Half a Sixpence
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SAOS Prog 3.06 6/4/06 2:04 pm Page 1 Shows performed over the past 25 years: 1979 The Gypsy Baron / Fiddler on the Roof 1980 Kismet / Iolanthe 1981 Cavalleria Rusticana & I Pagliacci / My Fair Lady 1982 Die Fledermaus / Pirates of Penzance 1983 Show Boat / Cabaret 1984 The Flying Dutchman / La Vie Parisienne 1985 Ruddigore / Carousel 1986 The Merry Widow / The Card 1987 The Arcadians / La Boheme 1988 South Pacific / Guys & Dolls / Trial by Jury 1989 Orpheus in the Underworld / The Yeoman of the Guard 1990 Half a Sixpence / La Traviata 1991 The Pajama Game / Fiddler on the Roof / Trial by Jury 1992 The Great Waltz / An Evening with Mr Gilbert and Mr Sullivan / West Side Story 1993 My Fair Lady / The Gondoliers 1994 Macbeth / Kiss Me Kate / Trial by Jury 1995 Bitter Sweet / Jack the Ripper / Anything Goes 1996 Charlie Girl / Connections / The Pirates of Penzance 1997 Me & My Girl / Oklahoma! 1998 Carmen / Hello Dolly 1999 La Belle Helene / Calamity Jane 2000 Sweet Charity / Charlie and Algernon / Guys & Dolls 2001 Die Fledermaus / Chess 2002 Mack & Mabel / Slice of Saturday Night / Trial by Jury & HMS Pinafore 2003 Fiddler on the Roof / Oliver! 2004 Carousel / Mikado 2005 Wizard of Oz / Cavalleria Rusticana & I Pagliacci Executive committee Chairman: Peter Jones Secretary: Rachel Manser Treasurer: John Whinney Membership Secretary: Jeanne Cavill Members: Jane Clark, David Fletcher, Lesley Duggan, Gemma Farr, Eve Davies and Graham Hedley www.saos.org.uk SAOS Prog 3.06 6/4/06 2:05 pm Page 2 St Albans Operatic Society presents Music & Lyrics by David Heneker Libretto by Beverley Cross from Kipps by H.G.Wells By arrangement with Warner/Chappell Music Limited administered by Boosey & Hawkes. 25th – 29th APRIL 2006 7.45pm Saturday matinee 2.30pm £2.00 SAOS Prog 3.06 6/4/06 2:05 pm Page 3 SAOS Prog 3.06 6/4/06 2:05 pm Page 4 ZZZUXPEDOOVHGJZLFNFRXN %HLQJ 6W $OEDQV¶ ORQJHVW HVWDEOLVKHG HVWDWH DJHQF\ JLYHV XV D XQLTXH LQVLJKW LQWR WKH ORFDO DUHD DQG LWV SHRSOH :H¶YH EXLOW RXU UHSXWDWLRQ RQ PDNLQJ WKH EX\LQJ DQG VHOOLQJ RI KRXVHV DV HDV\ DV SRVVLEOH ,Q IDFW ZH¶YH KHOSHG OLWHUDOO\ WKRXVDQGV RI SHRSOH ILQG WKH KRPH RI WKHLU GUHDPV SAOS Prog 3.06 6/4/06 2:05 pm Page 5 graphic communication In business? We can provide design solutions for all your marketing needs... advertising t: 01494 770684 design e: [email protected] new media w: www.art-direction.co.uk SAOS Prog 3.06 6/4/06 2:05 pm Page 6 St Albans Operatic Society presents HalfHalf aa SixpenceSixpence Directed by Iain Fowles Choreographed by Gisèle Yoh-Fowles Music direction by Neil Buick Music and lyrics by David Heneker Libretto based on Kipps by H.G.Wells, by Beverley Cross By arrangement with Warner/Chappell Music Limited Administered by Boosey & Hawkes SAOS Prog 3.06 6/4/06 2:05 pm Page 7 The St Albans Operatic Society is pleased to support Open Door We are grateful to St Albans Operatic Society for giving us the opportunity to use this evening to promote the work of the Day and Night Shelter at 8 Bricket Road. Opened in 1993 it is open every night of the year and provides a bed and food for up to 16 people. In addition to statutory funding we need to raise £45,000 each year and we do this by fund raising.The premises have had constant use over the past 13 years and we need to upgrade and redevelop the building as well as continuing to fund ongoing costs. If you would like to know how you could help please contact Val Langford on 01727 738 492 or email Valerie [email protected]. Please support the TOMBOLA in the vestibule during the evening! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!! SAOS Prog 3.06 6/4/06 2:05 pm Page 8 Welcome to the Alban Arena and to our production of the timeless classic Half a Sixpence The Society is delighted to see Neil Buick back on the conductor s podium for his second Half a Sixpence with us - he was MD for our last production fifteen years ago. Neil is invaluable to the Society not only as a Music Director, but also as repetiteur and accompanist. Iain and Gis le Fowles are making their directing and choreography debuts with the Society.We have thoroughly enjoyed working with them in rehearsal and appreciate their inventiveness and attention to detail. Our Charity Night on Thursday will be helping raise funds for Open Door, a day centre and emergency night shelter for the homeless. All proceeds from programme sales on Thursday will be donated to Open Door - please do support this very worthwhile cause.The Society is always happy to hear from local charities that would like to be considered for a Charity Night which usually raises several hundred pounds. The Society begins next season with our first visit to the Trestle Theatre in Highfield Park, St Albans for a Gilbert and Sullivan Concert, then returns