National Operatic and Dramatic Association

Headquarters: 15 The Metro Centre, Peterborough, PE2 7UH
Telephone: 01733 374790
Email: info@noda.org.uk
Website: www.noda.org.uk

The National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA), founded in 1899, is the leading representative body for amateur theatre in the UK. The Association has a membership of approximately 2400 amateur theatre groups and over 2000 individual members staging musicals, operas, plays, concerts and pantomimes in a wide variety of venues ranging from the country’s leading professional theatres to village halls. Covering a broad spectrum of age ranges NODA member societies meet the needs of all levels of both performers, whether dramatic, dance or musical, and those involved backstage, front of house or in society administration.

NODA aims:

  • To give a shared voice to amateur theatre
  • To help societies and individuals achieve the highest standards of best practice and performance.
  • To provide leadership and advice to enable amateur theatre to tackle the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century

To achieve these aims NODA is divided into eleven regions, each headed by a regional councillor who sits on the national council (ruling body of the Association), and supported by a network of regional representatives and officials. These volunteers are the vital link to the grass roots of the Association; the amateur theatre groups themselves and their members.

To provide support and assistance to these volunteers the Association is administered from its office in Peterborough by a knowledgeable and friendly staff who can deal with any enquiry about amateur theatre.

Membership of NODA provides theatre groups and individuals with a wide range of benefits including access to NODA’s advice service at national and regional level, as well as representation to government, access to funding agencies, direct access to rights holders and the media as well access to regional and national conferences, workshops and seminars to help share information on best practice.

NODA holds an annual residential Summer School (with bursaries available) offering training from professional tutors in a wide range of both performance and technical courses as well as a similar residential academy to provide similar performance based training for those under 18.

NODA also holds an annual national and regional programme and poster competition to encourage high standards in design.

Through its trading arm, NODA Limited members have access to a varied range of products and services including insurance for both societies and individuals, long service awards that recognise the dedication made by individuals to amateur theatre, discounts on plays, vocal scores, libretti and technical books and a range of NODA branded merchandise. As a rights holder NODA Limited has 150 pantomimes by leading authors as well as a growing catalogue of plays and musicals.

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