Welcome to the page about the Lancaster Red Rose Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society shows from 1960 to 1969. Below is information about the musicals the society staged in the 1960’s which include: Love From Judy (1960); The Boy Friend (1961); The Quaker Girl (1962); Salad Days (1963); Wild Violets (1964); Bob’s Your Uncle (1965); How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1966); Rose Marie (1967); Half A Sixpence (1968): Free As Air (1969).
There are also pages for the Red Rose AODS shows from … 1930’s … 1940’s … 1950’s … 1960’s … 1970’s … 1980’s … 1990’s … 2000’s … 2010’s … 2020’s … back to Lancaster Red Rose AODS.
1969: Free As Air
1969 saw Lancaster Red Rose AODS do their 32nd annual show ‘Free as Air’ which was staged at The Grand Theatre, Lancaster.
The 1957 musical – with music by Julian Slade; lyrics and book by Dorothy Reynolds and Julian Slade – is by the same team responsible for Salad Days.
Free as Air opened at the Manchester Opera House in 1957 before moving to the West End’s Savoy Theatre.
It tells the story of two days in May on Terhou, a minor “and totally fictitious” Channel Island, based on Jethou, the private island leased at the time by Compton Mackenzie.
Musical numbers include: I’m Up Early; Let The Grass Grow; Nothing But Sea And Sky; The Boat’s In; A Man From The Mainland; Free As Air; Daily Echo; Her Mummy Doesn’t Like Me Any More; The Girl From London; I’d Like To Be Like You; Testudo; Feet On The Ground; Holiday Island; Geraldine; We’re Holding Hands; Terhou;
More production details to follow.
1968: Half A Sixpence
1968 saw Lancaster Red Rose AODS do their 31st annual show ‘Half A Sixpence’ which was staged at The Grand Theatre, Lancaster.
The 1963 musical – with music and lyrics by David Heneker, and a book by Beverley Cross – is based on Kipps by H.G. Wells.
The musical was a vehicle for British pop star Tommy Steele and tells the story of orphan Arthur Kipps – who’s a simple soul – who unexpectedly inherits a fortune, climbs the social ladder, before losing everything and realizing that you can not buy happiness.
Musical numbers include: All in The Cause of Economy; Half a Sixpence; Money to Burn; A Proper Gentleman; She’s Too Far Above Me; If The Rain’s Got to Fall; The Old Military Canal; The One That’s Run Away; Long Ago; Flash Bang Wallop; I Know What I Am; and The Party’s On the House;
More production details to follow.
1967: Rose Marie
1967 saw Lancaster Red Rose AODS do their 30th annual show ‘Rose-Marie’ which was staged at The Grand Theatre, Lancaster.
This was the second time the society had done the show as it had previously done the show in 1946.
The 1924 operetta style musical has music by Rudolf Friml and Herbert Stothart; lyrics and book by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II.
The story is set in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and tells the story of Rose-Marie La Flemme (a French Canadian) who loves miner Jim Kenyon. When Jim falls under suspicion for murder, her brother Emile plans for Rose-Marie to marry Edward Hawley, a city man.
Musical numbers include: Vive la Canadienne; Hard-Boiled Herman; Rose-Marie; The Mounties; Lak Jeem; Indian Love Call; Pretty Thing;Why Shouldn’t We?; Totem Tom-Tom; Only a Kiss; I Love Him; The Minuet of the Minute; One Man Woman; The Door of Her Dreams (Door of My Dreams).
More production details to follow.
1966: How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
1966 saw Lancaster Red Rose AODS do their 29th annual show ‘How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying’ which was staged at The Grand Theatre, Lancaster.
The 1961 musical – with music by Frank Loesser; lyrics by Frank Loesser; and a book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert – is based on the novel ‘How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying’ by Shepherd Mead.
It opened at the 46th Street Theatre on Broadway in October 1961 before opening in the London’s West End in 1963.
It tells the story of the young, ambitious J. Pierrepont Finch, who, with the help of the book How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, rises from window washer to chairman of the board of the World Wide Wicket Company.
