Song of Norway

Richmond Theatre

March 1967

Producer – Dawn Spence

Musical Director – Colin Copestake

Choreographers – Jackie Ridgewell & Christa Haring

Song of Norway is a musical written in 1944 by Robert Wright and George Forrest, adapted from the music of Edvard Grieg and the book by Milton Lazarus.

The show opened at the Imperial Theater in New York on August 21, 1944, and ran for 860 performances. It was also popular in London running for 526 performances at the Palace Theatre, the first Broadway show to cross the Atlantic after the end of the Second World War.

The show is set in Troldhaugen, Norway in 1860 and follows the lives of three childhood friends: Grieg, Louisa Giovanni — an opera singer — and fellow composer Rikard Nordraak.

After the near sell out run of Carousel this was the company’s second offering at Richmond where programmes sold for one shilling.

Can you help with more information? Please send any information you have over to archives@brostc.org.

CAST

Rikard Nordraak – Kenneth Kendrick

Sigrid – Lyn Hunt

Einar – Christopher Lennon

Eric – Michael Dore

Gunnar – Burgess Warren

Grima – Deborah Catford

Helga – Sandra Jones

Nina Hagerup – Veronica Stockwell

Edvard Grieg – George Anderson

Father Grieg – Joseph Olden

Mother Grieg – Roma Morgan

Father Nordraak – Vincent Mulligan

Freddy – Alan Salter

Innkeeper – Charles Stockwell

Count Peppi le Loup – David Armstrong

Louisa Giovanni – Moira Butt

Frau Professor Norden – Marjorie Doughty

Elvera – Pauline Kendrick

Hedwig – Joy Cooper

Greta – Mollie Boliston

Margharetta – Irene Ridley

Miss Anders – Audrey Hunt

Henrik Ibsen – Geoffrey Needs

Tito – Alex Mulholland

Maestro Pisoni – Edward Bellamy

Butler – Keith Russell

Adelina Concerto Ballet – Susan Saunders

Spirit of Norway – Susan Saunders

Spirit of Nordraak – Alan Salter

Corps de Ballet (From the City Dance Theatre) – Susan Saunders, stina Grist, Sheila Hayman, Anna Holmes & Robin Kanarek, Pat Melluish, Alan Salter

Norwegian Dancers – Celia Cohen, Jennifer Hicks, Janet Josey, Alison Needs, Maureen Ferguson, Sheilagh Phillips, Louise Sullivan, Sharon Waller

Chorus – Ann Bacon, Gladys Bond, Pat Brian, Joy Catford, Alison de Baer, Elizabeth Ferrari, Janet Gorton, Betty Jones, Pauline Kendrick, Zoe Miller, Sue Nathan, Madelaine Olden, Ruth Price, Irene Ridley, Immelda Ryan, Lotta Smith, Joan Smoothey, David Armour, Steven Evans, Louis Gallea, Tod Gold, Andrew Howard, Ken Jones, Martin Last, Fred Patterson

CREW

Stage Manager – Peter Cuer

Assistant Stage Manager – Patricia Bailey

House Manager – Geoffrey Bishop

Soloist & rehearsal Accompanist – Lesley Woolf

Box Office – Barbara Webster

Prompt – Joy Catford

Wardrobe Mistresses – Eveleen Horsburgh, Einna Mulligan & Daphne Needs

Scenery – Stage Scenery

Costumes – Morris Angel & Son Ltd

Furniture – Old Times Furnishings

Perruquiers – Mr & Mrs Meades