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- Who we are
- History
- News
- Membership
- Committee
- Helping
- NODA
- Sponsors and Links
- Views
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ROS is a society full of lively, enthusiastic and talented people – but there’s always room for more…
As well as encouraging folk who want to sing, dance and act, we welcome those looking for a place to practise their set-designing, costume-making and tea-brewing skills.
Drop us a line, give us a call or come and see a show; a whole other world beckons.
If you’d like to get involved with the society and play some part in our future, onstage or off, please get in touch.
Go to the Contact Us page and send us an email. Tell us what you think of our shows or which ones you’d like to see. We’d love to hear from you.
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The Ruislip Musical Society came about as a result of a public meeting held on 17th December 1923. For many months the Society concentrated its efforts on rehearsals, building up a repertoire and adding willing volunteers to the list of members. The first public performance by the Society was a concert version of Merrie England given in April 1925. The handbills advertising the event politely stated that the Society “had spared no pains to do justice to the Opera and hopes it will be the first of many successes.” It was.
The Society decided to change its name to Ruislip Operatic Society in 1935.
In 1939, despite the outbreak of World War II, ROS made the decision to carry on – as far as possible – presenting at least one production each year. The Society is proud that it has maintained an unbroken run since 1925.
During the early war years the fear of imminent invasion led to the introduction of some imaginative schemes designed to confound an invading army. The Society played its part in the war effort by allowing the deletion of part of the word Ruislip from the front page of the programme for each show. Confusing enough for the locals, let alone an enemy force.
ROS continued to thrive in spite of the demands of the war. Tom Jones was performed in June to avoid as much of the blackout as possible and the 1943 show Blossom Time featured a male chorus chiefly comprised of Air Raid Wardens and Home Guards. On a more sinister note, the 1944 presentation of Katinka was performed to a finish despite the sound of the first “doodlebugs” passing overhead, during the finale of Act II.
The programme for the 1961 production of The Gypsy Baron observed that the show cost more than £500 to produce. Those were the days. The budget for each of today’s shows comes in at well over twenty thousand pounds and every seat must sell to make even a modest profit.
1972 was the year of the power crisis and the chorus regularly arrived at Thursday rehearsals for The Grand Duchess with candles and paraffin lamps, in case of power cuts.
ROS chose to celebrate its 75th anniversary in 1998 by presenting “the musical of the century”, My Fair Lady. Its appeal was confirmed when the show was sold out weeks before opening night. Since then, ROS has welcomed audiences to a range of productions; each designed to showcase the Society’s talents. From the swashbuckling fun of The Pirates of Penzance – Broadway Version to the dark complexities of Sweeney Todd, ROS does its best to make an impact on the audience.
NEWS 2021
- 06 Feb Legally Blonde cast list
- 21 May Sweet Charity cast list
- 23 Apr Sweet Charity launch night
- 11 Feb My Fair Lady cast
- 13 Nov Singing at Duck Pond Market
- 27 Jun Scrooge auditions
06 February Legally Blonde cast list
Thank you to everyone who auditioned; you made it very difficult to pick a cast.
But here is the Legally Blonde Cast List
21 May Sweet Charity cast list
Charity Hope Valentine – Sophie Patterson
Helene – Vikki Wilson
Nickie – Charlie Turton-Jones
Oscar Lindquist – Oliver McLaughlin
Vittorio Vidal – Tony Pullen
Ursula March – Cherish Bristow
Herman – Carl Quaif
Daddy Brubeck – Richard Kessel
Daddy’s Assistants – David Hampton / David Rees
Charlie – David Rees
Door frame dancers
Carmen – Susan Maycraft; Elaine – Andrea Bright; Rosie - Rebecca Grant; Frenchy – Sophie Rees; Alice - Katie Robson; Suzanne – Lauren Robson
23 April Sweet Charity launch night
Everyone is welcome to attend the launch night for our autumn 2019 show – Sweet Charity. Come along to St Martin’s Church Hall, Eastcote Road, Ruislip HA4 8DG for a 7:30pm start on Thursday 25th April.
11 February My Fair Lady cast
ELIZA DOOLITTLE Vikki Wilson
HENRY HIGGINS David Hampton
COLONEL PICKERING Carl Quaif
FREDDY EYNSFORD-HILL Richard Connolly
ALFRED P. DOOLITTLE Alan Bailey
MRS HIGGINS Tina Wane
MRS PEARCE Jackie Quaif
MRS EYNSFORD-HILL Caroline Bronne-Shanbury
ZOLTAN KARPARTHY Phil Gibbs
JAMIE David Rees
HARRY Adrian Wilson
MAIDS Cherish Bristow & Susan Maycraft
13 November Singing at Duck Pond Market
We’ll be singing a selection of our favourite songs from Scrooge at the Duck Pond Market at Ruislip’s Manor Farm on Sunday November 18th. Don’t miss your chance for a sneak preview of the show, which opens at the Winston Churchill Theatre on November 28th.
27 June Scrooge auditions
Auditions take place Sunday 1st July (during the day) and Monday 2nd July (evening) at St Martin’s Church Hall, Eastcote Road, Ruislip. Bring some water, even if the high temperatures have dipped by then…
Join in
We like to include all sorts of folk in the ROS mix. If you’ve seen one or two of our productions and you’re thinking about joining us on stage, come along and show us what you can do – we’re always happy to welcome new performing members.
Equally, we’d love to have you around if you’re handy with a paintbrush or a sewing machine or have a burning desire to shift scenery. And if you can brew a decent cuppa, we’ll probably dust off the red carpet…
MORE DETAIL Contact UsSomething for everyone
For those with a little less time to spare, becoming a Friend of ROS lets you support local theatre (for a nominal sum of £15 a year), gives you priority booking facilities, regular copies of the ROS newsletter – Tempo – and a nice warm glow.
Click on the button to contact us, and we’ll send you more details about the various levels of Society membership.
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Chairman – Oliver Spinks
Vice Chairman – Les Dearlove
Secretary – Richard Connolly
Treasurer – Lynn Jackson
Business Manager – David Hampton
Publicity Manager – Jackie Quaif
Social Secretary – Susan Maycraft
Membership Secretary – Tasha Brain-Ewing
Committee Member – Charlie Turton-Jones
Helping
Please come and help us…
- Committee members
- Painting
- Set building
- Refreshments
- Chaperones
- Props
- Costumes
- Stage crew
- Publicity and leaflet distribution
Upcoming events to help with
My Fair Lady…
Want to help with our next production? Do you have a flair for sewing? Would you like to make some costumes? Talent with a hammer? Help our set builders! Send us your details...
Get Involved!
Simply click the contact button below to get involved with Ruislip Operatic Society.


