The Merry Widow (1959) by Woodhouse Amateur Operatic Society

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The Merry Widow

Woodhouse Amateur Operatic Society April 4th to llth - 1959

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FROM TIES TO SUITES OF FURNITURE CARPETS AND VELVET CURTAINS

BEAUTIFULLY DRY CLEANED BY YOUR LOCAL DRY CLEANERS

Garments Dry Cleaned - 3 Day Service

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WOODHOUSE AMATEUR OPERATIC SOCIETY

present their 34th Production

“THE MERRY WIDOW”

An Operetta in Three Acts (By arrangement with Glocken Verlag Ltd., and N.O.D.A. Ltd.)

Original Book and Lyrics by Victor Leon and Leo Stein _ Music by Franz Lehar New Book and Lyrics by Phil Park Music adapted and arranged by Ronald Hanmer

WOODHOUSE CHURCH SCHOOLS From SATURDAY to SATURDAY

APRIL 4th to APRIL 11th, 1959 Nightly at 7-15 p.m.

Admission : : First Saturday (April 4th, 1959)

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday Reserved Seats, 4/9 and 3/- Ordinary Seats, 2/6 Second Saturday (April 11th, 1959) Reserved Seats only, 5/- and 3/-.

Children: Reserved Seats, Full Price Ordinary Seats, 2/-

PROCEEDS IN AID OF CHURCH FUNDS ©

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OFFICIALS President: Rev. J. LENNOX,

Vice-Presidents :

C. LIONEL COOK JAS. D. SUGDEN F. A. CROWTHER HAROLD STOTT FRANK NETHERWOOD ARNOLD A. THEAKER © F.R.C.O. Rev. J. D. WATSON, B.A. L. E. NICHOLLS P. WESTERBY RONALD RIX Mrs. C. LIONEL COOK HERBERT SENIOR Miss MARIAN KAYE R. M. SMITH Miss LAURA RICHES

Hon. Musical Director: REGINALD L. MOORE

Hon. AccOmpanist to the Society: FRANK BALMFORTH Hon. Stage Manager: PERCY SHAW

Hon. Assistant Stage Managers: ARTHUR GOODGER and BRIAN SMITH

Hon. General Secretary : I HILDA STUTTARD, 7 Chestnut Street, Sheepridge

Hon. Treasurer : WILFRED BIRKHEAD, 33 Beadon Avenue, Waterloo

Hon. Box Office Manager : GEORGE E. FRENCH, 52 Ashbrow Road, Sheepridge

Hon. Prompter: HILDA STUTTARD

Hon. Auditors: A. E. FURNISS and A. A. THEAKER Hon. Wardrobe Master : NIGEL WHITTAKER Hon. Wardrobe Mistress: JOYCE WHITTAKER

Hon. Publicity Manager : GEOFFREY S. BOOTH, 226 Bradford Road, Fartown

General Committee :

DORA FULLER ARTHUR GOODGER BETTY GAWTHORP WALTER G. HAMPSON BARBARA LEECH DAVID MATTIN DOROTHY SENIOR FRANK SENIOR

Social Committee ;:

Dora Fuller, Betty Gawthorp, Barbara Leech, Dorothy Senior.

Ladies’ Committee :

Mrs. F. Senior (Convenor), Mesdames W. Dronfield, J. Dyson,

G. E. French, H. Gill, G. Pike, C. Woodhouse, Misses D. Beaumont, M. Kaye, L. Riches.

Perruquiers : Mrs. JACK EMMERSON GEORGE HORSFALL

2

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SYNOPSIS OF SCENES

ACT I

A Salon in the Pontevedrian Embassy in Paris.

ACT Il The Gardens of Madame Glavari’s Residence.

Early the following evening.

ACT Ill

The same—a la Maxim’s. Later that night.

Period: The turn of the Century.

Production dressed by S. B. Watts & Co., Manchester

Settings designed by Percy Shaw

Scenery built and painted by Walier Dronfield, Arthur Goodger, Walter G. Hampson,

Frank Senior, Percy Shaw, and Hilda Stuttard.

Electricians :

Keith Fuller, Brian Smith.

Stewards : Bric N. French, Harry Gill, Henry Hepworth, Albert E. Lee, Fred Marshall, Fred Northend, Fred Walker, Gilbert Wilson.

