80 Years On

This year is the 80th anniversary of the foundation of the Gisborne Amateur Operatic Society and special cele-bration performances of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado" (page 60) will be presented to mark the occasion. The first production of the society was "Iolan the" in the old Theatre Royal. Since then lavish and tuneful musicals have been the trademark of the society. The photos reproduced on these pages show some of the works, and high standard of costuming, over the years.

The Gisborne Orchestral Society provided the music for the shows from the beginning.

This rare old photograph shows members of the cast in "Rip Van Winkle" produced in 1894. In front: Rosina Adair, Frank Kennedy. At back: Arnold Foster, Rosemary Rees (who later became a world famous authoress), T. Dalrymple and George Grant.

Get a load of the fashions worn by the ladies of the chorus in "Runaway Girl", 1925.

The late Bill Bignell, a life-member of the society, played Leonello in "Runaway Girl", a very popular show.

The late Mr A. Zachariah who was known to one and all as "Zac". A local tailor, he was a very popular comedian and played in society productions from 1924 to 1930. He is seen here in "Floradora" in 1924.

"The Belle of New York"(1929) starred Inez Rigg and Rees Allan.

upper and lower: Mainland Foster and Mrs Foster. He was musical director from 1906 until 1929, and she was pianist for many years.

Messrs Cardston and Baxter, producers of "The Belle of New York" and "The Arcadians".

Cecily Gregory was the driving force behind the revival of the society when it came out of recess in 1949, after the war years.

In 1937 "Rio Rita" featured, from left, Marie Williams, Jim Nicol, Jessie Coleman, Una Crosswell, Molly Park and Evelyn Ray.

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The Gisborne Photo News

No 216 : June 14, 1972

80 Years On