For more information on accessibility
click here
Hall for Cornwall | Theatre & Arts in Cornwall
item(s)
Discount:
Total:
The T.A.O.D.S production of Calamity Jane was staged at City Hall Truro between the 10th and the 15th of November 1975. It was produced and choreographed by Debbie Underwood and featured Harry Jordan as musical director and Elizabeth Willis as ballet mistress.
The T.A.O.D.S production of Calamity Jane was staged at City Hall Truro between the 10th and the 15th of November 1975. It was produced and choreographed by Debbie Underwood and featured Harry Jordan as musical director and Elizabeth Willis as ballet mistress.
Guys & Dolls was one of many musicals performed by the T.A.O.D.S at City Hall Truro throughout the 20th century. This photograph from the 1967 performance depicts the ‘Dolls’ preparing for their performance back stage.
Guys & Dolls was one of many musicals performed by the T.A.O.D.S at City Hall Truro throughout the 20th century. This photograph from the 1967 performance depicts the ‘Guys’ preparing for their performance back stage.
Guys & Dolls was one of many musicals performed by the T.A.O.D.S at City Hall Truro throughout the 20th century. This photograph depicts the characters Sky and Sarah performing on stage.
Guys & Dolls was one of many musicals performed by the T.A.O.D.S at City Hall Truro throughout the 20th century. This photograph depicts the ‘Dolls’ performing on stage.
Call Me Madam was performed by the T.A.O.D.S at City Hall Truro in 1972. This souvenir programme features an illustration of the lead character Mrs. Sally Adams and the T.A.O.D.S distinctive logo of the three spires of Truro Cathedral. The American flag on the cover is reference to the fact that the musical is set in 1950s America and satires its political landscape and foreign policy affairs. The programme also celebrates the diamond jubilee of the T.A.O.D.S who formed in 1912.
One of the greatest musicals of all time’, Call Me Madam follows the escapades of Mrs. Sally Adams, ‘the hostess with the mostess’, when she is appointed US Ambassador to the small duchy of Lichtenburg. This photograph is from the T.A.O.D.S production of the muscial at City Hall Truro which coincided with their diamond jubilee anniversary.
Joyce : when I joined TAODS there as a waiting list to be a dancer. They only had 12 dancers and you had to be over 16. I was 15 when I joined and had just turned 16 when the show was staged in September. We loved performing in City Hall. Our shows were very popular, especially our plays and the carolaire where there was always a great atmosphere. We also used it for other events – one year we were staging Carousel and held an Autumn Fair in the Hall . We managed to get hold of a proper carousel and put it in the hall for the fair – we made a lot of money that year. Keith 2 : I joined TAODS because I wanted to chat up Joyce who was already a member there. Keith 2 : the guttering was inside the back of the building. When it rained you could hear the water running along back stage. There was also a metal bar at the top of the stage area to keep the pigeons out – they made a lot of noise and you could hear them when the performances were taking place. Chris : there was always dancing at City Hall – there was a different band every Saturday night and famous people like Victor Sylvester came to Truro. Joyce : there were also professional pantomimes at City Hall – one year Alan Gale staged a panto. Keith 2 : when I was stage manager I had a crew of about 9 or 10 people . They were a wonderful team. We sometimes had up to 22 back cloths for a show which had to be changed. We built a gantry and had women up there who would lower down the cloths. It was a hectic time but a great time. Keith 1 : there was a corridor at the back of the stage which had a cast iron stair case. When I was the call boy I used to go down the stairs whistling and singing to let people know I was coming as it was a very popular place for a quick snog.
Joyce : Ann and Jill always used to camp out in front of the hall overnight before a show so they would first in the queue to buy them. Keith 1 : eventually more people started queuing overnight and one day there was a big queue with dozens of people camping out to get the best tickets. It was a really rough night with wind and rain and they were all getting wet, cold and miserable when the caretaker opened up one of the dressing rooms so they could sleep inside.