Programme 1970 – The Land of Smiles

THE LAND OF SMILES

by

FRANZ LEHAR

HASTINGS LIGHT OPERA CO. (INC.) 1970 PRODUCTION

JOHN McCARTHY
President

Previous Productions:
1961   Patience
1962   The Gondoliers
1963   The Mikado
1964   Iolanthe
1965   The Pirates of Penzance
1966   The Valley of Song
1967   Brigadoon
1968   A Country Girl
1969   Kiss Me Kate
1969   Cinderella

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TO ALL ADVERTISERS IN THIS PROGRAMME OUR THANKS AND WE WOULD EARNESTLY ASK ALL PATRONS TO SUPPORT THEM. THEY PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN FINANCING PUBLICITY.

OFFICERS, 1970

Patrons
HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR OF HASTINGS
R.V. GIORGI
N.B. FIPPARD, Esq.

President:   JOHN McCARTHY
Vice-Presidents:   SYBIL REAY and PETER HILL
Hon. Secretary:   DIANA MARDON
Hon. Treasurer:   ERIC REAY

Committee:
PENNY WADDELL
PEARCE WILLIAMS
JOAN WOOLLARD
JEAN CAMPBELL
KEVAN BROOMHEAD
RON WALKER
TOM JOHNSON
MAUREEN BRADY
JOHN LINDSTROM
KEVIN HASTINGS

UMBRELLAS
Kindly supplied by “Gili” Umbrella Manufacturers.

THE STORY OF “LAND OF SMILES”

ACT I:   A ball is being held at the home of General Lichtenfels in Vienna 1912, the occasion being the coming-of-age of Lisa, his only daughter. Amongst the guests is Captain Gustl Von Ploetz, who proposes to Lisa, but is refused. Prince Sou Chong arrives and it is evident from her reactions that Lisa is in love with him. A cable however, arrives from Peking commanding the prince to return to be Governor of Shantung.  Lisa declares her love and agrees to accompany him back to China. The guests return from supper and Lisa announces that she is engaged to the prince. This creates a sensation but with the reluctant blessing of her father she leaves for China.

ACT II:   We are now in the palace of Shantung. The prince is being installed as Governor, a ceremony which custom forbids Lisa may not observe. The prince’s Uncle Tschang refuses to recognise Lisa as Sou Chong’s wife and commands that Sou Chong take four Chinese brides. Sou Chong at first refuses this traditional demand, but later goes through the ceremony as a symbol only. Gustl and Rudi arrive at the court and learn of the prince’s forthcoming wedding. When Gustl mentions the approaching marriage, Lisa laughs at him. Sou Chong enters, and Lisa tells him of the ridiculous tale she has been told. Lisa is horrified when he admits that it is true. As the wedding ceremony begins Lisa declares that she no longer loves Sou Chong, who commands that she is not to leave the palace.

ACT III:   Three days have passed. Lisa is a prisoner in her own apartment of her own accord. Gustl and Rudi, presumably disguised as Chinese, gain admittance intent on smuggling Lisa from the palace. Gustl enlists the help of Sou Chong’s sister, little realising that she has fallen in love with him. He tells her that he has come for the lady whom he loves. Mi misconstrues this and reveals her true feelings. Gustl gently tells her of her mistake and Mi is heartbroken but she agrees to help the pair escape. Sou Chong’s guards, however, prevent this and Gustl and Lisa are arrested. The prince asks Lisa what she really wants and she replies only her freedom. He hides his true feelings and untying them he commends to Gustl that which he holds most dear in the world.
Lisa and Gustl leave, the great doors are shut and Sou Chong, together with Mi are left “Patiently Smiling”.

HASTINGS LIGHT OPERA COMPANY
(Incorporated)

A MEMBER OF THE NEW ZEALAND FEDERATION OF OPERATIC SOCIETIES

We welcome you to this our Eleventh Production. Your part in it is as important as anybody’s, and we hope that the performance will reward your coming.

We have vacancies for more subscribing members. Annual Fee is $2.50.

Also we would welcome many more active members.

Would those interested please contact the Hon. Secretary, P.O. Box 859, Hastings.

Producer:   SADIE BROWN

“Once again it gives me great pleasure to be at the helm of such a worthwhile company and cast. All have worked untiringly in their effort to present to you, the audience, a sincere and pleasing performance, this being my aim and object as producer.”

Musical Director:   CECIL FITZWATER

‘Here today and gone tomorrow’ is a well-known saying applicable to many things, particularly when applied to much of the music produced in our present day.
Franz Lehar, a composer whose work has stood the test of time has given us all a great deal of pleasure as we worked to prepare ‘Land of Smiles’ for your entertainment.

