2008 the merry widow 15th 26th april

RATHMINES & RATHGAR MUSICAL SOCIETY presents

Music by FRANZ LEHAR [

Original Book and Lyrics by Victor Leon and Leo Stein New Book and Lyrics by Phil Park Music adapted by Ronald Hanmer.

This production is presented by arrangement with Glocken Verlag Ltd.

Tuesday 15th to Saturday 26th April 2008

T

LYRIC OPERA

Isliliilo

Iroductioi roductions

(Uiltura

Season 2008

CADA O ’cSULlIVA her

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I D j Vinccnzo Bellini

a1«o starring Linda L ee as Aldalgi>^a

by W.A. Mozart

jS c r ili W o lv c rlo n as Pollionc

with a host of Insh and international artists

.m anislav O livets as Orovcso . C la u d ia B d y lc m Clot hildc

in a new spectacular production

il^ a tu rd a y iT th M aj ||v |

dl 8.0 0 pm be a Lyric Opera Concert

-If. m

Saturday 11th & Tues 14th October at 7.30 p m

Fully staged performances

National Concert Hall, Dublin Booking Now Open (01) 417 0000 or at www.nch.ie Tickets: from €20 No Booking Fee Applies

RATHMINES & RATHGAR MUSICAL SOCIETY (w w w .randrm usicalsociety.ie) A

f f il ia t e d t o

AIMS

presents

Music by FRANZ LEHAR Original Book and Lyrics by Victor Leon and Leo Stein I New Book and Lyrics hy Phil Park Music adapted hy Ronald Hanmer.

This production is presented by arrangement with Glocken Verlag Ltd.

Director: NOEL McDONOUGH Musical Director: GEAROID GRANT Choreographer: MARINA KEALY Chorus Director: JACKIE CURRAN-OLOHAN Stage Manager: GERRY McKNIGHT Assistant Stage Manager: FIONA HURLEY Lighting Design: DENIS TWOMEY Sound: PAT O ’BRIEN

Tuesday 15th to Saturday 26th April 2008, Nightly at 8.00pm Matinees Saturday 19th and 26th April at 2.30pm No performance Sunday 20th April

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WELCOME From the President o f Rathmines & Rathgar Musical Society

On behalf o f Rathmines and Rathgar Musical Society, it is my privilege to w elcom e you to the Society's 2008 Spring Season here at the Gaiety Theatre, fo r our production of "The Merry Widow".

The M erry W idow was prem iered in Vienna in Decem ber 1905 and was an im m ediate, outstanding success and indeed, became one o f the most popular operettas o f all time. The continued success o f the show is due mainly to the w onderful melodies of its composer, Franz Lehar.

T h e W idow ' - as it is affectionately known - has been perform ed by the R&R at the Gaiety Theatre on three previous occasions: in 1959, 1961 and lastly in 1977, thirty-one years ago, so a revivial has been certainly overdue!

Incidentally, this grand old Gaiety Theatre, bu ilt in 1871, has in recent years, undergone considerable renovations and renewals both 'backstage' and 'fro n t o f house' all o f which are much appreciated.

So now, prepare to m eet the people o f Ponteverdo as they endeavour to find a suitable husband fo r their very wealthy citizen, M adame Anna Glavari - T h e M erry Widow'l

PAT CAMPBELL, President, Rathmines & Rathgar Musical Society.

A p ril 2008

2008 Spring Production - THE MERRY WIDOW

R&R Executive C om m ittee (some m e m b ers missing a t t im e o f p h o to g ra p h )

M em bers o f th e cast rehearsing "The M e rry W id o w

MANAGEMENT TEAM President: Pat Campbell EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO JULY 2008 Chairman and Acting General Secretary Treasurer

Lewis Clohessy M icha e l C lark

Assistant Treasurer

D o d o O 'H a g a n

Business Secretary

Liam C arroll

Booking Secretary

G a rry M o u n ta in e

Press & PR

D ia rm u id O 'N e ill

M arketing Secretary Rehearsal Secretary W ardrobe Mistress W ardrobe M aster Production Secretary

Shay Gibson M iche lle Foynes Denise O 'M a h o n y M icha e l H oran B e rn a d e tte Sproule

Block Booking Secretary

B a rn ey G orm an

Social Secretary

Im elda B ra d le y

Associate M em bers' Representative Active Members' Representatives

H elen H u rle y R o b e rt D eve re u x Lorraine Frew en B rendan Galvin Jo h n M cCall

All Executive Com m ittee M em bers serve the Society in an Honorary Capacity

The Executive Committee wish to acknowledge all those o f have served on committees in the past and who have given their valuable time and committment for the betterment o f the Society. Most recently, Oliver Hill, Ig Lyons, Camillus Mountaine and Peter Nolan.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank them most sincerely and to wish them well in the future.

(

FRANZ LEHAR

(1870- 1948) -

Franz Lehar was b o rn in th e n orthe rn p art o f K om arom , A u stria -H u n g a ry (it is now Kom arno in Slovakia) as th e e ld e s t son o f a b an dm aster in the A u stro-H un ga ria n army. He stu d ie d violin and c o m p o s itio n at th e Prague C onservatory b u t was advised by A n to n in D vorak to focus on com posing music. A fte r g ra d u a tio n in 1899 he jo in e d his father's b an d in Vienna, as assistant bandm aster. In 1902 he b ecam e c o n d u c to r a t the historic Vienna T h e a te r an d e r Wien, w he re his firs t ope ra W iener Frauen was p e rfo rm e d in N o v e m b e r o f th a t year.

He is m o st fam ous fo r his o pe re tta s - th e m ost successful o f w hich is The M e rry W id o w (Die lustige Witwe), b u t he also w ro te sonatas, sym phonic poems, marches, and a n um ber o f waltzes, (the m ost pop ular being G o ld und Silber, com posed fo r Princess M etternich 's "G o ld and Silver" Ball, January 1902) som e o f w hich were drawn from his fam ous operettas. Individual songs from some o f th e ope re tta s have becom e standards, n otably "V ilja " fro m The M erry W id o w and "You A re M y Heart's D e lig h t" ("D ein ist mein ganzes Herz") fro m The Land o f Smiles.

...

100

)

By 1935 he d e c id e d to fo rm his o w n p ub lishing house, G locken-Verlag ("P u blishin g House o f th e Bells"), to m axim ize his personal co n tro l over perform an ce rights to his works.

He d ie d in 1948 in Bad IschI, near Salzburg w here he was also b uried.

f

Lehar was also associated w ith th e o p e ra tic te n o r Richard Tauber, w h o sang in m any o f his o perettas, beg in nin g w ith Frasquita (1922), in w hich Lehar once again fo u n d a suitable p o s t-w a r style. B etw een 1925 and 1934 he w ro te six o p e re tta s specifically fo r Tauber's voice.

BIOGRAPHY

Honours He was e le cte d an h on orary citizen o f Sopron in 1940.

D esp ite his w o rk b e in g in co ntrast w ith th e e ru d itio n o f W agner, associated w ith the Nazis, Lehar's w o rk was e njoyed

by Hitler, w h o a w arded him th e G o e th e M edal. Lehar him self had a Jewish w ife and his frie n d and s o m e tim e -lib re ttis t Fritz Lohner was killed in th e gas cham bers a t Auschw itz.

A s tre e t in Leidsche Rijn, U trecht, The N ethe rlan ds was nam ed afte r him.

Recordings In 1947, Lehar c o n d u cte d th e Zurich Tonhalle O rchestra in a series o f 7 8-rpm recordings fo r English Decca (released in th e U.S. by London Records) o f overtures and waltzes fro m his o pe re tta s. The reco rd ing s had rem arkable sound fo r th e ir tim e because th e y w ere m ade using Decca's "fu ll fre q u e n cy ran ge re c o rd in g " process, one o f th e firs t com m ercial high fid e lity techniques. These reco rd ing s were later issued on LP and CD. A co m p ila tio n o f his reco rd ing s has been released by Naxos Records.

www.merry-widow-centenary.com A website celebrating 100 years o f operetta's 'leading lady'.

On 30 D ece m b er 1905, Franz Lehar, V icto r Leon & Leo Stein's

Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow) received its first public performance at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna.

Performances around the world followed and the show quickly established itself as one of the musical theatre's greatest-ever attractions. Alm ost a century later, the Widow's power to enchant remains undiminished.

"THE MERRY WIDOW" SYNOPSIS ACT I

ACT II

T he P o n te v e d r ia n Em bassy in Paris. A luxurious e m b a s sy party.

A n d la te r t h a t n ig h t a t M a x im 's , t h e m o s t fam o u s re s ta u r a n t in Paris.

Baron Zeta, the Ambassador and leader of the Pontevedrian delegation, is engaged in the role o f statesman and host. His lovely wife, Valencienne, is perched in a nearby alcove with Camille de Rosillon, a young, handsome aristocrat.

As Camille expresses his love for her, writing "I love you" on her fan; Valencienne warns the young man about "playing with fire".

Valencienne's husband, Baron Zeta, hasn't a clue.

His attentions are focused on the stupendously wealthy widow, Anna Glavari, and his fears th at she might be persuaded to marry a foreigner. The wrong choice of husband could put the entire country in jeopardy, as Pontevedro's banking system relies on the widow's millions.

Anna arrives at the embassy party with her entourage. Suitors begin to buzz around her, but Anna is no fool: She realizes the main attraction is her late husband's money.

Dashing Count Danilo Danilovitsch arrives, accompanied by dancing girls from the famous Maxim s. He has been summoned fo r a serious purpose, and Danilovitsch sings of the hard life of a high-profile diplom at before seizing a quick nap.

Years before, Danilo was desperately in love with Anna, but his family w ouldn't perm it them to marry. Tonight, the Count's snoring attracts the attention of Anna. This leads to a bittersweet exchange about their former romance.

Baron Zeta, taking him aside, appeals to the Count's patriotism: It is his duty to marry Anna and keep her sizable assets in Pontevedro. This flock of foreign suitors poses a threat to the nation's financial stability Danilovitsch refuses to propose marriage, but consoles Zeta by offering to do his best to keep the foreign gold-diggers away from the widow.

A 'Ladies' Choice' is announced and Anna is inundated with eager partners. Only one man ignores her, and she approaches Danilovitsch to ask him to dance. The Count declines Anna's invitation, yet, moments later, offers to sell the honour to any gentleman in the room willing to make a large donation to charity. The suitors begrudgingly step aside for Danilo and Anna as they make their way to the dance floor.

In the g a r d e n o f Anna's p a la t ia l Paris m ansion.

As the guests enjoy a raucous party with entertainers performing traditional Pontevedrian dances, Anna breaks into song about a lovely forest nymph and the hunter who loves her. Danilo arrives and is confronted by Baron Zeta, who has found the fan with the words, "I love you". Danilovitsch confirms the handwriting as that of the French aristocrat, Camille de Rosillon, who is rumoured to be in love with a married woman. The Prince offers to find o ut which o f the ladies can claim the fan.

Anna, meanwhile, accuses the Count o f trying to avoid her, a charge Danilo denies. This provides Anna with a perfect excuse to tell yet another tale: The story of a silly horseman who is blind to the advances o f a beautiful young maiden.

Baron Zeta sets up an emergency meeting in the summerhouse with Danilo and his aide, Njegus. Zeta's wife, Valencienne, is still trying to cope with Camille, her love-struck suitor. She finds her missing fan and tells Camille that they must break-off their friendship in order to allay her husband's suspicions.

When Camille begs fo r a keepsake, Valencienne presents him with the fan on which she has written, "I am a highly respectable w ife". However, she is also persuaded to join Camille for one last rendezvous in the summerhouse.

Unfortunately, Zeta is headed in the same direction and is shocked to get a glimpse o f his dutiful wife with Camille.

The Baron's aide, seeking to avert a genuine disaster, slips Valencienne out — the back door and puts Anna in her place. The wife's honour is secured, but in order to make the story more plausible, Anna announces her engagement to Camille.

