- October 2015
The original 1972 Broadway production of Stephen Schwartz (best known for his work on Wicked, Godspell, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and The Prince of Egypt) and Roger O. Hirson's 'Pippin' won five Tony Awards, and the 2013 Broadway revival won another four.
The story is told by a troupe of actors, led by the ‘Leading Player’, a mysterious figure who breaks the fourth wall and blurs the distinction between the world of fiction and reality. The troupe stages the story of Pippin, a young prince who is searching for his place in the world. Rather than following a linear structure, the show resembles a picaresque adventure-story, consisting of a number of fantastical episodes: Pippin goes to war with the Visigoths, murders his father, becomes a tyrant, flees to the countryside and falls in love.
Pippin contains a masterful score by Stephen Schwartz, with upbeat pop-inspired numbers that propel the story along with wit and energy, and many of its memorable songs, from Pippin’s soaring ballad Corner of the Sky to Berthe’s rousing (and audience-participatory) anthem No Time at All, have become established classics.
- August 2015
The original 1972 Broadway production of Stephen Schwartz (best known for his work on Wicked, Godspell, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and The Prince of Egypt) and Roger O. Hirson's 'Pippin' won five Tony Awards, and the 2013 Broadway revival won another four.
The story is told by a troupe of actors, led by the ‘Leading Player’, a mysterious figure who breaks the fourth wall and blurs the distinction between the world of fiction and reality. The troupe stages the story of Pippin, a young prince who is searching for his place in the world. Rather than following a linear structure, the show resembles a picaresque adventure-story, consisting of a number of fantastical episodes: Pippin goes to war with the Visigoths, murders his father, becomes a tyrant, flees to the countryside and falls in love.
Pippin contains a masterful score by Stephen Schwartz, with upbeat pop-inspired numbers that propel the story along with wit and energy, and many of its memorable songs, from Pippin’s soaring ballad Corner of the Sky to Berthe’s rousing (and audience-participatory) anthem No Time at All, have become established classics.
- May 2015
‘It’s hard to find your way, when you have no voice to guide you.’
Set in a Catholic boarding school, BARE is the story of Jason and Peter, whose forbidden love causes them to ask questions both of themselves and their god.
With graduation approaching, and the added pressure of the school’s production of Romeo and Juliet, these questions are getting more insistent.
When religion makes up so much of who you are, how do you continue when the world you thought you understood has fallen apart around you?
Featuring some of the most beautiful music written in the last fifty years, often working with Shakespeare’s original language, BARE is a portrayal of love, loss and identity in a world that is quick to judge.
- March 2015
Broads on the Way - scenes of absolute uproar and confusion! A comic show jam-packed with ludicrous parodies of well-known and loved musical numbers, bizarre satirical sketches and really strange dance moves!
Come on down for a night of fun, madness and laughter that will make your abs hurt in the morning!
- February 2015
The Cambridge University University Musical Theatre Society presents its annual Gala night - a one night extravaganza, complete with solos, chorus numbers, choreography, a full band and a good sprinkling of glitz and glamour. The Gala is guaranteed to be an evening of outrageous fun!
- February 2015
Trouble is brewing in the picture book New England town of Eastwick. When three women ostracised by society wish for their ideal man, they have no idea what lies in store.
As the irresistible Darryl van Horne manipulates the three women, all hell breaks loose in Eastwick, literally. Under the watchful eye of the moon, Alex, Jane and Sookie bring themselves to life in ways they could never have imagined. But all is not as it seems, and things are spiralling out of control.
Combining soaring harmonies and excellent score with a darkly funny script, The Witches of Eastwick was first presented by legendary producer Cameron Mackintosh. This production takes a fresh look at the material, resulting in a show which glories in the power and character of its female leads. Not for the faint hearted, this musical is a magical rollercoaster ride.
Be careful what you wish for. Speak of the devil and he might appear.
