invercargill licensing trust annual report 2009 INcLUdEs Invercargill n Invercargill Licensing Trust Licensing Trust n ILT Foundation ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING To be held at Elmwood Garden 1 September 2009 at 7.30pm A Few Words from Henry ... “Yes, you squashed cabbage leaf ... you incarnate insult to the English language, I could pass you off as the Queen of Sheba”. My Fair Lady was simply George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion both delighted and scandalized its first audiences spectacular in 1914. A brilliantly witty reworking of the classical tale of a sculptor who falls in love with his perfect female statue. Pygmalion is named after the Cypriot King from Greek mythology who fell in love with his own creation: an ivory statue called ‘Galatea’. When he fell in love with Galatea, the Goddess Aphrodite brought the statue to life and Pygmalion married her. As well as reflecting Shaw’s feminist views, Pygmalion provides a commentary on the class system which may not be so irrelevant today! Henry Higgins believes he can transform Eliza Doolittle, a cockney flower girl, into a Duchess at ease in ‘polite’ society by changing the way she speaks. However, his ‘creation’ has a mind of her own and a battle of wills begins that challenges them both in unexpected ways. my By the time Lerner and Leowe’s musical adaptation of Pygmalion, My Fair Lady, ended its New York run in 1962, it had run six and a half years and for 2,717 performances, more than any other previous musical in stage history. In London, the show had a five and a half year run of 2,281 performances with New York’s fair original cast members, Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews and Stanley Holloway. Jason Fraser James Lewis Hamish McGregor Richelle Waldron Jamie / Quartet Harry / Quartet Bartender / Servant Mrs Eynsford-Hill With My Fair Lady, the lyricist Alan Jay Lerner considered that he had found something that was his ‘own particular vernacular’. The first song “Why Can’t the English” illustrates both that and, indeed, the personality of Henry Higgins, his devotion to the English language and his frustration at its abuse: “It is the greatest possession we have. The noblest thoughts that ever flowed in the hearts of man are contained within its extraordinary, imaginative LadyProudly supported by CAST in order of appearance Daniel Monteath Annie Sherborne Phillip Churchill and musical mixtures of sounds.” Production Personnel Butler / Quartet Mrs Hopkins Lord Boxington Eliza Doolittle Jacqueline Careswell Executive Producers Invercargill Musical Theatre Properties Team Sarah Porter, Nicola Gourley, the Invercargill Licensing Trust But after Higgins meets Eliza he goes on a journey in his own life. Freddy Eynsford-Hill IncorporatedNathan Hughes Suzanne Prentice, Jill Derbie, The “confirmed old bachelor” becomes, in his own way, emotionally Director Mrs Eynsford-Hill BryanRichelle Aitken Waldron Lynette Watkins and ILT Foundation Colonel Pickering Barry Macdonald Musical Director Luke Di Somma Flower Arrangements Shirley McMillan involved with the challenge of Miss Eliza Doolittle: “What can possibly Henry Higgins Alex Derbie Choreographer Jan Brown Wardrobe Managers Bernadette Gourley & Shirley Adam matter more than to take a human being and change her into a different Jamie Jason Fraser Production Coordinator Di Lenihan Assisted by Lynley MacDonald, human being by creating a new speech for her. She matters very much.” Harry James Lewis Margaret Fitzgerald, Rehearsal Pianists Michael Buick, Di Lenihan, Alfred P Doolittle Ben Winders Jeanette Williamson, Wendy Shaw Clare Lenihan, John Perry By changing Eliza, Higgins himself changes from a man totally at ease with Bartender Hamish McGregor Dressers April FisherLynley Irvine, KarenPaul Bremer Kean, Aisha Williams Set & Costumes Owned by and on Hire from Lady Boxington / Servant Policeman Flower Girl Mrs Pearce Melissa Crennan Anne McSoriley, Josie McSoriley, his own persona and lifestyle unaffected in any material way by women, to a Wellington Musical Theatre Butler Daniel Monteath Kaye McCurdy, Margaret Sands, man who questions his ‘singularity’. Costume Design Stephen Robertson Yvonne Smith, Gill Young Mrs Hopkins Annie Sherborne Lighting Design John Calder & Bryan Aitken Make-up Manager Kerry Riddell The journey taken by Eliza Doolittle in the piece is more apparent but also Mrs Higgins Sally Bryce Sound Design Glen Ruske, Bounce NZ Assisted by Linda Howard, Pauline Corcoran, highlights Lord Boxington Phillip Churchill raises several issues. In Shaw’s 1912 it was inconceivable that a Covent Garden Wendy Shaw. Set Design Lady Boxington HaroldApril Moot Fisher flower girl could transcend the class divisions that stratify society, particularly Set ConstructionPoliceman PeterPaul Thwaites, Bremer