The origins of SMS date back to 1927, a time when there were many very good choral societies in Southampton. The Society was formed under the musical direction of Arnold Williams with the intention of broadening the local musical repertoire. The inaugral performance of the Society was held on the 26th September 1928 at the Central Hall, Southampton. SMS performed Haydn's The Creation following the established choral tradition. This was followed a year later with Handel's Messiah.

In 1931, the Society broadened its horizons and put on an extravagant production of Hiawatha, the first time it had been performed outside London. The production ran for six performances, had a cast of 285, including 60 ballet dancers and was accompanied by the 36 piece Northwood Orchestra. The show was clearly successful and was repeated in April 1934.

In 1935 the Society undertook for the first time an operetta, performed at the Palace Theatre, Above Bar, Southampton. The press report remarks "the opera went with a hearty swing" but that "the audience was not nearly as big as it should have been".

Undeterred, the Society performed The Quaker Girl in 1937 and Goodnight Vienna in 1938 also at the Palace Theatre. The production received very favourable reviews and the Society was complimented on the strong cast and the chorus who "sang with valour and discretion...and moved about the stage as if to the manner born".

The Second World War took its toll in war torn Southampton. The Palace Theatre was a casualty and SMS did not return to the stage until 1948 with The Country Girl. However, they returned in style, photographs of The Arcadians staged in 1949 show a lavish set and elegantly dressed cast formally placed in the dramatic style of the time.

For the next 20 years the Society continued in the main to perform one major show a year, performing in a series of venues following the aftermath of the war. SMS could be seen in 1951 at the Royal Pier Pavilion with Countess Maritza and in 1953 at the Plaza Theatre (which was converted to the Meridian TV Studios at Northam, Southampton) for our silver jubilee production of Merry England.

The Society with a large membership, a significant number of patrons and vice presidents, strong financially from its steady success through the 1950s at Southampton Guildhall, arrived at the 2,000+ seated Gaumont Theatre in 1960. Under the direction of long standing members Dorothy Snook and Frederick Duerden, SMS performed for the first time Lehar's The Merry Widow.

The Society grew from strength to strength and reached in many people's minds its heyday, staging two major productions per year at the Gaumont, subsequently to become The Mayflower Theatre in 1989. Under the direction of Charles Rose between 1963 and 1971, large scale productions were staged. The 1967 production, again of The Merry Widow, had 62 members in the Chorus alone!

In 1972 SMS took a new direction, employing professional producers who staged classics such as My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Showboat and Cabaret amongst others. The Society also became renowned for staging innovative productions which included the spectacular La Cage Aux Folles, Chicago, Little Shop of Horrors and the south coast premiere of Copacabana. We continue to employ professional producers, although this has become more difficult due to financial pressures but SMS is fortunate in also having talented directors and choreographers from within our own ranks.

In 1999, SMS staged South Pacific at the Mayflower, but due to the enormous cost of hiring the theatre and the difficulty in competing with touring professional companies, it is unlikely that we we will return. SMS has had to move on and now performs regularly with great success at the Nuffield Theatre, Southampton.

Gone are the days of huge choruses and orchestras and a large regular local following. Although smaller in number, SMS continues to evolve with enthusiasm moving forward and meeting changing tastes and lifestyles. Without doubt, the next 25 years will be challenging. We will continue to be under huge pressure competing with professional companies and experiencing rising costs, but rest assured, SMS will be doing all it can to keep amateur musical theatre alive in Southampton.