Based on the play A Breath of Spring By Arrangement with by Peter Coke, ORiGiN Theatrical Adapted by Joe Masteroff on behalf of Samuel French Inc. Lyrics by Fred Ebb Music by John Kander Book by David Thompson & Norman L. Martin DIRECTOR MUSICAL DIRECTOR Roger McKenzie Mary Walters PRODUCTION CONSULTANT AMERICAN CONSULTANT Hazel Phillips O.A.M Judy Neumann 70G70_programme_1.1.indd 1 6/22/2017 11:49:49 PM WELCOME TO THE QLD PREMIERE OF 70, GIRLS, 70 Synopsis The show concerns a group of senior citizens living on New York’s Upper West Side who learn that the long-term hotel they live in will be sold off to developers - making the seniors homeless. To save the hotel, the seniors form a ring of unlikely thieves, wreaking havoc in stores from Sadies’ Second Hand Furs to Bloomingdales. In the process, they regain their zest for life. The seniors proceed to use their ill-gotten gains to spruce up their digs and to provide safe harbour for other poor seniors. The musical is based on the 1960 British film Make Mine Mink and its antecedent, Peter Coke’s 1958 London stage comedy, Breath of Spring. ANNE RYAN - Ida BRETT RAGUSE - Harry JANN ALCORN - Eunice Anne has been involved in the music and theatre world all her life. The comedic role of ‘Ida’ - a 65 year old spinster school teacher turned thief - has been loads of fun. The opportunity to work with a bunch of great oldies (who are happy to change their lives and gaily follow her life of crime) has been a privilege. “Who even notices old people?” - a line from the play. Well, you’d better notice us because we may just be able to help you ‘live a little’ Brett is making his first appearance at GCLT. His early training was at La Boite Theatre Brisbane and he also appeared at Twelfth Night Theatre. While College Director of the College of Design, Arts and Media Brett reintroduced Performing Arts into the vocational education system, including the re-establishment of the Film and Television facilities at Morningside. Brett was also patron of the Crete Street Theatre - Beenleigh Theatre Group from 2007 to 2010. Jann had decided that Patrick White’s Signal Driver was to be her ultimate and last hurrah - and now she’s a late addition to this loveable cast and crew in a musical! From provincial theatres to Brisbane (La Boîte, Brisbane Arts, Twelfth Night), GCLT, Javeenbah, Spotlight, Mercury’s Wings - always a Theatre Tragic, always a Queenslander. 70G70_programme_1.1.indd 2 6/22/2017 11:49:51 PM JOEL BESKIN – Walter JUDY NEUMANN – Gert JESSICA NG - Edwina Joel was once told by a prominent director, “Don’t act old, you are old!” He now finds it a challenge to ‘act old’. His GCLT roles have been as varied as a stage-struck Osgood in Noel Coward’s Waiting in the Wings, a “darkie” in Showboat and a tattooed bikie in Macbeth. Judy was born and raised in the USA. She has resided in Australia for many years, with her Aussie husband and a succession of poodles. Her recent creative pursuits include fiction writing, and she has appeared in many amateur theatres throughout California, performing a wide range of dramatic and comedic roles. Jess has been performing since she was six years old. Recently, she played Cyndi Gibson in GCLT’s Back to the 80s. She completed her Cert IV in Commercial Dance and Musical Theatre at Brent Street in 2013. Since then, she has taught dance and music, and joined Dream Academy in their hip hop crew Insomnia - she is also the crew’s dance captain. Marlene is appearing in her first musical, although she has been singing and dancing for a number of years. A keen tap dancer, she is a former member of Spotlight Theatre’s Golden Girls. Marlene can often be seen volunteering behind the bar at Spotlight Productions. Noni has been singing and dancing from an early age. Originally from Sydney, Noni has performed in community theatre in Dubbo, Ballina and the Gold Coast with the occasional journey into professional theatre. Noni appeared on Channel 9’s Stairway to the Stars. Currently, as a member of Spotlight’s Golden Girls, she performs up to 50 shows annually for nursing homes, retirement villages and community groups. Maria says that the beauty of being in this production is not only the warmth of a fun cast and crew, but also the fact that, when you’re talkin’ about a Kander and Ebb Musical, you’re talkin’ about a Classic - equal only to appearing as the Nude in Nude with Violin. A long-time member of GCLT who has appeared on stage many times over the years, Maria has also compiled 2 books detailing the history & shows of GCLT. MARLENE BLIGHT - Melba NONI BUCKLAND – Fritzi MARIA BUCKLER - Sadie 70G70_programme_1.1.indd 3 6/22/2017 11:49:54 PM The Average Age of the Cast is CAST 69 IDA Anne Ryan HARRY Brett Raguse EUNICE Jann Alcorn WALTER Joel Beskin GERT Judy Neumann “Hit it, Lorraine!” MELBA Marlene Blight