The Erith Technical College Operatic Society was formed in 1916 as a section of the Erith Technical College Association, some three years after the formation of the parent body. The early productions were all plays and the first one or two had only ladies in the casts. As this was during and just after the First World War, this was perhaps not too surprising.

However in 1923 a Choral Group was started and from then until the Second World War a musical and a dramatic production were performed each year. The musicals were performed in the College Hall during the Easter vacation and from photographs in our possession it would seem that some of them were very ambitious productions indeed. The Society continued to develop until with the coming of war again its activities ceased. The first post-war production, in 1948, was "The Pirates of Penzance".

Since 1956 the Society has presented its shows at the Guild Playhouse (now Erith Playhouse). Although many of our members are also members of Erith Theatre Guild, we remain two independent organisations.

PAST PRODUCTIONS

1916 Are you a Mason?
1917 Nothing but the truth
1918 Come Out of The Kitchen
1919 What Happened to Jones
1920 Lilies of the Field
1921 Man From Toronto
1922 Rookery Nook
1923 Are you a Mason?&  King of Sherwood
1924 Nothing but the Truth
1925 Tilly of Bloomsbury&  Isle of Balkus
1926 King of Sherwood
1927 What Happened to Jones & Dogs of Devon
1928 Highwayman Love
1929 Merrie England
1930 Tom Jones
1931 Eliza Comes to Stay&  Miss Hook of Holland
1932 Rookery Nook&  The Quaker Girl
1933 Double or Quits&  The Geisha
1934 Mrs Gorringe's Necklace & Rebel Maid
1935 Vagabond King
1936 Katinka
1937 Student Prince
1938 A Country Girl
1939 Little Dutch Girl
1940-1947 No shows during War Period
1948 The Pirates of Penzance
1949 Ruddigore
1950 Iolanthe
1951 The Gondoliers
1952 The Mikado
1953 Patience
1954 The Pirates of Penzance
1955 Veronique
1956 HMS Pinafore & Trial by Jury
1957 The Gondoliers

1958 Iolanthe
1959 The Sorcerer
1960 The Pirates of Penzance
1961 The Yeoman of the Guard
1962 The Gondoliers
1963 The Mikado
1964 Patience
1965 Merrie England
1966 Iolanthe&  Golden Jubilee Concert
1967 The Sorcerer
1968 The Merry Widow
1969 Die Fledermaus
1970 The Pirates of Penzance
1971 The Yeomen of the Guard
1972 The Gondoliers
1973 Merrie England
1974 The Mikado
1975 Iolanthe
1976 Princess Ida
1977 The Sorcerer
1978 The Pirates of Penzance
1979 HMS Pinafore & Trial by Jury
1980 Ruddigore
1981 The Gondoliers
1982 Patience
1983 The Yeomen of the Guard
1984 Iolanthe
1985 Die Fledermaus
1986 The Mikado
1987 Princess Ida
1988 The Gipsy Baron
1989 The Pirates of Penzance
1990 Orpheus in the Underworld
1991 The Gondoliers
1992 La Belle Helene
1993 Utopia Ltd
1994 Carmen
1995 Ruddigore

1996 Kismet
1997 Merrie England
1998 La Vie Parisienne
1999 Iolanthe
2000 The Pirates of Penzance
2001 Die Fledermaus
2002 Orpheus in the Underworld
2003 The Mikado
2004 All 4 One
2004 Pirates from Scratch
2005 Trial by Jury and HMS Pinafore
2006 Carmen
2007 The Yeomen of the Guard
2008 My Fair Lady
2009 The Gondoliers
2010 Godspell
2011 The Pirates of Penzance
2012 The Fiddler on the Roof
2013 La Belle Hélène
2014 The Mikado
2015 The Musical of Musicals - The Musical!
2016 A Nice Dilemma (Centenary Production)

2017 Kiss Me Kate

2018 Anything Goes

2019 Sweet Charity

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