Noda
The National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA) was founded in 1899 ‘to protect and advance the interests of Operatic and Dramatic Art, and of Societies engaged therein’. ROS is an active and enthusiastic member, one of 2,500 amateur societies and 3,000 individual members throughout the UK.
The aims are…
• To give a shared voice to the amateur theatre sector
• To help amateur societies and individuals achieve the highest standards of best practice and performance
• To provide leadership and advice to enable the amateur theatre sector to tackle the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century
We are a small friendly group who perform twice a year at the Radlett Centre (www.radlettcentre.co.uk).
Stockists of all leading makes of dancewear.
We stock all your
dancewear needs.
Pointe shoe fitting, Teletone taps fitted, Character skirts in stock or made to measure, costumes made to your design, Irish dance shoes and socks, ballroom shoes, wedding shoes and Holy Communion shoes.
16 Long Drive, South Ruislip. 020 8845 7270
Projecting a powerful message to the right audience
at the right time…
Business cards, brochures, logos, flyers, adverts, exhibitions, marketing, html emails, presentations
and much more…
+44 20 8868 3737
contact@kineticmcd.co.uk
www.kineticmcd.co.uk
New look for us!
Maybe a new haircut for you?
Have a complimentary cup of tea or coffee and enjoy one of our treatments!
Very friendly atmosphere –
all are welcome.
5 Black Horse Parade, High Road, Eastcote
T: 020 8868 0796
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Radlett Light Opera Society - Local theatre group
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Dance Partners - Stockists of dancewear
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Nazilia - Professional makeup artist
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Kinetic - Design Consultancy
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First Impressions - Hair Stylists
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Joel Veterinary Clinic - Vets
Just a few things people have said...
Past Productions
- 2016 The Full Monty
- 2016 Thoroughly Modern Millie
- 2015 Sister Act
VIEW ARCHIVE »
- 2016 The Full Monty
- 2016 Thoroughly Modern Millie
- 2015 Sister Act