- January 2015
The finest of Cambridge’s musical theatre talent will be joining forces to create an original musical... in just 24 hours! Following a similar format to the ADC’s incredibly successful 24-Hour Plays, several creative teams will be given a theme for a musical and will have just 24 hours to compose and rehearse their song. Overnight, the composer and lyricist for each team will write their song and the following day their performers will learn it in time for their one-off performance at 11pm. The result will be an eclectic and brand-spanking new musical, and a spectacular celebration of new writing.
- November 2014
[description of show]
[title of show] is a one-act musical that chronicles its own creation as an entry in the New York Musical Theatre Festival. It follows the struggle of two writers, Jeff and Hunter, as they strive to channel their sarcasm into writing an original, meaningful musical. They enlist the help of two actress friends: the wonderfully sassy Susan, and Heidi, the only member of the group who has actually made it to Broadway. With just three weeks before the deadline, is there any chance that they will achieve their goal?
If an essay crisis could be a musical, it would be [title of show]. Come see the Corpus Playroom reach a new level of meta.
[end of post]
- November 2014
"Did you ever have one of those days? At least I didn't get tattooed again... And I still have my dowry... Maybe things are beginning to pick up for me."
The sexy, sultry, side-splittingly hilarious show that brings you Big Spender, If My Friends Could See Me Now and The Rhythm of Life. From the dark, grungy depths of the trashy Flamenco Ballroom to the effortlessly elegant Pompeii Club, we follow the lovable Charity Valentine in her pursuit for true love in 1960s New York City. Charity is dated by one suave, sophisticated guy after the next and never learns her lesson: not to wear her heart on her sleeve.
A smoking ensemble of dancers perform a sleek and modernized medley of traditional Fosse, jazz and contemporary dance whilst the stunning musical accompaniment reverberates against the priceless script, with the stage, top-to-toe in glamorous, spangling Gatsby-esque high-fashion.
"Tonight. Tonight. It will all happen tonight!"
- October 2014
Thalposis. Definition: Sensation of warmth. Sample Sentence: “After feeling another wave of thalposis, Tommy realized he was in the kiddie pool.”
Follow six nerdy American school kids as they compete in the ultimate quest: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. They each have their own battles to contend with, from pushy parents, to spiritual encounters, extreme nut allergies and unexpected manifestations of puberty. Through all of this and more, our contestants navigate the tournament’s pressures, and learn that there’s more to life than what can be found in the dictionary. Featuring off-Broadway hit songs such as “I Speak Six Languages”, “My Friend the Dictionary” and “My Unfortunate Erection”, this is Tony Award – winning, partially improvised musical comedy is not to be missed.
- August 2014
'White: a blank page or canvas. His favourite – so many possibilities.'
Georges is a struggling artist with a masterpiece in mind. With his mistress Dot on one side, his friends and his critics and the stories of strangers on the other, he's looking for someway to complete a painting he's been sketching and planning for years.
In one of Sondheim's most unique musicals, a fictionalisation of the life of Georges Seurat, we are drawn into the world of the artist's studio and into two deeply personal stories as we let the artist paint his own scenes for the audience.
- June 2014
Julie Atherton is coming to the ADC for one day only to lead a Musical Theatre Masterclass - including tips on singing, audition technique and advice on how to survive in the 'the business'.
Julie has had an incredibly broad and impressive career in Musical Theatre, starring in several shows from Fame to Sister Act, Avenue Q to The Last Five Years. As well as this, she is a founder member of the Notes from New York company, and has released two of her own solo albums.
She will be instructing a few performers individually, but the event is open to the public who are welcome to participate in the Q&A session which will follow.
- May 2014
- February 2014
Can SCIENCE and THEATRE work together? Science! the musical’ is a brand new exciting musical about life in the lab, written by Cambridge University PhD Student, Andrew Goldman.
Janice, a young enthusiastic graduate student has just had her first paper proposal accepted at a conference, only that ... she has not yet written the paper! In two short weeks, she must learn the process of doing scientific experiments from a cynical post-doc named Simon, and her well-meaning if somewhat aloof professor. Meanwhile, the conference organizer and publishing kingpin Jay Wiles Blackly is pressuring Janice to finish her work soon or else she'll never make it in the scientific world.