Musical numbers include: How to Succeed; Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm; Coffee Break; Company Way; A Secretary Is Not a Toy; Been a Long Day; Grand Old Ivy; Paris Original; Rosemary; Love From a Heart of Gold; I Believe in You; Brotherhood of Man; Company Way.
More production details to follow.
1965: Bob’s Your Uncle
1965 saw Lancaster Red Rose AODS do their 28th annual show ‘Bob’s Your Uncle’ which was staged at The Grand Theatre, Lancaster.
The 1948 musical – with music by Noel Gay; lyrics by Frank Eyton; and a book by Austin Melford – opened at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool before moving to the West End’s Saville Theatre in London.
It tells the story of Two couples, a comical uncle and an amorous mother-in-law go through a whirl of complication and misunderstandings at a wedding reception and a honeymoon hotel. The story begins in Mayfair with June getting married to rich Hector because the supply of letters from beloved Dick has dried up, though they have actually been intercepted by June’s ambitious mother. Dick, accompanied by nice cousin Sheila, Uncle Bob and (independently) June’s mother, follow the newly-weds to their hotel with Dick intent on making a last ditch stand to recover June but eventually, at the end of the confusions prefers Sheila.
Musical numbers include: He Loves Me!; Like Me a Little Bit More; We’ll Start As We Mean To Go On; Walking With a Girl Like You; Call It Love.
More production details to follow.
1964: Wild Violets
1964 saw Lancaster Red Rose AODS do their 27th annual show ‘Wild Violets’ which was staged at The Grand Theatre, Lancaster.
This was the second time the society had done the show as it had previously done the show in 1956. The 1932 musical play by Bruno Hardt-Warden – with music by Robert Stoltz; lyrics by D. Carter; and book by H. Short & D. Carter – opened in the London’s Theatre Royal (Drury Lane) in October 1932.
It tells the story of Paul, Otto and Erik (friends and students at college) who are hoping to see Liesel, Mitzi and Lena at a school reunion. Otto and Liesel are fond of each other. Paul, however, bets that within twenty-four hours he can win Liesel’s affection. The boys go along to see Madame Hoffman, the Headmistress of the girls’ school, to ask for her help during a forthcoming students’ celebration. While she is welcoming a new pupil (Mary Rutherford) Paul intercepts a telegram which is meant to inform Madame Hoffman that the new music master (Dr Franck) will not be able to arrive until the following day. Paul makes an ‘arrival’ at the school disguised as Dr Franck and there is great uproar when the real Dr Franck arrives. Realising that as a result of this episode he will not be allowed near the school again, Paul and Mary arrange a rendezvous outside the school and depart to get married.
Musical numbers include: A Girl Has Got My Heart; Don’t Say Goodbye; Charming Weather; You, Just You; Summer in Our Hearts; Dreaming of Love; I Sort of Knew; Outdoor Girl; Wine In Our Glasses; Wild Violets.
More production details to follow.
1963: Salad Days
1963 saw Lancaster Red Rose AODS do their 26th show ‘Salad Days’ which was staged at the Grand Theatre, Lancaster.
The 1954 musical – with music by Julian Slade; and lyrics by Dorothy Reynolds and Julian Slade – was initially performed at the Bristol Old Vic for three weeks before transffering to the West End’s Vaudeville Theatre.
It tells the story of a young and impetuous couple, a tramp who possesses a magic piano that makes everyone who hears it dance and a flying saucer that ultimately helps track down the piano when it goes missing.
Musical numbers include: The Things That Are Done by a Don; We Said We Wouldn’t Look Back; Find Yourself Something to Do; I Sit in the Sun; Oh, Look at Me!; Hush Hush; Oh, Look at Me!; Out of Breath; Cleopatra; Sand in My Eyes; It’s Easy to Sing; We’re Looking for a Piano; The Time of My Life; The Saucer Song; We Don’t Understand Our Children.
More production details to follow.
