The Sunny South

------- "The Sunny South" #140 September - October, 1987 "The Sunny South", was an entirely new concept for the Company, encompassing both melodrama from the cast and live music from the 'Black Velvet Band, as well as the dramatic piano accompaniment demanded by the play. "The Sunny South" is an Australian melodrama written in 1883 by actor-manager George Darrell. The play focused on distinctively Australian issues of the time and true to form gave it's audience spectacle, action and a hero to cheer. Due to the large cast required for this production Dave was struggling to cast all the male roles, consequently Val Mitchelmore, Heather England, Irene Stratford and Judy Brown were cast in male' roles. Although they all performed admirably and added to the humour I felt some of the realism was lost. Under the very capable direction of Dave Reed, with 16 members in the cast and several performing two or more roles the play was a success with large audiences attending all three performances. Dave not only directed he also played the villain. CAST of "The Sunny South" REBECCA HANN - CHRIS HOLLINGSWORTH PLANTAGENET SMITTERS - VAL MITCHELMORE IVO CARNE - PHILIP GOLDING CLARICE CHESTER - ALISON RIDNELL WORTHY CHESTER - DON MITCHELMORE ELI GRIM - DAVE REED MATT MORELY - ANSIS NITZ PERFIDY POUNCE - PETER MANDERS BAILIFF 1 - TERRY EVANS BAILIFF 2 - HEATHER ENGLAND BUBS BERKLEY - MONICA REDDEN NARROW CREEK JOE - TERRY EVANS JOHNNY JINKS - DAVID MILLER MONTE JACK - PETER MANDERS BUTTONER - HEATHER ENGLAND POLICEMAN - IRENE STRATFORD GRUMP - TERRY EVANS BEN BREWER - JUDITH BROWN BLACK STEVE - HEATHER ENGLAND DICK DUGGAN - JOHN MULLINS TRUE - IRENE STRATFORD BUSHRANGER DAN - TERRY EVANS STATIONMASTER - IRENE STRATFORD THE BLACK VELVET BAND - CHRIS BOWMAN, SCOTT McDONALD, JAMES KIMBER PIANIST: RAYMOND MARINO BACKSTAGE DIRECTOR - DAVE REED STAGE MANAGER - MARGIE RICHARDSON SET DESIGN - DON MITCHELMORE SET CONSTRUCTION - COMPANY MEMBERS POSTER DESIGN - TONI MITCHELMORE FRONT OF HOUSE - IRENE BISHOP, SAMANTHA STRATFORD LIGHTING - BRENTON JARRAD, DANIEL O'KEEFE PROGRAMME -IRENE BISHOP PROPERTIES. - MARGIE RICHARDSON COSTUMES - JANINE FAWCETT PUBLICITY - CHRIS HOLLINGSWORTH - IRENE STRATFORD - JOHN MULLINS