There is a long tradition of producing musical shows at Haworth West Lane Baptist Church, including shows like Merrie England, The Maid of the Mountains and Tom Jones. In 1964, after a break of six years, Haworth West Lane Baptist Church Choir (and friends) was reformed to perform Gilbert and Sullivan (G&S) shows. Their first production – The Mikado - was in November with Terry Lofthouse as Musical Director and Frederick W Pye as producer. The last – to date – full production with an orchestra was Iolanthe in November 2019 but then the COVID Pandemic changed everything and the Society is currently performing concerts in Spring and at Christmas with a semi-staged performance of a G&S show in the summer – most recently The Mikado in 2023 and The Sorcerer due in July 2024.

In the early years, the Society was renowned for its interval refreshments - not the usual cup of tea and a biscuit but a proper supper was supplied and served by the ladies of the church to each person in the audience - up to 200 people each evening at that time.

These early shows were set up on the traditional Sunday School stage with the usual curtains but since the church was renovated in 1999 the shows have been staged in the chapel, with some seating in the old pews but now some former cinema seating has been added and around 100 people can be accommodated for each performance.

In 1974 the name of the Society was changed to its current title: Haworth West Lane Baptist Amateur Operatic Society.

The Society has toured their shows over the years: Princess Ida at the Keighley Playhouse (1971), The Mikado at Holy Family School (1973), The Practice Night at Skipton Auction Mart (1998). In 2002 The Mikado was presented at Hebden Bridge Cinema and then as part of the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival at Buxton Opera House. In 2007 the Society's annual production was Ruddigore at East Riddlesden Hall in Keighley by invitation from the National Trust.

In recent years, our productions have not always followed the traditional Gilbert and Sullivan settings. Patience was a parlour maid rather than a dairy maid. The Gondoliers was set in 1960s Venice and our last Mikado was set in a posh London department store. In 2014 we brought HMS Pinafore and Trial by Jury up to the present day setting the former in a shore naval base. All the very impressive sets are constructed by members of the Society and the sound and lighting is also operated by our own members too.

Despite the uncertainties following COVID the Society has managed to survive, and this year will perform concerts in the chapel at Haworth (8th & 11th May) and at The Eldwick Church (still touring -10th May). These will feature 60 years of song with music from G&S through to James Bond, Harry Potter, and Sister Act. Later in the year a semi-staged version of The Sorcerer in the Chapel (July) and further concerts in the chapel in late November. Further details can be found at on the website at www.haworthamateuroperaticsociety.co.uk

The Society has come a long way since The Mikado in 1964 but here we are 60 years later continuing to entertain the people of Haworth and beyond – well, sixty is no age, is it?