Programme 1998 – An Evening with Gershwin

Napier Operatic Society Inc.

PRESENTS

‘An Evening With Gershwin’

SUPPORTED BY
The Criterion Hotel, Napier
30th July – 20th August, 1988   Tabard Theatre Restaurant

Napier Operatic Society Inc.

(A Foundation Member of the New Zealand Federation of Operatic Societies)

Patron:   Bob Wright
President:   Peter Shepherd
Vice-President:   John Briggs
Immediate Past President:   Fred Twyford
Chairman:   Bill Shirras

Executive Committee:
Barbara Brown, Marc Collier, Ian Collins, Gavin Etheridge, Alan Jones, Robert Lockyer, Sue Page, Bill Perry, Ros Van de Ven, Glen Ward.

Secretary:   Ian Reid
Hon. Auditor:   Les Robertson
Treasurer:   Lyndsay Browne
Hon. Solicitor:   John Matthews
Hon. Photographer:   James White

Life Members:
Hazel Collier, Bob Wright, Dawn Unsworth, Bob Houston, Alan Jones, John Collier, Don Hurley, Fred Twyford

President’s Message
Welcome to ‘An Evening with Gershwin’. Gershwin is a new concept of entertainment to the Tabard Theatre. We present to you the fruits of a long standing ambition of Shirley Jarrett’s to produce a show revealing this wonderful man. This is a tribute to George Gershwin, please sit back and let us entertain you.
PETER SHEPHERD
President

The Society Gratefully Acknowledges
The Criterion Hotel (Napier), Benchmark Building Supplies, Rothmans of Pall Mall, Wilson Neill, Mrs Anne Clifford, Jessica’s Ltd, Napier City Council, Napier Repertory, Napier Picture Framers, Coronation Street Neighbours, P.D.L. Electronics, Raphael Studios, Indoor Plant Services.

GEORGE GERSHWIN

George Gershwin was born in Brooklyn, New York on 26th September, 1898. He abandoned school at the age of 15 and quickly rose to the clamorous offices of Manhattan Song Publishers. Often his talent outstripped his ambition. When he auditioned as musical arranger for one of his idols, Irving Berlin, Berlin was so impressed with Gershwins musical gifts he immediately offered him the job. At the same time he advised him not to accept … saying “stick to your own songs kid”. The kid took it to heart!

George composed the up tunes that seemed the antidote to depression, financial and psychological and was rarely given to sad songs, what could have been a more welcome palliative for the natural gloom of the times than the insistently cheery sound of his music?

Gershwin worked best under pressure and actually completed what was essentially a two-piano version of ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ in three weeks. The ‘Rhapsody’ was first performed on 12th February 1924, with George himself at the piano. Its success was instantaneous and probably no work written in America is as well known. However, academics have found it easy to denigrate some structural deficiences [deficiencies].

As world famous orchestra conductor Leonard Bernstein once quoted … “What’s important is not what’s wrong with the ‘Rhapsody, but what’s right with it”.

The most ambitious undertaking of his short career was begun late in 1933 and has come to be regarded as his masterwork. Four days after his 37th birthday in 1935, “Porgy and Bess” opened in Boston. Ten days later on 10th October 1935, billed as “an American Folk Opera” with an hour clipped from the running time, this poetic folk tale of the crippled beggar and the “Seething Life of Catfish ROW’ opened at New York’s Alvin Theatre. The critics with their penchant of classification had difficulty in deciding what “Porgy and Bess” really was. It’s initial run for 124 performances was remarkable for a new opera, but a sixteen-week run was a flop by Broadway standards.

“Porgy and Bess” was a commercial failure, although revivals have since become big business.

George Gershwin died on 11 July 1937, at the age of 38.
What if George Gershwin had lived longer?
What might he have accomplished?
“We’ll never know, will we? But it would have been important.”

SHIRLEY JARRETT
Director
Shirley is realising long time dream in directing this production and is appreciative of the Napier Operatic Society giving her the opportunity.
Shirley is trained to advanced levels in dance and has gained added experience working in theatre in London and Los Angeles and recently attended a Modern Dance Expo in Hawaii.
Her involvement with this Society spans many years choreographing major productions including Grease, Jesus Christ Superstar, Annie and her favourite show Cabaret which Shirley praises as the best ever production of this show in New Zealand.

