Our
Story
Founded in 1898, Rochdale Amateur Operatic Society originally performed Light Operettas and then Gilbert & Sullivan. The society has posters dating back to the early 20th century which indicate that they once performed a different operetta on alternate nights, with the cast switching between leading parts and chorus!
The society has a virtually unbroken history of performances since its inception except for a short break at the end of WW1 and a longer break during 1941 – 45 when many of the 50+ strong chorus were actively involved in other equally dramatic events.
Having played for many years at the Theatre Royal and then the Hippodrome in Rochdale, the Society moved to a temporary home at the ABC cinema before moving to The Gracie Fields Theatre in 1977.
In 2015 the society changed its name to Rochdale Musical Theatre Company (RMTC) as, in more modern times, productions have been musical theatre rather than of an operatic nature. The new name is also a more accurate reflection of the professional nature of the company’s productions.
In October 2021, RMTC found their new home at the iconic town centre venue Champness Hall and brought theatre back to the heart of Rochdale, with the hugely successful, sell out production Legally Blonde. This was followed in May 2022 with the equally successful Broadway musical comedy The Producers.
1898 –2023
MEMORY LANE
1898 Rochdale Amateur Operatic Society Formed
1899 The Mikado
Iolanthe
1900 Yeomen of the Guard
Pirates of Penzance
1901 Gondoliers
Patience
1902 Iolanthe
Sorcerer
1904 Dorothy
The Gondoliers
1906 Merrie England
1907 Dorothy
Vicar of Bray
1908 Mikado
Yeomen of the Guard
*Suspended during the war
1922 The Gondoliers
1923 Iolanthe
1924 Merrie England
1925 Utopia Limited
1926 Cavalleria Rusticana
HMS Pinafore
1927 Dorothy
1928 Tom Jones
1929 The Mikado
1930 The Arcadians
1931 Katinka
1932 Duchess of Dantzig
1933 The Desert Song
1934 Student Prince
1935 Gipsy Love
1936 Goodnight Vienna
1937 The New Moon
1938 No, No Nanette!
1939 Waltzes from Vienna
1940 Lilac Time
*Suspended during the war
1946 Student Prince
1947 The Vagabond King
1948 Wild Violets
1949 Showboat
1950 Hit the Deck
1951 Arcadians
1952 Magyar Melody
1953 The Dancing Years
1954 Brigadoon
1955 Goodnight Vienna
1956 Oklahoma
Merrie England
1957 The White Horse Inn
1958 Carousel
1959 Summer Song
1960 Maid of Mountains
Paint your Wagon
1961 The Merry Widow
1962 South Pacific
The Lilac Domino
1963 Viktoria and her Hussar
Annie Get Your Gun
1964 The Desert Song
The Quaker Girl
1965 Chu Chin Chow
1966The Student Prince
1967 The Most Happy Fella
Kings Rhapsody
1968 The Count of Luxembourg
1969 Kismet
1969 Carousel
1970 The Merry Widow
1971 Kiss Me Kate
1972 The Desert Song
1973 Finian’s Rainbow
1974 The Land of Smiles
The Student Prince
1975 Brigadoon
1976 The Waltz Dream
1977 Bitter Sweet
South Pacific
1978 The Quaker Girl
Calamity Jane
1979 Rose Marie
Robert And Elizabeth
1980 Oklahoma
1981 The Great Waltz
The Pajama Game
1982 My Fair Lady
1983 Summer Song
Guys And Dolls
1984 The Merry Widow
1985 Irene
Fiddler on the Roof
1986 The King and I
1987 Hello Dolly
The Sound of Music
1988 The Music Man
1989 Finian’s Rainbow
Camelot
1990Annie Get Your Gun
1991 Kismet
Half a Sixpence
1992 Calamity Jane
1993 West Side Story
1994 Anything Goes
Annie
1995 Sweeney Todd
Sweet Charity
1996 My Fair Lady
1997 Me and My Girl
1998 Pirates of Penzance
South Pacific
1999 Oklahoma
Guys & Dolls
2000 Mack & Mabel
Gala 2000
2001 Kiss Me Kate!
Oliver
2002 Crazy for You
2003 The Music Man
2004 The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Giants of Broadway (Concert)
2005 Titanic
Magic of the Musicals (Concert)
2006 Chess
Jekyll & Hyde
2007 Broadway & Beyond (Concert)
Annie
2008 An Evening of Song & Dance
(Concert)
Hello Dolly
2009 Another Evening of Song & Dance
2010 Copacabana
2011 Sweeney Todd
2012 The Sound of Music
2013 Witchfinder
2014 When The Lights Go On Again
2015 Oliver!
*Changed name to Rochdale Musical
Theatre Company
2016 A Tale of Two Cities
2017 The Full Monty
2018 RENT
2019 Showcase
2021 Legally Blonde
2022 The Producers
2023 Grease The Musical
2024 Beauty & The Beast
2025 Shreck The Musical