Past Productions from the Glasgow Light Opera Club

Blasting Meredith Willson to the forefront of American musical theatre, "The Music Man" was a project that had been many years in the making. The idea for the show was originally suggested by Frank Loesser who was fascinated by Willson's tales of growing up in his small Iowa town. But it would be eight years before Willson was satisfied with the script. During that time, he would go through more than 30 revisions and write over 40 different songs.

The plot revolves around "Professor" Harold Hill, a con-man who, in order to sell band instruments, convinces the citizens of River City, Iowa that he can teach their children to play in a magnificent marching band. But Hill doesn't count on falling in love with the town librarian, and instead of skipping town before the instruments arrive, he is convinced to stay.

"The Music Man" opened at the Majestic Theatre on December 19, 1957 with Robert Preston playing the role of Harold Hill and Barbara Cook as Marian Paroo, the town librarian. The show ran for 1,375 performances. Preston reprised his role in the 1962 film version.

Harold Hill - Roland Russell

Marian Paroo - Honor Shelley

Marcellus Washburn - David Somerville

Tommy Djilas - Steven MacIntyre

Zaneeta Shinn - Kyle Haddow

Barber Shop Quartet...

- Jacey Squires - Ross Nicol (tenor)

- Ewan Dunlop - Richard Magowan (tenor)

- Oliver Hix - Darren Campbell (baritone)

- Olin Britt - Ian Gray (bass)

Mayor Shinn - David Blackwood

Mrs Paroo - Liz Mitchell

Eulalie McKechnie Shinn - Susan Barnes-Morrison

Ladies of the Town...

- Alma - Kerry Burley

- Maud - Gillian McGhie

- Ethel - Sheena Brownlie

Mrs Squires - Betty Beckles

Charlie Cowall - Grant Thomson

Salesmen - Michael Ballingall, George Crisp, David Conway, Christopher Gray, Alex McGregor, Alasdair Ross, Stuart Stevenson

Winthrop...

- Marcus Nash (Wed, Fri, Sat Mat)

- Gregory Clark (Tues, Thurs, Sat Eve)

Amaryllis...

- Monica Burns (Wed, Fri, Sat Mat)

- Emily Mackintosh (Tues, Thurs, Sat Eve)

Dancers - Sophie Clark, Nicola Glover, Nicola Mills, Joanna McAtear, Emma MacMillan, Margaret Ann Nairn, Heather Tosh.

Adult Chorus - Jean Beveridge, Sophie Clark, Heather Dunlop, Rosemary Fee, Emma Gillanders, Rosalind Gray, Carol Hughes, Judy MacDonald, Mairi MacGregor, Ellen McGregor, Marion Morrison, Fiona Prior, Roslyn Scoular, Fiona Stevenson, Ashleigh Wilson; Michael Ballingall, Darren Campbell, David Conway, George Crisp, Richard Doak, Christopher Gray, Ian Gray, Jim Kerr, Alex McGregor, Richard Magowan, Ross Nicol, Alasdair Ross, Stuart Stevenson.

Childrens' Chorus (Wed, Fri, Sat Mat) - Richard Bell, Hannah Black, Ross Black, Nicole Borland, Kirstyn Brown, Aidan Kerr, Lewis Kerr, Amy Kirkpatrick, Emily Stevenson.

Childrens' Chorus (Tues, Thurs, Sat Eve) - Natasha Barrie, Faylinn Lui, Tallulah Lui, Scott Martin, Paul Porteous, Lauren Speirs, Ruth Stevenson, Samuel Stevenson, Caitlin O’Connor.

The chosen charity for this show was Scottish Cot Death Trust and they benefited from a donation of £750.