JOHN BRIGGS
Set Design
Set designer and Production Manager for this show, John is Napier born and educated and is a self employed builder in great demand in the area. John has been involved with the Napier Operatic Society since 1980 and during this time has designed and constructed sets for Society shows, including ‘Cabaret’, Man of La Mancha, Mack & Mabel, and now ‘An Evening with Gershwin’, an executive committee member since 1982 John now holds the position of Vice-President of the Society.

WARWICK CURTIS
Musical Arranger
Warwick is a newcomer to the Napier Operatic Society but brings with him a wealth of experience in a wide range of the music field. Through his occupation as District Music Adviser for the Education Department in Hawke’s Bay, Warwick travels extensively, but still manages to find time to arrange and direct music for a number of Societies in the area, and his most recent role as Musical Director for ‘Sound of Music’ in Hastings he found most satisfying.
Warwick has enjoyed the challenge of working on an all-Gershwin show for the first time, and this is reflected in the music you will hear in tonights performance.

‘AN EVENING WITH GERSHWIN’

Musical Numbers

ACT ONE

1.   PRELUDE ‘SUMMERTIME’ – Orchestra
2.   FASCINATING RHYTHM – Male Chorus
3.   I GOT RHYTHM – Male Chorus
4.   S’WONDERFUL – Female Chorus
5.   DO DO DO – Female Chorus
6.   BIDIN’ MY TIME – Female Chorus
7.   NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT – Female Chorus
8.   SWANEE – Tony Ironside/Male Chorus
9.   EMBRACEABLE YOU – Buddy Collins
10.   LOVE WALKED IN – Jan Cuthbert
11.   THEY CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME – John Simpson
12.   THE MAN I LOVE – Monique Van de Ven
13.   PROMENADE – Jan Gare/ Alan Holt and Chico and Niki
14.   LET’S CALL THE WHOLE THING OFF – Kim Cleverton/Buddy Collins
15.   A FOGGY DAY – Buddy Collins
16.   CLAP YO’ HANDS SWEET AND LOW-DOWN – Chorus and Dancers
17.   LIZA OH, LADY BE GOOD – Chirus and Dancers

CAST

NARRATOR – Mel Griffiths

SOLOISTS AND CHORUS – Jane Pierard, Towera Smith, Jan Cuthbert, Kim Cleverton, Val Ives, Louise Jensen, Buddy Collins, Tony Ironside, William Waitoa, Alex McClelland, John Simpson, Donald Cullen, John Speakman. Monique Van de Ven.

DANCERS – Vanessa Maunder, Monique Van de Ven, Missi Christenson, Kim Cleverton, Jan Gare, Suzanne Jones, Julia Mahony, Sharron Pardoe, Michelle Ramsay, Lisa Smith, Linda Carrad, Anne-Margaret Windle, William Waitoa and Alan Holt.

KARYN BRIGGS
Chorus Mistress
Karyn is Napier born and educated and has been involved with music all her life with her mother, a music teacher, and Karyn following in her footsteps. Karyn studied piano and singing to diploma level and also found time for dancing. A teacher of piano at both Hastings and Napier Boys High Schools, Karyn is also tutor of a young mens choir at the Napier School. Karyn is an executive member of the Napier Performing Arts Society and for more than 20 years has appeared in productions for many local theatrical groups.

