For a community theatre company, mounting a full-scale musical is a mammoth undertaking. With Songs of the Stage: Volume II, presented by Gosford Musical Society at Laycock Street Community Theatre, the challenge is even greater. Bringing together dozens of songs from vastly different musicals, each with their own style, staging and vocal demands, is an art form all of its own. The production effortlessly moves between beloved Golden Age favourites, modern Broadway sensations and recent West End blockbusters. Some of these productions are still touring professionally, making the licensing achievement alone worthy of applause. Whoever was responsible for securing the performing rights deserves a standing ovation before a single note is sung.
Concert-style productions live and die by pacing, and this one rarely allows the energy to dip. Director Toni Williams kept the evening flowing smoothly from one number to the next, allowing the music to remain the focus. Musical Directors Christopher Hochkins and Mark Williams led an excellent eight-piece orchestra that confidently tackled everything from lush Golden Age orchestrations to contemporary musical theatre scores with precision and flair.
The only programming choice that felt out of step was the inclusion of songs from West Side Story performed by an entirely white cast. The musical is intrinsically tied to the Puerto Rican experience in America, and those songs carry cultural and historical weight beyond their melodies. If a company can’t tell those stories authentically, it may be worth reconsidering whether they belong in the programme at all. There is such a wealth of musical theatre repertoire available that equally compelling alternatives could have been chosen.
Across the programme, the cast sang with confidence, danced with energy and embraced every style the repertoire demanded, creating an ensemble that was consistently engaging from start to finish.
Among the evening’s many highlights, I Know Where I’ve Been from Hairspray stood proudly as the emotional centrepiece. Tina Leaitua led the company with warmth, power and conviction, turning the anthem into a stirring moment of unity that earned one of the biggest responses of the night.
Grace Mitchell and Jess Ferraro then reminded audiences why the classics continue to endure with a gorgeous rendition of If I Loved You from Carousel. Their rich, soaring voices blended effortlessly, capturing the romance and restraint of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s timeless score. It was classical musical theatre singing at its finest.
Saving one of the evening’s finest performances until late in the programme, Jaxon Graham-Wilson delivered a breathtaking Why God Why from Miss Saigon. Possessing an outstanding tenor voice that soared effortlessly through Schönberg and Boublil’s demanding score, he matched his vocal ability with deeply heartfelt storytelling. Rather than simply singing the notes, he took the audience on Chris’s emotional journey, making it a performance of genuine vulnerability and one that lingered long after the final chord.
Songs of the Stage: Volume II is exactly the sort of concert that reminds audiences why they fell in love with musical theatre in the first place. It celebrates the extraordinary breadth of the genre while showcasing the wealth of talent within Gosford Musical Society. Whether your tastes lean towards the classics or the latest Broadway sensations, this entertaining evening offers something to enjoy and leaves you eager to hear what they’ll sing next.
– The other Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig is an international performer and has established himself as a trusted theatre specialist on the Sydney Arts Scene. While he understands the technical side of theatre, Dan writes for the everyday theatregoer (unlike some of those more prominent publications). When not in the audience, he loves to travel the world and try new gins.
Songs of the Stage: Volume 2 runs for 2 hours 15 minutes (with a 20-minute interval) and plays at the Laycock Street Community Theatre through 1 August 2026. Tickets are available through Laycock Street Theatre.
Disclosure: The Plus Ones were guests of Gosford Musical Society
Image credit: Supplied
