WITH THE AMATEURS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20821, 3 June 1939, Page 17 (Supplement)

WITH THE AMATEURS

Hamilton Playbox Stage Production The Hamilton Playbox has chosen “Winter Sunshine,” a very entertaining play set on shipboard, as its first stage production for the season. The cast will be chosen immediately and rehearsals commenced. For the drama festival at the end of July the Playbox has chosen “Two Gentlemen of Soho,” a delightful skit on Shakespeare in blank verse by A. P. Herbert, and will also enter a second team, the play for which lias not yet been selected. “The Man in the Bowler Hat,” a merry little comedy, is in rehearsal by the Playbox, for presentation at the Hamilton Operatic Society’s concert this month. Amateur Operatic Productions Here are some of this season's amateur operatic productions : Hamilton.—“A Runaway Girl.” Auckland.—“ Rose Marie.” Palmerston.—“ Maid of the Mountains.” Napier.—“ Belle of New York.” Masterton.—“Gay Romance.” Dunedin.—“ New Moon.” “Belle of New York” at Napier Seven performances—five at Napier, commencing next Tuesday and two at Hastings—of “The Belle of New York” will be given by the Napier Operatic , Society. Dunedin Operatic Society Here is the cast of “New Moon,” with which the Dunedin Operatic Society will commence a week’s season this afternoon, under the direction of Stan Lawson : Marianne .. Louise Henderson Robert .. .. Arthur Lungley Julie . . .. Daphne Bowman ; Captain Duval .. E. Spraggon j Vicomte Riband .. Richard White 1 ' M. Beaunoir .. .. Les Jack 1 , Beac John Gordon ‘ | Stan Lawson, Edna Lungley, R. P. ! j Murphy, Roy McDougall, and Joy Starr | also have parts. Palmerston North Operatic Society r ! “The Maid of the Mountains” is to !be staged by the Palmerston North • ■ Operatic Society in November. r Stanley Lawson, of Dunedin, is pro- . ducer, and Rosetta Powell ballet mistress j The society will also produce a j I “straight” play, “Someone .at the Door.” in August. This is a custom [ that might well he followed by the . Hamilton Society. The amateurs in Palmerston seent > to be very “live,” for the Repertory ! Society has a membership of 320 and the Little Theatre Society over 200. Their stage productions run for several 1 nights—Hamilton puts on a one-night

performance in fear and trembling!— and I heir readings are also very successful. W.E.A. Drama Class The difficult play “Chains.” by Elizabeth Baker, was handled very capably by the members on Tuesday. This play is difficult inasmuch as it has very little action to help it along, but cues were picked up quickly and no dragging was apparent. The following was the cast:— Charley Wilson, Mr L). Reid; Lily Wilson. Miss Rosalie Seddon; Fred Tennant, Mr J. Harcourt: Maggie Massey, Miss Tui Molesworth; Morton Leslie, Mr lan Overheu: Sybil Frost, Miss A. Longdon; Percy Massey, Mr Fisher; Alfred Massey, Mr Earl; Mrs Massey, Mrs Earl; Fenwick, Mr D. Tait; Walter Frost,* Mr J. Ghurton. ”1 Have Been Here Before,” by J. P. Priestley, will be read at the next meeting. Palmerston Repertory Theatre “They Came by Night,” a sensational melodrama, will be staged for three nights by the Palmerston North Repertory Theatre, commencing toThe dialogue is racy and rich with amusing gangster slang, while running through the play is the delightful fairy story that the hero is telling his sick neo*'"'