Blog | Theatre and Chardonnay

Christmas Songs for Choirs and Societies: Carols, Show Tunes, Readings and a Running Order

Every December, somewhere in the UK, a society committee looks at the calendar, realises the spring show is months away and says the magic words: “Shall we do a Christmas…

4 Nov 2026 · Nicola

Singing and Performance

Musical Theatre Audition Songs: How to Choose by Voice Type

How to choose a musical theatre audition song, how long your cut should be, and starter audition songs for every voice type.

3 Nov 2026 · Nicola

Plays

British Playwrights Every Am Dram Society Knows: Coward, Ayckbourn, Priestley, Russell and More

Walk into any village hall in the UK on a show week and there’s a good chance the name on the poster is a British playwright. Coward, Priestley, Christie, Ayckbourn,…

2 Nov 2026 · Nicola · 1 Comment

Am Dram Life

What Does a Musical Director Do in Amateur Theatre?

What a musical director does in an am dram musical: auditions, note bashing, harmonies, band calls, the sitzprobe and conducting the show, plus how to work well with your MD.

1 Nov 2026 · Nicola · 1 Comment

Am Dram Life

What Does a Stage Manager Do? The Am Dram Guide to Running the Show

If you have ever watched a show run like clockwork and wondered who was actually holding it together, the answer is almost always the stage manager. They are the person…

31 Oct 2026 · Nicola · 1 Comment

Singing and Performance

Best Mezzo-Soprano Audition Songs for Every Level

Twelve mezzo-soprano audition songs for beginner, intermediate and advanced singers, how to build a 32-bar cut, and a few less overdone picks.

30 Oct 2026 · Nicola

Am Dram Life

Theatre Director vs Producer: Who Does What in an Am Dram Production

What does a theatre director do, and how is that different from the producer and the assistant director? A performer and first-time director explains the am dram production team.

29 Oct 2026 · Nicola · 1 Comment

Musicals

Christmas Musicals for Amateur Theatre: The Best Festive Shows for UK Societies

Christmas musicals are the comfort blankets of amateur theatre. Audiences love them, tickets sell themselves, and there is something about singing about snow in a draughty church hall that just…

28 Oct 2026 · Nicola · 1 Comment

Musicals

What Is a Concept Musical? The Complete Guide

What is a concept musical? I break down the definition, where the term came from, and why Company, A Chorus Line and Hadestown changed musical theatre.

22 Jun 2026 · Nicola

Musicals

Is Grease a Jukebox Musical? My Verdict

Is Grease a jukebox musical? It sounds like a collection of 1950s hits, but here’s why the answer is actually no.

21 Jun 2026 · Nicola