90768
Drama productions, c. 1949-1972
Datec. 1949-1972Reference NumberAms 396/22Collection SummaryHardback notebooks with scripts glued in and producer’s notes written on facing pages. Some include programmes, letters of thanks from repertory officials, newspaper clippings, costume and staging sketches.DescriptionSeries comprises:
Ams 396/22/1: Whangārei productions:
a. Twelfth Night, William Shakespeare. Whangārei Girls’ High School, 1949. Includes hand-written letter of congratulation to Joy as producer from Frank Wild Reed (1875-1975), brother of A. H. Reed. F. W. Reed was a pharmacist in Whangārei and a passionate book collector. His collection of the works of Alexandre Dumas is the largest outside France and is now in the Sir George Grey Special Collections at Auckland Library.
b. The Land of Heart’s Desire, W. B. Yeats. Whangārei Girls’ High School, c. 1949-1950. Includes hand-written judge’s notes by G. Ethelwyn Geddes (d. 1967 – lived in Titirangi where she produced more than 80 plays).
c. The Little Man, John Galsworthy, Whangārei Girls’ High School, 1954, and The Bride from the Hills, Isobel Andrews, Whangārei Repertory Society, 1954. Two productions, one exercise book. The Bride from the Hills, ‘A One Act Play in Free Verse Written for an All-woman Cast in Three Scenes’, was published by Paul’s Book Arcade in 1962. It is possible that this was the first performance of this play, as the Old Woman is played by Isobel Andrews herself, and she has signed her name and ‘Thanking you Joy’ on the cast list.
d. Our Town, Thornton Wilder. Whangārei Repertory Society, 1954. Three exercise books: production notes, NZ adaptation, lighting notes.
e. As You Like It, William Shakespeare. Whangārei Girls’ High School, 1955.
f. You Never Can Tell, George Bernard Shaw. Whangārei Girls’ High School, 1956.
g. The Rivals, Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Whangārei Girls’ High School, 1957?
Ams 396/22/2: Seddon Memorial Technical College production. Lady Precious Stream, S. I. Hsiung, 1958.
“Lady Precious Stream by Hsiung Shih-I (S.I. Hsiung) was something of a phenomenon in its day. The first ever play in London's West End written and produced by a Chinese, it ran extremely successfully not only there but also on Broadway, going on to become one of the most performed plays in the world. Lady Precious Stream came about when Hsiung sent a political chamber piece he'd written to his friend George Bernard Shaw. Shaw responded that he thought Hsiung, as a Chinese writer, could only have his work staged if he wrote 'something different. Something really Chinese and traditional'.”
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/chinahealth/newsx/lady_precious_stream
Ams 396/22/3: Tauranga productions:
a. The Cherry Orchard, Anton Chekhov. Tauranga Repertory Society, 1961.
b. Uncle Vanya, Anton Chekhov. Tauranga Repertory Society, 1965.
c. Life with Father, Clarence Day Jr. Tauranga Repertory Society, 1967.
d. The Skin of our Teeth, Thornton Wilder. Tauranga Repertory Society, 1972. Two exercise books: producer’s copy, prompt copy. CreatorDrayton, Mary Josephine, 1916-2012LevelSeriesSystem of ArrangementThe original order of the series has been maintained and arranged into thirty-one series which reflect the major activities of the creator over the years.LanguageEnglish
a. Twelfth Night, William Shakespeare. Whangārei Girls’ High School, 1949. Includes hand-written letter of congratulation to Joy as producer from Frank Wild Reed (1875-1975), brother of A. H. Reed. F. W. Reed was a pharmacist in Whangārei and a passionate book collector. His collection of the works of Alexandre Dumas is the largest outside France and is now in the Sir George Grey Special Collections at Auckland Library.
b. The Land of Heart’s Desire, W. B. Yeats. Whangārei Girls’ High School, c. 1949-1950. Includes hand-written judge’s notes by G. Ethelwyn Geddes (d. 1967 – lived in Titirangi where she produced more than 80 plays).
c. The Little Man, John Galsworthy, Whangārei Girls’ High School, 1954, and The Bride from the Hills, Isobel Andrews, Whangārei Repertory Society, 1954. Two productions, one exercise book. The Bride from the Hills, ‘A One Act Play in Free Verse Written for an All-woman Cast in Three Scenes’, was published by Paul’s Book Arcade in 1962. It is possible that this was the first performance of this play, as the Old Woman is played by Isobel Andrews herself, and she has signed her name and ‘Thanking you Joy’ on the cast list.
d. Our Town, Thornton Wilder. Whangārei Repertory Society, 1954. Three exercise books: production notes, NZ adaptation, lighting notes.
e. As You Like It, William Shakespeare. Whangārei Girls’ High School, 1955.
f. You Never Can Tell, George Bernard Shaw. Whangārei Girls’ High School, 1956.
g. The Rivals, Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Whangārei Girls’ High School, 1957?
“Lady Precious Stream by Hsiung Shih-I (S.I. Hsiung) was something of a phenomenon in its day. The first ever play in London's West End written and produced by a Chinese, it ran extremely successfully not only there but also on Broadway, going on to become one of the most performed plays in the world. Lady Precious Stream came about when Hsiung sent a political chamber piece he'd written to his friend George Bernard Shaw. Shaw responded that he thought Hsiung, as a Chinese writer, could only have his work staged if he wrote 'something different. Something really Chinese and traditional'.”
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/chinahealth/newsx/lady_precious_stream
a. The Cherry Orchard, Anton Chekhov. Tauranga Repertory Society, 1961.
b. Uncle Vanya, Anton Chekhov. Tauranga Repertory Society, 1965.
c. Life with Father, Clarence Day Jr. Tauranga Repertory Society, 1967.
d. The Skin of our Teeth, Thornton Wilder. Tauranga Repertory Society, 1972. Two exercise books: producer’s copy, prompt copy.
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Kaitiakitanga StatementWe ask that, in addition to normal copyright and privacy considerations, users of our heritage resources uphold the mana and dignity of the people, communities and places depicted within.CopyrightCopyright may apply. Please contact us if you have information regarding the copyright status of this item.Access ConditionsNo access restrictions apply to this series.AcknowledgementTauranga City Libraries Ams 396/22
Relates To
Part of Archive CollectionAms 396
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Source of ContributionLibrary collection
Drayton, Mary Josephine, 1916-2012, Drama productions, c. 1949-1972 (c. 1949-1972). Pae Korokī, accessed 04/06/2023, https://paekoroki.tauranga.govt.nz/nodes/view/90768