to the Arena in November for West Side Story. We hope to see you again at these events. I do hope that you enjoy this performance. Peter Jones Chairman SAOS Prog 3.06 6/4/06 2:05 pm Page 9 Half A Sixpence Synopsis Kipps is an orphan and an apprentice at Mr Shalford’s Fancy Goods Emporium. He and his fellow apprentices live in the basement and have to suffer the consequences of Mr Shalford’s three golden rules - System, ’Ficiency and Economy! After a long day in the shop, Kipps meets his childhood friend Ann and they exchange half sixpences as a token of their love.The next day, Kipps meets Mr Chitterlow, an actor and playwright, who reveals to Kipps that he has been summoned to a lawyers, where he could hear something to his advantage! Chitterlow is convinced that this means a fortune and so he persuades Kipps to celebrate in the pub instead of going to Miss Helen Walsingham’s woodworking classes as Mr Shalford had instructed! When he finally arrives at the evening classes Kipps is drunk and manages to cut his wrist opening a door. Miss Walsingham bandages it with her handkerchief and Kipps is smitten.When Ann hears of Kipps’ ’philandering’ she insists I Don't Believe a Word of it! Kipps finds he has come into a fortune and quickly resigns his position at the Emporium. He becomes friends with Helen Walsingham and her family, and asks her to marry him at the Regatta on the Old Military Canal, much to the horror of Ann who is house-maid to Mrs Botting, a friend of the Walsinghams. As the Walsinghams try to educate Kipps in the ways of being a gentleman, he begins to realise that he doesn’t want to change quite that much and that he prefers Ann to Helen after all. He confesses to Ann that he has been a fool and they get married. Ann doesn’t take too well to being the wife of a gentlemen, but then it is revealed that Helen’s brother, young Mr Walsingham, has run off with most of the money and they only have enough left to open a bookshop. All ends well when Chitterlow returns and reveals that the play Kipps invested a quarter share in has been a resounding success and Kipps is in the money again! SAOS Prog 3.06 6/4/06 2:05 pm Page 10 The cast Arthur Kipps....................................................................................................................... Sam Gaines Ann................................................................................................................................................ Julie Tillin Sid (a socialist).................................................................................................................... John Hope Buggins (a pessimist)........................................................................................... Graham Blundell Pearce (a dandy)....................................................................................................... Ross Macinnes Flo........................................................................................................................................ Susun Akroyd Victoria............................................................................................................................. Clare McMillin Kate...................................................................................................................................Diane Breckon Emma............................................................................................................................. Kathy Pilkinton Harry Chitterlow (an actor playwright)....................................................... Richard Kessel Mrs Walsingham (a customer) .............................................................................. Jeanne Cavill Helen Walsingham (Mrs Walsingham’s daughter).................................. Lisa Fitzgerald Young Walsingham (Helen’s spoiled brother).......................................... Steve Williams Mrs Botting....................................................................................................................... Karen Thorp Mr Shalford (the owner of the Emporium).................................................... Paul Sugden Mr Carshott (head floor walker)........................................................................... Clive Webb Laura (a barmaid).............................................................................................. Claire Harris-Bass Edwin (the shop cat)............................................................................................................... Snudge Company: Andrea Adlam, Ian Anderson, Fiona Aucott, Shirley Boyle, Hilary Chapman, Eleanor Clark, Jane Clark, Hatty Covey-Crump, Helen Davies, Gemma Farr, Katie Ferin, Graham Hedley, Jennie Humphrey, Elspeth Jackman, Noreen Martin, Joanne Pearce-Westrop, Michael Readman, James Shipp, Julia Smith