About Us

Leeds Amateur Operatic Society

Leeds Amateur Operatic Society (LAOS) are a well-established and professional musical theatre company who have been performing at prestigious theatres for many years. With members based around West Yorkshire, LAOS is a well-known society with many regular followers.

As you will see from our history LAOS was originally founded in 1890, first staging ‘H.M.S Pinafore’ at the Coliseum in Cookridge Street, Leeds. Since then the society has gone from strength to strength, performing at Leeds Grand Theatre on an annual basis.

Grizabella on her way tpo the Heavyside Layer

Mike Porter as Tevye and Nicola Brook as Golde in Fiddler

LAOS The Company

As a charity LAOS supports many organisations throughout the West Yorkshire region as well as providing coaching and sponsorship for development of the arts. The charities we have recently supported include Yorkshire Air Ambulance, St Gemma’s Hospice, NSPCC and Martin’s House and St. Giles Trust

Following four years of disruption due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we were pleased to return to the Leeds Grand Theatre & Opera House in 2023 with our production of Kinky Boots and in 2024 with our production of Legally Blonde The Musical.

Make a Donation here https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/15481#!/DonationDetails

Reviews

Hairspray - Extracts from Radio Leeds review - 19th March 2015

The first night performance of Hairspray, the latest production from this talented Society, received a standing ovation. Vibrant, colourful, superb choreography and detailed direction from Louise Denison gave the show such energy, which from an audience point of view was completely overwhelming. The orchestra of 9 were brilliant, with Jim Lunt again the Musical Director. The music is tuneful, catchy and lively, and in the 60’s style with ‘rhythm and blues’ and ‘spiritual’ and very enjoyable. Costumes were bright, colourful and looked good.

Andrew Edwards & Clancy Walker

Cats by LAOS at Leeds Grand Theatre - 17th April 2018

Cats is definitely one of the largest ensemble shows I have seen LAOS put on, and when managing such a large cast the director might be forgiven for not holding every single actor to a perfect standard, but every member was so synchronised and their movement flowed so effortlessly I thought I must be watching something by Northern Ballet. The variety of movement was refreshing, I watched with wonder all the backward somersaults and fouettés and also laughed aloud at the comedy of the tap-dancing cockroaches and mice/kittens.

Lauren Fordham

West Side Story - 24th April 2019

I reflected, on my way home, that the Grand Theatre present all the major touring professional musicals throughout the year. LAOS should be truly proud to stand alongside these ‘giants’ and produce a professional musical themselves, which is no mean feat – with just one technical and one dress rehearsal, this is a mammoth task indeed and I congratulate this remarkable society for a tremendous evening’s entertainment.

Christine Castle