East Kilbride Light Opera Club - Carousel

Carousel - 1968

Index

History

Carousel - Synopsis

cover of programme

On a fairground in New England in May, 1873, there was a "carousel," a most popular attraction, particularly with the girls. The reason was not hard to find. The "barker" for this "carousel" was an exceedingly attractive young man, one Billy Bigelow, whose employer is Mrs. Mullin, a widow with obvious intentions of installing Billy as a substitute for her dear departed husband.

As our play opens, Carrie Pipperidge and Julie Jordan come to the fair. Julie and Billy fall in love at first sight. Mrs. Mullin interferes but Billy defies her and is discharged. Carrie, affianced to Enoch Snow, a smug and ambitious fisherman, reminds Julie that unless they return immediately to the mill they will lose their jobs. Julie, completely captivated, stays behind, loses her job and marries Billy. They go to live with Nettie Fowler, a kindly relative of Julie's, but the marriage is not a great success. Billy, still jobless, falls into the clutches of Jigger Craigin, a water-front crook who plans to rob Mr. Bascombe of several thousand dollars, and needs an accomplice. Billy learns he is about to become a father, and, needing money, agrees to help Jigger. The robbery misfires, as Mr. Bascombe is armed. Jigger escapes, but Billy is held at the point of a pistol, and, to avoid arrest, he stabs himself. Julie arrives just in time to see him die.

At this point a "stranger" arrives to guide Billy to the other world. There he finds himself in a strange place which he is told is the backyard of Heaven. He has done nothing in his life to justify his entering by the Main Gate, and is given the chance of returning to Earth for one day, to do even one good thing that will be a credit to him "up there."

He learns that much time has passed and that his child, a girl, is now fifteen years old. He is given a glimpse other and learns that she is shunned by all the other children because of the memory other father. Billy, at last contrite, gets back to Earth for one day.

On Graduation Day at the school, the local Doctor in his prize-giving speech, gives good advice on how to be brave in adversity, and Billy, invisibly present near his daughter, counsels her to follow this advice.

Billy stays long enough to see his little girl at last accepted into the fellowship of her colleagues, and he and his "heavenly friend" walk off to the other world. Billy at last having earned his right to enter by the Front Entrance.

Carousel - 1968
by arrangement with Chappell & Co. Ltd

Music by Richard Rogers
Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

Production Team
Producer - Jack Tait
Musical Director - S. Gordon Lang
Choreographer - Gillean Dickson

Characters in order of their appearance
Carrie Pipperidge - Barbara McElroy
Julie Jordan - Nan Tait
Mrs Mullin - Ann Struthers
Billy Bigelow - Denis Hannigan
David Bascombe - Robert McCrae
Nettie Fowler - Olivia Rae
Enoch Snow - Ernest Dodds
Jigger Craigin - Jerry Hodgson
Heavenly Friend - Hugh Gray
Starkeeper - George More
Louise - Lenora Gilmour
Carnival Boy - James Jenkins
Enoch Snow Jnr - Joseph Burns
Doctor Seldon - George More

The Urchins
Monday, Wednesday, Friday - Lorna Tait, John Struthers, Susan Struthers, Richard Rae, Gillean Tait, Ann McDermott, Maureen Doyle, Brenda Doyle.
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday - Anne Rennie, Pauline McElroy, Gillian Porter, Lori McElroy, Graeme Hughes, Fiona Johnson, Bobby Roberts, Gordon Hughes.

The Snow Children:
Rosaleen Gallacher, Morag Gilmour, Joan Baird.

Ladies of the Chorus
Elaine Anderson, Jean Beazley, Susan Burns, Rhona Blair, Frances Doyle, Elizabeth Drennan, Ina Fotheringham, Rita Hindle, Isa Hornal, Betty Mackay. Elizabeth Rennie, Margaret Shearer, Elizabeth Struthers, Beryl Telfer.

Gentlemen of the Chorus
Alistair Currie, David Hughes, James Jenkins, Leonard Johnston, Peter McCarroll, Robert McCrae, Robert McDermott, Ian MacDonald. Sandy McWilliam, Stewart Neilson, Alex Robertson, William Struthers, William Stuart, David Waters.

Dancers
Jeanette Burns, Helen Craig, Morag Fraser, Lenora Gilmour, Eileen Jack, Vivian Scammell, Alistair Currie, David Hughes, Tom Falsey, James Jenkins, Peter McCarroll, Sandy McWilliam.

Synopsis of Scenes

Act I
Scene 1 - Prelude: An Amusement Park on the New England Coast. May
Scene 2 - A Tree-Lined Path along the Shore. A Few Minutes Later
Scene 3 - Nettie Fowler's Spa on the Ocean Front. June

Waltz Suite: "Carousel."
"You're a Queer One, Julie Jordan" - Carrie and Julie
"When I Marry Mr. Snow" - Carrie
"If I Loved You" - Billie and Julie
"June is Bustin' Out All Over" - Nettie, Carrie, Chorus and Dancers
Reprise: "When I Marry Mr. Snow" - Carrie, Mr. Snow and Girls
"When the Children Are Asleep" - Mr. Snow and Carrie
"Blow High, Blow Low" - Jigger, Billy and Male Chorus
Hornpipe - Dancers
Soliloquy - Billy
Finale - Company

Act II
Scene 1 - On an Island across the Bay. That Night
Scene 2 - Mainland Water Front. An Hour Later
Scene 3 - "Up There"
Scene 4 - "Down Here" on a Beach. Fifteen Years Later
Scene 5 - Outside Julie's Cottage
Scene 6 - Outside a Schoolhouse. Same Day

"This Was a Real Nice Clambake" - Chorus
"Geraniums in the Winder" - Mr. Snow, Carrie, Jigger and Chorus
"What's The Use of Wond'rin" - Julie
"You'll Never Walk Alone" - Nettie
"The Highest Judge of All" - Billy
Beach Ballet
Reprise: "If I Loved You" - Billy
Reprise: "You'll Never Walk Alone" - Company
Finale

Stage Manager - Ken Denton
Assistant Stage Manager - David Waters
Hon. Accompanists - Matthew Lang, Marshall McKillop
Lighting - David Roberts
Property Master - Jack McElroy
Wardrobe Mistress - Edna Porter
Leader of the Orchestra - Bert Dudman
Prompter - Irene Roberts
Make-up - Jean Waters

East Kilbride Light Opera Club Committee
Hon. President - Alex McWilliam
Hon. Vice-President - N.J.M. Tait
President - Alistair Currie
Vice-President - Hugh Gray
Secretary - Robert McCrae
Treasurer - David Hughes
Committee
Isa Hornal, Barbara McElroy, Ken Denton, William Struthers, Jack Tait, David Waters.

Performance Details
26th February - 2nd March 1968
Duncanrig Secondary School,
East Kilbride