2016 The Full Monty
In this Americanised musical stage version adapted from the British film of the same name, six unemployed Buffalo steelworkers, low on cash and prospects, decide to present a strip act at a local club after seeing their wives’ enthusiasm for a touring company of Chippendales. One of them, Jerry, declares that their show will be better than the one staged by the Chippendales dancers…

2016 Thoroughly Modern Millie
In 1922, at the height of the Jazz Age, young Millie Dillmount arrives in New York City from Kansas, determined to find a rich husband and forge a new life for herself.
Unfortunately, her grand plan hits more than a few snags – including the fact that the man she falls for doesn’t seem to have a dime to his name…

2015 Sister Act
Reno lounge singer Deloris Van Cartier witnesses her mobster boyfriend killing an employee. She is hidden in a convent under a witness protection program. She soon makes friends with the nuns, especially Sister Mary Robert, Sister Mary Lazuras and Sister Mary Patrick, but ruffles the Mother Superior’s feathers.

2014 A Grand Night For Singing
On the stage of a derelict theatre, performers gather to reminisce about past glories and make plans for the future. As the talk turns to romantic attachments, it seems only right to express their feelings using music and lyrics that have delighted audiences for years.
A Grand Night for Singing showcases some of the best songs ever written by the masters of the Great American Musical, Rodgers & Hammerstein.

2014 The Wiz
Dorothy’s adventures in the Land of Oz set to music in a dazzling, lively mixture of rock, gospel and soul.

2013 Oklahoma!
Oklahoma! is the first musical written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein and tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance with farm girl Laurey Williams. A secondary romance concerns cowboy Will Parker and his flirtatious fiancée, Ado Annie.
Featuring songs: People Will Say We’re in Love, Surrey with a Fringe on Top, I Cain’t Say No and the title song, Oklahoma!

2012 Pride and Prejudice
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife”.
Here begins what is arguably Jane Austen’s best-loved story, with the arrival of the single, wealthy and charming Mr Bingley and his party into the town of Meryton. He meets the Bennets and so this classic story begins….

2012 Red Hot and Cole
A sparkling blend of biography and music, Red Hot & Cole celebrates the American songwriter who brought style, elegance and sophistication to the stages and soundstages of Broadway and Hollywood.
Featuring songs Night and Day, Anything Goes, Let’s Do It, and Love for Sale to name but a few – the show tells Cole’s life story.

2011 Musical Magic
A selection of songs from stage, film and even the pop charts. ROS and ROS stageworks took audience members through decades of popular, entertaining and – yes- musical magic.
Featured songs: Any Dream Will Do, There’s No Business Like Show Business, Let’s Twist Again, You’ll Never Walk Alone, America and All That Jazz.
Gallery
- Shows
- Social
VIEW ARCHIVE »
- Shows
- Social
ROS StageWorks / ROS StageWorks Summer School
Theatre workshops for young people
An introduction – for anyone aged 7 to 17 – to the art of performing. Learn to act, sing and dance, regardless of any previous experience, in a safe, supportive environment.
Meeting every Saturday morning, contact Malcolm Unwin on 020 8866 3110 or click on the link below for more details.

Contact us
We’d like to hear from you
If you have a query, comment or enquiry, please contact the relevant person listed in the box to the right. If you don’t know who to contact please email the general address and we’ll make sure the right person sees your message.