The Chairman's Message
It is with pleasure that we present to you our Charity Performance, "The King and I". It has been our aim for the past few years to donate to the Rushden Carnival Committee £100 per year to be divided between local Charities, and we sincerely hope that with your help we shall be able to do so again this year.
The rehearsals of "The King and I" have been a source of great pleasure to the cast and everyone taking part and we hope you also enjoy this show so that you are able to give your friends a good report and so enable us to fill every seat for every performance.
Our next production in March, 1961, will be that well-known show "Bitter Sweet" and for the Spring of 1962 we have booked another favourite "Kismet".
It will be a few years before the delightful children performing in "The King and I" will be old enough to join our society (and we sincerely hope they will do so). We shall welcome applications now from anyone interested in taking part in our future productions. Applications should be made to :— Mr. R. A. Evans, 135, High Street, Rushden. Thanking you for your generous patronage.
W. A. CLARKE
(Chairman)
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The Story of The King and I
The story of "The King and I" is adapted from a biography based on actual diaries.
Margaret Landon, when in Siam, became absorbed in the story of the brave English woman who went to teach the English language and Democracy to the Siamese King's sixty-seven children. After further research the story "Anna and the King of Siam" was completed.
The story was a gripping and human one, told against the brilliant background or' the Siamese court. In the 1860's, Siam was feeling the twin impact of Western Imperialism and Western knowledge. Its King, Mongkut, was a combination of charm and cruelty, of feudal instincts and a desire for progress.
Into his Court came Anna Leonowens, an English woman with a mind of her own. Before she left she had the King's multitudinous children speaking excellent English, and she also had the Siamese Government well on its way to making many liberal reforms.
At the same time Abraham Lincoln was wrestling with slavery in his country. Before Anna Leonowens had done with him, Mongkut had an excellent working knowledge of Mr. Lincoln's ways and had been induced to apply many of the President's principles to Siam itself.
It is upon this fascinating story that the fabulous Rodgers and Hammerstein fashioned a thrilling new musical play.
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| The Orchestra |
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| Under the direction of Oswald L. Lawrence |
| Violins |
Tina Faulkner (leader) |
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Yvonne Bowness,
Edith Bridges |
| Viola |
S. Seamarks |
| Cello |
C. Cooke |
| Bass |
E. Allen |
| Flute |
R. Pettit |
| Oboe |
C. Smith |
| Clarionet |
G. Hornsey |
| Trumpets |
E. Denton |
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P. Smith |
| Trombones |
R. Benning |
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E. Webster |
| Percussion |
H. Allen |
| Harp |
Kara Hall |
| Piano |
Joan Hart |
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The King And I - A Musical Play
Music by Richard Rodgers.
Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein.
Entire Production under the direction of Mavis Ward.
Presented by arrangements with Chappel & Co. Ltd.
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| SYNOPSIS OF SCENES |
| ACT I |
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ACT II |
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| Scene I |
DECK OF THE CHOW PHRA |
Scene I |
A RECEPTION ROOM IN THE PALACE |
| Scene II |
THE KING'S LIBRARY |
Scene II |
A CORRIDOR |
| Scene III |
A CORRIDOR |
Scene III |
A THEATRE PAVILION |
| Scene IV |
THE SCHOOLROOM |
Scene IV |
THE KING'S LIBRARY |
| Scene V |
ANNA'S BEDROOM |
Scene V |
A ROOM IN ANNA'S HOUSE |
| Scene VI |
THE KING'S STUDY |
Scene VI |
THE KING'S LIBRARY |
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| Characters |
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| Captain Orton |
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EDGAR STOCK |
| Louis Leonowens |
Mon., Wed. Fri., Mat |
JOHN CURSON |
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Tues., Thurs., Sat. Eve |
STUART GRAHAM |
| Anna Leonowens |
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RENE WELSFORD |
| The Interpreter |
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BOB SAVAGE |
| The Kralahome |
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BERT CATLIN |
| The King |
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JOHN WILLIAMS |
| Phra Alack |
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IAN MCLOUGHLAN |
| Lun Tha |
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RON COLES |
| Tuptim |
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PAULINE FAIREY |
| Lady Thiang |
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IRENE TURNER |
| Prince Chulalongkorn |
Mon., Wed., Fri., Mat |
KEITH GREEN |
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Tues., Thurs., Sat. Eve. |
ROBERT HALE |
| Sir Edward Ramsay |
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ROLAND EVANS |
| Princess Ying Yaowalak |
Mon., Wed., Fri., Mat. |
CHRISTINE YEOMANS |
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Tues., Thurs., Sat. Eve. |
HELEN MACKNESS |
| Ballet: Small House of Uncle Thomas |
| Uncle Thomas |
ROSALIND POWLEY |
| Topsy |
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JANET BAYES |
| Little Eva |
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JUDITH SMEATHERS |
| Eliza |
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JOSE SHORTLAND |
| King Simon of Legree |
KEELEY RICE |
| Angel |
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PATRICIA SMITH |
| Buddha |
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BOB TIMSON |
| Siamese Musician |
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HAROLD CLAYTON |
| Princes and Princesses, Royal Wives, Royal Dancers, Priests, Amazons, Slaves and Deckhands. |
| Chorus Ladies |
| Susan Abbott, Ann Brown, Carol Burgess, Christine Burgess, Betty Chapman, Peggy Cherry, Phyllis Clarke, Jeanette Corbett, Susan Davies, Janet Dean, Jane Garley, Denise Hartwell, Mary Jackson, Jeanette King, Cicely Langley, Jane Morris, Mavis Pettit, Joan Ryan, Elizabeth Tuson, Susan Williamson. |
| Chorus Gentlemen |
| Ben Catlin, Colin Clarke, Harold Clayton, John Harrison, Ian McLoughlan, Robert Minney John Pack, Bob Savage, Edgar Stock, Michael Tye, Garry Warwick. |
| Dancers |
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| Janet Bayes, Marion Buckby, Dorothy Garley, Sindra Hooper, Angela Laughton, Judith Mould, Barbara Neville, Rosalind Powley, Jose Shortland, Judith Smeathers, Patricia Smith : Keeley Rice. |
| Costumes by Scenery by |
| WM. MUTRIE & SON, LTD. JAMES FREDRICKS. |
| King's Children |
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Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Matinee.
