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Transcribed and Presented by Greville Watson, 2014

Rushden Operatic Society

'Brigadoon' - 1954






"BRIGADOON"



Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Learner


Music by Frederick Loewe


Presented by arrangement with
Samuel French Ltd.




The entire Production under the Direction of
Frederic Sabine



A Message from The Chairman,
W. A. E. Sherwood, Esq.
W A E Sherwood, Chairman, Operatic 1954
In presenting “Brigadoon” the Operatic Society has embarked on perhaps one of its most ambitious undertakings.  This musical play, a gay story of a Scottish “Miracle,” has had most successful runs in New York and London, and we feel honoured in bring the sponsors of its first Amateur presentation in the Midlands.

Productions of this nature entail heavy financial commitments, and we do, therefore, earnestly appeal for full, continued support in this year’s venture.  We are most grateful for the valuable backing we have received in the past – the financial results last year when “Waltz Without End” and “Merrie England” were presented were very encouraging.

Many requests have been received suggesting a second production in the early Autumn.  The members are most enthusiastic and are very anxious to comply with these wishes.  No definite decision has yet been taken regarding such a presentation, but we hope in the near future to announce our full plans.

W. A. E. Sherwood

The Stage Director

Mr Frederic Sabine, Stage Director, Brigadoon 1954
Mr Frederic Sabine
We welcome the return of
Mr Frederic Sabine, who directed the Society for the first time in their successful production of “Merrie England” last autumn.  Since that time he has been in South Wales with productions of “Waltz Without End” and “Showboat” and he leaves us to produce “Magyar Melody” in Kent.

Mr Sabine has been appointed to the tutorial staff of the Operatic Summer School to be held at St John’s College, York, where he will be directing classes in a production of “Tom Jones.”

Highland Fantasy

Two Americans, game-hunting in the Scottish Highlands, walk into a mysterious village – mysterious because it is not shown on their maps and because of its clinging girdle of fog.  In the outside world it is a May morning of 1946, but in this village of Brigadoon everything suggests the 18th century.

The visitors, Tommy Albright and Jeff Douglas, have a kindly but strange reception.  There is much – including talk of “the miracle” – that they cannot understand, but even in Brigadoon the ageless routine of love, courtship and marriage, with less regular amours on the side, appears to function normally.

There are great preparations for the wedding of Charlie Cameron to Jean MacKeith – clearly disturbing to Harry Ritchie, the rival suitor.  Tommy finds a fascinating friend in Fiona, sister of Jean, and tough-guy Jeff needs all his toughness to stave-off the designs of mischievous Meg Brockie.

It is during the wedding preparations that Tommy chances to read strange entries in a family Bible.  No one will explain them until he is taken to Mr Murdoch, the village schoolmaster, who then tells the story of Brigadoon . . . . . how, two hundred years ago, the minister prayed for a miracle – that the village and its people might vanish into the Highland mist and return for one day every hundred years.  Part of the miracle was that if anyone belonging to Brigadoon went away the village would disappear for ever.  Another provision was that a stranger might stay if he loved someone in the village.

The wedding is held in the presence of the clans, but the rejoicings end abruptly and fearfully when Harry, the rejected suitor, announces that he will leave Brigadoon.

Harry runs from the stupefied assembly but is chased through the forest, falls from a rock and is killed.  Brigadoon is saved from total extinction – but what of its visitors?  The practical Jeff has no desire to vanish for a hundred years, but for Tommy, no deeply in love with Fiona, the decision is anything but easy.  As the day ends, however, he decides that there must be a parting.  When the mist gathers and Brigadoon recedes from view Fiona is singing to him of her love.

The scene changes to New York City, where, in a cocktail bar, Tommy meets his American fiancée, only to realise that he cannot go through with the engagement.  Fiona and her companions appear to him in visions and weave a spell that cannot be resisted.  With Jeff for company, he makes a pilgrimage to the spot where Brigadoon had stood.

To the swell of familiar music the fantasy ends in another miracle, for, as Mr Murdoch says, “I told ye, when ye love someone deeply, anythin’ is possible.”