ACT TWO

1.   RHAPSODY IN BLUE – Jan Beck and Colleen Gahagan (Pianists)
2.   STAIRWAY TO PARADISE – William Waitoa/Chorus and Dancers
3.   SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME – Jane Pierard
4.   SUMMERTIME – Towera Smith
5.   I GOT PLENTY O’NOTHIN – Buddy Collins
6.   IT AINT NECESSARILY SO – William Waitoa
7.   BESS, YOU IS MY WOMAN NOW – Towera Smith/Buddy Collins
8.   OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAY – Full Chorus
9.   STRIKE UP THE BAND – Full Chorus

ORCHESTRA
BAND LEADER – PIANO – Warwick Curtis
DUET PIANISTS – Jan Beck and Colleen Gahagan
PERCUSSION – Bryan Rae
BASS – Leon Speakman
TRUMPET – Barry Cullen
CLARINET – Louis Pierard
ALTO SAX – Beryl Reilly
SYNTHESISER – Douwe Wiersma

JANE PIERARD
Chorus Mistress
Hamilton born and educated, Jane studied piano, violin and harp from an early age. Jane’s involvement with Theatre began in Tauranga in the early years of her married life prior to her arriving in Napier. Jane a piano teacher tor eighteen years has also tutored in drama at two summer schools and has directed an award winning play. Only in recent years has Jane become involved in Musical Theatre, she played the lead role of ‘Mabel’ in ‘Mack & Mabel’, has appeared in ‘Music Hall’, Nostalgia and more recently in Oliver! Theatre has become a major part of Jane ‘s life and she finds this a great source of inspiration and excitement in her life as a housewife and mother of five children.

INTERVAL
There will be an interval of 30 minutes during which the sweet course will be served along with coffee and liqueurs.

NEIL PAGE
Stage Manager

PAUL COLLIER and JOHN MATTHEWS
Lighting Design

SUSAN PAGE
Costume Designer

PRODUCTION PERSONNEL

PRODUCTION MANAGER – John Briggs
STAGE MANAGER – Neill Page
WARDROBE MISTRESS – Sue Page
SET DESIGN – John Briggs
LIGHTING DESIGN – John Matthews and Paul Collier
PROPERTIES – Glen Ward
MAKE-UP – Leanne Simpson
SOUND – Robert Lockyer
CATERING – Wayne Mason
HOUSE MANAGER – Ian Reid
HOSTESSES – Linda Shirras and Amanda Holden
HEAD WINE STEWARD – Peter Shepherd
PUBLICITY/PROGRAMME – Ian Reid and John Briggs
SET CONSTRUCTION – John Briggs, Colin Pritchard, Peter Wilson, George Ward, Reg Whitlock, Alan Holt, Neill Page, Donald Dunlop, Garry McArdle, Nick Franklin, Brian Nathan, Kevin Jupp, Mel Griffiths, John Matthews, Marc Collier, Doug Peters, Barrie Browne, Joe Dennis.
STAGE CREW – Neill Page, Alan Holt, Brian Nathan, Reg Whitlock, Peter Wilson, Kevin Jupp, Garry McArdle, Eionn McKinnon, Kevin Bartlett.
WARDROBE – Sue Page, Saima Pritchard, Chris Shields, Corinne Zutt, Joy Jordan, Pauline McArdle, Marguerite Andrews, Jean Allen, Cara McGirr, Guiseppa Bartle, Francis Rogers, Karen Rogers, Anne Clifford, Lyndsay Browne, Liz Ramsay, Pam Christiensen.
PROPERTIES – Glen Ward, Gail Jones, Donna O’Shaughnessy, Karen White, Anita Davies, Helen Wakely, Margaret Monteith, Barbara Brown, Christine Kenah, Irene Davey, Sonia Todd, Charlotte Chetty, Anne Corney, Hilary Fisher, Trish Carthew, Anne Grindrod, Mary O’Donovan.
SOUND – Robert Lockyer, Lee Lockyer.
LIGHTING – John Matthews, Paul Collier, Wayne Jupp, Kraig MacKay, Heidi Menneer, Marc Collier.
MAKE-UP – Leanne Simpson, Joyce Greenhalgh, June Lawrence, Allison Wright, Kath Baker, Gloria Carney, Jill Richards, Lyndsay Browne, Dawn McCowatt, Yvonne Ironside.
WINE WAITERS – Peter Shepherd, Ian Collins, Marc Collier, Alan Jones, Chris Owen, Tony Blake, Kevin Jupp, Steve Pardoe, Bill Grindrod, Joe Murray, Syd Jago, Bill Dalton.
DRESSERS
WAITRESSES
KITCHEN STAFF   Friends of the Society

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