- February 2014
A surreal musical comedy adventure tells the tale of eccentric couple Ezekiel and Aphrodite Sparks on the hunt for a mythical immortal panda, in pursuit of which treasured nature documentarist David McAttenford has lost his life.
Complete with singing, silly dancing, quick character swaps, a tribute to London bus drivers, a lot of running about, a surprising amount of Chinese history and, of course, a panda, the show sees us led from the 'section of the British Library for Things Proved Silly or Factually Incorrect' to the remote village of Hu Flung, in Xi Li province, China. But will our two penniless, half-pissed protagonists ever manage to outsmart Sir Reginald Huntleigh Morgan, mustachioed gentleman adventurer and full-time villanous bastard, who always seems to be one step ahead...
- February 2014
The Cambridge University University Musical Theatre Society presents its annual Gala night - a one night extravaganza of everything from Shwartz and Sondheim to Schonberg and Styne complete with solos, chorus numbers, choreography, a full band and a good sprinkling of glitz and glamour. The Gala is looking for performers old and new alike for what is guaranteed to be an evening of outrageous fun. Auditions are to be held on Saturday 30th November and Sunday 1st December, 13.30-16.00 - venue TBC. Applications are also open for Technical Director - email rth26@cam.ac.uk and sjm263@cam.ac.uk for more information.
- January 2014
Putting the World to Writes involves one young, idealistic woman; a keyboard; a ukulele; and shallow philosophies about what could be done to make the world a better place. Let's be honest, it's not going to change the world, but it might make you laugh for an hour - or, at the very least, consider the sorry state we're all in. And if THAT doesn't sound like fun, I don't know what does.
Shortlisted for Musical Comedy Awards 2014.
Previous praise for Rosalind Peters: 'Comedy musictress, Rosalind Peters, may be the most ambitious rhymer I have ever seen.' (Fellow Bright Club comedian Josh Witten); 'impeccable comic timing' (CTR); 'lovely singing voice' (Varsity)
- January 2014
The finest of Cambridge’s musical theatre talent will be joining forces to create an original musical... in just 24 hours! Following a similar format to the ADC’s incredibly successful 24-Hour Plays, several creative teams will be given a theme for a musical and will have just 24 hours to compose and rehearse their song. Overnight, the composer and lyricist for each team will write their song and the following day their performers will learn it in time for their one-off performance at 11pm. The result will be an eclectic and brand-spanking new musical, and a spectacular celebration of new writing. Just bring along yourself a song to perform, preferably a musical theatre song!
- November 2013
Burlesque! is back.
Prepare to be delighted and titillated by our glorious army of reprobates, freaks and sexual deviants. Cambridge's most revolting talents are back for more high-kicking, side-splitting, chair-toppling, delicious pandemonium!
Come down into our den of iniquity, with low lighting, cabaret tables, "private" booths, and secrets awaiting around every corner in the tantalising cellars.
Doors open at 8:30pm for you to collect drinks from the bar and to prepare yourself for the spectacle that you're about to behold.
Here's what the papers said about last year's show: 'If you do one thing this week, it should be to see Burlesque!. Its fabled, if slightly soiled, fantasy world will leave you tingling with happiness, amongst other things' VARSITY * 'Burlesque aggressively exceeds your expectations at every turn: just when you think they won’t go there, they do. ' THE TAB
- November 2013
'In all of the world so far, I’m the greatest star.’
That may have been the case in 1964, but now it’s 2013 and if Fanny Brice is ‘a great big clump of talent’, she’s one of thousands. Her dreams might get her to the audition, but even a rousing rendition of 'Don't Rain On My Parade' might not be enough to keep her in all the way through to the final round.
This November, Funny Girl is re-imagined for the ADC theatre, bringing all the class and exhilaration of the original Tony-nominated musical and Academy Award-winning film right into the 21st century. Poignant, fierce and with a brilliant score full of show-stopping numbers, Funny Girl takes a look at what being a star is in a world where everyone thinks they have the X-factor.