The Baron is aghast as "the Merry W idow's" millions will now go to a Frenchman and Pontevedro will be ruined. Danilo is stunned and furious.

He sings a song about a princess who repays her lover's discretion by giving her hand to another. The Count then storms out and Anna is left with the happy realisation th at her one true love truly loves her in return.

On the heels of the opening ballet, the cheeky girls o f Maxim's sing a lively chorus about flirting with men on the boulevard. Danilo and Baron Zeta continue to argue about Anna, when 'to everyone's surprise' the rich widow walks into the room. The crowd clears out, leaving Danilo and Anna to dance the famous 'Merry W idow Waltz' alone. Their mutual pride dissolves in the swaying rhythms o f the dance and they confess their love for each other, at last.

Baron Zeta discovers it was his wife, Valencienne, who was dallying with Camille that night in the summerhouse. The telltale evidence is the fan.

Valencienne smooths things over with her husband by pointing out her handwritten words: "I am a highly respectable wife".

The Baron's suspicions are finally put to rest.

2008 Spring Production - THE iVIERRY W IDOW

^

A Nostalgic Look-Back to our 1959, 1961 and 1977 ^ __________ productions of 'The Merry W idow ' ___________^

Gaiety Theatre Dublin f»ctori Ejmonn Aiutrrar*. Lorean boorke. Fred Cmoso' OntBod CaRarky, |o« Krinu. Tooi W*hih.

GAIETY

THEATRE

Am U M U«nag«r r JOE K£ARN»

Comm«ncine Monday, March 21M Rathminea li Rathgar Mualcal Sociaty

prMania COMMENCINO MARCH 21al 1977

THE MERRY WIDOW

R«lhmlr>M & R ath gar M usleat S o c isty

praw nU

THE MERRY WIDOW

M usic by FRANZ LEHAR B o ok & Lyrica by .

PH IL PARK M usical D ire c to r : C om dt. Fred O 'C a ila g h a n C tto ru s M a s te r; r Hewson

Book a LyHe«:

^ k e ^^^ITlerry ^^^~lOidow

PHIL PAAK

C tio re o g ra p h y : D olore s D ela h u n ty

M u*ic by: FRANZ LCHAR

S e ttln e s : Q a tety The atre W orksho p

Coatumes: D esigned by K o tc h le B o u rk e ^ a tto n an d exe cuted b y M /s . P. J. B o u rke ft Sons, D am e Street

E n l^ Production b y : JAMES BELCHAMBER

ANKA {Madam Qlavari) DANILO (Count Danilovitsch) BARON ZETA VALENCIENNE CAMILLE (Count de Rosillon) NJEGUS ST. BRIOCHE CASCADA KROMOV OLGA BOGDANOVrrSCH SYLVIA PRASKOVIA PRiTSCH LOLO DODO JOU-JOU FROU-FROU CLO-CLO MARGOT

Singing Ensemble: Misses: Mary McCann; Eva Staveley; Angela McBrien; Doreen Sheridan; Maura Cox; Emer O'Sullivan; Anne Crossan; Jennifer Patterson; Sheila Molloy: Mane Cuiiiton; Michele O'Byrne; Nuaia Kealy; Margaret Creed; Margaret Hendron; Mary Carkln.

Messrs: Joe Bevan; Denis Deasy: Larry Shelley; John Murphy, Campbell Grant; Noel Lawlor, Michael McFall; Jim Butler; Hugh Governey; Cyril McKeown; George Brady; Robin Fitzgerald:

LOUISE STUDLEY PHILIP BYRNE FINTAN CORISH MONA CONROY FRANK KENNEDY RAY BARROR BRENDAN GALVIN NOEL DILLON PASCHAL WALSH DOLORES BARRY NOEL BYRNE ANN McEVOY DODO 0 ‘HAGAN KEN VITATTERS ANGELA McBRIEN MtCHELE O'BYRNE JENNIFER PATTERSON EMER O'SULLIVAN ANN CROSSAN DOREEN SHERIDAN

Noel Byrne; Ken Watters; Seamus Ck>naty; Peter Shannon.

Dancing Ensemble: (Courtesy Dublin Ballet Club and Castleknock School of Dance).

Misses: Maria Kelly; Aedeen O'Hagan; Bairbre Ni Bhroin; Jean K illocti; Leonie Cruise; Una O'Hare and George Brady.

Dream Ballet In Act II: Young Anna: Leonie Cruise; Young Danilo: George Brady.

Above: Extracts from the Society's printed programme for The M e rry W idow in March 1977.

Below: Photos from the Society's produc­ tions o f The M e rry W idow in 1959, 1961 and 1977.

1977

- Above: Full Company

Left: Claire Kelleher as Valencienne with the Grisettes.

Below: Full C om pany Above: Jo e an d Lucy Lane.

Right: The late Chris Curran and the cast o f the 1961 production, including Noel Byrne, p e rfo rm in g 'Women, Women, Women.

FLOWERS IN W ATERCOLOUR

Myles Antony can be contacted at 086-2606214 or 01-8119267 Large Flower Watercolours from â‚Ź3SO. Commissions accepted.

OUR CREATIVE TEAM

NOEL M c D o n o u g h - Director Noel graduated in 1997 from the Samuel Beckett School, Trinity College with a BA (Mod) Honours Degree and subsequently an M A in Drama and Theatre Studies in 2003 Noel's credits include The Merry W id o w and Die Fledermaus in the National C oncert Hall. He has been very successful at the W aterford International Festival o f Light Opera winning the 'Best Professional D irector Award' seven tim es with Mack & Mabel, Chicago, Cabaret, Barnum,Chess and the Irish o f premiere of Evita fo r Arthur's Team. He also directed the premieres o f A Slice o f Saturday N ig h t and the w orld premieres o f Rebecca Storm's H ollyw ood Ladies and Brian O'Reilly's Buskin' at the Tivoli Theatre. In 2006 N oel directed the Irish premiere of Seussical the Musical fo r the award-winning Teachers Musical Society For television he devised/directed Different Dreams fo r RTE and staged The Last N ig h t o f The Proms/ Viennese N ig h t fo r the Bank o f Ireland Proms.

His recent credits include Someone Who'll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinness, Assassins by Stephen Sondheim at The Samuel Beckett Theatre, Cinderella & Jack and the Beanstalk at the Gaiety, Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma! Carousel, Guys & Dolls, M e and M y Girl, My Fair Lady, Gigi, Fiddler on the Roof at the Gaiety Theatre and A nything Goes at the National Concert Hall. In June 2004 N oel was invited to direct The Importance o f Being Earnest at th e Oscar W ilde 150th Celebrations in Portora, Enniskillen.

Theatre in Education Credits: Devised and directed Learning Through The Arts In Breaking The Cycle Schools fo r the D epartm ent of Education in 2001. He also devised with Joe O 'D onnell the award-winning melodrama, The Hands o f Doom fo r the Food Safety Prom otion Board in 2004. In June 2005 he devised and directed St. Michael's House 50th Anniversary production Let's Celebrate In The Helix involving a cast o f 400 students with intellectual disability. Noel recently produced and directed Honk! in The Helix, w ith a cast o f 350 children from 15 primary schools in the Dublin Docklands area.

This is Noel's eleventh production w ith the Rathmines & Rathgar company and and wishes to thank the production team, a brilliant cast, crew and com m ittee fo r all the support and creative input in making The Merry W id o w s success.

10

MARINA KEALY Choreographer Marina has been involved with dance from an early age. She has perform ed in all the major theatres, professional cabaret and on national television. Marina's work has been w ide and varied. Having danced in numerous John Player Tops o f the Town finals, she was d elighted when the show she choreographed reached the national final and was broadcast live by RTE. O th e r successes include, Godspell, Chess, Guys and Dolls, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, West Side Story, Jesus Christ Superstar, W onderful Town and many dance workshops th ro u g h o u t the country.

Marina's w ork received a nomination from AIMS fo r Grease and w on Best C horeographer Award from both AIMS and the Bangor Festival fo r her work in Me and M y Girl. Following this Marina was asked to co-choreograph the professional production o f Me and My Girl at th e Olympia Theatre. Marina has a long association with the R&R. Firstly as a dancer, and perform er in the role o f Liat in South Pacific. She successfully choreographed the R&R productions o f The Pirates o f Penzance, the R&R 90th Birthday Celebration, M y Fair Lady, The Yeomen o f the Guard and Gigi, th e very successful production o f Chess fo r Glasnevin Musical Society and was D irector/C horeographer fo r the R&R's, Let's Celebrate the magic o f the Musicals!. Her most recent role was as choreographer fo r our last production. A nything Goes at the National Concert Hall.

Marina is d elighted to continue her association w ith the R&R as Choreographer fo r this season and would like to thank the entire cast fo r their very hard w ork and dedication over the last num ber o f months.

GEAROID GRANT M usical D ire c to r

JACKIE CURRAN-OLOHAN Chorus Director

Gearoid was born in Dublin and graduated with a B.Mus degree from University C ollege Dublin. Since then he has com bined a freelance career as co nductor with a career in music education. He has conducted all the principal orchestras in Ireland, the National Symphony Orchestra, the RTE C oncert Orchestra, the Ulster Orchestra, the Irish Chamber Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland.

Jackie has a distinguished career as a performer, musician, director, chorus director and teacher. Her musical education thrived under Sr. Agnes Nolan a t St. Mary's College, Arklow, Eithne Troy at the College o f Music and subsequently UCD from which she graduated w ith a B Mus. (Hons.).

-

Gearoid devised and continues to present and conduct the acclaimed series Music in the Classroom which introduces music to 30,000 Irish children annually, w ith performances at the National Concert Hall in Dublin and in major venues around Ireland. The program m e is developed in conjunction with RTE, The Irish Times and the D epartm ent o f Education. He has to ured in England w ith the Irish C ham ber Orchestra. He has conducted all o f Shaun Davey's major works, and premieres o f Shaun Davey's Relief o f Derry Symphony in 1989 and his C oncerto fo r Uilleann Pipe perform ed fo r th e first tim e at Greenwich Festival in London. These works are recorded fo r Tara Records. He has done a great deal o f film work w ith the Irish Film Orchestra, o f which he is Associate Musical Director. No stranger to television and theatre, Gearoid Grant has conducted a w ide repertoire ranging from M ozart to Sondheim.

Gearoid has been th e conductor o f the National Youth Orchestra o f Ireland Under 18s since it was form ed in 1980 and is a m em ber o f the Board o f the NYOI. He has been the Musical Director with the R&R fo r over 25 years.

-

Jackie has been Music D irector and C onductor fo r many show premieres including Anything Goes in 1991 with DAYMS directed by Brian Merriman and was awarded Best Music D irector at the W aterford International Festival o f Light Opera fo r Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods. This, and conducting her late father, Chris, in Annie at th e Olympia, she regards as her highlights to date.

She is Musical Director o f M.Y.Th. productions, W icklow and has appeared w ith the R&R, Glasnevin Musical Society, Jim M olloy Productions and Festival Productions. She played Ruth in The Pirates o f Penzance and her most recent role was th a t o f Katisha in Festival Production's award-winning The IVIikado in which she received the Best Character Actress at th e Buxton International Festival o f G ilbert & Sullivan last year.

Jackie enjoyed playing the pa rt o f The Duchess o f Plaza Toro in th e R&R's production o f The Gondoliers at the NCH where she will return this year fo r Jim M olloy Productions on 6th May. The Merry W id o w holds a very special place in Jackie's heart as her late dad, Chris Curran, played Danilo in the 1961 production and previously played opposite his wife, the late Josephine Scanlon, in The Merry Widow.

GERRY McKNIGHT Production & Stage Manager Gerry has been involved with the theatre since 1972. He became a m em ber o f the R&R stage crew for the 1989 production o f Hello Dolly at the Gaiety Theatre and he has been involved mainly in stage m anagem ent and props. This year Gerry is deligh te d to take on the role o f Production and Stage Manager fo r A nything Goes at the National Concert Hall.