WE AND THE ENTIRE COMPANY WISH TO SINCERELY THANK OUR WONDERFUL PIANIST, MRS BLANCHE WRIGHT, FOR HER UNTIRING DEVOTION TOWARDS ANOTHER PRODUCTION. THANK YOU BLANCHE.

Choreographer:   JENNIFER GRANT

“Movement, a visual art form demands from the performer a very strict mental and physical discipline seldom realised by the average viewer. General attitude tends to relegate dancing to a very small part of the show. In the past this has been the case. However modern theatre is thankfully balancing all this out. The period in which this present show was written is a case in point. However the dancers and myself hope you will find our dances have charm and appeal within the framework given us, and we have endeavoured to do something different.”

Chorus Mistress:   NGAIRE SHAND

“The demanding nature of the chorus work in this production has been a challenge; and in this, my first association with the company I have endeavoured to reach the professional standard it deserves.”

MUSICAL NUMBERS

ACT I

OVERTURE
1.   ONCE MORE BALL   CHORUS
2.   WALTZ WHILE YOU MAY   LISA AND CHORUS
3.   THAT’S WHEN THE NIGHTINGALES SING   LISA
4.   LET’S BE FRIENDS   LISA GUSTL AND CHORUS
5.   A BUSY TIME IN LOVER’S LANE   RUDI, LORE, TONI, FRANZI, VALLI & CHORUS
6.   PATIENTLY SMILING    SOU CHONG
7.   A CUP OF TEA WITH YOU   LISA, SOU CHONG AND CHORUS
8.   YOU’RE NOT TOO OLD   COUNTESS ROHEIM AND COLONEL BLOCH
9.   LONELY SERENADE   SOU CHONG AND LADIES CHORUS
10.   I HAVE SEARCHED THE EARTH   LISA AND SOU CHONG
FINALE I   ENSEMBLE

ACT II
11.   ENTRACTE
12.   THE YELLOW JACKET   SOU CHONG, TSCHANG AND CHORUS
13.   CHINESE BALLET   BALLET
14.   LOVE, WHAT HAS GIVEN YOU THIS MAGIC POWER   LISA, SOU CHONG AND CHORUS
15.   THE ONLY THING I CARE ABOUT   MI AND LADIES CHORUS
16.   LOVE’S A GAME   GUSTL, MI AND CHORUS
17.   YOU ARE MY HEART’S DELIGHT   SOU CHONG
18.   YOU BRING BACK THE PAST   LISA AND CHORUS
19.   MY HOMELAND   LISA AND CHORUS
20.   DAY OF DAY’S   SOU CHONG, BRIDES AND CHORUS
21.   FINALE II   ENSEMBLE

ACT III
22.   ENTRACTE
23.   AND THE END IS GOODBYE   LISA AND SLAVE GIRLS
24.   ON THE PAI-HO   MI, GUSTL, RUDI, WONG-TAO AND CHORUS
25.   NO OTHER LOVE   LISA GUSTL AND MI
26.   FINALE III   ENSEMBLE

HALDANE SCOUGALL
Prince Sou Chong

IRIS FORBES
Mi

JOCELYN MARDON
Lisa

WINFRIED HEUSER
Gustl

HASTINGS LIGHT OPERA COMPANY
PROUDLY PRESENT
THE LAND OF SMILES
BY FRANZ LEHAR

CAST IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
GENERAL LICHTENFELS   Pearce Williams
COUNTESS ROHEIM   Penny Waddell
COLONEL BLOCH   Digby Edgecombe
CAPTAIN GUSTL VON PLOETZ   Winfried Heuser
LISA   Jocelyn Mardon
LIEUTENANT RUDI VON WESTHOF   Kevin Hastings
LORE   Yvonne Howman
TONI   Elaine Birch
FRANZI   Diana Mardon
VALLI   Audrey London
PRINCE SOU CHONG   Haldane Scougall
FU LI   Kevan Broomhead
PRINCE TSCHANG   Gavin Garner
MI   Iris Forbes
CHI FU   Peter Hill
WONG TAO   Ron Hill

CHORUS
June Keough
Linda Merrall
Anne Lambie
Jill Birch
Elaine Birch
Beverley Nisbet
Lorraine Kale
Marilyn Mollring
Audrey London
Julie Boyce
Faye Learmonth
Alison Coles
Morag Grant
Anthea Raill
Diana Mardon
Moira Gillespie
Maree Woodham
Jean Campbell
Olwyn Walker
Sara Holderness
Rosalie Burgess-Short
Yvonne Howman
Kerry Page
Judith Wellwood

