East Kilbride Light Opera Club - Finian's Rainbow

Finian's Rainbow - 1986

Index

History

Finian's Rainbow - Synopsis

cover of programme The curtain opens on the mythical township of Rainbow Valley in the State of Missitucky in the late 1940's. The local tobacco sharecroppers have fallen behind with their taxes, and Buzz Collins, stooge to the unscrupulous Senator Rawkins, is trying to buy the land at knock down prices. Finian McLonergan and his daughter Sharon have just arrived from Ireland and he carries a crock of gold which he stole from Og, a Leprechaun. Finian decides to imitate America's method of becoming rich by burying his gold near Fort Knox.

Woody Mahoney, the sharecroppers leader, arrives in the nick of time and with Sharons help pays off the taxes.

Later Finian secretly buries the crock, which has the power to grant three wishes. Og appears to plead for the return of the gold, since no magic can be preformed without it and all Leprechauns are slowly turning into mortals. Finian refuses and Og can do nothing about it. Meanwhile Sharon and Woody, with more than a little help from Finian. fall in love. Sharon discovers Senator Rawkins bullying a negro child and wishes the Senator himself were black. Unknown to her she is standing over the buried crock and her wish is fulfilled.

The now black Senator takes to the hills where he meets three negro singers on their way to Sharon and Woody's wedding and is persuaded to join them. On arrival at the wedding the Senator is recognised by Buzz who denounces the bridal couple as witches. Mob hysteria demands they be burned at the stake. Og desperately searches for the crock to save Sharon and Woody not knowing the Woody's sister Susan, who is deaf and dumb, has previously found it and moved it.

He just happens to be standing over its new hiding place when he wishes she could talk. When she does he realises he has found it, and uses the last wish to save Sharon and Woody, thus turning himself into a mortal and destroying the crock forever. The show closes with Susan and Og declaring their love for each other and Finian happilv setting out once again, to look for his rainbow.

The Cast

Finian's Rainbow - 1986
by arrangement with Chappell Music Ltd

Music by Burton Lane
Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg
Book by E.Y. Harburg & Fred Saidy

Production Team
Producer - John Wilson
Musical Director - S. Gordon Lang
Choreographer - Irene McMillan

Cast
Buzz Collins - Edward Peirce
Sheriff - Robbie Crawford
Sharecropper - Bill Struthers
Susan Mahoney - Margaret Hay
Henry - Graham Brown
Maude - Elaine Anderson
Finian McLonergan - Jim Mooney
Sharon McLonergan - Margaret Thomas
Woody Mahoney - Alan Smith
Og (A Leprechaun) - Mark Devine
Howard - Tom Johnston
Senator Billboard Rawkins - Bill Ginn
1st Geologist - Peter King
2nd Geologist - Harry Sheridan
Mr. Hire - John Cannon
Mr. Purchase - Gilbert Wedgwood
1st Passion Pilgrim Gospeleer - Bill Walker
2nd Passion Pilgrim Gospeleer - Robert Traish
3rd Passion Pilgrim Gospeleer - Bob McDermott
Deputy - Jim Maxwell
Preacher - lan Conroy

Ladies of the Chorus
Hazel Armstrong, Isobel Davidson, Frances Doyle, Carol Edison, Aileen Finlay, Elizabeth Kehoe, Marylin Maxwell, Eileen Montgomery, Pauline Moscardini, Barbara McElroy, Rona MacGrcgor, Elizabeth Porter, Betty Roberts, Carol Smith, Gillian Smith, Emma Walker.

Gentlemen of the Chorus
Bruce Arthur, John Cannon, lan Conroy, Peter King, Jim Maxwell, Bob McDermott, Harry Sheridan, Bill Struthers, Robert Traish, Bill Walker, Gilbert Wedgwood.

Dancers
Morag Arthur, Dorothy Bedford, Evelyn Bovill, Cheryl Brown, Sandra Mooney, Joan Shelley.

Children
Mon, Wed & Fri.
Paul Bedford, Susan Bedford, Tracey Lamb, Gino Moscardini.
Tue, Thur & Sat.
Fiona Arthur, Karen Arthur, Christopher Hughes, Martin Hughes.

Synopsis of Scenes

Act I
Scene 1 - The meetin' place, Rainbow Valley, Missitucky.
Scene 2 - The same. That night.
Scene 3 - The colonial estate of Senator Billboard Rawkins. The next morning.
Scene 4 - The meetin' place. Following day.
Scene 5 - A path in the woods.
Scene 6 - The meetin'place. Next morning.

Act II
Scene 7 - Rainbow Valley. A few weeks later.
Scene 8 - A path in the woods.
Scene 9 - The meetin'place.
Scene 10 - Just before dawn.

Musical Synopsis

Act I
Overture - Orchestra
This time of the year - Chorus & Dancers
How are things in Glocca Morra - Sharon
Choo-Choo's comin - Chorus
Look to the Rainbow - Sharon, Chorus & Dancers
Old Devil Moon - Woody & Sharon
Reprise: How are things in Glocca Morra - Sharon
Something sort of Grandish - Og & Sharon
If this isn't love - Sharon, Woody, Finian & Chorus
Reprise: Something sort of Grandish - Og
Necessity - Maude & Girls
That great Come and Get it Day - Woody & Chorus

Act II
Entracte
When the Idle Poor become the Idle Rich - Sharon, Chorus & Dancers
Reprise: Old Devil Moon - Sharon & Woody
Dance of the Golden Crock - Susan
The Begat - Gospeleers & Rawkins
Reprise: Look to the Rainbow - Sharon, Woody & Chorus
When I'm not near the girl I Love - Og & Susan
Reprise: If this isn't love - Company
Finale - Company

Stage Manager - Graham McFadyen
Club Accompanist - Nan McKechnie
Lighting - Carrick McGhie
Property Mistress - Susan Struthers
Wardrobe Mistress - Anna McGillivray
Leader of Orchestra - Andrew Wilson
Prompter - Isa Hornal