Programme 1958 – Seven Keys to Baldpate

Season
1958

Present their…

15th Annual Production

“Seven Keys to Baldpate”

by George M. Cohan.

Based on the novel of the same name by Earl Derr Biggers

TOMOANA PLAYERS

(Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French Inc., New York)

A MELODRAMATIC FARCE

IN

A Prologue, Two Acts and an Epilogue

DIRECTED by RICHARD J. THOMAS

Municipal Theatre Hastings   Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday   August 4th. 5th. and 6th.
Municipal Theatre, Waipukurau   Thursday August 7th.
Municipal Theatre, Napier   Saturday Monday Aug 9th & 11th
Town Hall, Dannevirke   Thursday August 14th

Programme 1/-

OFFICERS:

Patron:   Mr. A. KIRKPATRICK
President:   Mr. D. J. McKAY

Vice-Presidents
Messrs A. K. ALEXANDER, G. H BONE, J. T. DUCK, C. H. HEALD, W. LOWRY, R H. MAYS, W. J. McNAB
Managing-Secretary & Treasurer: Mr. M. L. MOLONEY
Director   Mr. R. J. THOMAS
Stage Director   Mr. R.S. SPENCE
Stage Manager   Mr. S. TAYLOR
Musical Director   Mr. K. BRYANT
Asst, Secretary   Mr. A. EDWARDS.
Management Committee:   Messrs E. A. Henderson, (Chairman), F. Godfrey, H. Lochhead, P. Plummer, and G. Wilkinson.
Life Members:  Messrs C. Carswell, M. L. Moloney and R. J. Thomas.
Honorary Members:   Mrs. H. L. Spence, Messrs C. Bryant, M. Boshier, T. Paget, G. E. Scott, H. L. Spence.

CAST:
(in order of appearance)
ELIJAH QUIMBY, the caretaker of Baldpate Inn   SAM NEWTON
MRS. QUIMBY, the caretaker’s wife   NELLIE WILKINSON
WILLIAM HALLOWELL MAGEE, the novelist   PETER PLUMMER
JOHN BLAND, the millionaire’s right hand man   FRANK HARGREAVES
MARY NORTON, the newspaper reporter  JEAN GOODALL
MRS. RHODES, the charming Widow   AGNES USHER
PETERS, the Hermit of Baldpate   JIM CAMP
MYRA THORNHILL, the blackmailer   MAVIS ROBINSON
LOU MAX, the Mayor’s Man “Friday”   MICHAEL BROWN
JIM CARGAN, the crooked Mayor of Reuton   GEORGE WILKINSON
THOMAS HAYDEN, the President of the Reuton Suburban Railroad Co.   LEW STEWART
JIGGS KENNEDY, Chief of Police of Asquewan Falls   BRUCE SHARP
A COP, State Police   KENNETH JENKS
THE OWNER OF BALDPATE   ALLAN EDWARDS

DIRECTED BY RICHARD THOMAS

THE AUTHOR AND THE PLAY

George M. Cohan, once called “The Ivor Novello of America” was an American actor, dramatist, producer and song writer.

Among his many successes “Get Rich Quick Wallingford,” Broadway Jones,” “The Miracle Man” and “Seven Keys to Baldpate” are perhaps his best known.

In 1941 (the year before he died) he was the recipient of a Congressional Medal for his services to the morale of the nation in writing the songs “Over There” and “You’re a Grand Old Flag.”

“Seven Keys to Baldpate” was originally a novel written by Earl Derr Biggers, the man who created the popular Oriental detective “Charlie Chan.”

Adapted and dramatised by George M. Cohan, it first appeared on Broadway in 1913, played in London in 1914, with Sir Charles Hawtrey in the role of “Magee”. It was an instant success. Since then it has toured the entire English-speaking world, and has been filmed three times, twice as a “silent” and once as a “talkie.”

This play is already heavily booked by several Societies in New Zealand for production this year.

MANAGERIAL

Set Designer   Mr. R. SPENCE
Scenic Artist   Mr. J. SKELTON
Property Mistress   Miss B. STIRLING
Asst. Property Mistress   Miss S. BROOKER
Prompt   Miss R. WOOD
Make-Up   Mrs H. L. SPENCE
Mechanist   Mr. H. L. SPENCE
Sound Effects   Mr R. MICHAEL
House Manager   Mr J. HANNON
Stage Staff:   Messrs. M. Brain, M. Boagey, F. Gillies, K. Jenks, and C. Pedersen

Synopsis:
The entire action of the play takes place in the Reception Hall of Baldpate Inn, in approximately 24 hours.

Time:   The Present . . . Mid-winter.

SCENES:
Prologue:   11 p.m. The curtain will be lowered for 10 seconds.
ACT 1:   Midnight

Interval – 10 minutes

ACT II:  2 a.m. The curtain will be lowered for 5 seconds.
EPILOGUE: ? ? ?

INCIDENTAL MUSIC

Hastings   Mr. G. ARMITAGE
Waipukurau   WAIPUKURAU ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY
Napier   Mr. W. MCCARTHY (Saturday)
Mr. G. ARMITAGE (Monday)
Dannevirke   WAIPUKURAU ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY

OUR THANKS are due to the following firms for the transport of our scenery throughout the province
BARRY BROS. LTD.
R. HOLT & SON, LIMITED.
POWDRELL BROS. LIMITED.

What is Birthright?

Birthright (Hastings) Incorporated and the other branches of the Organisation seeks to do in the civilian field what Heritage does for the widows and families of Service personnel who died on active service or as a result of war injuries. A Sponsor is appointed to a Birthright family i.e. a man of sound character and with business experience who will act as a confidential adviser and friend to the family and offer practical help and guidance to the widow. This help will take the form of advice and financial help in the many problems that beset a widow with very often a young family. Birthright finds that there is no need for charity pure and simple, as the State Pensions are adequate to support the family. Birthright strives to give those other things that we feel the dead father would want his children to have. Some twenty families are sponsored in Hastings now, and obviously in the long run, Birthright will have a huge job to do. A modest beginning has been made and good folk such as the Tomoana Players are helping us by this dramatic performance to raise the funds for an objective that those active in Birthright feel is very worthwhile and warrants whole-hearted public support.

I. T. HEATH,
President, Hastings.

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