Alan Ovenden
Rae Hensman
Brian Overend
Ron Hill
Philip Dean
Colin Reay
Logan Cartwright
Peter Boyce
Peter Hill
Hank Van Hooijdonk
Digby Edgecombe
Brian Page
Trevor Aitcheson

DANCERS
Christine Andersen
Lynda Boston
Tessa Cartwright
Deborah Lucas
Marion Trevor
Oliver Christoffersen
Philip Dean
Michael McCarthy
Neville Rean
Nigel Lawson

SYNOPSIS OF SCENES –

ACT I   A reception room in the house of General Count Lichtenfels in Vienna – Evening.

ACT II   A hall in the Palace of Prince Sou Chong in Peking (China) six months later – Afternoon.

ACT III   The garden pavilion of the women’s quarters in Sou Chong’s Palace – a week later – Evening.

TIME 1912

FRANZI   VALLI   LORE   RUDI   TONI

CHI-FU   WONG-TAO   FU-Ll

PRINCE SOU CHONG   LISA

“THE LAND OF SMILES” DANCERS

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NADA BROOMHEAD
Wardrobe Mistress

SYBIL REAY
Property Mistress

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LAMPHOUSE
Opp. State Theatre – Phone 84 124
Your Friendly “Store of Smiles”

Telephones: Salon – 87 650
Residence – 68 680
Raymon Banks
Fashion Stylist   Wig Specialist
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CLEANING SERVICES
Phone: Haldane Scougall – 86 953
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MAIL ORDERS & LAYBYS ALWAYS ACCEPTED

PRINCE TSCHANG   PRINCE SOU CHONG

GUSTL   MI

COLONEL BLOCH   COUNTESS ROHEIM   GENERAL LICHTENFELS

PRODUCTION PERSONNEL

Stage Director:   JOHN McCARTHY
Stage Manager:   JOHN LINDSTROM
Stage Team:   CEDRIC WRIGHT, RON WALKER, DEREK ROLLS, BRUCE MURRAY, IAN GORDON, GARRY JANSEN, TOM JOHNSON, BILL SNIJDERS, IAN CLARK, NORMAN GUY, DAVID HINGSTON, PHILIP HEWITT.
Lighting and Effects:   CEDRIC WRIGHT
Electrician:   JOHN HENDERSON
Wardrobe Mistress:   NADA BROOMHEAD, assisted by:   JEAN PARK, BARBARA DEAN, JOAN WOOLLARD, NAOMI MERRALL, MARY BLAIR, JULIE CHURCH, LOUISE KYLE, ROBYN DENSEM.
Make-up:   PENNY WADDELL, assisted by:   MERELYN BARNES, ROSSIE ELLERY, KAY JENKINS, BARBARA FERGUSSON, JILL MOTLEY, SHERYL DARBY, MAUREEN BRADY, MARY HARRIS.
Property Mistress:   SYBIL REAY, assisted by:   CORRINE MINTY, SONIA BURLACE, and SUSAN HOSKINS.
House Manager:   ERIC REAY
Front of House:   IAN HUMPHREY, RAY WALKER, AUB MERRALL, VALERIE CUTLER, HEATHER FLETT, DEBORAH KELT, BARBARA O’SULLIVAN, GLENISS WOODHAM, JACKIE TRILFORD, LOIS LINDSAY, DENISE BIRCH, JILL HENDERSON, BARBARA MORRIS, GILL GREIG, CAROLE STEVENS.
Call Boy:   DAVID ROUND
Programme:   PETER HILL
Publicity:   JOHN MCCARTHY, PETER HILL, SYBIL REAY, JOHN LINDSTROM, KEVAN BROOMHEAD
Librarian:   MAUREEN BRADY
Suppers:   HAZEL BOYD, DENISE WOODHAM, JOAN PARKER, RHONDA CASSIN.
Prompt:   SHIRLEY GOWDY
Hon. Photographer:   Lovell-Smith of Hastings  (DALE [DAEL] THERKLESON)

ORCHESTRA
Conductor:   CECIL FITZWATER
Cello:   JOAN PALMER
Pianist:   BLANCHE WRIGHT
Bass:   LEON SPEAKMAN
Violins:   ENID DUNN, ANITA RAE, CHARLIE JUKES
Clarinets:   ALBERT WRIGHT, ALAN MEAKIN
Trumpets:   STUART BOSTON, PETER ALLUM
Trombone:   DOUGLAS ROBINSON
French Horn:   MICHAEL WINTER
Drums:   MALCOLM THORPE

HART PRINT