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Producer: JOHN H. HANSON Musical Director: REGINALD I

CAST

Anna (Madame Glavari), The Merry Widow - Kathleen Smith

Danilo (Count Danilovitsch), Pontevedrian Embassy Attaché

Gerry Kendall

Baron Zeta, Pontevedrian Ambassador - -= Kenneth Gibson Valencienne, his wife - - - - - = = = Jean Bampfield Camille (Count de Rosillon) - - - - - - «=| Harry Agar Njegus, Baron Zeta’s Factotum - - - = «= «=| Ernest Gelder St. Brioche, Diplomat Guest at the Embassy - - Dennis Robinson Cascada, Diplomat Guest at the Embassy - - - ~~ Albert Sharp Kromoy, an Attaché - - - = «= = = David Mattin Olga, his wife - - - - - - = «= Audrey Weatherhead Bogdanovitsch, Attaché - - - -= = = - Douglas Hiley Pritsch, Attaché - - - - - = = = Stanley Waddington Sylvia, Lady Guest at the Embassy - - - = Angela Matthews Praskovia, Lady Guest at the Embassy - - Nancy Eastwood Grisettes at Maxim’s: Lolo - = = = = = = = = «= Christine Sykes Dodo - - = = -=- = = = «= Shirley Richardson Jou-Jou - - = = = «=| = «= «=: «= Barbara Leech Frou-Frou - - - - - = = = »= Dorothy Senior Clo-Clo - - = - = = = = = = Shirley Taylor

Margot - - - - = = = = = «= Margaret Ekin

Dancers, Grisettes and Can-Can Girls

Janet Barr, Margaret Ekin, Dora Fuller, Betty Gawthorp, Christine Horsfall, Barbara Leech, Patricia Livesey, Dorothy Senior, Mary Thompson.

Ladies’ Chorus

Marjorie Burns, Barbara Clarkson, Nancy Eastwood, Marie Exley, Dora Fuller, Lesley Kaye, Angela Matthews, Shirley Richardson, Christine Sykes, Shirley Taylor, Freda Wilson.

Gentlemen—Chorus and Dancers

Stanley Armitage, Douglas Hiley, Brian Roberts, Stanley Waddington, Jack Waterton, Nigel Whittaker, Alec Woodhead.

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Dance Production: PAULINE MORGAN, M.1.D.M.<A.

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MUSICAL NUMBERS

ACT I Overture ‘“Pontevedro in Paree” - - - Cascada, Zeta and Ensemble Melos (Ballroom Music) I “A Highly Respectable - - . Valencienne and Camille “So Many Men Admire Me” - - - Anna and Male Ensemble Melos (Ballroom Waltz) “You'll Find Me at Maxim’s” - - - ~ Danilo and the Ladies “It Goes to Show” - - - - - = = «= Anna and Danilo Tr, Ae OS ee wk ee Company ACT II Opening Chorus WEE Ta Be BA a Ge - . Anna and Ensemble “Driving in the Park With You” - - - - Anna and Danilo “Women! Women! Women!” - - - - - = Male Principals Introduction to the Waltz - - - Anna and Danilo The Waltz Scene - - - = = = = «= Anna and Danilo

Melos

“Flowers are Awakened in Maytime” - - Camille and Valencienne Finale, Act II (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) a Full Company

ACT Ill Entr’acte

Opening Dance - - - = = = = = = «= « Dancers Melos “The Grisettes’ Song” - - Valencienne, Grisettes, Can-Can Girls and Ensemble Reprise : “You’ll Find Me at Maxim’s” - - Danilo and Dancers “The Merry Widow Waltz” - - - - = «= Anna and Danilo Finale, Rea EE Ol SON Full Company

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THE STORY OF “THE MERRY WIDOW’’

A ball is in progress at the Pontevedrian Embassy and the atmosphere is electric as they are expecting Anna Glavari who has just inherited twenty millions from her late husband, a Pontevedrian banker. Baron Zeta has instructions that on no account must the widow’s fortune go out of Pontevedro, otherwise the country will be bankrupt. The obvious course is to get her safely married again to a Pontevedrian so the Baron sends Njegus to fetch Danilo from Maxim’s where he spends his time drinking and dancing with the grisettes.

Several flirtations are going on at the ball, quite the most serious being between the Ambassador’s wife, Valencienne, and Count Camille. Very half- heartedly the lady protests that she is a “highly respectable wife” but is swept off her feet by the ardent lover who writes on her fan “I love you”.

Anna arrives and captivates all the men. Whilst she is dancing, Danilo returns; he is a trifle tipsy and falls asleep. That is how Anna finds him and at once recognises him as the young lieutenant whose aristrocrat parents had interrupted their love affair before Anna met her rich husband. She awakens Danilo and instantly the old love revives. But he will not court her for her fortune and she vows she will not have him until he says “I love you”. So ostensibly to save the Fatherland, Danilo seis out to find a suitable Pontevedrian husband for Anna. He exposes several intrigues in his quest during a splendid garden party given by Anna. Even poor Camille is encouraged by Valencienne as a blind to court the Widow. Her husband fears that Camille is the most dangerous foreign contestant and hearing that he is already involved with a married woman the Baron orders Danilo to trace the woman. To help him he gives him a fan that he has found—none other than Valencienne’s with the incriminating inscription. But Danilo is careless with the fan and Anna thinks he has purposely left it for her to find with its loving message. She is delighted but more determined than ever to make him actually speak the words to her.

