About Spotlights Musical Theatre Group
Our History
Spotlights Musical Theatre Group, formerly known as the Sunningdale Savoy Chorus, was founded in 1991. The society was originally established to celebrate the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. Trailblazers of their time, this pair created 14 comic operas that continue to be performed across the English-speaking world today and have been brought up to date several times by satirists and humourists. In fact, Spotlights performed our own version of Trial By Jury in June 2022. De-Mockracy on Trial was a modern-day interpretation of the original opera; satirically rewritten to reflect a devolved Britain and our “special relationships” with the EU and the USA, featuring leading characters: Morris Ronson, Nicolina Salmon and Ronald Rump.
Spotlights Musical Theatre Group’s repertoire has remained firmly based in musical theatre. Over the years, it has widened to include hits such as My Fair Lady, Calamity Jane, and Oklahoma, interspersed with concerts celebrating a wide variety of music, including more recent West End and popular musical film hits.
We regularly perform at community events in and around the Ascot/Sunninghill area and we support several local organisations and charities.
As a supporter of the Ascot Day Centre we have performed at Coworth Park for the annual Benefactors Dinner and you may have seen our numerous creations in the Sunninghill Wheelbarrow Race and heard us sing as we endeavour to keep our various barrows on the road! We love Christmas and host our annual Christmas concert at Cordes Hall. Meanwhile, we can often be found spreading Christmas cheer in local pubs around Cheapside and Ascot with our community carol singing. We have been performing at the Berystede on Christmas Eve for almost 30 years.
De-Mockracy on Trial
About Spotlights Musical Theatre Group
Music
Jo Miller-Shepherd (left) and Serena Kay (right)
Serena Kay, Music Director
Serena Kay joined Spotlights in 2015 and has been guiding the group vocally ever since. Serena is a Mezzo Soprano Opera singer by trade and has sung principal roles with ENO, WNO, Opera North, ETO and a myriad of other companies.
She has performed as soloist with the BBC Concert, LPO, the Philharmonia and the RPO orchestras in venues including the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Chichester Festival Theatre.
Serena enjoys using her extensive experience and training to inspire others to enjoy singing, performing and pushing themselves to do more than they thought possible!
Jo Miller-Shepherd, Pianist
Joanna joined Spotlights in 2003. She began studying the piano at the age of seven and passed her Grade VIII exam with distinction aged 13. She studied at Trinity College of Music in London and is now a popular tutor and accompanist in Reading and the surrounding area.
Previously she accompanied and sang with the Phoenix Choir, appearing in concerts in many countries. She was also repetiteur for Opera at Bearwood.
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