Finian's Rainbow (1984)
Lyrics by E.Y.Harburg, Music by Burton Lane, Book by E.Y.Harburg & Fred Saidy
Directed by Bruce Murry, Assistant Director Robert Hedden, Musical Director Nick Robinson
Performances: Weds 4th – Sat 7th (matinee 2pm Sat 7th) & Tues 10th - Sat 14th January (Gala performance Thurs 12th) 1984, Bell Theatre
Contents
Introduction
Performed by arrangement with Chappell & Co. Ltd. Finian's Rainbow was first performed at the 46th Street Theatre, New York on January 10th 1947, and ran for 725 performances. The show opened at the Palace Theatre, London on October 21st 1947.
When this musical first opened it was considered ahead of its time, combining the story of an Irishman whose leprechaun comes to life in the American South with the theme of racial injustice.
The story concerns Finian McLonaghan, who having stolen the crock of gold from the bottom of the rainbow, leaves Ireland with his daughter Sharon in search of a new life in Rainbow Valley, a small tobacco town in the mythical state of Missytucky in America's deep South.
Ogg, the leprechaun, follows Finian in hot pursuit of his crock of gold and finds he is slowly turning mortal. Combined with Ogg's misadventures is the tale of Senator Rawlins, a greedy racial bigot, who, through Sharon inadvertently using up the crock's three magical wishes, turns black.
Cast
- Buzz Collins - Bernard Witt
- Sheriff - James Lyne
- Susan Mahoney - Nikki Hogg
- Henry - Graham Whitlock, Sam Armstrong
- Maude - Anne Mattey
- Finian McLonergan - Mike Mattey
- Sharon McLonergan - Ann Richards
- Woody Mahoney - Paul Allen
- Ogg (A Leprechaun) - John Hartnett
- Senator Billboard Rawlins - Dennis Packham
- Geologists - Jeanette Hoile, Vince Dunn
- Miss Hire Purchase - Pam Lyne
- Rainbow Valley sharecroppers - Anne Mattey, Sue Goodes, Gilda Possible, Jeanie Hossell, Jeni de Haart, Bernadette de Haart, Frances Walker, James Winter, Chris Golding, Martin Leach & Del Hunt
- Children - Carol Godard, Megan Cawte, Kate Bottle, Graham Whitlock, Natlaie Harris, Laura Hunt & Polly Thorpe or Harriet Norwood, Lucy Phillips, Darren Shrub, Emily Palmer, Joseph Bishop, Francesca Morales, Sam Armstrong
Crew
- Stage Manager - Brian Fretwell
- Assistant Stage Managers - Julia Seddon, Carol Wheeler, John Kidd, Matt Bentham, Ray Ellison, Richard Wood
- Lighting - Ann King
- Recorded sound effects - Brian Fretwell
- Costumes - Jeanette Hoile
- Assisted by - Iris Lenny, Hilda Couldon, Lynn Jenner & Frances Johnson
- Piano - Nick Robinson
- Percussion - Vince Dunn
- Set Construction - Bruce Murray, Brian Fretwell, Richard Wood & Ray Ellison
Reviews
Some review quotes go here
Gallery
Reminiscences and Anecdotes
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See Also
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Or add anything that is related within this site. The author's page for instance or other plays with a similar theme.
References
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