1962: The Quaker Girl
1962 saw Lancaster Red Rose AODS do their 25th show ‘The Quaker Girl’ which was staged at the Grand Theatre, Lancaster.
This was the second time the society had done the show as it had previously done the show in 1950.
The 1910 musical comedy – in three acts – has music by Lionel Monckton; lyrics by Adrian Ross and Percy Greenbank; and book by James T. Tanner. It tells the story of contrasts between dour Quaker morality and Parisienne high fashion. Prudence is thrown out of her house by her quaker parents for drinking a glass of champagne. Later, in Paris, her simple grey dress and bonnet become the height of fashion. The musical opened in the London’s West End at the Adelphi Theatre in 1910 before opening at the Park Theatre on Broadway in 1911.
Musical numbers include: We’ve such a tale to tell; While our worthy village neighbours; Wonderful (O, Time, Time); A Runaway Match; A Quaker Girl; A bad boy and a good girl; Tip-Toe; Just As Father Used to Do; In this Abode (Fashion So Soon Dethrones); Or Thereabouts!; On Revient de Chantilly; Ah Oui and The Little Grey Bonnet; Come to the Ball; A Dancing Lesson; Barbizon; When We Are Rich; A Wilderness and Thou; Tony, from America; Something to Tell; The First Dance.
More production details to follow.
1961: The Boy Friend
1961 saw Lancaster Red Rose AODS do their 24th show ‘The Boy Friend’ which was staged at the Grand Theatre, Lancaster.
The 1953 musical has music, lyrics and a book by Sandy Wilson.
Set against the backdrop of the French Riviera, the musical tells the story of English heiress, Polly, who is longing for a boy friend. Polly’s father, convinced that any boy who isn’t wealthy will date her strictly for her wealth, forbids her to engage any potential suitors. Honoring his wishes, Polly explains to Tony (a messenger boy) with whom she’s fallen in love, that she is no rich girl. This is just the tip of the mistaken identity iceberg, as love proceeds to find its way charmingly through nearly every member of the cast and bring them all to a happy ending.
Musical numbers include: Perfect Young Ladies; The Boy Friend; Won’t You Charleston With Me?; Fancy Forgetting; I Could Be Happy with You; Sur La Plage; A Room in Bloomsbury; Nicer in Nice; The You-Don’t-Want-to-Play-with-Me Blues; Safety in Numbers; The Riviera; It’s Never Too Late to Fall in Love; Carnival Tango; Poor Little Pierrette.
More production details to follow.
1960: Love From Judy
1960 saw Lancaster Red Rose AODS do their 23rd show ‘Love from Judy’ which was staged at the Grand Theatre, Lancaster.
The 1951 musical – with music by Hugh Martin; lyrics by Jack Gray and Hugh Martin; and book by Eric Maschwitz and Jean Webster – is based on the novel ‘Daddy Long Legs’ by Jean Webster.
The original production opened in Coventry in 1951 and moved to the Saville Theatre in the West End in 1952
It tells the story of an orphan (Jerusha ‘Judy’ Abbott) who attracts interest from a trustee and decides to give her a chance by sending her to a college. He only requests that she sends him a letter once a month keeping him updated on her studies and life. As she does not know his identity, she decides to name him “Daddy long-legs.” Over the course of her years in college, she begins to fall in love with her mysterious benefactor and he returns her feelings.
Mardi Gras; I Never Dream When I’m Asleep; It’s Great to Be an Orphan; Goin’ Back to School; Dumb, Dumb, Dumb; It’s Better Rich; Daddy Long-Legs; Love from Judy; A Touch of Voodoo; Skipping Rope Hornpipe; Here We Are; Go and Get Your Old Banjo; Kind to Animals; Ain’t Gonna Marry; My True Love; What Do I see in You.
More production details to follow.
Quick links to Lancaster Red Rose AODS shows of the … 1930’s … 1940’s … 1950’s … 1960’s … 1970’s … 1980’s … 1990’s … 2000’s … 2010’s … 2020’s.