YORK theatre producers John Hall and Mike Thompson had a decision to make. Did HAT fit or should it be JAM today when it came to deciding on the name for their new stage company?

“It was either going to be Hall and Thompson or John and Mike, so HAT or JAM – and it was 50-50! All the older people liked HAT but the younger ones preferred JAM,” says John.

HAT looked the part, JAM decided, and so HAT Productions will make their bow with Stepping Out – The Musical at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre from Wednesday to Saturday.

“I can’t believe it’s taken us 35 years to form our own company,” says musical director Mike. “But the reality is we’ve always been busy doing things for other musical theatre societies.”

John directs shows for Rowntree Players, York Stage Musicals and York Light Opera and earlier this year he fulfilled his wish to play Captain von Trapp in The Sound Of Music, performing the role for York Light Opera at York Theatre Royal.

Mike has worked as musical director for most of the prominent amateur theatre groups in the area, following 20 years in the same post for Rowntree Youth Theatre.

This year, at last, the opportunity finally arose for John and Mike to mount a show under their own steam. “Basically we had a period when we had nothing on and a week came up at the Rowntree Theatre, so we’ve gone for it,” says John.

On Wednesday, they step into the spotlight with Stepping Out, which began life in 1984 as a play by Richard Harris, was converted into a film that starred Liza Minnelli in 1991 and returned to the stage in 1996 as a musical with music by Denis King and lyrics by Mary Stewart-David Explaining the choice of debut production, John says: “Putting up our own money to finance it meant that we wanted a musical that had comedy, a good book, fun characters but not too many parts.

“Stepping Out is a nice show as a starting point for us because it doesn’t need a massive cast or back-up team. Originally it had ten parts, nine woman and one man who learn to tap dance, but we’ve added two extra girls as the auditions were so strong.

“Doing this scale of show means we haven’t got big costume or props requirements or all the things that go with bigger musicals – and Mike’s orchestra has only nine players.”

Mike chips in: “We chose it not just for financial reasons, but because it’s a cracking show that deserves doing again.”

John and Mike last teamed up for Stepping Out in October 2006 when John played Geoffrey and Mike was in the band for York Stage Musicals’ production at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre.

“This time we’re setting it in the 1980s with some nice Eighties’ costumes coming out of the cupboards,” says Mike.

The role of dance teacher Mavis goes to Katie Melia, who trained in dance at the Kirkham Henry Performing Arts Centre in Malton and is combining playing the lead with choreographing the show. She was last seen on a York stage as Leisl Von Trapp in York Light Opera’s production of The Sound Of Music at the Theatre Royal in March.

Stephen Tearle, so gregariously camp as a transvestite Hitler in John and Mike’s production of The Producers for York Stage Musicals last year, will play the recently bereaved Geoffrey.

Further roles go to Alexa Chaplin as Maxine, the “outgoing, loud, insecure one”; Clare Meadley as smart bubbly brunette Sylvia, a part she first played for Tadcaster Theatre Company last year (“though we didn’t know that when we chose her,” says Mike); and Sarah Brown as Andy, a very angry, withdrawn victim of an abusive husband, in a “totally different part for Sarah from anything she’s done before”.

Becky Jones, head of music at Norton College but soon to teach in the Caribbean, will star in her first major role as the Christian, highly moral but up-for-a-laugh Rose; City Opera soprano and York Light Opera performer Susan Blenkiron will be the posh one, Vera; Jessica Bannister graduates from the New Earswick Musical Society chorus line in Carousel to her first principal appearance as Lynne, the nurse.

Diana Morgan tends to be cast as villains and witches in pantomimes for Malton and Norton Musical Theatre and now plays pianist Mrs Fraser, “a crusty belligerent old bag”; Paula Cook, from the same company, will be Dorothy, the spinster tied to looking after her mother.

The newly created extra roles of Jo and Liz have been given to Eloise Crawford, an Australian, and Charlotte Addy, a tap-dancing devotee and student at Northumbria University in Newcastle.

John and Mike hope to do further HAT shows when commitments elsewhere allow. “It’s not instead of what we do already but something to keep us occupied, now that I have taken early retirement and John is nearing that!” says Mike.

Having enjoyed many years of musical theatre between them, they aim to “give something back”. “One of the main reasons for setting up the company is that if we can do four or five shows and raise some money from it, we could start a bursary scheme to enable young actors to go to drama school,” says John.

“There are so many people we’ve known over the years who gained places but couldn’t fund it, and so it’s our long-term intention to help young talent in York,” says Mike.

• HAT Productions present Stepping Out at Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, from June 20 to 23 at 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

Did you know?

The stage musical of Stepping Out initially was called One Night A week before reverting to the play’s title.