Noel Carson, Wigs Convenor Yvonne Gawn Dave Elliott, Josh James, Assisted by Cris Gale, Suzette Morgan, in that era. As Higgins puts it, by teaching Eliza to speak properly he is “filling Flower Girl Aisha Williams Nick Round-Turner, Mike White, Bev Harvey, Linda Marshall, Colin Quay Anneke Campbell Gerard McSoriley at a glance Zoltan Karparthy Colin Quay Karen Gale, Pam Elliott, Jenny Fraser, the deepest gulf that separates class from class and soul from soul.” Roy Barlow, Dave Lankshear Zoltan Karparthy Queen of Transylvania Major Domo / Servant Stage ManagerQueen of TransylvaniaNeale Anneke Smith Campbell Vicki Ryan, Amber Reed Parkinson Eliza spans this gulf by taking up and meeting the challenge but Major Domo Gerard McSoriley Assistant Stage Managers Dave Elliott & Noel Carson Programme Compilation Miles Hewton, Alex Derbie, Mrs Higgins’ Maid Rachel Engel Leisanne Fraser then questions: Cue Caller Chris Herman n $10.77 million in grants returned Programme Design / Layout Dave Goodall Stage Crew Cockney Quartet MikeJames White Lewis, & Josh Braydon James Macdonald, Orchestra “What am I fit for ? ... Where am I to go ? What am I to do? What’s to become Jason Fraser, Daniel Monteath Programme Photography MilesConductor Hewton Luke Di Somma to our community – a record for Lighting Technician / Operator John Calder of me ?” Printing CraigsViolins Design & PrintEstelle Rance Assisted by Higgins’ Servants DanielKate Wilson Crowther, Glenda Whyte, Alice McKinley, Lucy Holthusen our Trusts. April Fisher, Annie Sherbourne, DanielAdvertising Monteath, Sound Manager Chris Herman Stephanie Buzzard But, has Higgins taken Eliza out of the ‘comfort’ of her own environment Gerard McSoriley, Barrie Sheehy, BraydonMarketing Macdonald, & Sponsorship Leisanne Fraser, KimTim Forsythe, Lindsay Sound Operator Robert Pay Rachel Engel Braydon Macdonald Kate Crowther n to one where she is uncomfortable without his support ? In the last scene Hamish McGregor MilesCello Hewton Wayne Perniskie Consolidated (Group) after-tax Radio Microphones Merv Cook & John Perry Mrs Higgins’ Maid Quartet / Servant Higgins’ Servant of My Fair Lady, have the hero and heroine recognised the nature of their *other roles played by members of the Ensemble Contracts LeisanneReeds Fraser Gemma Buzzard profit, before grants, was $11.66 Technical SupportEnsemble JohnJulie Perry Adam, Riki Baker, Katie Black, ClarkGraphic Boswell, Design Sarah Jones respective problems and conquered them, or have they been conquered? Head Flyman OllieMelanie Knowles Bradley, Paul Bremer, AnnekePosters/ Campbell, Media David Cocker Hannah Sellars million – down less than 1% on Flymen PhilPhillip Edlin Churchill,& Peter Jenkins Kate Crowther, RachelFront Engel, of House Managers PhilipTrumpets Fraser and theGrant Executive Chalmers Team To go back to the root, the question may be whether Galatea ever April Fisher, Tully Frewen, Jade Gillies, Karl Herman, Katie Taylor last year’s excellent result. Properties Manager Elizabeth Fraser liked Pygmalion! Amanda Hutchison, James Luck, Hamish McGregor, Trombone Ken Wellington Alice McKinley, Anne McPheat, Gerard McSoriley, Keyboards Clare Lenihan n Invercargill Licensing Trust Daniel Monteath, Maryana Petrovskaya, Colin Quay, Enjoy the wit and humour of George Bernard Shaw and with the music Bass Ian Sherborne Bonnie Rowell, Barrie Sheehy, Annie Sherbourne, (Parent) after-tax profit, before and lyrics of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe one of the most Bernadette Tamati, Lucia Vincent, Glenda Whyte, Drums Viv Treweek grants, was 2.3% down on last internationally known and best‑loved scores. Aisha Williams and Grant Wishart Percussion Trinity Waddell year’s performance. Signed: “Professor Henry Higgins” (Alias Alex Derbie) n ILT Foundation profit, before August 2009 grants, was up 4.3% on last year. n Confirmed plans for four significant new development projects to be completed over the next two years – Ascot Park Hotel, new inner-city entertainment bar, rebuilds at the Northern and Southland Taverns. n Successfully completed refur- bishment projects at Ascot Park Hotel, Kelvin Hotel and Home- stead Villa Motels. Nathan Hughes Melissa Crennan Sally Bryce n Invercargill Licensing Trust Freddy Eynsford-Hill Mrs Pearce Mrs Higgins balance sheet remains very strong My Fair Lady is an exciting addition to Melissa is a graduate of the Wellington It has been 18 years since Sally last performed Nathan’s Musical Theatre experience. This is Conservatorium of Music and The for the IMT, when she played Lady Battersby with a minimal level of term debt P : 03 214 1669 Independentthe Townhouses first ytime Serviced heApartments has taken to the stage in one M : 021 446Queensland 540 Conservatorium of Music, in Me & My Girl. The ‘matinee lead’ and a y F : 03 214 1667 Resthome Hospital/Special