Thursday February 1st 2007 at 7.30pm
Friday February 2nd 2007 at 7.30pm
Saturday February 3rd 2007 at 3pm
Saturday February 3rd 2007 at 7.30pm
Sunday February 4th 2007 at 12 noon
Sunday February 4th 2007 at 3pm
At the Henrietta Barnett School Theatre, Central Square, NW11
Director & Choreographer: Emma Solomons
Musical Director: Stephen Lanigan-O'Keeffe
Performances: Thursday 1st, Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd February at 7.30pm at the Henrietta Barnett School Theatre, Central Square, NW11. There were also 3.00pm matinee performances on Saturday 3rd February and Sunday 4th February. There was an additional 12 noon matinee on Sunday 4th February.
The Play: Dorothy lives in the grey plains of Kansas with her hard working Aunt Em and Uncle Henry on their farm. She is a special girl who tries hard to find the colour and happiness she is convinced is out there, ‘Over the Rainbow’. One day she is flown in a cyclone over that rainbow and finds herself in the land of Oz. She adventures along the Yellow Brick Road with her new friends, the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion, to the Emerald City to find the Wizard of Oz hoping he will help her get back home to Kansas. Their journey is one of self-discovery; the Scarecrow finds he is intelligent, the Tin Woodman is kind-hearted and the Lion all finds he does have courage. With Munchkins, Jitterbugs, Ozians, Wizards, Witches and favourite songs such as ‘Over the Rainbow’, 'Follow the Yellow Brick Road' and 'Ding Dong the Witch is Dead’… this is a show for all your family and friends .
Since I was asked to direct this GST show I have come across many books about The Wizard of Oz and the reason for its enduring place in all our hearts. Who doesn't remember it as essential family Christmas viewing? Watching with bated breath as Dorothy was transformed into glorious technicolour, hiding behind the sofa as the winged monkeys loomed ever closer, then cheering the friends as they killed the wicked witch and freed the citizens of Oz. In amongst all that and all those great songs that we can hum at any given moment, as we look out over the rainbow and skip down our own yellow brick road, it is the family element that has stuck the deepest chord in me whilst I have been preparing for this weeks show.
I would have been a member of the GST since I was five years old, if I'd been allowed, when my brother Tim first performed in Terry Rogers' production of The Prince and the Pauper. I had to wait for a further three years before I was allowed to tread the boards - and I haven't stopped treading them since. So really, I have grown up amongst the family that is the GST - performing with my brother and many of my, now closest, friends; watching my mum transform some dubious patterned materials into fantastic costumes like the ones you will see today; and now my husband, well established on the staging committee, like me making his debut, as stage manager for this production.
This year I have counted at least twelve family groups involved in the show spanning all the areas of front, back and on stage. This is how I will always think of GST February shows, being part of a family of families, dancing and singing together, for the entertainment of other families and their friends. Dorothy joins her new family to save the munchkins but home is where she realises she really wants to be.
I really hope that you enjoy the show as much as we have enjoyed putting it together for you. I would like to say a very big thank you to all the cast and their families for all their hard work and support over the last few months.
Emma Solomons February 2007
Over the Rainbow (Dorothy)
Munchkinland (Sorceress, Dorothy, Munchkins)
If I Only had a Brain (Scarecrow)
If I Only had a Heart (Tinman)
We’re Off to see the Wizard (Dorothy, Tinman, Scarecrow, Munchkins)
If I Only had the Nerve (Lion)
We’re Off to see the Wizard (Dorothy, Tinman, Scarecrow, Lion)
Jitterbug (Dorothy, Tinman, Scarecrow, Lion)
We’re off to see the Wizard (Dorothy, Tinman, Scarecrow, Lion)
The Merry Old Land of Oz (Citizens of the Emerald City)
Evening Star (Dorothy, Gloria and girls)
Ding-Dong! The Witch is Dead (Dorothy, Tinman, Scarecrow, Lion)
Reprise: Over the Rainbow (Dorothy, Principals and Chorus)
| Aunt Em | Liz Travis |
| Uncle Henry | Jeff McCracken-Hewson |
| Dorothy | Jennie Eggleton |
| Munchkin Mayor | Alon Witztum |
| Munchkin Farmer | Rachel Packman |
| Sorceress of the North | Miriam Clark |
| Wicked Witch of the West | Jo Eggleton-Rance |
| Scarecrow | Tim Solomons |
| Tin Man | Mark Overall |
| Lion | Jon Musker |
| Oz Lady | Shelley Pinto |
| Private Ozmas | Alon Witztum |
| Lord Growlie | Mike Ash |
| Gloria | Joanna Levy |
| Wizard of Oz | Christopher Ali |
| Witch 1 | Imogen Colmans |
| Witch 2 | Penni Nachir |
| Tibia | Marilyn Greene |
ENSEMBLEFarmhands, Kansas Citizens, Munchkins, Jitterbugs, Oz Citizens, Soldiers |
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| Fin Batchelor | Rachel Packman |
| Emily Carlton | Emma Pinto |