Pam Allen, Pam Beveridge, Caroline Burnett, Susan Eady, Elizabeth Hardwick, Helena Maidwell, Christine Page, Linda Reynolds, Richard Clapham, Richard Ekins, Bruce Graham, John Orton, Tony Thompson, David Yeomans. |
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Evening.
Wendy Beadle, Janice Carter, Vicky Craxton, Patricia Coles, Jane Desborough, Ellen Homans. Rita Pritchard, Jean Welsford, John Hodges, Paul Needle, David Page, David Stokes, Neil Tuson, John Welsford. |
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| MUSICAL NUMBERS |
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| ACT I |
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| "OVERTURE" |
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| "I Whistle a Happy Tune" |
Anna and Louis |
| "Reprise: I Whistle a Happy Tune'' |
Anna, Louis and Priests |
| "Siamese Dance" |
Dancers |
| "My Lord and Master" |
Tuptim |
| "Hello, Young Lovers" |
Anna and Chorus |
| "March of the Siamese Children" ... |
The Children |
| "A Puzzlement" |
The King |
| "School Song" |
Wives and Children |
| "Getting to Know You" |
Anna, Children and Chorus |
| "We Kiss in a Shadow'' |
Tuptim and Lun Tha |
| "Reprise: A Puzzlement" |
Louis and Prince |
| "Shall I Tell You What I Think of You?" |
Anna |
| "Something Wonderful" |
Lady Thiang |
| "Finale: Act I" |
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| ACT II |
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| "ENTR'ACT" |
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| "Western People Funny" ... ... |
Lady Thiang and Wives |
| "I Have Dreamed" ... ... ... |
Tuptim and Lun Tha |
| "Reprise: Hello, Young Lovers" ... |
Anna |
| "Ballet: Small House of Uncle Thomas" |
Tuptim, Dancers and Chorus |
| "Song of the King" |
The King |
| "Shall We Dance?" |
The King and Anna |
| "Reprise: I Whistle a Happy Tune" |
Anna |
| "Finale Ultimo: Something Wonderful" |
Company |
PROGRAMME SELLERS
Arranged by Lily E. Cooke and Rose Frost. Audrey Annies, Nancy Bailey, Janet Baron, Marie Coleman, Vivian Dean, Elizabeth Elliott, Gwen Hardwick, Patricia Hart, Hilda House, Ivy Ingram, Irene Warr, Janet Wood, Andrea Swart, Pamela Warren.
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STEWARDS
(Under the direction of Edward Wadsworth) J. Barker, A. Binder, N. Bursell, E. Clark, L. Darnell, A. Frost, H. V. Ingram, M. Knight, S. Knight, I. Lawrence, A. Mason, D. Reeves, E. Southwell, C. E. Underwood, I. Wilbur, H. Binder, M. Hagger.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Committee and members of the Society wish to offer their very sincere thanks to all of the following whose assistance and co-operation have made this production possible.
The Northamptonshire Education Committee (Mr. G. E. Churchill, M.A., Chief Education Officer) and Mr. N. Lamford, Head of the Rushden Evening Institute, who has given every help in the arrangement of rehearsals. Mr. W. A. E. Sherwood who has again undertaken the arduous task of arranging the booking and all his assistants.
Mr. H. W. Catlin, Headmaster of Rushden Secondary Modern School for Boys, and Caretakers for their help.
Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Knight for so kindly lending their Siamese Cat Niggertip's Lolita.
The local traders who have taken advertising space in this programme. The Stewards and Programme Sellers.
The Nursing Sisters and St. John Ambulance for attendance at the Theatre. Mr. W. Hewitt, his co-directors. Mr. Knighton the Manager and all the Staff of the Ritz, Rushden, for their continued interest and assistance. The Stage Staff and all others who have worked behind the Scenes, each one of whom has contributed so much to the success of this Production. Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Willmott, who have kindly taken all the photographs for this Programme free of charge and donated their services to our Charity Show. Mr. Brian Huckle for cigars used in this show.
Everyone who has assisted the Society in presenting "The King and I", whether or not mentioned in these pages.
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