City centre based theatre company, What We Did Next CIC, turns five in May. Established in 2008, the company celebrates five years since its inaugural production of Stephen Sondheim’s Company, at the Kazimier in May 2009.

The company is marking this milestone with a concert featuring songs from their previous productions, as well as other musical theatre numbers and several adaptations of pop classics. The concert will be performed by the WWDN Singers, a choir set up as part of the company, giving members an alternative to being involved in full-scale productions. This free, non-auditioned choir gives the company a focus between shows and extends the company’s appeal.

“Arguably the most exciting non-professional theatre company working in the city at the moment,” according to Liverpool-based theatre blogger, Vicky Anderson, WWDN has always tried to be one step ahead in terms of it choice of productions. They work hard to revive classic and modern musical theatre shows, such as Company, Into the Woods, Rent, The Last 5 Years and Spring Awakening.

In fact, being able to produce this type of theatre was the very reason the company began. Chairman Jamie Barfield says, “We wanted to do productions that many established companies didn’t seem to be doing at the time. This was when we realised we could have more control over the theatre we produce by setting up our own company. Most of us have been involved in amateur theatre before and we’ve all enjoyed our many and varied experiences. But we realised the time had come to take ownership of what we exhibited on stage, make it our own, make it a success.”

WWDN has always been completely self-funded. The company covers its costs with ticket sales, a small membership fee and from the proceeds of events such as their regular musical theatre open mic nights, which they have been hosting in venues across the city centre since 2009. They also receive vital support from local businesses, most notably The Clove Hitch on Hope Street, enabling them to receive very affordable, and often free, rehearsal spaces.

Although no one in the company is paid, it has provided a professional stepping stone for several members, you can currently find WWDN alumni performing professionally everywhere from Germany to London’s  West End.

Championing theatre in Liverpool City Centre, WWDN is always keen to collaborate with and support other local companies. Last September they performed in a joint charity musical theatre evening with MASC Theatre. They have also performed in showcases produced by Lights Up Entertainment. Their overall ethos is to produce creative and thought-provoking theatre and to support others to do the same, either by joining WWDN or by supporting other companies to do it themselves.

The progression of the company over the last five years has seen a huge leap forwards in their artistic direction. Each performance has grown in professionalism and their output has been increasingly accomplished. In June WWDN returns to the Unity theatre for the third time, they will revive Rogers and Hammerstein’s, Carousel. They aim to put their contemporary stamp on the classic musical, which features the original version of You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Jamie says, “We know that a lot of people love being connected to the stage in whatever way possible and think this love provides the perfect excuse to socialise with like-minded people. With this at the forefront, we aim to produce musicals that our members want to perform, theatre that gets people interested, involved and thinking.”

What We Did Next Singers Presents: WWDN Anniversary Concert

Date: Wednesday 23rd April | Time: 7.30pm (8pm start) | Venue: Leaf on Bold St

Tickets £4 WWDN Members | £5 non-members | Available on the door

Next production

Rogers and Hammerstein’s Carousel | 4-7 June 2014 | Unity Theatre | http://www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk/whats-on/carousel.html