The community theatre company was receiving critical acclaim for its annual show’s at the city’s Lyceum and everything suggested that a revival of Broadway classic Guys and Dolls would be another success.
What nobody could have anticipated, though, was the impact of an event that had nothing to do with theatre - the G8 Justice and Home Affairs ministerial meeting.
The conference brought international ministers to South Yorkshire amidst tight security, meaning a virtual lockdown for Sheffield city centre.
As a result, Woodseats faced cancelled performances and the shows that did go ahead saw far lower audiences than usual as people stayed away, unsure of how they would access the venue.
The financial burden proved too much for a company that had staged its first production in 1945 - a revival of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado - and had gone on to become a mainstay of Sheffield’s community theatre scene.
That could have been the end of the line for Woodseats Musical Theatre company had it not been for the vision and determination of one person.
Mary Newey is one of the best known faces in the region’s amateur theatre - she had appeared with Woodseats as as an elegant and redoubtable Mrs Higgins in the company acclaimed 1999 Lyceum production of My Fair Lady.
And she was determined that Woodseats would not become the latest in a long line of companies to face the final curtain.
Assembling a small but dedicated production team, a new Woodseats Musical Theatre Company launched again in 2010, starting at a more modest level with a concert - Woodseats Meets the West End - at a much smaller venue, Dronfield Civic Centre.
The company would stay in Dronfield for the next five years, staging their first full show, a new version of old favourite The Boyfriend, in 2012 and going on to present Kiss Me Kate, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Calamity Jane.
Then, with confidence restored, the team made the decision that it was the right time to return to Sheffield centre, finding a new home at the Montgomery Theatre for the 2016 production of Half a Sixpence.
The company is now celebrating ten years at the venue, though it has been a decade that presented some big challenges - the 2020 production of Anything Goes was cancelled by the pandemic lockdown and 2024’s revival of Oklahoma stalled when the Montgomery’s long-awaited programme of refurbishment was hit by major delays.
Anything Goes finally made it to the stage last summer, though, and now the company is into rehearsals for what promises to be their most ambitious show since the Lyceum days, a glittering revival of Disney hit Beauty and the Beast.
It’s the classic story of the beautiful Belle - dreaming of life beyond a provincial French town - and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress.
If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will be lifted and the couple might be able to live happily ever after - unless handsome but heartless rival Gaston’s evil plans gets in the way.
Directed by Rowan Alfred, with choreography by Phoebe Phillips and musical direction by Eloise Canzini, it’s a show packed with show stopping hits, including Be Our Guest, Human Again and the much-loved title song.
“In our tenth anniversary year at the Montgomery Theatre we wanted to give our audience a truly memorable experience and, judging by the early response and initial ticket sales, Beauty and the Beast is the perfect choice,” said Woodseats chair Mary.
“This is one of the great movie, Broadway and West End shows and, with a new production team at the helm, we are confident we are going to be presenting a vibrant fresh production that will appeal to audiences of all ages, capturing all the magic of the original.”
Running on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 7.15pm, there will also be special Saturday matinee performances at 12pm and 5pm.
For tickets visit ww.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/beauty-and-the-beast-2.
For more on Woodseats Musical Theatre Company visit www.woodseatsmtc.co.uk
1. Contributed
The Mikado was the company's first show, taking to the stage in the 1940s. Photo: Submitted
3. Contributed
The companha returned to the Montgomery ten years ago with Half a Sixpence. Photo: Submitted
4. Contributed
Anything Goes brought 1930s glamour to the Montgomery in 2025. Photo: Submitted