- November 2013
This is Euripides' tale as you've never seen it before, set in the week of the London riots, August 2011. Wild Bacchants are tearing down Pentheus' city, driven by the elusive Dionysus, and in their midst is Pentheus' young daughter, Agave, caught up in this seductive and mysterious mob. Physical theatre, live percussion and multimedia footage combine to bring this ancient tale of hedonism firmly into the modern day.
- August 2013
“All you have to do is squeeze your little finger, you can change the world”. Set in a fairground shooting gallery, 'Assassins' follows nine historical figures as they attempt to assassinate the President of the United States. The tone of the show is as varied as the characters themselves, contrasting moments of humour with dark and thought-provoking undertones. Prepare to have your preconceptions challenged in a show which attempts to understand the assassins’ motives, bringing together a range of people with little in common except that one harrowing act in pursuit of their version of the American Dream.
- March 2013
What good is sitting alone in your room? Come and have the time of your life at this musical theatre gala for one night only. Sit back and witness our cast defy gravity with songs from a wide range of well-loved musicals. We promise you glitz, glam and all that jazz with a live orchestra and backing choir. We will rock you with this musical extravaganza! This is the moment to celebrate being alive so follow the yellow brick road to the ADC – you’ll have to pick a pocket or two to get a ticket.
- February 2013
For the first time, the finest of Cambridge’s musical theatre talent will be joining forces to create an original musical in just 24 hours! Following a similar format to the ADC’s incredibly successful 24-Hour Plays, nine creative teams will be given a theme for a musical and will have just 24 hours to compose and rehearse their song. Overnight, the composer and lyricist for each team will write their song and the following day their performers will learn it in time for their one-off performance at 11pm. The result will be a thrillingly eclectic and brand-spanking new musical. Come and be the first to witness what promises to be a spectacular celebration of new writing. http://www.adctheatre.com/whats-on/musical/the-24hr-musical.aspx
- February 2013
‘I’ve looked at all that - marriages and all that - and what do you get for it? What do you get?’
It's Bobby's 35th Birthday. He is sat in his New York apartment faced with the prospect of another surprise celebration courtesy of his “crazy married friends”. With a little help from his imagination, he begins to explore his bachelor experiences of love, relationships and monogamy. After all, who needs marriage when you've got friends like his and three great girls on the go?
Packed with show-stealing numbers including ‘Being Alive’, ‘Not Getting Married Today’, and ‘What Would We Do Without You?’, Company will ask you to ponder questions of love and commitment as Bobby’s musings come to life in this new surreal production.
- January 2013
Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society is pleased to present its very last bar night of the year! It's time to finish the year as fabulously as we started.
- November 2012
“There was a Cabaret. And there was a Master of Ceremonies. And there was a city called Berlin, in a country called Germany. And it was the end of the world…”
It’s New Year’s Eve 1930 and the ghoulish Master of Ceremonies lures us into the smoky Kit Kat Klub where sexual experimentation and debauchery run wild. The American writer, Cliff Bradshaw has just arrived in Berlin and we follow him as he becomes lost in the hedonistic world of the cabaret and falls for the star performer, Sally Bowles. The boarding house owner, Fräulein Schneider also starts to believe in love when Herr Schultz, a Jewish greengrocer proposes to her. However, the show’s characters cannot escape the reality of growing Nazi terror and the sumptuous safe-haven of the Kit Kat Klub is put under threat. As Berlin implodes, so the cabaret descends from glamour to grotesque and the results are devastating.
- October 2012
Follow Jamie, New York novelist finding his first success, and Cathy, actress still finding her feet, as they fall in and out of love over five years.
As he tells his story from beginning to end, she tells hers backwards, and the result is an intensely personal look at both sides of the relationship: witness simultaneously the thrill of first romance and the disappointment of heartbreak, in a combination that is at once uplifting and devastating.
In an exciting new venture, CUADC and CUMTS proudly present Jason Robert Brown's celebrated musical at the Corpus Playroom. With award-winning music and lyrics by the legendary writer of Parade and Songs for a New World, this unique two-hander will see the Playroom become an intimate off-Broadway theatre.
