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Amateur Theatre in the UK, Explained by Someone in the Cast

Hello, I’m Nicola. I’ve been performing in amateur theatre since 1994: I did my first show that year, stepped away in 2000, and came back in 2023. These days I perform in musicals and plays with Erewash Musical Society and Arcade Players in Long Eaton.

Theatre and Chardonnay is written from the rehearsal room, not the press night. It’s for anyone who performs in am dram, is thinking about joining, or just loves musicals and plays and wants to understand them properly.

Nicola Tuxford in Hot Mikado
Hot Mikado (2024), photo c/o Ali Langton

Where would you like to start?

Thinking of joining?

How to find a society, what happens at auditions, and who does what in a production.

Read the Am Dram Guide

Choosing a show?

A committee checklist, where to check UK licensing, and guides to the shows worth considering.

Go to Choosing a Show

Learning to sing?

A free singing lessons series for performers: voice types, audition songs and more.

Start the free singing lessons

In a show right now?

Plot, songs and characters for the musicals societies love to stage, plus the types of musical explained.

Browse Musicals A to Z

Latest from the blog

See every post on the blog

About me

Since coming back to the stage I’ve played Trish in Boogie Nights and Yum-Yum in Hot Mikado with Erewash Musical Society, and Vera Claythorne in And Then There Were None with Arcade Players. Read more about me, or get in touch.