| Jessica Carlton | Katie Pinto |
| Timbo Cole | Shelley Pinto |
| Imogen Colmans | Nadja Popovic |
| Alicia Crisp | Alexander Rayner |
| Marilyn Greene | Mimi Shaul |
| Marilyn Grossman | Rosa Shaul |
| Zoe Hazan | Joe Solomons |
| Joanna Levy | Oli Solomons |
| Jeff McCracken-Hewson | Katka Stanclova |
| Gabriel Musker | Liz Travis |
| Rachel Newman | |
| DIRECTOR | Emma Solomons |
| Musical Director | Stephen Lanigan-O'Keeffe |
| Assistant Director | Miranda Solomons |
| Production Assistants | Caroline Ash Joann Moore |
| Choreographer | Emma Solomons |
| Stage Manager | Chris Pleass |
| Assistant Stage Manager | Debbie Lane |
| Stage Crew | Noel Radnedge Trish O'Connor Chloe Cooper John Colmans Robyn Jacobs David Lane Val Nadeau Tamar Witztum |
| Prompt | Paula Morris |
| Set Design, construction and painting by | David Rance Jo Eggleton Rance |
| Lighting Design | David White Charlotte Lane |
| Follow spot operaters | Matt Ali Laura Allen |
| Props | Mo Colmans Joyce Piper |
| Sound | Michael Berg |
| Costume | Frances Musker Jeanne Solomons Diana Darrer |
| Special effects video | Jacob Haddad |
| Make-up | Angie Wright Sarah Overall Georgia Price |
| Poster & Programme | Mary Musker |
| Photographs | Peter Batchelor |
| Advance Bookings | Liz Amiel |
| Publicity | Tony Newton |
| Box Office | Angie Wright |
| Front of House Managers | Ros Berg Daphna Witztum |
BAND |
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| Flute | Jemima Lane |
| Violin | Raphael Hogarth |
| Clarinet | Chiaki Sugahara |
| Cello | Varna Parkhouse |
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Cast & Crew History
Emma Solomons: The Director
Emma has been performing since she was eight - well on stage anyway. Her favourite recent roles include Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream with GST and Tess in Crazy For You with another north London Society. She has choreographed and performed in many of GST's February shows, working with many eperienced directors who have guided her towards directing today's show. Favourite choreographical works include classics such as Guys and Dolls and the girls of the the Fan-Dango Ballroom in Sweet Charity. By day Emma is a Paediatric Nursing Sister at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Stephen Lanigan-O’Keeffe: The Musical Director
Stephen came to the UK six years ago from Australia. His acting credits include Seymour in the premiere of A Woman's Choice by Gracie Brand, the Lord Knott series of plays by Paul Curzon (in the title role) and Richard in the film Magic Boots. For the GST he has played Maugrim in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Gerald Croft in An Inspector Calls, Mr Teavee in Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and Theseus in A Midsummer Night's Dream. He was the real musician in Fallen Angels. Stephen is a music teacher and has an irrational fear of school dinners.
Jennie Eggleton: Dorothy Gale
Jennie has been a member of the Garden Suburb Theatre since she was five, taking part in her first play (There Was An Old Woman) when she was seven. Since then she been in numerous February shows, her favourite being Bugsy Malone, especially due to the fact she played Baby Face and a Dancing Girl (dance is one of her favourite hobbies). More recently Jennie has been involved mainly in school productions, playing Anybodys in West Side Story and Filch the Beggar in The Threepenny Opera. She is currently doing ‘A’ level theatre studies, and enjoying directing younger pupils in a production at school. She would love to be a professional actress in the future. This is Jennie's most challenging, yet fun and exciting role so far.
Jon Musker: The Cowardly Lion
Jon has been on the amateur stage since he was eight, starting as a paper-boy in the musical of Around the World in Eighty Days. With luck, next year he can reprise the role in our revival, although three decades on the costume might be getting a bit snug. He loves comedy roles best; anything from Falstaff to Joe Egg. He restricts his singing to either panto, or Sondheim; we can only hope Sondheim will write a panto one day.
Mark Overall: The Tin Man
Mark started off his GST career as a stage hand in Canterbury Tales, and has ended up as the Tin Man! In between he has acted in, stage managed and directed numerous shows including Nicholas Nickleby, Death of a Salesman, Amadeus, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Accidental Death of an Anarchist and Much Ado About Nothing.
Tim Solomons: The Scarecrow
Tim's first appearance with GST was in the title role of The Prince and the Pauper at the age of 11. He has since gone on to play a wide range of roles including most recently Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Geoffrey in Stepping Out and Oliver in As You Like It. Tim has also directed for the society including Billy Liar, There Was an Old Woman and Amadeus. He is also frequently involved backstage and in the design and operation of the lighting.
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