'NODA' Article
The following article appeared in the Centenary Issue of the 'National Operatic and Dramatic Association.
By Janice Stuart
Hon. Secretary Leven Amateur Musical Association
On
The Minute of that meeting recalls that 45 people showed interest and the Rev Duncan offered “the use of his school for the practisings”.
Leven Amateur Musical Association was duly formed.
Seven days later, the association met for the first time, with a membership of 158 – and the subscription of 6s. (30p) remained the same until its centenary in 1972!
A production, aptly named The Creation, in the parish church ushered in the beginning 127 years ago.
Productions were subsequently presented in several locations, but since 1977 LAMA has been in residence in The Centre, Leven.
Choral works and oratorios took up the first 50 years, but in 1923 a production of The Country Girl saw the start of musicals which LAMA has produced ever since.
Minute books reveal interesting points.
A letter to Adam Hamilton, of Edinburgh who was musical director in 1873, asked “if it would be too much trouble to select a good piano for rehearsals.”
In 1897, special trains and charabancs were laid on for performances.
The balance for 1874 was £3. 10s. 9d. (£3.54) and production costs for The Messiah in 1881 were £98. 13s. 11d (£98.69).
Exceptionally high tides flooded dressing rooms during the 1962 run of South Pacific, and a production of Guys and Dolls saw a stray dog walk across the stage and lift a leg against a lamp post.
To mark our centenary in 1972, NODA designed a crown to be incorporated in the NODA crest
We reached our 125th birthday with a celebration weekend in 1997.
Finally, one of the oldest groups affiliated to NODA offer our congratulations and wish you many successful years ahead.
Jekyll and Hyde 2007