He has w orked w ith many musical and dram atic societies, Loreto, St. Louis, Muckross, Take Four, Kilmacud, Bray, Greystones, Coolmine, O'Connells, Dundrum, Glencullen, Bank o f Ireland, Allied Irish Banks, John Player Tops (Irish Life, Technicon), Bord Gais Players, Castleknock School o f Dance, D ebbie Allen School o f Dance, Pemberton Club and Red Rua Theatre Com pany as set designer, set builder, prop maker, lighting, stage manager or p rop master. He has been nom inated by AIMS fo r best stage manager three tim es and is the recipient o f the Best Stage Manager's Award from the W aterford International Festival of Light Opera.

Gerry is currently em ployed by Co. W icklow VEC where he tutors in perform ing arts production studies.

This three year diplom a course prepares students fo r the final year o f the University o f Wales honours degree in Performance Arts.

2 008 Spring Production - THE MERRY W ID O W

11

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SANDRA KELLY Anna (Madame Glavari, The Merry Widow)

-

Sandra stu d ie d v o ice w ith M ary Brennan at th e DIT C o n se rva tory o f M usic w h ere she was a w arde d th e g o ld m edal fo r sin g in g . She has also w o n m any prizes in th e D u blin Feis C e o il in clu d in g th e D e rm o tT ro y C u p f o r O ra to rio , S ta n fo rd Cup, th e FordT aylor prize fo r G ilb e rt and Sullivan and th e Rathm ines and Rathgar Cup. Sandra has pla ye d m any p rincip al roles in clu d in g A d e le in Die Flederm aus, Laurey in O klahom a!, N e llie Forbush in South Pacific, M arian in M usic M a n and Jo se ph ine in H M S Pinafore.

Sandra's ra d io w o rk includes playing th e role o f Laurey in th e Gay Byrne Show's p ro d u c tio n o f O klahom a!. She also ap pe ars in th e variety show S h o w tim e s w h ich has been p e rfo rm e d in m any venues th r o u g h o u t Ireland.

Sandra playe d Tessa in The G o n d o lie rs, M a g n o lia in S h o w b o a t a n d Sarah Brow n in Guys & Dolls in p re vio u s R&R p ro d u c tio n s at th e G aiety. She has also a p p e a re d as a s o lo is t w ith th e R&R in th e N C H in R o m b e rg t o R o dg ers on tw o occasions, th e R&R 90th B irth d a y C o nc e rt, Sho w Business and Let's C e le b ra te ! The M a g ic o f th e Musicals.

PHILIP BYRNE Danilo (Count Danilovitsch)

-

Philip co m m e n c e d his stage care er in th e G a ie ty T h e a tre w ith th e D u b lin G ra n d O p e ra Society. A fte r six years he was dra w n to musicals and lig h t o p e ra as a le a d in g man. He has since had c o n sid e ra b le e xp e rie n ce on th e stage, ra d io and te le visio n p e rfo rm in g in th e a tre s th ro u g h o u t th e co u n try and in th e U n ite d States, G re a t Britain and Italy, in musical com edy, cab are t, g ra n d o p e ra and o ra to rio .

A w in n e r o f m any awards at th e W a te rfo rd In te rn a tio n a l Festival o f Ligh t O p e ra and he was p re s e n te d w ith m edals in m any C ities in th e U n ite d States. Ten years a t Doyle's Irish C a b a re t at th e B u rlin g to n H o te l was p re c e d e d b y m any cab are t seasons at K illiney Castle, B rae m or Room s and C lo n ta rf Castle.

He is in co n s ta n t d e m a n d as a T o a stm a ste r/M a ste r o f C erem onies, h o stin g c o rp o ra te d inn ers in m any ho te ls and c o n fe re n ce centres.

In 1988 Philip w ro te "M o o re a n d French (The E nte rta ine rs )" a musical play a b o u t th e life and tim e s o f Percy French and T hom as M o o re , w h ich he has p e rfo rm e d e xte n sive ly w ith tenor, Bryan H oey in co n c e rt halls, th e a tre s and stately hom es, n o rth and south o f Ireland.

GARRY MOUNTAINE Baron Zeta

-

Garry studied with Dr Veronica Dunne at the Leinster School of Music and at the RIAM with Professor Paul Deegan.

He appeared in Mahogany Songspiel (Opera Theatre Company, Dublin Theatre Festival) and In Company With Sondheim (Sceanario, National Concert Hall). He has played many roles including Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof (Gaiety Theatre), Ramades in Risen People (Gaiety Theatre), Emile de Becque in South Pacific (Gaiety Theatre), Joe Kellor in All My Sons (Andrews Lane Theatre), Eddie Carbone in A View from the Bridge (Andrews Lane Theatre), Sam Byck in Assassins (The Beckett Theatre), Khruschev in JFK (Olympia Theatre), Dancairo in Carmen (National Concert Hall), The Man in Buskin (Tivoli Theatre), Nathan Detroit in Guys & Dolls (Gaiety Theatre), Prof Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady (Gaiety Theatre) and Honore Lachailles in Gigi (Gaiety Theatre).

With the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company he played Poo-Bah in their production of The Mikado and Wilfred Shadbolt in The Yeomen of the Guard (Sadler's Wells Theatre, UK).

Television and radio work include The Late Late Show, Live at 3 and Theatre Nights. He also appeared in the BBC productions of The Mikado and The Yeomen of the Guard.

Garry directed The Yeomen o f the Guard in 2004 and co-directed the R&R's 90th Birthday Celebration Concert in 2003, having previously directed The Mikado (2001) and The Pirates o f Penzance (2002), all at the National Concert Hall. He co-hosted From Romberg to Rodgers at the NCH in 2005 and his role as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof at the Gaiety Theatre in 2006 won him critical acclaim. He was Director of The Gondoliers at the National Concert Hall which was an astounding success and recently starred in the very successful run of Who's Afraid o f Virginia Woolf at the new Mill Theatre in the Dundrum Centre. Garry's most recent role was as 'Moonface Martin' in last season's production of Anything Goes at the NCH.

2008 Spring Production - T H E IVIERRY W ID O W

13

SANDRA GUILMARTIN -

Valencienne

Having gained an honours degree in business studies from the Dublin Institute o f Technology, Sarah is now undertaking full tim e music performance studies at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Here she is under direction o f Philip O'Reilly and repetiteur Dearbhla Collins.

As the 2006 Dublin Rose, Sarah perform ed at the Dom e in Tralee to a worldw ide television audience in the International Rose o f Tralee Festival. During 2006 she sang Ireland's Amhran na bhFiann to 80,000 spectators and live on television at the All-Ireland football quarter final in Croke Park.

Having made her operatic debut in the role o f Pisana in Verdi's I Due Foscari, Sarah's opera credits have since included; Butterfly's Cousin (Madama Butterfly], Susanna's Bridesmaid (The Marriage o f Figaro), L'elisir d'amore, La Boheme, Tosca, Turandot, and Aida all o f which were performed with Lyric Opera Productions at the NCH. She has also performed with Opera Ireland at the Gaiety Theatre in both Dead Man Walking, playing the role of Sister Catherine and Turandot. Most recently Sarah was accepted onto the Young Artists Developrnent Programme with Opera Fringe 2008 and will be performing the role o f Nella in the company's production o f Gianni Schicchi in June 2008.

Sarah's interests extend to musical theatre where her credits include; The 3 Tenors nationwide to u r (guest soprano), soloist in Joe Conlon's One Voice (Gaiety), soloist in Festival Production's The Sound o f Our Music (NCH), Grace (Annie) and The Wizard o f Oz (NCH). Now in her sixth season w ith the Rathmines & Rathgar Musical Society's, Sarah is delighted to be playing the part o f Valencienne in their production of The Merry W idow. This adds to her credits with the Society, among which have included; Casilda in The Gondoliers, soloist in Magic o f th e Musicals, soloist in Romberg to Rodgers all at th e NCH and Gigi and My Fair Lady (Gaiety Theatre).

PAUL KELLY

JOHN FURLONG

- Camille,

-

C o u n t d e Rossilon Paul appeared with the Rathmines and Rathgar Musical Society in the fo llo w ing roles: Col. Fairfax in The Yeomen o f the Guard, Nanki Poo in The Mikado, Frederick in The Pirates o f Penzance, Freddie in M y Fair Lady and Sir Evelyn Oakleigh in A n yth in g Goes.

He also sang in many o f the concerts presented by the Society at the National C oncert Hall.

N jegus

John is deligh te d to return to the Gaiety w ith the R&R. He is a regular perform er on the musical stage and previously played the part of Njegus in C oolm ine Musical Society's production o f The Merry Widow.

Recent musical w ork includes the role o f Trevor Graydon in the Irish premiere o f Thoroughly M odern Millie with Greenhills Variety Group which enjoyed great success in Dublin and at the 2007 W aterford International Festival of Light Opera.

He is a regular pe rform er with Estuary Players at national and at international venues. Recent w ork includes Frozen and The Plough and the Stars.

He will play Victor in Estuary's production o f A rthur Miller's family drama The Price at the RTE All-Ireland Drama Finals next month.

THE R&R FAMILY - THE NEXT GENERATION Current Members performing in this production: Brendan Galvin:

N ephew o f the late Brendan Galvin senior.

Michael Clark:

N ephew o f Jean Clark.

Ritzy Murray:

G randdaughter o f Casting C om m ittee member, Dympna Egar.

Sarah Guilmartin:

Grand Niece o f Eddie Guilm artin.

Lorraine Frewen:

Maire Frewen, A u n t o f Lorraine's husband.

Ann Gorman:

W ife o f Barney Gorman.

BRENDAN GALVIN -

S t.

Brioche

Brendan has attended the Royal Irish Academ y o f Music under the direction o f Suzanne Murphy. He has performed w ith the R&R fo r over ten years in many productions such as Me and My Girl, Gigi, Guys and Dolls, South Pacific, M y Fair Lady, The M ikado and many more, both in the Gaiety Theatre and th e National Concert Hall. He also appeared with the R&R on television in the RTE Proms, Late Late Show and othe r programmes.

A p a rt from playing many minor roles with the R&R, he has perform ed as a soloist in the R&R's Romberg to Rodgers in the NCH, and the roles o f Bobby in The Boyfriend (Navan Road MS) and as St. Brioche in The Merry W id ow (GMS) and many other parts in local theatre, both singing and drama.

Brendan is also a m em ber of Lyric Opera and has recently perform ed in Verdi's II Due Foscari, Atilla, La B o h e m e jh e Marriage o f Figaro and I'Elisir d'A m ore all in the NCH. He is d eligh te d to be reprising this role which his late uncle Brendan also perform ed with the R&R in the 1977 production.

MICHAEL CLARK -

Cascada

ROBBIE KEOGH -

K ro m o v

This is Michael's sixth show fo r the R&R, having perform ed in small roles in tw o concerts. The Yeomen o f the Guard and The Gondoliers, as well as playing the Captain in last autumn's production o f Anything Goes.

This is Robbie's tw elvth year with the R&R. His first show was South Pacific where he played Lt. Buzz Adams and has played parts in almost every show since. He was also involved w ith C oolm ine Panto Group where he played the lead in a number o f pantomimes.

He has perform ed as a chorus m em ber fo r Lyric Opera many times, including Turandot, Tosca, La Boheme, Attila and Madama Butterfly.

In May 2000 he played the part o f Benny Southstreet in Knocklyon Variety Group's production o f Guys and Dolls in the Civic Theatre in Tallaght. In 2002 he played in Cloud 9's production o f A View From a Bridge by A rthu r M iller in Andrew's Lane Theatre.

Michael also serves as the Treasurer o f th e Society and he hopes you enjoy the show.

Robbie played th e part o f Eugene Fodor in Crazy For You w ith the Pioneer Musical Society at the D raiocht Theatre, Blanchardstown. Last year he played the role o f Luke in the R&R's production of A nything Goes at the National C oncert Hall and recently played the part o f Slap in Greenhills' production o f Cinderella.