FRITZI Noni Buckland EDWINA Jessica Ng Judy & the guys SADIE Maria Buckler GRANDMA Marilyn Culell MO Daniel Green EDNA Dawn Warrington MARVIN Joe Feeney ROSIE Laraine Keogh Marilyn & Jess CALLAHAN Lorraine Redden PHIL Thian Sykes SHOPLIFTER Bev Gannon KOWALSKI Henk Steenhuis DAPHNE Diana Dureau CO-STAGE MANAGER Andrew Cockroft-Penman 70G70_programme_1.1.indd 4 6/22/2017 11:49:56 PM The Total Age MUSICAL NUMBERS of the Cast is 1,587 OLD FOLKS HOME BROADWAY THE CAPER Old Folks COFFEE IN A CARDBOARD CUP YOU AND I DO WE HIT IT, LORRAINE SEE THE LIGHT Marlene & Noni BELIEVE GO VISIT YOUR GRANDMOTHER 70 GIRLS 70 The Wedding THE ELEPHANT SONG YES MUSICIANS LORRAINE - PIANO Mary Walters DORIS - DRUMS Freddie Rutherford CO-STAGE MANAGER Lee Patterson 70G70_programme_1.1.indd 5 6/22/2017 11:49:58 PM DRUMMER FREDDIE RUTHERFORD - Doris DANIEL GREEN - Mo LORRAINE REDDEN - Det. Callahan DAWN WARRINGTON - Edna JOE FEENEY - Marvin LARAINE KEOGH - Rosie THIAN SYKES - Mr McIlheney BEV GANNON - Mrs McIlheney HENK STEENHUIS - Kowolski The action of the play takes place in NEW YORK CITY: The Lobby of the SUSSEX ARMS HOTEL The Cornucopia Tea Room On Stage at the Broadhurst Theatre Sadie’s Fur Salon Bloomingdale’s Fur Dept The Arctic Cold Storage Co The New York Coliseum A Chapel DIANA DUREAU - Daphne MARILYN CULELL - Grandma 70G70_programme_1.1.indd 6 6/22/2017 11:50:04 PM DIRECTOR MUSICAL DIRECTOR ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR Roger McKenzie Mary Walters Jon Allwood This is the second time that Mary and Roger have teamed together: the previous show being the 2016 Dolphin Award Winning La Musicale D’Elegance. Having worked in both professional and community theatre, Roger was instrumental in setting up The Association of Community Theatre with which the GC Theatre Alliance is affiliated. Roger is Publicity Director for GCLT, the Gold Coast Area reviewer for Stage Whispers Magazine and a Judge for the Ballina Players Theatre Awards. On the coast, he has also directed for the Tweed Theatre Co. and Javeenbah Theatre Co. at Nerang. Mary has been around this theatre behind a piano for a very long time now, but this show is a first: She gets to have a name, “Lorraine”! ‘Rehearsals have been interesting; including myself, there are five Lorraines involved...... It’s a delight to work with each and every one of the cast, renewing old friendships and making new ones. Maybe we can reprise it all in another decade with a name change to 80, Girls, 80? Thanks to you all for being such fun, and so utterly reliable.’ Jon arrived in Australia seven years ago from the UK where he had developed a love of theatre from an early age via the Annual Christmas Pantomimes. He became an “Ozzie” citizen 3 years ago – about the same time that he renewed his interest in theatre. He may be regularly seen front of house at Spotlight Theatre and here at GCLT where he also supervises the catering for our after show suppers. John Kander and Fred Ebb wrote and made famous the city’s unofficial theme song New York, New York. Their long-time partnership and distinct style created such classic musicals as: Woman of the Year, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Steel Pier, The Rink, Curtains, Cabaret, and the award-winning Chicago, which has become the longest running American musical in history. John Kander Fred Ebb Special Thanks Hazel Phillips career spans most branches of the arts, and television, winning a Gold Logie in 1967 for her Channel Ten talk show. She has also appeared in musicals, plays and revues, written four musicals, and her autobiography Black River, Bright Star; her painting ‘Lovers’ appears on stage in this production. A proud Member of the Order of Australia, Hazel was originally cast as Eunice in this production, but unfortunately had to step down on medical advice. 70G70_programme_1.1.indd 7 6/22/2017 11:50:06 PM Production Credits CO–STAGE MANAGERS Andrew Cockroft-Penman & Lee Patterson LIGHTING & SOUND Koreena Stacey Nesbitt, Leonnie Jones, Rodrigo Medina Noël, Andrew Borg, Nick Munday STAGE CREW Benjamin Oxley, Briana Mirabile, Jon Allwood, Katie Munday, William Pulley, Nicolas Van Litsenborgh SET DESIGN Roger McKenzie SET CONSTRUCTION Daniel Green, Jon Allwood, Henk Steenhuis & GCLT Volunteers COSTUMES Dawn Warrington & GCLT Volunteers PROPS Briana Mirabile & Darren Marshall PROGRAMME Roger McKenzie & Shane Caddaye PHOTOGRAPHY Dan Ryan FRONT OF HOUSE Leanne Schultz & GCLT Volunteers BOX OFFICE GCLT Volunteers PRODUCTION LIAISON Shane Caddaye Special Thanks Laurie Esmond (Technical Support), Denis Watkins, Christine Cooper, Christine McLaughlan (Javeenbah Theatre – furs), Erik Holsheimer (rehearsal venue), Wendy Fahey (Neptune Productions – columns), Backstage & Technical Crew for stepping in at very short notice, Reg & Angela Taylor (drum kit).