Dawlish Musical Theatre Company is a registered charity (No. 1075119) which aims to support the development, entertainment and education of the local community in Musical Theatre and the performing arts.  We are also a member of NODA the National Operatic & Dramatic Association.

Formerly known as Dawlish Operatic Society it performed its first show in 1958 and to this day aims to put on 2 musical shows each year.  These are usually performed at the Shaftesbury Theatre, Dawlish.

The first concert by the then Dawlish Amateur Operatic Society took place in 1958 at “The Hut” and the following year the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Mikado, one of the last shows to be seen at “The Hut” – now Barton Car Park – before it was demolished.

Since then the Society has gone from strength to strength and has staged at least one show, usually two each year at the Shaftesbury Theatre, where we have been made most welcome, and delighted in the many improvements which have taken place in the theatre over the years.

We encourage young people today by putting on musicals like “Annie”, “Oliver” and “The King and I” where children are a great asset to the Society, with a combination of talent, discipline and fun.

After much discussion the Society changed its name in 2012 to become “The Dawlish Musical Theatre Company” – which is also a registered charity.  However, our aim remains the same as all those years ago, to keep musical theatre alive in Dawlish for the pleasure of the audience at the Shaftesbury Theatre.

Marian Wannell

President