Robbie is de lig hted to be playing th e part o f Kromov and hopes you all enjoy ton ig ht's performance.

Biographies o f th e Cast continued on Page 2 5

"M erry W id o w " rehearsals in full swing!

2008 Spring ProduGtion - THE MERRY W IDOW

%S

OPERETTA Operetta is a term which started to be used in the 19th century to describe an opera that was not too serious and often full of fun. It is often described as "light opera" ("light" meaning "n ot serious"). In an opera everything is usually sung. In an operetta there is a lot of spoken dialogue, and songs and dances are added to this. Similar traditions already existed in other countries, e.g. in Germany where the Singspiel tradition was popular (e.g. Mozart's The Magic Flute).

The operetta tradition started in France and soon spread to Austria and other countries. It remained popular until the mid-20th century, when it gradually turned into musical comedy.

The composer Jacques Offenbach can be thought of as the creator o f the operetta tradition. It grew out of the opera comique which had become quite long and serious. There was a need for shorter, more humorous musical entertainments. Offenbach was composing operettas in the 1850s in Paris. In England such works were often called "comic operas" or "opera comedies". Then Johann Strauss became very popular in Vienna. He was already very well known in the ballroom, but when he started to write for the theatre he soon became a rival to Offenbach, whose operettas had become very popular in Vienna. Strauss's

operetta Die Fledermaus ("The Bat") has been performed more than any other operetta. In Spain the Zarzuela was a kind of operetta.

Many people were involved in the creating and performing of operettas. The performers often had to both sing and act very well. Bizet, Chabrier and Delibes all wrote operettas as well as operas and other types of music. In England the operas of Gilbert and Sullivan were a kind of English form of operetta.

One o f the most popular of all operettas was Die Lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow) by Franz Lehar. It was produced in 1905 in Vienna. Lehar wrote many other operettas as well.

Franz von Suppe is another composer who wrote operettas in the Austrian tradition.

In the early 20th century the French operetta became less popular as there was more interest in the Viennese operetta.

After World War I Berlin was the centre of German operetta.

By the middle of the 20th century many composers were writing light operas which were based on American dance band music. These were no longer called "operettas". The word "operetta" continued to be used for light operas which were more in the style o f traditional central European music.

The R&R Dancers fo r "The M erry W id o w

FORTHCOMING PRODUCTION RATHMINES & RATHGAR MUSICAL SOCIETY (w w w .randrm usicalsociety.ie) presents

lOUNTlli }>

b y W. S. G ilb e rt & A rth u r S ullivan a t th e NATIONAL CONCERT HALL NOVEMBER 2008

After lolanthe, a fairy, committed tiie capital offense of marrying a mortal she has been banished from Fairyland for life. She also gave birth to the mortal's son, Strephon, who, as a result, is half mortal, half fairy. A fter the Queen of the Fairies, who was fond of lolanthe, agrees to pardon her, lolanthe announces that her son Strephon will soon be married to Phyllis, an Arcadian shepherdess.

Problems occur when it turns out that every member of the House of Lords is also in love with Phyllis. The Lords and Phyllis happen upon a meeting between Strephon and his mother (who still looks seventeen) and the Lords convince Phyllis that Strephon is being unfaithful. The fairies then punish the Lords by sending Strephon to Parliament and casting a spell that makes all the peers pass any bill that Strephon wants, Phyllis soon forgives him and the two are once again in love. After the Lords complain to the fairies about Strephon's success, the fairies end up falling in love with them. In the end, the Queen of Fairies changes the law banning fairies from marrying mortals. Thus, each fairy ends up marrying a peer, while the Queen marries a Grenadier Guard, Private Willis.

A uditions for P rin c ip a l R oles in th is p ro d u c tio n w ill ta k e p la c e la te r in th e year.

P le a se c o n ta ct D y m p n a E g a r on 01-6603740 for fu rth e r d e ta ils.

THE WALTZ The WALTZ was a smash hit from the very start, mesmerizing Its listeners into non-stop revelry. The waltz swept out of Germany in the middle of the eighteenth century to conquer all of Europe, inspiring an old German verse; "Whosoever the dance did discover/Had in mind each maid and lover/With all their burning ardor."

The name o f the waltz is taken from the Italian 'volver' - to turn, or revolve. It was an outgrowth o f the landler, a country dance in three-quarter time, and replaced the heavy hopping and jumping movements with more polished and graceful gliding.

It was, indeed, rural lads and lasses who first found these whirling steps so appealing. And so, the waltz originally was decidedly low-brow and provincial. In those days, there was something unsavory about a woman being gripped in a man's embrace while whirling in a frenzy around the dance floor.

The close contact with one's partners body contrasted sharply with the stately dances o f the aristocracy - the minuets, polonaises, and quadrilles - in which one kept one's distance. A first-hand account o f a village dance in the latter part o f the eighteenth century read "The men dancers held up the dresses of their partners very high so that they should not trail and be stepped on, wrapped themselves both tightly in the covering, bringing their bodies as closely together as possible, and thus whirling about went on in the most indecent positions....

As they waltzed around on the darker side o f the room, the kissing and the hugging became still bolder. It is the custom of the country, I know, and not as bad as it looks, but I can quite understand why the waltz has been banned in parts o f Swabia and Switzerland."

Naturally, the scandalized upper classes could not endure to have the lower classes having all the fun, and so, in time, the waltz finally achieved a degree o f legitimacy, yet not losing any of its basic appeal.

The Austrian music scholar. Max Graf, has written, "If there exists a form o f music that is a direct expression of sensuality, it is the Viennese Waltz. It was the dance of the new Romantic Period after the Napoleonic Wars, and the contemporaries o f the first waltzes were highly shocked at the eroticism o f this dance in which a lady clung to her partner, closed her eyes as in a happy dream, and glided off as if the world had disappeared. The new waltz melodies overflowed with longing, desire and tenderness."

These new waltz melodies could trace their ancestry back to the beer gardens o f early eighteenth century Vienna, and to the rural inns and tavern situated on the outskirts of Vienna and on the banks o f the Danube River. Traveling orchestras, some o f them from the ships and barges that plied the Danube, whetted the Viennese appetite for this new dance, and the waltz craze soon reached epidemic proportions.

Into this dance-mad atmosphere stepped Josef Lanner and Johann Strauss the elder, both band musicians and both at one time members o f the same orchestra. In the compositions o f these two men the waltz gained sophistication and a distinctly Viennese light-hearted spirit.

A contemporary music critic, Eduard Hanslick, wrote that "You cannot imagine the wild enthusiasm that these two men created in Vienna. Newspapers went into raptures over each new waltz, and innumerable articles appeared about Lanner and Strauss."

And when he visited he city in 1845, the composer Hector Berlioz, too, was struck with the passion for the waltz .

"The Viennese youth abandons itself to its passion for dancing, a very real and delightful passion, which has led the Viennese to make a very real art of drawing-room dancing as far above the routine of our balls as the orchestra and waltzes o f Strauss are superior to the polkas and strummers in the dancing salons of Paris. I have passed whole nights watching thousands on incomparable waltzers whirling about..."

Until his death in 1899 kept Europe whirling in blissful abandon. Even in 1919, H.L. Menken wrote: "The waltz never quite goes out of fashion; it is always just around the corner; every now and then it returns with a bang . . . It is sneaking, insidious, disarming, lovely. . . .The waltz, in fact, is magnificently improper-the art of tone turned lubricious... There is something about a waltz that is irresistible. Try it on the fattest and sedatest or even on the thinnest and most acidulous o f women, and she will be ready, in ten minutes, for a stealthy smack behind the door-nay, she will forthwith impart the embarrassing news that her husband misunderstands her and drinks too much and is going to Cleveland, O. on a business trip tomorrow."

Yes, the waltz is irresistible-and exceptionally durable. In a world where the Mosh and the Monkey are popular social dances, and the macarena, line dances, and the chicken dance sometimes seem to be the only alternatives, the waltz still holds on tenaciously to a small part of our dancing lives, for its lilting strains never fail to evoke three pleasure dearest to the heart of civilized man - wine, women, and song!

LYRICS THE "MERRY WIDOW WALTZ'

"VILIA"

(A n n a an d D a n ilo )

(A n n a a n d Ensemble)

Music playing, Hear it saying "I love you"...

Vows unheeding, Softly pleading "Love me too !"

it brings back happy memories.

Recalling homeland memories!

Here's one you know — We loved it so, In Pontevedro long ago!

Can't you hear it whisper All your heart would know?

You could be The world to me — I love you so!

When now you touch my hand I seem to understand; My heart is full o f joy — The sweetest joy I've ever known; Ever dear to me shall be The mem'ry of the melody That tells me you are mine.

And mine alone !

Can't you hear it whisper All your heart would know?

You could be The world to me — I love you so I

There once was a Vilia, a fair elfin maid.

By night, 'neath the moon, through the woodland she strayed.

A huntsman came by, and beheld her, amazed; With wonder and joy on her beauty he gazed.

Youth was not to be denied; He longed for her to be his bride; Vale and hill echo to his love-song still: Vilia, O Vilia, my Nymph o f the Night, Calling, enthralling my heart with delight!

Vilia, O Vilia — O come now to me; Tell me my true love you'll be!

Ah . . .

Vilia, O Vilia, my Nymph of the Night, Calling, enthralling my heart with d e lig h t. . .

Vilia, O Vilia, 0 come now to me; Tell me my true love you'll be!

The Vilia replied with a soft, tender kiss; The boy knew a moment of heavenly bliss.

Then pale in the sky dawned the first light o f day; The Vilia was gone — vanished, dream-like, away.

Far and wide he sought in vain; Their lips would never meet again.

Vale and hill echo to his love-song still: Vilia, O Vilia, my Nymph of the Night, Calling, enthralling my heart with delight, Vilia, O Vilia, 0 come now to me — Tell me my true love you'll be!

Ah . . .

Vilia, O Vilia, my Nymph of the Night, Calling, enthralling my heart with delight — Vilia, O Vilia — O come now to me.

Tell me my true love you'll be!

Ah! . . .

Tell me my true love you'll be!

Cast in rehearsals for "The M e rry W id o w "

RATHMINES & RATHGAR MUSICAL SOCIETY

p r e s e n ts

CAST Anna (Madame Glavari)

SANDRA KELLY

"The Merry Widow"

Danilo (Count Danilovitsch)

PHILIP BYRNE

SCENES

Attache at the Pontevedrian Embassy in Paris

Baron Zeta

Act I

GARRY MOUNTAINE

A Salon in the Pontevedrian Embassy in Paris.

SARAH GUILMARTIN

A ct II The Gardens of IVladame Glavari's Residence - early the following evening.

Pontevedrian Ambassador in Paris

Valencienne The Ambassador's Wife

The same - a la Maxim's - later that night.

Camille (Count de Rosillon)

PAUL KELLY

Njegus

JOHN FURLONG

Period: Circa 1905.

MUSICAL NUMBERS

Baron Zeta's factotum A C T I.

St. Brioche Cascada

BRENDAN GALVIN MICHAEL CLARK

O verture.

"PONTEVEDRO IN P a re e " (Cascada, Z eta a n d Ensem ble).

M

Diplomat guests at the Embassy

elos.

" A H ig h ly R es pectable W if e " (Valencienne a n d Camille).

" S o M a n y M e n A d m ire M e " (Anna an d M a le Ensem ble).

M

ROBBIE KEOGH

Kromov

(B a llr o o m W a ltz ).

" I t G o e s t o S h o w " (A nna a n d Danilo).

an attache

Olga

Music by FRANZ l e h Ar

WENDY THOMPSON

Wife o f Kromov

Bogdanovitch Pritsch

SHAY GIBSON MICHAEL HORAN

y~r-v

'

O rig in al Book a n d Lyrics

by Victor Leon and Leo Stein N e w B ook and Lyrics

by P h il P ark.

attaches

M usic adapted by R on ald H anm er.

