Where we started

Barking Music and Drama started out as the Barking Operatic Workshop, a night school class run by The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council in 1975. Under the guidance of the Barking Arts Council, the group was led by local music teacher Ethel Giles, who helped the group to put on productions in local halls and schools throughout the Borough.

In 1979, Ethel Giles retired and another Barking music teacher, Carole Cable, took over as Musical Director. Due to funding cuts, the evening classes were cancelled in 1980 but members wanted to continue their interest and so Barking Operatic Society (BOS) was born. After receiving a grant from the Barking Arts Council to help pay for the Musical Director and a Pianist, members collected fees and organised fundrasing events so that from the 1980’s onward, they were able to stage larger scale productions, usually located at The Broadway Theatre, Barking.

Group of people dressed in old-fashioned clothing, posing outdoors in front of a brick building and lush bushes, some raising their hands and smiling.

When Barking Arts Council was disbanded in the 1990s, BOS was grateful to receive a small annual grant from the Borough for a few years which helped it to continue and improve the quality of its productions. However, Carole Cable passed unexpectedly in 1997 and BOS was faced with the massive problem of finding a new musical director. Another Barking music teacher called Carol came to the rescue! In January 1998, BOS was fortunate enough to take on Carol Lucas as Musical Director. Carol Lucas led the group for over 20 years until her retirement in 2022.

Two men posing with a Large monster plant with a floral backdrop and decorated tables on a stage.

In its lifetime, with special thanks to the service of the two Carol(e)s, our Group has achieved many landmarks – it has become the premier musical theatre group in Barking and Dagenham. In November 2005, the group held a vote to change its name and in November 2006, officially became Barking Music and Drama (BMAD) which more correctly describes our ethos and in 2025 it celebrates its golden anniversary. We are now truly ‘Fifty and Fabulous’! The group currently has more than 30 members and is now a well established feature of the musical life of the Borough and will remain so for years to come.