OXOPS is a musical theatre society that prides itself on putting on high-quality theatre, for members and audiences alike. OXOPS has become an established theatre group in the Oxford theatre scene, bringing together talent from across Oxfordshire to perform a range of productions from Carmen to Avenue Q.

We are a diverse and inclusive charity that provides opportunities for our members to perform a wide range of musicals and concerts that inspire and engage our membership, our wider OXOPS family and our audiences.

Life in the society

By joining OXOPS, not only will you get the chance to perform in some of Oxford’s top venues, you will also become part of a friendly community of theatre lovers! We also offer our members the chance to take up opportunities on our creative teams, backstage and our committee.

Outside of regular rehearsals, we put on a range of social events throughout the year, such as summer parties, quiz nights, workshops and more. 

A little history

The society started life in 1907 as the City of Oxford Amateur Dramatic Club, later becoming the Oxford Dramatic and Operatic Society. Under this name, their first production was Merrie England, performed at The New Theatre.

In 1946, Oxford Operatic Society was reformed, largely due to the efforts of Percy Walters, George Walker and Bill Sawyer. The first production again was Merrie England, performed at The Oxford Town Hall. Five further productions were produced at this venue. Oxford Operatic Society performed for the first time at the Oxford Playhouse in 1950. The show was The Mikado.

In 1978 the society decided to perform two productions a year – one in the Spring and one in the Autumn – and have continued this tradition most years since. In1988, Oxford Operatic Youth Theatre was founded with a grant from Oxford Operatic Society, with the aim of providing a chance for talented young people to perform on a professional stage. Committee members Alan Gray and Barbara & Rod Denton were pivotal in its set up and Rod & Barbara continued to work with the group for many years afterwards. This group is now known as the Musical Youth Company of Oxford although there are no longer formal links, we continue to share a close affinity.

In 2016, Oxford Operatic Society incorporated OXOPS into their society name to modernise the brand. Nowadays, the Society regularly performs in both the Oxford Playhouse and the New Theatre, performing a mixture of musical theatre favourites and not forgetting the occasional opera or concert!

In 2026, OXOPS proudly celebrates 80 years since the society’s reformation in 1946. Over the past eight decades, generations of performers, musicians, production teams and volunteers have helped shape OXOPS into one of Oxfordshire’s leading amateur musical theatre societies, bringing high-quality productions and unforgettable performances to audiences across the county.

While much has changed since those early productions, the society’s passion for live performance and commitment to musical theatre remain as strong as ever. OXOPS continues to celebrate its rich heritage while looking ahead to an exciting future, creating opportunities for local talent and bringing the magic of theatre to audiences across Oxfordshire.