ON the evening of Tuesday, July 30, 2002, the music will start, the lights will go down and the curtain will rise on the 20th anniversary show of WODYS.

Whoever it was who said Don't put your daughter on the stage, was obviously on another planet to the members of Worcester Operatic and Dramatic Society Youth Section.

They love it. Auditions for their annual production draw queues of wannabes to the honey pot and the ensuing spectacle is invariably a blistering success.

For two decades, WODYS has been providing a platform for the area's young theatrical talent and, in May, a reunion is planned for all those who have been involved over the years.

David Humphries, the driving force behind the group ever since is started, would like to contact all past members, especially those who have moved away. His number is 01905 350039.

Give him a ring. You'll have a cracking party.

And at some stage, someone, will no doubt break into song.

It'll really be one of those Do you remember the night when. . . occasions.

WODYS all began in 1982 because orcester Operatic and Dramatic Society was trying to get more young members to join.

The committee was aware young people tended to shy away because it was considered very much an organisation for adults, said David.

A few parts were taken by youngsters, but they were very much in the minority.

Planning for the future was called for, particularly the encouragement of young blood.At the time we had a Saturday dance class for youngsters and it really all evolved from that, he added.

Added

The drama element was added to the dance and WODYS was away.

In the beginning there were about 30 members, but now we've got more than 70 with a waiting list of 20 plus, David said.

Once a year we hold auditions for our annual production and we have 60-70 youngsters turn up.

The membership of WODYS is aged between eight and 18.

Initially they were split into two groups, up to 12 and over, with separate shows for each.

We started off doing shows written especially for children, David went on.

The first was The Evacuees and then we did Factory Children and Alice in Wonderland.

But 11 years ago, we switched to adult shows, this was partly because we were running out of children's material but, also, we wanted to stretch the talents of the youngsters and give them a challenge.

The first of the 'adult' productions was Anne of Green Gables.

All these were staged in the relatively low-key atmosphere of the rehearsal rooms in St Mary's Hall, Northfield Street, but for its 10th anniversary, WODYS switched to the full glare of the stage of the Swan Theatre.

It performed Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore which, by happy co-incidence, was the very first show staged by its parent company WODS, exactly 100 years before.

HMS Pinafore was a tremendous success.

Unbelievable, said David.

But after appearing at The Swan, there was no way we could go back to the rehearsal rooms.

It would have been too much of an anticlimax.

So from then on, The Swan it has been; mostly with musicals such as Half a Sixpence, The Music Man, Oklahoma! and Godspell.

This year's show, which opens on the night of July 30, will be Annie.

With more than 70 in the cast, rehearsals are well under way.

Our aim all along has been to provide a springboard for youngsters to perform on stage added David, who is WODYS' chairman and artistic director.

Some have gone on to other things while others have just enjoyed the experience.

All have been grateful for the vision and enthusiasm shown by David, who juggles his work with the young theatre group with his day job as global SAP business systems manager with Worcester's Joy Mining Machinery, which often sees him working abroad.

Costumes

It's a family thing too, because his wife Christine heads the team that makes the costumes for WODYS' chorus lines, while their sons Carl (backstage) and James (on stage) take part as well.

When it all began 20 years ago, few would have foreseen the rosy future that lay ahead for the young company.

Worcester's main theatre stage, a sellout audience, a top West End musical.

It would all have been a dream.

But the success of WODYS, shows that young dreams sometimes do come true.