression and major slum clearance in Hunslet but still went from strength- to- strength, producing Gilbert and Sullivan shows, other musicals and choral work. In 1953 the Society took their production of HMS Pinafore to the Leeds Civic Theatre and in 1954 was granted permission by Leeds City Council to use the Leeds Coat of Arms on its stationery. That same year the name of the Society was changed to The Leeds Gilbert and Sullivan Society.
The Society continued to enjoy enormous success at the Civic Theatre and then more recently at the Carriageworks Theatre in the centre of Leeds, winning many awards. and Leeds Gilbert and Sullivan Society (like the character in The Mikado) has always been the ‘Go-To’ Society for quality productions. The Society continues to offer “healthy recreation”, on and off stage, to our 90+ members whilst sharing a passion for Gilbert and Sullivan and many other forms of Musical theatre. In 2016, we produced Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld and other smaller recent productions have included I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Into the Woods and She Loves Me.
The Society is going on tour, presenting the premiere of a brand new musical based on the works and characters of Gilbert & Sullivan, A Nice Dilemma, written and produced by Yorkshire-based Director Sarah Case. In March 2018, the Society’s annual main production will be The Mikado.
The Team
Janet Johnston
Janet has chaired the committee for 19 years and is actively involved in everything we do. If you have a question about pretty much anything, Janet is the person to go to! Janet will often be the person who makes announcements and gives information at rehearsals.
Richard Naylor
As well as supporting Janet, Richard is the person who looks after the ticket bookings for our shows so please see him with your bookings and enquiries. He also looks after the ‘friends’ of the society – people who regularly support us – so if you have family or others … Read More
David Naylor
David looks after the purse strings for our society, including the 500 Club. David often sings with the tenors and Emma Stirk helps out by supporting him in all matter financial when he’s not around.
Katie Lister
Katie leads the admin for the society and coordinates new members, auditions, correspondence and supports the committee. She also works on publicity and communications including the website and is one of the ‘Tweeters’ on our Twitter account. Katie can be found singing with the altos.
Trustees
Steve Limb
Michael Brown
Michael Sharman
Committee
Becky Barwick
Shirley Hoyland
Judith Huntley
Chris Limb
Gillian Myers
Judith Smith
Matt Stirk
Emma Stirk