In the meantime Camille has persuaded Valencienne to meet him in a garden pavilion. Unfortunately the Baron is told that Camille is tete a tete with his “married” lady-love, so he peeps through the keyhole and recognises his own wife. In the commotion that ensues, however, Anna swiftly changes places with Valencienne through a back entrance and confounds the Baron when he orders the couple to come into the open. Anna carries the situation by announcing that she has decided to marry Camille. The Baron is shattered to know her

millions are lost to Pontevedro and Danilo is furious to find himself supplanted. He bids Anna a contemptuous good-bye and departs for Maxim’s.

Later that evening in the gardens which are now transformed into some semblance of Maxim’s, Anna’s party continues. It is gay with Pontevedrian national costume and uniform. Valencienne and her friends entertain the guests by masquerading as grisettes. Njegus has tricked Danilo into being led blind- fold with real grisettes to the party. He is delighted with the compliment Anna has paid him by decorating her garden to imitate his favourite night-spot. He tells her that it is imperative she should give up Camille as her millions must Stay in the Fatherland. She consents and also confesses that the incident of

the pavilion was a ruse to save a friend. Danilo is overjoyed but still cannot bring himself to speak the words she longs to hear.

The Baron having found out that the elusive fan belongs to his wife swears he will divorce her and marry the widow himself. But when he proposes Anna tells him she automatically loses her fortune if she marries again. When Danilo hears that he tells her he loves her. And as she jubilantly clasps him in her

bossom she goes on to say that the fortune becomes the property of her new husband. .

for not reading what she had replied to Camille’s audacious declaration—it was “I am a highly respectable wife” and he is happily reassured of her fidelity.

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PATRONS

Mrs. C. E. BALMFORTH Mrs. A. MOORE Mrs. I. BINNS Mrs. R. L. MOORE Mr. L. BRUNTON Mr. D. ROWCLIFFE Mrs. E. GIBSON I Mr. T. W. STOTT Dr. and Mrs. J. W. HIRST Mrs. A. WHEELDON Mrs. LIVERSIDGE Mr. E. P. WHITELEY

THE ORCHESTRA

Violins—L. Brunton (Leader) Bass—J. E. Dyson A. Lowe Clarinet—J. R. Birkbeck Mrs. J. R. Birkbeck Trumpet—N. Waite Flute—R. Ward Piano—F. Balmforth Drums & Tymps—A. Squires *Cello—H. E. Unsworth

Oboe—G.,. Arren

STAGE STAFF

Geoffrey S. Booth, Walter Dronfield, George E. French, Keith Fuller, Walter G. Hampson, Jim Kirrane, Frank Senior.

JUNIOR MEMBERS Roger and Christopher Pike

PREVIOUS PRODUCTIONS

1920 PRINCESS JU-JU 1937 *NO! NO! NANETTE! 1921 SHERWOOD’S QUEEN 1938 *SUNNY 1922 BULBUL 7 1939 *SALLY 1923 DOGS OF DEVON 1945 {SEARCHLIGHT 1924 HIGHWAYMAN LOVE 1947 TMARITZA 1925 CUPID AND THE OGRE 1948 *MR. CINDERS 1926 *THE IRISH GIRL 1949 *GOING GREEK 1927 *THE MOUNTAINEERS 1950 *TULIP TIME 1928 *A LITTLE DUTCH GIRL 1951 *MAGYAR MELODY 1929 *ROSE OF ARABY 1952 LILAC DOMINO 1929 *COUNT OF COMO 1953 *THE THREE GRACES 1930 REBEL MAID 1954 THE DESERT SONG 1931 TINA I 1955 THE NEW MOON 1932 *SAN MARINO 1956 THE GIPSY PRINCESS 1934 *WILFLOWER 1957 WILD VIOLETS 1935 KATINKA 1958 THE GIRL FRIEND

1936 *MAID OF THE MOUNTAINS

* The first amateur performance in Huddersfield District. + The first amateur performance in British Isles. As a result of the above £2,116 has been raised by the Society.

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The sincere thanks of the Society are tendered to :— The members of the Orchestra. The advertisers in the programme. The local Press.

All who have exhibited our Posters.

Our Patrons and Subscribers and the general public for their continued interest and support.

Perruquiers, stage staff, stewards, helpers during show week,

programme sellers, and everyone who has assisted in any way to make a success of our 1959 Production .

“THE MERRY WIDOW”

PATRONAGE NIGHTS

Saturday, April 4th— President’s Night

Monday, April 6th— Miss Sheard’s Party from Milnsbridge Thursday, April 9th— Lindley Church Amateur Operatic Society Shelley Methodist Amateur Operatic Society

Friday, April 10th— Moldgreen Married Ladies.

You are cordially invited to a Celebration Whist Drive and Dance to be held at Collinson’s Cafe on Friday, 17th, April, 1959. Whist, 8 p.m.; Dancing, 8 p.m.—1 a.m., to the music of Brian Tann and his Orchette. Bar and Buffet. Tickets 4/-, from members of the Social Committee.

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