Sylvia Praskovia

RITZY MURRAY IMELDA BRADLEY

T h is production is presented by arrangement w ith Glocken Verlag L td.

Lady guests at the Embassy

Grisettes at Maxim's

el o s

" Y o u 'l l F in d M e a t M a x im 's " (D an ilo a n d Ladies).

Lolo Dodo Jou-Jou Frou-Frou Clo-CIo Margot

MICHELLE ALISON MEGAN McGRATH ANNALIESA EVANS EDITH LYNCH JOY MOORE-DOWD REILTIN BOWES

Vo

F in a le , A c t I (Anna, V alencienne, Danilo, C am ille , St. B rioche, Cascada a n d Chorus).

A C T II

9, 10, 10a.

O p e n in g , A c t

11.

" D r iv in g in t h e P a rk w ith Y o u " (Anna a n d Danilo).

12 .

" V ilia " (Anna a n d Ensem ble).

Reprise (Chorus). " W o m e n ! W o m e n ! W o m e n !" (D anilo, Cascada, St. Brioche, Z eta, Krom ov, B o g d a n o v its c h a n d Pritsch).

13.

14.

14a.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20 .

21 .

In t r o d u c t io n t o th e W a l t z S c e n e (Anna a n d Danilo).

22.

D ance.

22a.

23.

23a.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

" T h e W a lt z S c e n e " (Anna a n d Danilo).

M

elos.

R o m an ce : " F l o w 'r s a r e A w a k e n e d in M a y tim e " (Valencienne a n d Camille).

F in a le , A c t II, P a r t O n e (Anna, Valencienne, Danilo, C am ille, Z eta, Njegus).

F in a le , A c t II, P a r t T w o (Ensem ble).

F in a le , A c t II, P a r t T h re e (A nna, Valencienne, D a nilo a n d Ensem ble).

F in a le , A c t II, P a r t F o u r (Anna, D a n ilo a n d Ensemble).

F in a le , A c t II, P a r t Five (Ensem ble).

E n t r 'a c t e .

M

elos.

T h e G r is e tte s ' S o n g (Valencienne, L o b , D o d o , Jo u-Jo u , Fro u-F ro u, Clo-CIo, M a r g o t a n d Ensem ble).

Reprise " Y o u 'l l F ind M e a t M a x im 's " (G risettes a n d Danilo).

T h e M e r r y W id o w W a l t z (A nna a n d Danilo).

F in a le , A c t III (Ensemble).

F irst C u r ta in C a l l .

S e c o n d C u r t a in C a l l .

P lay - O ut .

THE CAST continued LADIES & GENTLEMEN OF THE CHORUS Gerard Bloomer Liam Carroll Robert Devereux Em m et M cCarthy Alan Mulvihill Nick Mansfield G arret Reynolds Ian Rountree Joe Swan

Michelle Alison Reiltm Bowes Rosie Callaghan M airead Connaughton Annaliesa Evans Michelle Foynes Lorraine Frewen Ann Gorman Edith Lynch Michali Hyams Lisanne M cCreanor M egan McGrath Joy M o o re-D o w d Shelley Quinn Claire Treacy

DANCERS Sonya Dunne Anne-M arie Elliott Victoria Kenny Danielle M aher Laura McGarrigle Andrea Olin Eimear Sheridan

Adam Lynch Naoise Hanafin Paul Kinsella Sam Mulcahy Robert Devereux

BEHIND THE SCENES Stage Manager: GERRY McKNIGHT Deputy Stage Manager: FIONA HURLEY Assisted by: NORA O'ROURKE MAUREEN CUSACK CONOR DONELAN DEREK BUNYAN GAVIN COLBERT EAMON HEARNS CIARA COLLENDER LISA COLLINS Wardrobe Mistress: DENISE O 'M A H O N Y assisted by: DYM PNA BEVAN

Wardrobe Master: MICHAEL HORAN assisted by: NOEL BYRNE

Accompanists: NiAM H M cD o n o u g h PAULINE COOPER MARGARET O'SULLIVAN

Make-up & Wig Design: ALI MURPHY Costumes supplied by: HOMBERG'S THEATRICAL COSTUMIERS

Casting Committee: JACKIE CURRAN-OLOHAN DYMPNA EGAR SHAY GIBSON BARNEY GORMAN GEAROID GRANT

Sets supplied by: SCENIC PROJECTS UK

Artwork for Flyer/Cover: MYLES AN TO NY

Lighting Design: DENIS TW OMEY

Photography: MAXWELLS PHOTOGRAPHY PAUL TYMON

Sound: PAT O'BRIEN

Programme Compilation SHAY GIBSON

R&R FRONT OF HOUSE CREW: Cathy Byrne, Lewis Clohessy, Deirdre Connolly, Lynn Cronin, Eileen Gildea, Barney Gorman, Helen Hurley, Darren Johnson, Jason Lane, John McCall, Marion Megannety, Kathy Murray, Edward O'Grady Walsh and Diarmuid O'Neill.

THE CAN-CAN The can-can (also spelled cancan or Can Can) is regarded today primarily as a physically demanding music hall dance, perform ed by a chorus line o f female dancers who wear costumes with long skirts, petticoats, and black stockings, harking back to the fashions o f the 1890s. The main features o f the dance are the lifting up and manipulation of the skirts, w ith high kicking and suggestive, provocative body movements.

The Galop from Jacques Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld is the tune most associated with the can-can (a somewhat sim plified form and a more evolved one Can-Can (Orpheus in the Underworld). Performed on the accordion).

Origins The cancan first appeared in the working-class ballrooms o f Montparnasse in Paris in around 1830. It was a more lively version o f the galop, a dance in quick 2/4 time, which often featured as th e final figure in the quadrille.

The cancan was, therefore, originally a dance fo r couples, who indulged in high kicks and other gestures with arms and legs. It is th o ught th at they were influenced by the antics o f a popular entertainer o f the 1820s, Charles Mazurier, w ho was well known for his acrobatic performances, which included the grand ecart or jum p splits - later a popular feature o f the cancan. A t this time, and throughout most of th e 19th century in France, the dance was also known as the chahut. Both words are French, cancan meaning "tittle -ta ttle " or "scandal", hence a scandalous dance, while chahut meant "noise" or "up roar".

As performers o f the cancan became more skilled and adventurous, it gradually developed a parallel existence as entertainm ent alongside the participatory form. A few men were cancan stars in the 1840s to 1860s, b u t women performers were much more w idely known. They were mostly m iddle-ranking courtesans, and only semiprofessional entertainers - unlike the dancers o f th e 1890s, such as La Goulue and Jane Avril, who were highly paid fo r their appearances at the Moulin Rouge and elsewhere. These individuals developed the various cancan moves th a t were later incorporated by the choreographer Pierre Sandrini in the spectacular "French Cancan", which he devised at the M oulin Rouge in the 1920s and presented at his own Bal Tabarin starting in 1928. In 1924 the first London performance of the musical "Can Can" opened.

Performance The cancan is danced in 2/4 time, and is now usually perform ed on stage in chorus-line style. In France in the

19th century the cancan remained a dance fo r individual entertainers, w ho perform ed on a dance floor. In the United Kingdom, the United States and elsewhere, the cancan achieved popularity in music halls, where it was danced by groups o f wom en in choreographed routines. This style was im p o rte d into France in the 1920s fo r the ben e fit o f tourists, and the French Cancan was born - a highly choreographed routine lasting ten minutes or more, with th e o p p o rtu n ity for individuals to display their "specialities". The main moves are the high kick or battem ent, the rond de jam be (quick rotary m ovem ent o f lower leg w ith knee raised and skirt held up), th e p o rt d'armes (turning on one leg, while grasping the other leg by the ankle and holding it almost vertical), the cartwheel and th e grand ecart (the flying or jum p splits).

Additionally, performance practice o f the can-can almost always includes th e dancers screaming, yelling, cat-calling and trillin g while dancing.

Perception A lthough the dance is now considered a part o f world culture, and the main feature observed today is how physically demanding and tirin g the dance is to perform; by the late 1860s, it was considered extrem ely inappropriate, and in the early 20th century d o w n rig h t erotic.

W hen th e dance initiated in the late 19th century, it was considered little more than a scandalous th in g for youngsters, similar to how rock and roll w ould be perceived later on.

In Art Many composers have w ritten music fo r the cancan. The most famous music is French composer Jacques Offenbach's galop infernal in Orpheus in the Underworld (1858).

O ther examples occur in Franz Lehar's The M erry W idow (1905) and Cole Porter's musical play Can-Can (1954) which in turn form ed the basis fo r the 1960 musical film Can-Can starring Frank Sinatra and Shirley MacLaine. Some oth e r songs that have becom e associated with th e cancan include Khachaturian's 'Sabre Dance' and the music hall standard 'Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay'.

The cancan has often Leonide Massine's La Parisienne, as well as example can be seen French Cancan.

appeared in ballet, m ost notably Boutique Fantasque (1919) and Gaite The Merry Widow. A particularly fine at the climax o f Jean Renoir's 1954 film

French painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec produced several paintings and a large number o f posters o f cancan dancers.

O ther painters to have treated the cancan as a subject include Georges Seurat, Georges Rouault, and Pablo Picasso.

2008 Spring Production - THE MERRY WIDOW

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THE CAST

WENDY THOMPSON -

Olga

Having studied w ith Evelyn Dowling and Mary Brennan, Wendy has perform ed with many established groups and societies including the Garda Band, the RTE Philharmonic Choir, the M ornington Singers, Lucan Musical Society, C or Dubhlinn and Octave.

She is thoroughly enjoying her return to th e R&R which she initially joined in 1996 playing Guilia in The Gondoliers.

She is delighted to take on the role o f th e flirtatious Olga in this p roduction and looks forward to a great run!

(continued)

SHAY GIBSON -

Bogdanovitch

Shay joined the R&R in 2001, having perform ed extensively with other musical societies including Arthur's Team, O'Connell's, Glasnevin and Festival Productions, to name but a few. He has played many roles, b u t his favourite was th a t as Fagin in Oliver!

These days, Shay divides himself between Hon. Marketing Secretary and a m em ber o f the Casting and Concert C om m ittees whilst perform ing w ith the R&R in all their productions each year.

Last year, he played the part o f John, a Chinese convert in the Society's production o f Anything Goes at the National Concert Hall, a role he thoroughly enjoyed.

Shay would like to use this o p p o rtu n ity to thank all those who supported our program m e both this year and in the past.

C a s t in rehearsals f o r " T h e M e r r y W i d o w

MICHAEL HORAN -

Pritsch

Michael is a native o f Castleisland in Co. Kerry. He has been an active m em ber o f the R&R over the last tw o years, having first perform ed in M y Fair Lady in N ovem ber 2003.

Michael w on a part-scholarship in the DIT School o f Music in 2001 studying singing w ith Edith Forrest and in 2005 studied with Dr. Veronica Dunne in the Leinster School o f Music.

He has also perform ed in The Yeomen o f the Guard, Fiddler on the R oof and A nything Goes with the R&R and The Pirates o f Penzance and The Great Waltz with Festival Productions. On the opera fro n t he has perform ed in Aida, Turandot and II due Foscari.

A RITZY MURRAY - Sy/v/a Ritzy has grown up w ith the R&R, having watched every performance attentively from the fro n t row o f the dress circle, since the ten der age o f tw o. W hat started as a biannual outing to the Gaiety and later the National Concert Hall, to support her grandmother, turned into a passion fo r music and musical theatre.

IMELDA BRADLEY -

Praskovia

Imelda is an active m em ber o f the R&R, and has perform ed in many o f their productions and has enjoyed every m om ent o f each and every one o f them.

She is also a mem ber o f the R&R Executive C om m ittee, acting as Social Secretary. Imelda has been involved w ith music since an early age - having received qualifications in singing, piano and violin.

Her recent roles were as Shandel in Fiddler on the R oof and Inez in The Gondoliers and she is looking forward to appearing in her first Merry Widow.

