CELEBRITIES WHO PERFORMED AT THE KENTON THEATRE No.12. Kenneth Macmillan

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Henley Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society

Affiliated to the National Operatic & Dramatic Association. Registered Charity 259404.

President: Simon Williams.

simon williams our President HAODS was formed in 1922 and each year usually puts on two musicals and a play at Henley's Kenton Theatre and, every other year at an open-air venue. Our major shows are the musicals, usually one around April and again in November. Productions of plays varies, but we always have an entry into the Kenton Drama Festival.

We are fortunate to own the well-equipped Green Room, behind the Kenton, which is where we hold our rehearsals and social events; our extensive wardrobe is also stored there, in a recently built extension. Rehearsals usually take place three nights a week for large productions, which increase to Sunday rehearsals closer to the production date. Readings and our auditions are generally open to all. If you are a non-member and are fortunate enough to be cast in a show, you will be required to join as a performing member.

The Kenton Theatre is a Regency gem, opened in 1805, set in the heart of Henley-on-Thames. The fourth oldest working theatre in the country, the Kenton’s two hundred and thirty four seat auditorium has a warm, friendly and cosy intimacy that makes it a perfect performance space for both HAODS's large scale musicals and intimate plays. Kate Winslet and the West End's Oliver, Harry Stott are just two of the many stars who trod the Kenton stage at an early age, Harry having appeared in our production of Singin' in the Rain in 2004.

New members are always welcome – whether as budding actors, or to help backstage with set building, costumes or props – or maybe just as a supporter to enjoy the social functions. Drop into one of our Coffee Mornings, Club Room Lunches or come and see a production. You will have the warmest of welcomes and the best of times if you stay! Click here to Join Us.

Vice Presidents
Mr M Chalcroft His Worship the Mayor of Henley Mr J Luker
Mr R Hardy CBE His Worship the Mayor of Falaise Mr J A R Yeates
Mr Simon Langton Mr J Yeates Mrs A Luker

Life Members
Nansi Diamond Mary Reece

NODA Long Service Awards
1977 Mrs V Barter 1983 Mr JAR & Mrs J Yeates
1976 Mr J & Mrs A Luker 1990 Mrs J Taylor

Click here to view a list of all the Henley Operatic shows from 1922 to today

CELEBRITIES WHO PERFORMED AT THE KENTON THEATRE No.12. Kenneth Macmillan

Written by Bill Port

Kenneth Macmillan - Ballet Dancer/Choreographer (1929 ? 1992) Kenneth Macmillan was born in Dunfermline, Fife, in 1929. He was born of a very poor family. His father, an ex-miner and failed chicken farmer was unable to pay his debts and the family fled to Great Yarmouth in the middle of the night. Here Kenneth won a scholarship to the local grammar school where he learned, amongst other things, tap dancing and Scottish country dancing.

During the war the school was evacuated to Retford and it was here that he had his first ballet lessons from Jean Thomas, a local teacher. He was soon totally obsessed with ballet and by the time he was 23 he was already a member of the Royal Ballet. One of the artists who designed scenes and sets for the Royal Ballet was John Piper, the Henley artist, who, in 1951, took over the lease of the local theatre. After much reconstruction (including the building of a new magnificent proscenium arch) Piper and his partner Dr Adams renamed the building ?Kenton Theatre? and set about providing entertainment for the citizens of Henley. Piper approached his colleagues at the Royal Ballet, John Cranko and Kenneth Macmillan to perform at his new theatre. At this time Macmillan was suffering very badly from stage fright and was on the point of giving up his career as a dancer. John Piper was very persuasive and convinced them to form a small company and come to the Kenton.

The company consisted of ? Kenneth Macmillan, John Cranko, Geoffry Wise, Peter Wright, Yvonne Carter, Sonya Hana and Margaret Scott. John Piper and his friend Osbert Lancaster designed and painted the scenery. Osbert Lancaster was also responsible for the Box Office and for operating the curtain!

The season lasted from July 21st to August 2nd 1952. Included in the programme were THE PAS DE TOUS FROM PINEAPPLE POLL, THE FORGOTTEN ROOM and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, During rehearsals many alterations had to be made to the choreography in order to suit the small stage and it was here that Macmillan found his talent as a choreographer which he developed with the help of John Cranko and finally became known as the top choreographer of his era. Bill Port

Extract from Wikipedia

Sir Kenneth MacMillan (11 December 1929 - 29 October 1992) was a British ballet dancer and choreographer. He was artistic director of the Royal Ballet in London between 1970 and 1977.

MacMillan was born at Dunfermline, Scotland. He grew up in Great Yarmouth, where he studied with Phyllis Adams. Later he won a scholarship to the Sadler's Wells Ballet School, where he studied for a year before, in 1946, joining Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet, now known as Birmingham Royal Ballet. Whilst studying, he met and gained the support of Ninette de Valois, something he was to enjoy wholeheartedly for the rest of his life. In 1948 he moved to the Sadler's Wells Ballet, but returned to the Theatre Ballet four years later.

MacMillan began choreographing for the company's choreographic group and two promising early works, Somnambulism (1953) and Laiderette (1954) led de Valois to commission a work from the 25-year-old MacMillan. Danses concertantes was first produced in January 1955. He continued to dance, but gradually gave it up in favour of his true vocation. A string of successful works followed including Solitaire (1956), The Burrow (1958), Le baiser de la fée and The Invitation (1960), The Rite of Spring (1962), La Création du monde (1964) The Song of the Earth and his first full-length work, Romeo and Juliet (1965). The year he choreographed Romeo and Juliet, which has become one of his best-loved pieces, he was appointed resident choreographer at The Royal Ballet.

MacMillan was the director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin ballet from 1966 to 1969, and was made director of The Royal Ballet in 1970. He continued to choreograph and produced a string of masterpieces: Valses nobles et sentimentales (1966), Anastasia (one-act version 1967, three-act version 1971), The Seven Deadly Sins (1973), Manon and Elite Syncopations (1974), Requiem (1976), Mayerling (1978), Isadora (1981), The Prince of the Pagodas (1989) and The Judas Tree (1992). In 1977, aged only 48, he retired as director and took up the position of principal choreographer for The Royal Ballet. He was knighted in 1983.

MacMillan died of a heart attack on 29 October 1992 while backstage at Covent Garden during a revival of his Mayerling. Jeremy Isaacs, the general director of the Royal Opera House, announced the death from the stage after the performance and asked the audience to "please rise and bow your heads and leave the theatre in silence".[1] That same evening, Birmingham Royal Ballet was dancing his Romeo and Juliet in Birmingham. He is remembered as one of the great choreographers of the twentieth century who was unafraid of confronting controversial issues in his ballets (for example The Invitation and The Judas Tree). He often dwelled on the darker side of human nature and sexuality and some of his works centred on characters who would be considered outsiders in modern society. At the same time, ballets such as Elite Syncopations showed that he was capable of creating works of great wit and charm. He was married to the painter and sculptor Deborah Williams, with whom he had a daughter Charlotte, a photographer, and both continue to oversee continuing productions of his work.

Although a talented dancer, MacMillan is best known for his choreography, and particularly for his work with the Royal Ballet. He also worked with the American Ballet Theatre (1956-7) and the Deutsche Oper, Berlin (1966-69). He succeeded Frederick Ashton as Director of the Royal Ballet in 1970 and resigned after seven years, frustrated at balancing the conflicting demands of creating ballets with administration. He continued as Principal Choreographer to the Royal Ballet until his death in 1992.

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