The Riverside Musical Theatre Company are back on stage again in June with their next musical - Made in Dagenham, drawn from the real-life 1968 sewing machinists strike at the Ford factory in Dagenham, Essex, this strike was influential in the passing of the Equal Pay Act of 1970.
The leader of the strike, Rita O’Grady, encourages the women of the Ford factory to walk out after they are re-classified as unskilled workers, while their male counterparts see their wages increase.
After Rita is patronized and snubbed by the factory at a union meeting, the women’s grievances over their worker status turn into a fight for equal pay. Determined not to be treated like the poor relation, the women vote unanimously to strike (“Everybody Out”) and encourage the women at the Liverpool factory to strike also.
However, when the American bosses fly in and lay off 5,000 men as a result, including Rita’s husband Eddie, cracks begin to show in the women’s solidarity. Risking her marriage and her friendships, Rita continues with her efforts for equality and gives a rousing speech at a televised Trade Union Conference (“Stand Up”), leading to the passing of equal pay within the union.
As Eddie finally recognises his wife’s achievements, the women celebrate their life-changing success.
RMTC Creative team
Director and Choreographer - Sam De Vita
Musical Directors - Mike Wren and Jade Tournay-Godfrey
Producer - Mike Warden
Assistant Director - Rachel Lansdowne
Assistant Choreographer - Sarah Wheatley
Age guidance is 12+ and show runs for 2hr 30mins with interval
Made in Dagenham the Musical
Book by Richard Bean
Music by David Arnold
Lyrics by Richard Thomas
Based on the Woolley/Karlsen/Number 9 Motion Picture
This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International
All authorised performance materials are also supplied by MTI
www.mtishows.co.uk
For this production we shall be supporting The Blossom Appeal