Ritzy began her training aged seven in the College o f Music's junior w orkshop under Ite O'Donovan, participating in, and winning various Feis's and perform ing regularly in the National C oncert Hall.

Ritzy later joined the Independent Theatre W orkshop where she earned such parts as 'Rizzo' in Grease and 'A delaide' in Guys and Dolls. O ther credits include 'Nancy' in Oliver, 'The N arrator' in Joseph, 'Carol' in W illie Russell's O ur Day Out, and M eadbh in Ochon - an original production.

Ritzy is d elighted to fo llo w her performance as 'Passenger No. 1.' in A nything Goes w ith the R&R last season, by assuming the role o f 'Sylvia'. She w ould like to wish the rest o f the cast the best o f luck in supporting her, and thank her 'Dymps' fo r her inspiration.

THE GRISETTES Back (l-r): Megan McGrath (Do Do), Annaliesa Evans (Jou-Jou), Edith Lynch (Frou-Frou), Reiltin Bowes (Margot).

Front (l-r): Joy M oore-Dowd (Clo-CIo), Michelle Alison (Lolo).

MUSICAL THEATRE - A QUIZ! 1. W hat is the lowest adult male singing voice? (a) Tenor

6. W hat character was mistakenly apprenticed to pirates by his partially deaf nursemaid?

(b) Bass

(a) Frederic in Pirates o f Penzance

(c) Alto

(b) Prince Hilarion in Princess Ida

(d) Soprano

(c) Smeton in Anna Bolena (d) Adam Goodheart in Ruddigore

2. Who were the 'Three Tenors'? (a) Luciano Pavarotti, Jose Carrerras, Placido Domingo

7. W hat opera was the precursor to the Broadway musical Rent? (a) Rogneda

(b) Moe, Curly & Joe

(b) La Boheme

(c) Cassello, Esperian and Lawrence

(c) Ruslan and Lyudmila

(d) Snoopy, Garfield & Dumbo

(d) Carmen

3.

W hat opera is about a

8. W hat operetta takes

young, crippled boy who

place in Japan?

is cured by a miracle?

(a) The Mikado

(a) Abu Hassan

(b) lolanthe

(b) The Mask o f Orpheus

(c) The New Moon

(c) Amahl and the Night

(d) Naughty Marietta

Visitors (d) Rigolleto 9. W hat opera takes place mostly in an African4. W hat language is

American tenem ent in

Don Giovanni sung in?

South Carolina?

(a) English

(a) Castor et Pollux

(b) Italian

(b) Porgy and Bess

(c) French

(c) Cosi Fan Tutte

(d) German

(d) Rigolleto

5. W hat language is Dido and Aeneas sung in? (a) English (b) Swahili (c) Latin (d) German

10.

W hat opera centers on a high-class prostitute

(a) The Cave (b) La Cenerentola (Cinderella) (c) The Mask o f Orpheus (d) La Traviata

â– pOL 'q6 '3 8 'qz 'B 9 'eg 'qi7 ' 0 ÂŁ 'eg 'qi, is ja M S u y

2008 Spring Production - THE MERRY WIDOW

M arketing with the R&R Ever consider Advertising or Sponsorship w ith us? Read on Rathmines and Rathgar Musical Society is heading fo r a m ilestone and is fast a p p ro a c h in g a 1 0 0 years in business .In this d ay and age, th e re are n o t many g ro u p s w ho can b o a s t o f such a feat, b ut high standards has always been o u r m o tto and this has k e p t us up there w ith the best.

Renow ned fo r th e ir professional style productions in b o th the G aiety Theatre a n d the N ational C oncert Hall, the 'R and R', as we are som etim es know n, has m a d e many appearances o n television and has ta k e n part in a s trin g of professional gigs w ith the stars o f stage and screen. In fact, I am d e lig h te d to re p o r t th a t some o f our p e rform ers have n ow b e c o m e professionals in th e ir own right.

show and its participants. Each season, w e produce an A4 glossy 'souvenir ty p e ' p ro gram m e which contains details o f th e show, the society, its particip a n ts and supporters.

Advertisers can choose b etw e en Full Page or H alf Page and o ur rates are as co m p e titiv e as you will fin d in any similar typ e brochure. W hilst space is lim ite d to maximise exposure, w e can o ffe r you a qu a lity style adve rtise m e nt b e fittin g o f y o u r o rg an isa tion and w ou ld w e lco m e your business and supp ort.

Sponsorship is a nother area th a t may interest you and we w o u ld w elco m e any businesses w h o wish to

C ele britie s such as Terry W o g an and Gay Byrne are a m o n g th e many patrons w h o graced our p ro d u ctio n s b oth o n and o f f the sta ge and have p u b lic ly praised o u r professionalism and style.

Backed by a team o f expe rts in the theatrical business, Rathm ines and Rathgar Musical Society strive to present th e best possible e n te rta in m e n t fo r all ages to enjoy.

pursue th is line w ith us, especially as we approach o u r 100th year w he n a fu ll year o f ce le bratio n is currently in the planning stage. W e w ou ld be d e lig h te d to discuss this o p tio n w ith you in more detail.

I loo k fo rw a rd to hearing fro m you in a positive w ay a nd if I can be o f any fu rth e r assistance, please d o

Last season's productions, 'Let's celebrate! The M a g ic o f th e Musicals' a nd 'Anything Goes' both sta g e d at th e National C oncert Hall, received m uch acclaim fro m various th eatre critics. C apacity houses w ere achieved n ig h tly and fe e d back from o u r audiences was very positive.

In sta g in g o u r pro du ction s, no stone is left untu rn ed and th e im age w e portray is as g o o d as it can g et .As p a rt o f o u r show, a Program m e is most im p o rta n t and fo r us it is a lso a lasting record o f th e

n o t hesitate to co n ta ct m e on th e n um be r or e mail listed below .

SHAY GIBSON Hon. M arketing Secretary Rathmines and Rathgar Musical Society Tel 0 8 7 -8 0 3 5 5 1 3 Email: RnRMarketing@ hotmail.com

LOUISE STUDLEY

UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT The Late CHRIS CURRAN and LOUISE STUDLEY

THE LATE CHRIS CURRAN In 1961 a revivial of the successful R&R premiere o f The Merry Widow o f 1959 was planned. However, on the Saturday before opening Monday, Brian Kissane (Danilo) contracted laryngitis! W ith no understudy where would another Danilo be found at such short notice? It was discovered that a young Corkman had appeared in Tipperary Musical Society's production the previous Spring opposite his wife, Josephine Scanlon (Rose Marie 1964), Chris Curran cut short a vacation in London having received a telegram fron the Hon, General Secretary, Clem Ryan. Chris requested a taxi containing a script to meet him at the airport on M onday morning to take him to the Gaiety Theatre. He rehearsed all day with his leading lady, Louise Studley The curtain w ent up at 8.00pm and the show went on without a hitch in true R&R style.

M o st of the cast met Chris for the first tim e on the stage that night as he called their names including - Sylvia (Dodo O'Hagan), Praskovia (Heather Hewson), O lga (Ursula Hough).

The success o f the show changed the path o f Chris's career for ever. He le ft the RTE Repertory Players and became a freelance actor, television personality, comic, cabaret entertainer, radio actor, singer, musician and overall one o f the most versatile entertainers the country has produced.

His greatest role, however, was th a t of family man to Jo, Judy and Jackie, who adored him.

Many people will remember the name Louise Studley as being synonymous with The Merry Widow as Louise played the character o f 'Anna Glavari' over ten times in various theatres around Ireland, including here at the Gaiety with the R&R. Born in Dublin, Louise's father was a medical doctor and her m other Eileen, a professional pianist. She has one brother, Tom, who was a renowned radio actor with RTE fo r many years.

Encouraged by her m other Eileen, Louise started singing when she was just three, and throughout her school days in the Holy Faith ^Convent, Clontarf, apart from singing in local pantomimes and Bchools, she sang in bi-lingual variety shows in th e Olympia and bbey pantomimes in Gaelic. A fter completing school, she joined t h \ Abbey School of Acting and appeared in many shows there. She also^tudied singing with Denis Noble at the Royal Irish Academy o f M usil First roie with the R&R was 'Maria' in Ivor Novello's The Dandng Years, w \ c h was followed by the leading role in HMS Pinafore, he following^jffiar she joined Dublin Musical Society for Bitter Sweet and The DeservÂŁong, in which she played opposite Thomas Round from London. AftSfc th e run, Thomas Round arranged fo r Louise to audition for tl% D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in the Savoy Theatre in London. H e r\u d itio n was successful and she was offered a contract with a \ * w to singing 'Princess Ida' on an American tour.

Being a hom e-bira^ouise turned it down! In the meantime Cork O peratic Society erfcaged her to do Bitter Sweet in the Cork Opera House, followed by \ o more seasons with The New Moon and The Geisha. These were b u ^ years for Louise as she appeared in all the R&R productions also - \r/n c e s s Ida, The Yeomen o f the Guard, and of course her beloved M arry Widow, the role w ith which she is most associated and to which s l \ was so completely suited.

While singing in Perchance fl^D ream in the Gaiety she was spotted by th e casting director fo r U n i^ rs a l Films who were about to shoot the feature film Captain L i g h t f ^ in Ireland. She was cast as 'Cathy', the local girl in love with Rock HcWson! A fter th a t she was offered a seven-year contract but again, d ic ^ o t want to leave home and turned the offer down.

Louise appeared over the years m a n w m e s as guest artist with musical societies around Ireland in s h o ÂŤ such as The King & I, Hello Dolly, The Student Prince, Oklahoma!, 7 % New Moon and several times in The Desert Song and o f course, w e M erry Widow.

My Fair Lady in the Gaiety in 1969 was c o n ^ e r e d one o f the R&R's greatest triumphs o f the tim e and was to be T r e a t e d again the next season. This production was wonderfully direcfkd by Jim Belchamber and Louise remembers the role o f 'Eliza' as b e i i \ h e r greatest challenge.

Broadcasting started at the age o f 18 in RTE and continued over many years, which included a late evening series w itll^ o rm a n M etcalf on the organ and many others. Television shovfe included a ten week variety series called Curtain Up, and M elody \ i r both with the RTE Concert Orchestra.

Louise appeared in all Maureen Charlton's shows in c lu d in g \m o c l( Alley and Go Where Glory Waits Thee both in th e Gate Theatre and touring Canada fo r a month. Also Peg Woffington, a o n e -w o f^ n show, written fo r Louise and Song o f Scandal which played e v ^ Sunday in Castletown House, Kildare.

Louise has three children - her son Bryan, daughters Sari and Melanie and now has six grandchildren.

C h ris C u r ra n w ith L o u ise S t u d le y in 'T h e M e r r y W id o w ', 1961

2008 Spring Production - THE MERRY WIDOW

29

C

REHEARSALS FOR "THE MERRY WIDOW"

M e m b e rs o f the R&R Cast, Chorus a n d Dancers rehearsing fo r "The M erry W id o w "

)

Founded

Active Membership...

W H Y N O T BECOME A N ACTIVE MEMBER? Each year auditions are held fo r new Active Members o f the Society. If you are interested in becom ing an Active M em ber please com plete the details be lo w and forw ard them to the R&R Rehearsal Secretary: MICHELLE FOYNES, 4 The View, W oodpark, Ballinteer, Dublin 16. Tel. 0 8 7 -3 1 0 9207 or visit our website: randrmusicalsociety.ie

REHEARSAL SCHEDULES There is usually a nine-week rehearsal lead-in to both the Society's Annual Productions.

A co m m itm e n t is expected from all members to attend all rehearsals in preparation for either the Spring or Autum n Productions.

Rehearsals take place tw o or three nights a week prior to staging a p roduction and may also be held on Sunday afternoons as O pening N ig h t approaches!