The Orchestra
under the direction of
Oswald L. Lawrence

Violins



Viola
Cello
Double Bass
Flute
Oboe
Clarinet
Trumpets
"
Trombones
"
Timpani
Piano

Leslie T. Heggs, Leader
R. Gibson
E. Bridges
G. Pettitt
S. Seamarks
C. Cook
E. Allen
R. Pettitt
C. Smith
G. Hornsey
W. Kyte
H. Yorke
R. Benning
E. Webster
E. West
Joan Hart


Oswald L Lawrence
Oswald L. Lawrence

Pauline Farey, Brigadoon 1954
Fiona MacKeith
Pauline Farey

Ivie Wilbur, Pat Waite & Tony Faulkner, Brigadoon 1954
Sword Dancer
Ivie Wilbur
Maggie Abernethy
Pat Waite
Sword Dancer
Tony Faulkner

Sam Houghton, Brigadoon 1954
Tommy Albright
Sam Houghton

Alan Holmes, Brigadoon 1954
Mr. Murdoch
Alan Holmes

The Dancing Girls, Brigadoon 1954
The Dancing Girls

Michael Morris, Brigadoon 1954
Harry Ritchie
Michael Morris

The Cast
in the order of appearance
Tommy Albright
Jeff Douglas
Angus MacMonies
Donald Ritchie
Sandy
Maggie Abernethy
MacGregor
Stuart Cameron
Harry Ritchie
Meg Brockie
Andrew MacKeith
Fiona
Jean
Charlie Cameron
Mr. Murdock
1st Sword Dancer
2nd Sword Dancer
Piper
Frank
Jane Ashton
) Americans
)






Donald's Son


) His Daughters
)
Betrothed to Jean
The Dominie



A Bartender
Tommy's Fiancee

Sam Houghton
Frank Stock
George Dangerfield
Raymond Shaw
Raymond Sibley
Patricia Waite
John Williams
Patrick Higgins
Michael Morris
Mary Wills
William Clarke
Pauline Farey
Jean Hardwick
Geoffrey Sanders
Alan Holmes
Tony Faulkner
Ivie Wilbur
Pipe Major C. Murphy
Robert Hart
Jacqueline Dilley
Townsfolk of Brigadoon
Ladies' Chorus

Monica Bass, Jeanette Beeby, Carol Bunning, Christine Carter, Audrey Cave, Phyllis Clarke, Shirley Crickmer, Kathleen Dent, Vera Denton, Rose Drage, Norah Gibbs, Molly Hall, Gwen Hardwick, Bertha Harbour, Margaret Harris, Anne Holmes, Pamela Hoodless, Hilda House, Hilda Howes, Lilian Keech, Sylvia Oates, Maureen Savage, Mary Shaw, Rene Welsford, Doreen White, Emily White.

Gentlemen's Chorus

William Ainge, Harold Clayton, Alan Groome, Alan Ives, Sidney Hudson, George Johnson, Ian Lucy, Victor Parsler, John Reynolds, Sidney Smith, Percy Wilmer.

Dancers:

Shirley Bale, Pamela Bettles, Sheila Dungate, Jose Eagle, Sheila Eaton, Freda Faulkner, Dorothy Garley, Sylvia Haley, Maureen Pridmore, Moyra Smith, Rita Stapleton, Audrey Tompkins.
Terry Clapham, Michael Drage, Barry Keech, Donald White.



Costumes by Charles H. Fox Limited
Modern Dress (worn by Tommy and Jeff) by Aubrey Samuels
Scenery by Stage Scenery Limited
Telephone Equipment lent by the Post Office

Musical Numbers
ACT I
Prologue
Brigadoon
Vendors Calls
Down in MacConnachy Square

Waitin' for my Dearie
I'll go home with Bonnie Jean
The Heaather on the Hill
The Love of my Life
Jeannie's Packin' Up
Come to me, bend to me
Almost like being in love
Entrance of the Clans
Wedding Ceremony
Sword Dance and Reel

Chorus and Stuart
Chorus
Stuart, MacGregor and Chorus
Sandy, MacGregor, Stuart, Meg
and Chorus
Fiona and Girls
Charlie and Chorus
Tommy and Fiona
Meg
Girls
Charlie
Tommy and Fiona


Harry, Sword Dancers and Chorus
ACT II
Entr'acte
The Chase

There but for You go I
My Mother's Wedding Day
Funeral Dance (Traditional Piobrochead)
From this day on
Reprises:

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)

Come to me, bend to me
The Heather on the Hill
I'll go home with Bonnie Jean
From this Day on
Down in MacConnachy Square
Finale

MacGregor, Stuart, Tommy and Men's Chorus
Tommy
Meg and Chorus
Maggie
Fiona and Tommy

Fiona
Fiona, Girls, MacGregor and Stuart
Charlie
Fiona and Tommy
Chorus
Chorus

Synopsis of Scenes
ACT I
Scene 1.

