Choosing the next show is one of the biggest decisions a society makes. Get it right and you fill the cast list and the seats. Get it wrong and you spend a year wondering why nobody auditioned. I sit on two society committees as marketing officer, so it’s a decision I care about.
This page brings together everything on the blog that helps with show selection, plus a checklist to work through before you commit.
A quick checklist before you choose
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Can we get the licence? | Rights change all the time. A show that was available last year may be withdrawn, restricted or not yet released for amateurs. Always check the licensor’s own page before you announce anything. |
| Does the cast fit our members? | Count the principal roles, the gender balance and the ages the script needs, then compare with who actually comes to auditions. |
| Can our singers cope with the score? | Some shows need big belts, wide ranges or tricky harmonies. Be honest about your company’s voices and your musical director’s view. |
| What will it cost? | Royalties, scripts and scores, set, costumes, band and venue all add up. Get a licence quote early. |
| Will people buy tickets? | A title your audience recognises sells far more easily than one they have never heard of. |
| Have we done something like it recently? | Variety keeps members and audiences interested, and avoids casting the same people in the same kinds of role. |
Licensing: where to check
Most shows performed by UK amateur societies are licensed by Concord Theatricals or MTI Europe. They are separate companies, so check the right one for your show. Each show’s own page tells you whether you can request a licence.
Things move fast. When I checked Concord Theatricals UK in early November 2026, An Inspector Calls was showing performance rights withdrawn in the UK, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Cabaret and Chicago were showing them withdrawn in the UK and Ireland, and South Pacific was showing a “Notify Me When Available” button instead of a licence request. Always check for yourself on the day.
Guides to help you choose
- Christmas musicals for amateur theatre: the best festive shows for UK societies.
- The hardest musicals to perform: the shows that stretch a company, and why societies still choose them.
- British playwrights every am dram society knows: Coward, Ayckbourn, Priestley, Russell and more, with licensing notes for each play.
- Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals: the complete list, with a table of their UK licensing listings.
- Next to Normal: what UK societies need to know about this show.
- Casting fatigue: why choosing shows that suit the same few people can cost a society in the long run.
- Theatre director vs producer: who does what once the show is chosen, including rights and licences.
Coming soon: the show finder
I’m building a show finder to help committees filter shows by cast size, gender balance, licensor and more. It will live on this page. In the meantime, browse every show guide in Musicals A to Z.