Name: Address:

H om e Tel;

W ork Tel:

M o b ile Tel: Email: D ate o f Birth: Voice Range:

Soprano

A lto

Tenor |

|

Bass

Stage a n d /o r Singing Experience:

Singing Teacher's Name: (if a pp ro p ria te )

2008 Spring Production - THE MERRY WIDOW

Raflway Procurement Agency

Railway Procurement Agency is responsible for the development of Luas and Metro infrastructure and ensuring the provision of high quality passenger services.

Following the success of Dublin’s first Luas lines, two line extensions are currently under construction and planning for several new Luas and Metro lines is underway.

These projects are key components of the Government's Transport 21 strategy. RPA is also leading the development of an Integrated Ticketing System for public transport.

For further information

H B Q Nalmmi DTOtopm.nl Plan 200; 201 i National Developmenl Plan 2007

H

^

Ta Ghniomhaireacht um Fhail larnrod freagrach as forbairt bonneagar Luas agus Metro agus as cinntiu go solathrofar seirbhisi den scoth do phaisineiri. De bharr gur eirigh go hiontach leis na linte Luas a togadh ar dtiis i mBaile Atha Cliath tathar ag cur sinidh le dha line faoi lathair. Chomh maith leis sin ta pleanail i gcomhair roinnt linte Luas agus Metro nua ar bun. Tionscadail bhunusacha lad seo de Straiteis lompair 21 an Rialtais. Ta Ghniomhaireacht um Fhail larnroid i gceannas ar fhorbairt Coras Ticead Comhthaite d’iompar poibli chomh maith.

www.rpa.ie

Le tullleadh eolais a fhail

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P f O g f e S S

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180 0 67 6 4 6 4

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A RECORD OF PREVIOUS R&R PRODUCTIONS The Mikado 1913 The Yeomen of the Guard 1914 1914 The Mikado 1915 Les Cloches de Corneville lolanthe 1915 1915 The Yeomen of the Guard 1916 The Mikado 1916 The Gondoliers Haddon Hall 1917 1917 Ruddigore 1918 Utopia Limited Haddon Hall 1918 1919 A Princess in Kensington 1919 Merrie England 1920 Utopia Limited 1921 The Rose of Persia 1922 Ruddigore 1922 The Mikado Patience 1922 1923 The Yeomen of the Guard 1923 The Gondoliers 1923 The Mikado 1923 The Yeomen of the Guard Patience 1923 1924 "lola nthe 1924 Trial by Jury 1924 The Pirates of Penzance 1924 The Duchess of Dantzig 1925 Tom Jones 1925 Merrie England 1925 The Duchess of Dantzig 1926 Veronique 1926 The Gondoliers 1926 The Mikado 1927 Trial by Jury 1927 The Pirates of Penzance 1927 The Yeomen of the Guard 1927 Haddon Hall 1928 The Rose of Persia 1928 The Geisha 1929 San Toy 1929 Patience 1929 Cox and Box 1929 HMS Pinafore 1930 The Beloved Vagabond A Country Girl 1930 1931 The Arcadians 1931 A Waltz Dream 1932 The Quaker Girl 1932 Monsieur Beaucaire 1932 lolanthe 1932 The Mikado 1933 The Desert Song Princess Charming 1933 1934 Florodora 1935 lolanthe The Gondoliers 1935 1936 The Yeomen of the Guard 1936 The Mikado 1936 Princess Ida 1937 The Pirates of Penzance 1937 HMS Pinafore Mercenary Mary 1938 The Mikado 1938 1938 The Gondoliers The Yeomen of the Guard 1939 1939 The Gondoliers 1939 Patience 1939 Trial by Jury 1939 HMS Pinafore 1940 Ruddigore

1940 1940 1940 1940 1940 1941 1941 1941 1941 1941 1942 1942 1942 1942 1942 1942 1942 1943 1943 1943 1943 1944 1944 1944 1944 1945 1945 1945 1945 1946 1946 1946 1946 1947 1947 1947 1947 1948 1948 1948 1948 1949 1949 1949 1949 1950 1950 1950 1950 1951 1951 1951 1951 1952 1952 1952 1952 1952 1953 1953 1953 1953 1954 1954 1955 1955 1955 1956 1956 1956 1956

Cox and Box 1957 The Sorcerer 1957 Trial by Jury 1957 1957 The Pirates of Penzance lolanthe 1957 The Yeomen of the Guard 1958 The Gondoliers 1958 Patience 1959 The Mikado 1959 Princess Ida 1959 The Mikado 1959 The Gondoliers 1960 lolanthe 1960 Waltzes from Vienna 1961 1961 Utopia Limited 1962 The Impresario 1962 The Sorcerer 1962 The Student Prince 1963 Wild Violets The Mikado 1964 The Gondoliers 1964 Lilac Time Bitter Sweet 1965 1965 The Yeomen of the Guard 1965 lolanthe La Vie Parisienne 1965 1966 The Gondoliers 1966 Patience 1966 Ruddigore 1966 The Vagabond King 1967 The Mikado 1967 Cox and Box 1967 HMS Pinafore 1967 Gay Rosalinda 1968 lolanthe Princess Ida The Gondoliers 126SThe Student Prince Trial by Jury 1970 The Pirates of Penzance 1970 The Mikado 1970 Wild Violets The Gondoliers 1971 ¥ m Patience W ft The Yeomen of the Guard 1W ^ Bless the Bride - ;^ t0 7 2 “ The Mikado 1-972~~ Ruddigore lolanthe 1973 The Dancing Years v m The Gondoliers Trial by Jury vm HMS Pinafore 197^ Bitter Sweet The Mikado Princess Ida rTTo Cox and Box The Pirates of Penzance 1976 La Vie Parisienne 1976 The Gondoliers 1976 Patience The Yeomen of the Guard Perchance to Dream 1^77Bless the Bride 1 Cisr-r^ T/ / Showboat 1 r<-ta----t vro The Gondoliers The Mikado rrm I-/ 1U Annie Get Your Gun 1»»The Yeomen of the Guard Patience 19Wlolanthe

ioaa.

The King and 1 HMS Pinafore The Gondoliers Trial by Jury ^ vem : io a i- My Fair Lady ^ Princess Ida ^ The Mikado ^ Oklahoma! l.

■m ?

The Yeomen of the Guard The Gondoliers w e e 1903" Annie Get Your Gun w ia s The Sorcerer ^ 1^283- The Mikado ^ An Evening with v m Mr. Gilbert & Mr. Sullivan iThe Gondoliers vm - Trial by Jury 1-VS4- The Pirates of Penzance ^ J vm - Hans Andersen ^— Uggrj lolanthe -] The Mikado The New Moon ^ ^ Rodgers & Hart and i m Rose Marie J Rodgers & Hammerstein lolanthe i/' Gigi The Gondoliers 1 /L W Romberg and Romance The Pirates of Penzance Showboat Trial by Jury 'm t ' The Magic of Guys and Dolls Patience Lerner & Loewe Fiddler on the Roof '— The Mikado ¥ m Princess Ida I'll See You Again Bitter Sweet Hello Dolly ^ The Yeomen of the Guard M m A Song to Sing O! •1 r»r\r»_ The Gondoliers Kiss Me, Kate HMS Pinafore i. 1991 Mad About Musicals » Brigadoon The Yeomen of the Guard The Mikado*' 1W4— The Gondoliers Mad About Musicals The Sorcerer lolanthe T'/ / iAnything Goes A Song For You My Fair Lady The Mikado The Desert Song Hear Our Songs The Mikado The Pirates of Penzance The Gondoliers Camelot ^ One Enchanted Evening ■m B The Mikado w s My Fair Lady The Gondoliers The Yeomen of the Guard 1996 Fiddler on the Roof 1996 South Pacific Show Business The Gondoliers 1997 ^nniPatience ^ Showboat South Pacific HMS Pinafore Fiddler on the Roof The Mikado v' 1998 Princess Ida l a w Romberg to Rodgers The Dancing Years I S W Oklahoma! ^ e e e Celebration The Gondoliers ^ The Yeomen of the Guard Carousel H ---■I L U U 1 The Mikado Showboat lolanthe^ f f U U 1' Guys and Dolls HMS Pinafore ^ The Pirates of Penzance Trial by Juryw' Me and My Girl Guys and Dolls 90th Birthday Concert Ruddigore ^ 200^ Mr. Gilbert & Mr Sullivan The Mikado ^ My Fair Lady Cox and Box 3604- The Yeomen of the Guard The Gondoliers Gigi The Pirates of Penzance Romberg to Rodgers The Merry Widow im ir - Fiddler on the Roof 2006- The Gondoliers Gigi ^ Lets Celebrate!

The Yeomen of the Guard lolanthe The Magic of the Musicals Anything Goes Sweet Charity Patience ^ The Merry Widow ^00 8 The Mikado

Oklahomal The Gondoliers The Mikado Cox and Box HMS Pinafore Love From Judy Bitter Sweet The Merry Widow Ruddigore lolanthe The Gondoliers Naughty Marietta The Dancing Years The Merry Widow Kismet Wild Violets The Mikado The Gondoliers The Student Prince

2008 Spring Production - THE MERRY WIDOW

33

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID OF LAST SEASON'S PRODUCTIONS Let's Celebrate!

The Magic of the Musicals Rathmines and Rathgar M usical Society has g o t the title o f its new show at th e NCH right. Some 18 o f th e b est musicals from B roadw ay and th e West End are fe a tu re d , and th e selection o f hits is m ade w ith an insider a pp re cia tio n o f the m em orable.

Shakespeare-based m aterial opens the proceedings, w ith song and dance fro m Kiss Me, Kate and W est Side Story. These are fo llo w e d by n um bers fro m The Phantom o f the Opera, including a m e m o ra b le 'A ll I A sk o f You'. A tru e so ngfest is in th e m aking.

Mack & M a b e l is rarely seen here, and it is an u n d ilu te d pleasure to hear tw o songs th a t require a cting as w ell as vocal in te rp re ta tio n .

M arion Duane delivers a real heartb rea ker in 'T im e Heals Everything', fo llo w e d by the seasoned G arry M o u n ta in e w ith '/ W o n 't Send Roses'.

Think o f yo ur fa v o u rite num bers fro m Guys a nd Dolls, Les Miserables and Evita; chances are th ey're included. Single item s fro m tu ne fu l shows are 'This is th e M o m e n t ' fro m Jekyll & Hyde, 'I've G row n A c c u s to m e d to H er Face' from M y Fair Lady, 'M e m o r y ' fro m Cats, and others.

Just to break th e chain o f th e familiar, a c o m e d y song by th e g re a t V ic to r H e rb e rt is in tro d u ce d , and fo r a rousing show biz conclusion the evergreen M e & M y Girl is revived w ith 'Leaning on a Lamp P ost' and 'L a m b e th W alk' seducing th e audience in to p a rtic ip a tio n . As a kind o f e p ilo g u e th e co m p a n y belts o u t 'B a ttle Hymn o f th e Republic', n o t fro m any sh ow I know, b u t th rillin g to th e ear.

The singers range fro m e xcellen t to e xc e p tio n a l, th e dancers are h ap pily e n e rg e tic and th e choruses p itc h -p e rfe c t? ' H ow c o u ld it g o w rong?

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THE IRISH TIMES

Anything Goes O ccasionally it fe lt, up in my balcony seat at th e N ational C o n c e rt Hall, th a t I was lo o kin g d o w n at the m adcap events on th e SS Am erican th ro u g h th e w ro n g end o f a te lescope. But n o t very o fte n . There w ere som e beautiful voices and in im ita b le perform an ces th a t flo o d e d th ro u g h th e lens o f th is particular Rathmines & Rathgar p erform an ce to fill th e rath er frig id arch itectu re and e choing space w ith w a rm th and laughter.

The voices w ere those o f M ichael Evans as Billy Crocker, th e y o u n g 'b ro k e n -d o w n N ew York b ro k e r' w ho 's sto w ed away on boa rd a cruise liner b o u n d fo r London to be near his sw eetheart, th e heiress H o p e H arcourt, p la yed by a h e a rt-m e ltin g ly g la m o uro us Sharon M urphy. Sharon Sexton plays Reno Sweeney, a to u g h -ta lk in g n ig h tc lu b singer carrying a torch fo r Billy, which, in th e s p irit o f tru e Friendship (one o f th e b rig h te s t numbers), she uses to lig h t Billy's p ath to rom an tic bliss.