Scene 2.

Scene 3.
Scene 4.
Scene 5.
Scene 6

A Forest in the Scottish Highlands, about 5 a.m. on a May
Morning, 1946.
A Road in Brigadoon, then the Village Square - MacConnachy
Square - 9 o'clock the same morning.
The Brockie Bothy, noon the same day.
The MacKeith House, mid-afternoon the same day.
Outside the house of Mr. Murdoch, immediately following.
Outside the Kirk, early evening the same day.
ACT II
Scene 1.
Scene 2.
Scene 3.
Scene 4.
Scene 5.

A Forest near the border of Brigadoon, later that evening.
A Road in Brigadoon, a few minutes later.
The Glen, a short while later.
A Bar in New York City, four months later, late afternoon.
The Forest in the Highlands, some days later.

Jean MacKeith
Jean Hardwick


Charlie Cameron
Geoffrey Sanders
Jean Hardwick & Geoffrey Sanders, Brigadoon 1954

Mary Wills & Frank Stock, Brigadoon 1954
Meg Brockie
Mary Wills


Jeff Douglas
Frank Stock

The Chorus, Brigadoon 1954
The Ladies' and Gentlemen's Chorus

Other Cast Members, Brigadoon 1954
Andrew MacKeith
William Clark

Frank
Robert Hart

Angus MacMonies
George Dangerfield

Donald Ritchie
Raymond Shaw
Sandy
Ray Sibley

Jane Ashton
Jacqueline Dilley

Stuart Cameron
Patrick Higgins

Acknowledgments
are very sincerely and gratefully made to

Mr. W. Hewitt, his co-directors, Bob Tysoe and the staff of the Ritz, for their continued interest and co-operation.
Northamptonshire Education Committee (Mr. G. E. Churchill, MA, Chief Education Officer) and Mr. W. A. E. Sherwood, who have given every help in the arrangement of rehearsals at the Rushden Evening Institute.
The Headmasters, Headmistresses and Caretakers of the Schools.
Mr. Tony Faulkner, for insgtructing Members of the Company in the Highland Dancing.
Mr. and Mrs. Don Bugby and Miss Betty Garratt, for assistance with Make-up.
Nursing sisters and St. John Ambulance.
All stewards and programme sellers.
Northamptonshire Newspapers, Ltd., for publicity.
Mr. Ralph Sanders for booking facilities at Raunds.
Mr. Roland A. Evans, Mr. Leslie Clark and the many voluntary workers, for help throughout the production.
The Local Traders who have taken advertising space in this programme.
Mr. Bernard Clowes and The Grafton Studios for their kind co-operation in the preparation of the photographs reproduced in this programme.
Mr. Harold James and Mr. Thompson, for assistance with the musical accompaniment at rehearsals.
Our patrons for their support.

Programme Sellers:
Arranged by Lily E. Cooke

Audrey Annies, Hilda Bunker, Rose Frost, May Garley, Norma Hill, Ivy Ingram, Kathleen Jeeves, Anne Leeson, Sheila Miller, Freda Pack, Audrey Perkins, Betty Putnam, Rosemary Shatford, Betty Williams, Elizabeth Wilson.


Stewards:
Under the Direction of Edward Wadsworth

E Clark, L Darnell, R Elliott, A Frost, H V Ingram, J T Jones, E C Knight, S Knight, M Knight, C Perkins, C Robinson, D Summerfield.


An Amateur Production
These performances of "Brigadoon" are given by amateurs under professional tuition. The members of the Company attend Operatic and Ballet Classes of the Rushden Evening Institute. New members for these classes are always welcome.
We welcome enquiries from prospective members; if you are interested write to the Secretary, Miss P. G. Bryant, 51, Spencer Road.


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