'No one can give you courage; no one can thicken your skin. I will not fail so you can be comfortable, Cathy; I will not lose because you can't win.'
- August 2012
Bereavement is a song and dance. Watch people singing and dancing about it.
In this bitter-sweet new musical, the big secret about bereavement is revealed: no-one really knows what they should be doing. Curtain up and spotlight on six characters as they blunder through bereavement’s funny little cabaret, trying to make sense of grief and the unexpected extras it throws up. But once you’ve survived the barrage of tasteless funerals; needless guilt; ‘helpful’ advice and useless clichés, is anyone any the wiser about what it really means to lose someone?
- March 2012
Van of Life: The Musical. Star Wars with Songs. Me, My Dos and I?
Ever planned on writing a musical before Tripos got in the way? Have a vision for “Frozen Planet - with jazz hands!" that you just can’t seem to start? Hate musicals and want to get your own back?
Cambridge’s first improvised musical group face the fear and prepare to perform a so far unwritten musical in just 60 minutes; you provide the title and the props, the rest is up to the cast. With live music, on-the-spot dance routines and the continual possibility that everything could go wrong, this musical could change the world as we know it.
Please bring an item of your own for the prop box (all will be returned at the end of the show) and prepare for the absurd, the amusing and the insane – the musical!
- February 2012
- February 2012
Bereavement is a song and dance. Watch people singing and dancing about it.
In this bitter-sweet new musical, the big secret about bereavement is revealed: no-one really knows what they should be doing. Curtain up and spotlight on six characters as they blunder through bereavement’s funny little cabaret, trying to make sense of grief and the unexpected extras it throws up. But once you’ve survived the barrage of tasteless funerals; needless guilt; ‘helpful’ advice and useless clichés, is anyone any the wiser about what it really means to lose someone?
Following the success of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change; Jet Set Go! and Jerry Springer the Opera, CUMTS is proud to present its first new-writing musical.
Praise for composer Jeff Carpenter: "Beautiful and enchanting" - Varsity (The Red Shoes) "Fantastic songs" - TCS (Treasure Island) "A gem of a production" - The Tab (Babushka) "Sensational music" - The Public Reviews, Edinburgh Fringe (Babushka)
Praise for writer Máirín O'Hagan: * "Really very excellent indeed" - The Tab (The Orphanarium of Erthing Worthing) "It's so funny that you'll laugh yourself into damnation" - Varsity (Act Casual)
- November 2011
“This is my Jerry Springer moment…”
Jerry Springer, America’s favourite controversial talk show host, suffers the worst day of his career as high art meets low culture in the funniest, most ground-breaking and most talked about musical ever made. Watch three contestants, all eager for their fifteen seconds of fame, reveal their innermost secrets to our host, as they set him up for the biggest show of his life - a showdown between good and evil.
Will Jesus see eye to eye with Mary? Will Adam forgive Eve? And can Jerry reunite heaven and hell, before it is too late? There’s only one way to find out.
In a new staging at the ADC, with the cream of Cambridge’s acting and singing talent, come and witness triumph, tragedy and trailer trash combining to create a genre-bending show that has wowed critics worldwide ever since it burst onto the cultural scene in 2001.
Tickets available at http://www.adctheatre.com/shows/show/1063 or on 01223300085
- October 2011
Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society is pleased to once more present one of its ever-popular cabaret evenings.
- June 2011
Pretentious Long Island socialite Tracy Lord, is planning a June 1938 wedding to an equally pretentious executive, when ex-husband Dexter Haven arrives to disrupt the proceedings. Additional comic complications arise when tabloid reporter Mike Connor, who is there to cover the wedding, also falls for the bride-to-be. But who does Tracy really want to marry? With Cole Porter's sumptuous melodies, this is the perfect fun, romantic summer musical!
- May 2011
Following a year of exceptional musical theatre success, CUMTS are proud to present their end of year Gala; 'Broadway, Baby!' Prepare to be dazzled bysome of the brightest and best of Cambridge's musical theatre talent. Whether you love the big showstoppers, or the heartfelt ballads, we can guarantee that there will be something to entertain you at this one night extravaganza!