The th ird siren-voice b e lo n g s to Jenny M cC abe w ho has a smaller, b u t still fro n t-ra n k p a rt as Emma, th e gangster's m oll. The g a n g ste r is M o o n fa c e M artin, 'P ublic Enemy N u m b e r 13', played w ith a gargly, chain-sm oker's voice by Garry M o u n ta in e w ho, if he w a sn 't held securely in place by the ta len ts around him , w o u ld easily have stolen th e show. If a sizeable piece o f it w ere w ere not u n d e r th e toes o f Paul Kelly as Lord Evelyn O a kleigh, th e b a tty Englishman e n g a g e d to Billy's girl, H ope. This eccentric b u t likeable b u ffo o n was th e m o st d a te d o f th e characters on stage and kelly's e ffo rts w ere am o ng those fla iling in th e chill o f th e hall - until his b ig chance to decisivew ly break th e ice came w ith a solo num ber. The G ypsy in Me. The stalls d id n 't seem im pressed, b u t th a t dance routine w ith th e aristocratic silk scarf d id it fo r b alcony seat C31.

But w a t really b ro u g h t a g lo w to th e cheeks o f this closet rom an tic was Sharon Sexton's I G e t a Kick O u t o f You; M ichael Evans's persuasive serenade to Sharon m urphy, easy To Love; and Evans and Sexton's rousing You're The Top. Every fle c k o f C ole p o rte r's tim eless lyrics flo a te d up th ro u g h th e hall, as sharply ro u n d e d as b u b b le s in a ch am pa gn e glass. A n d th e c o rk on this m agnum o f a musical is p o p p e d fre q u e n tly e n o ug h to keep th ing s fizzing. There are some w o n d e rfu l ensem ble num bers, particularly th e title tune, b rin g in g d o w n w h a t w o u ld be th e curtain, on th e A c t I, and th e p e n u ltim a te reprise o f I G e t A Kick O u t O f You. The R&R may be a pp ro ach in g its centenary b u t to n ig h t a m p ly illu strate d a line fro m a n o th e r g re a t lyricist: 'She's a h un dred b u t she's w ea rin g s o m e th in g tig h t" .

THE DAILY MAIL

The Rathmines and Rathgar Musical Society acknowledge the w ork of AIM S and their Adjudication Scheme for A IM S M em b er Societies

THE

AIMS WHAT'S ON

GUIDE

Here y o u will find details o f upcoming shows a n d events a roun d the country.

KISS ME KATE St Patrick's Choral Society The Great Hall, Downshire, Downpatrick 08/04/2008 to 12/04/2008

THE MERRY W ID O W R & R Musical Society Gaiety Theatre, Dublin 15/04/2008 to 26/04/2008

ARSENIC AND OLD LACE Glencullen Musical & Dramatic Society The Mill Theatre Dundrum Dublin 15/04/2008 to 19/04/2008

THE HOT MIKADO Galway Musical Society Town Hall Theatre Galway City 15/04/2008 to 19/04/2008

fo r m ore inform ation click on the A IM S w eb site a t w ww .aim s.ie

During the Interval, why not visit our new R&R Information Stand at 'The Crush' at Dress Circle level.

2008 Spring Production - THE MERRY WIDOW

35

C

REHEARSALS FOR "THE MERRY WIDOW"

M e m b e rs o f the R&R Cast, Chorus a n d Dancers rehearsing fo r "The M erry W id o w "

)

C REHEARSALS FOR "THE MERRY WIDOW"

M em be rs o f the R&R Cast, Chorus a nd Dancers rehearsing fo r "The M erry W id o w

2008 Spring Production - THE MERRY WIDOW

)

( WINNERS OF THE R&R CUP AT THE FEIS CEOIL ^ In 1946 the Committee decided to present a cup to the Feis Ceoil to be awarded annually for the best performance o f a song from any light opera, the winner to hold the cup for one year, to become eligible for membership o f the society for the following year and the cup to become the property o f a competitor winning it three years in succession. The winners are as follows: 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968

Mary Todd Johnson Sheila Morris Joan Burleigh Doreen Kilbride Hugh Stewart Angela O 'C o n n o r Eilis McCarville No award N o com p e titio n Nuala Neary Liam Smith Ann Holtham Catherine O 'C o n n o r Raymond Joyce Nuala Neary M ary M acD onagh G em m a D onohoe G em m a D onohoe Ann Derby Kevin Hough Elizabeth Smyth Catherine M cAuliffe Catherine M cAuliffe

1969 1970 1971

John Conroy John Conroy John Conroy fw on outright)

In 1972 our Vice-President, Mr. E. C. Bewley, generously awarded a new cup.

1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986

Patricia M cD e rm ott Gemma Kavanagh Edward Brady Edward Brady Ray Barror Gemma Cadwell Joseph Cadwell Joseph Cadwell Ursula Conlan Jacqueline W helan Kathleen Tynan Myra Gleeson Jacinta Mulcahy Rebecca Smith Ann Moylan

1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Gerard Noonan (Dublin) Ann M oylan (Dublin) Joyce Teevan (Dublin) Aisling Green (Dublin) Nicola Holly (Dublin) M artin Gleeson (Cork) M argaret Collins (Dublin) Ciara Arm strong (Dublin) Sandra Kelly (Dublin) Nyle W olfe (Dublin) Shayron Hobbs (Dublin) M ichele Sheridan (Longford) Louise O'Sullivan (Cork) Niamh Kelly (Donegal) No C o m petitio ns (Foot & M outh) Lynn Hillary (Dublin) Karl Scully (Dublin) Sinead Lalor (Halifax U.K.) A oife O'Sullivan (Meath) Claudia Boyle (Dublin ) Rachel Kelly (Dublin) Niamh Fitzgerald (Dublin )

For more information please contact: Feis Ceoil Association, Telephone: 01-6767365

R&R CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2008-2009 APRIL 2 0 0 8

"The M erry W ido w ", G aiety Theatre.

JULY 2 0 0 8

A G M o f the Society.

SEPTEM BER 2 0 0 8 -

Rehearsals com m ence fo r A utum n Production o f "lo la n th e " a t the National C oncert Hall.

NOVEM BER 2008 -

" lo la n th e " opens at the N ational C oncert Hall.

JA N U A R Y 2 0 0 9

Rehearsals com m ence fo r our Spring Production at th e G aiety Theatre.

APRIL 2 0 0 9

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Spring Production opens at th e G aiety Theatre.

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS - AN APPRECIATION This year the Society was notified of the sad passing of three of our loyal Associate Members JAMES SHAW, GABRIEL GRIFFIN and PADDY WRIGHT. It's suffice to say that their dedication and support of our craft did not go unnoticed and was greatly appreciated.

We would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincere sympathies to their families and friends.

They will be sorely missed.

Rest in Peace.

D ire cto rs

Denis & C aroline Desmond

Managing D ire c to r

John Costigan

PA to Managing D ire c to r Theatre Manager

Michelle King Alan McQuillan

D ire c to r o f Marketing & C om m unications

M argaret Edgill Stephanie Karamanolis

Marketing Assistant Senior Book Keeper Box Office Manager

Teresa Flannery D onogh O ’Mahony Hanne Jacobsen Lynn M cDonough

Assistant Box Office Manager G rou p Sales Manager Bars Manager

Brian Anderson

Assistant Theatre Manager Housekeeping Manager Maintenance Manager Technical D ire c to r Stage Manager Fly Master

C arol Patridge M ary Healy K eith Hughes C rispin Hayek Kiernan M urphy Emmanuel Laverty A o ife H ester Sinead Hegarty

C hief Electrician D eputy Electrician

BOOKING INFORMATION G a i e t y T h e a t r e B o x O ffic e South King Street, Dublin 2.

O pen Monday to Saturday 10am - 7pm (subject to perform ance schedule) Phone (01) 677 1717 e: boxoffice@ gaietytheatre.com w ww .gaietytheatre.com

B o o k in g in P erson Gaiety Theatre Box Office, South King Street, D ublin 2 (to p o f G rafton Street) N o service charge fo r transactions in person at the Gaiety Box Office

T e le p h o n e Bookings C re d it Card Bookings: ( 0 1) 677 1717 Mastercard and Visa Cards are accepted. Service charges apply

G r o u p B oo k in g s Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. 10% o ff to ta l tick e t cost fo r parties o f 20 o r more.

Phone (01) 646 8616 o r email groups@ gaietytheatre.com .

D iscounts are available Monday to Thursday only, subject to availability.

T i c k e t m a s te r Phone 0818 719 300 o r on line at w w w .ticke tm aste rie Bookings can be made through Ticketm aster agents nationwide. Service charges apply.

S e r v ic e C h a rg e s € 1 .5 0

€10.01 - € 1 5 .0 0 = € 2 .0 0

€15.01 - € 2 5 .0 0 = € 2.95

€25.01 - € 3 0 .0 0 = € 3 .1 5

€30.01 - € 3 7 .5 0 = €3.75

€37.51 - € 4 5 .0 0 = € 4 .4 5

Up to

€ 1 0 .0 0 =

€45.01 - € 5 5 .0 0 = €4.95

theatre

GET CLICKED! The Rathmines & Rathgar Musical Society is proud to announce that you can now keep up-to-date with all our activities by accessing our Website:

w w w .randrm usicalsociety.ie •

Acquire Instant Information about the Next R&R Production

•

Obtain information on booking tickets for R&R Shows

•

Read a brief history of the R&R since it began in 1913

•

Use the Website to familiarise yourself with R&R Associate Membership

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Peruse how to become an R&R Active Member - and what it means!

• •

Get all the data you need to advertise in R&R programmes Marketing information

Or if you would just like to keep In contact with the R & R .........

JUST LOG ON TO w w w .randrm usicalsociety.ie Of course you can still contact the R&R through all the usual conventional ways!

Below we list our full postal, telephone, fax and E-mail address fo r your added information:

The Rathmines & Rathgar Musical Society, 67/69 Upper Rathmines Road, Dublin 6, Ireland Telephone & Fax: +353 1 4961858 E-mail: lnfo@randrmuslcalsoclety.le

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Rathmines & Rathgar IVIusical Society wish to acknowledge the assistance received with this year's productions from:

The IVIanagement and Staff

Peter Nolan

of the Gaiety Theatre

Myles Antony

RTE & RTE lyric fm

Mary Snedker

Our Associate Members,

The Casting Committee

their families and friends CRM Design + Print Ltd. A.I.M.S.

Our Production Team The Entire Cast and Crews Our Advertisers

Chad Gilmer

Our Families, Friends, Associate Members,

Melanie Keating

Supporters and Patrons

THE GLASNEVIN MUSICAL SOCIETY A

presents the 95" ' " . premiere of

A classic tale of

a n i evil

The National Concert Hall, Dublin Tuesday 21st - Sunday 26th October 2008 Director: Tony Finnegan

Music Director: Colman Pearce

Choreographer: Mary McDonagh

Chorus Director: Kevin Walsh

Conceived fo r t h e stag e by

Steve Cuden & Frank W ild h o rn

Book & Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse Music by Frank W ildhorn Orchestrations by Kim Scharnberg Arrangements by Jason H ow land This p ro d u c tio n is pre se nte d by a rr a n g e m e n t w it h JOESF WEINBERGER LIMITED on b e h a lf o f MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL o f N e w York

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H€ALY GROUP Servicing the Irish food and chemicals industries with a comprehensive range of products.

Best wishes to the R&R with their production of ‘The Merry Widow’ HCL House, Cookstown Industrial Estate, Tallaght, Dublin 24.

Tel: 404 9200 Fax: 404 9201

nsAi I.S./1S09002/EN 29002

CRM D esig n + Print Ltd. • 0 1 -4 2 9 0007