In November 1963 the Bristol Light Opera Club brought “The American Hit Musical” The Music Man, the story of a travelling salesman who sells a boys’ band to an Iowa town, to the Bristol Hippodrome for a week. Eileen Vaughan produced, Vernon Jones was musical director and conductor, and the dances were “arranged and taught by Miss Bettie Vowles” of the Westbury School of Dancing, with the Hippodrome Orchestra augmented by David Way (violin) and Ethel Stanhope (pianoforte). Roderick Young played Harold Hill opposite Judith Bright’s Marian. Friday was “Civic Night”, welcoming the Lord Mayor and the Sheriff, and the programme already announced the next show, The Most Happy Fella, “For The First Time In Bristol!”
Cast
- Charlie Cowell — Bob Bradshaw
- Conductor — Ken Jordan
- Harold Hill — Roderick Young
- Mayor Shinn — Cecil Hockin
- Ewart Dunlop — Trevor Reeves
- Oliver Hix — Charles Andrews
- Jacey Squires — George King
- Olin Britt — David Leat
- Marcellus Washburn — George Bayliss
- Tommy Djilas — Albert Brown
- Marian Paroo — Judith Bright
- Mrs. Paroo — Esme Salter
- Amaryllis — Julia Whitby / Gillian Crompton
- Winthrop Paroo — John Trayhurn / Clive Butler
- Eulalie Shinn — Gladys Massey
- Zaneeta Shinn — Joan Barrett
- Gracie Shinn — Jane Callaway
- Alma Hix — Myra Cook
- Maud Dunlop — Elizabeth Durbin
- Ethel Toffelmier — Mary Wooller
- Mrs. Squires — Gwen Sutton
- Constable Locke — John Bennett