Alloa Musical Players
Alloa Musical Players
Keeping musical theatre live since 1952
Our Story
Our Story
Here is our history of performances. Additional photographs and other material is available in GALLERY which you will also find under the MORE tab above. Just scroll down the years and enjoy!
1952
1952
The earliest records we have of Alloa Amateur Operatic Society come from photograph albums started by David Dewar of Alloa and continued by his son Alan, who has kindly supplied many photographs. There are photographs of some of the founder members performing with "Dollar Operatic" in various operettas. Alloa Operatic Society was, they say, re-formed following the end of World War 2, although we cannot find any reference to its pre-war existence.
The President in 1952 was Victor E Cuthbert. David Dewar was a committee member. A concert was given that year in Alloa Town Hall with songs from members and featuring Victor E Cuthbert at the Town Hall Organ. (The rear wall of the stage was in those days home to an impressive pipe organ). We have a photograph of participants in our Gallery. (Scroll down to 1952!)
There was no production in this first year but rehearsals began for the first post-war production, HMS Pinafore.
Here are names of performers remembered from the 1950s (some of them have signed the first programme below!): David Dewar, Jean Kirkwood, Grant Horne, Margaret Laidlaw, Emma McClements, Elizabeth Mudie, Molly Michie, Gordon & Maureen McFarlane, Alice Binnie, Arthur Muddiman, Sandy Smith, Bob and Bess McFarlane and David Hunter (pictured right) – who remained an active member until his death in 2018.
1953
1953
Hon. President A. R. Proctor esq.
President Victor E Cuthbert esq.
Chairman Mr William G. McLeod
Hon. Secretary & Treasurer Mr Jack Allan
Hon. Assistant Secretary Miss J. Wilson
The company performed:
HMS Pinafore
Music Arthur Sullivan
Lyrics W S Gilbert
Producer James Mercer
Musical Director John Hunter McBain
Accompanist Mrs James (Dorothy) Allan
1954
1954
President Victor E Cuthbert
This year’s show was:
Pirates of Penzance
Music Arthur Sullivan
Lyrics W S Gilbert
Producer Marion Locke
Musical Director John Hunter McBain
In 2014, 60 years later, AMP gave a revival of this Victorian classic – with a few modern twists!
1955
1955
President Victor E Cuthbert
The Mikado
Music Arthur Sullivan
Lyrics W S Gilbert
Producer Ian Stewart
Musical Director John Hunter McBain
You can see that Gilbert and Sullivan operettas were in vogue!
Here are David Dewar, William McEwan, Helen McLean, Margaret Laidlaw, and Jean Kirkwood.
There are more images in Gallery (scroll to 1955)
1956
1956
President Victor E Cuthbert
The Gondoliers
Music Arthur Sullivan
Lyrics W S Gilbert
Producer Ian Stewart
Musical Director John Hunter McBain
1957
1957
President Victor E Cuthbert
Alloa Amateur Operatic Society breaks away from G&S!
A Country Girl
Music Lionel Monckton
Lyrics Adrian Ross & Percy Greenbank
Producer Margaret Eadie
Musical Director John Hunter McBain
There's a picture from the show in Gallery
1958
1958
Back to G&S!
President Victor E Cuthbert
Iolanthe
Producer Margaret Eadie
Musical Director John Hunter McBain
Picture from the Alloa production - David Dewar far right.
We thought you might be interested in checking out some local advertisers in the 1958 programme in Gallery.
1959
1959
President Victor E Cuthbert
Quaker Girl
Music Lionel Monkton
Lyrics Adrian Ross and Percy Greenbank
Book James T Tanner
Producer Margaret Eadie
Musical Director John Hunter McBain
Peek inside the programme in Gallery (Scroll down to 1959)
1960
1960
President Victor E Cuthbert
Another Edwardian operetta:
Veronique
Music Andre Messager
Lyrics in English by Henry Hamilton
Producer Margaret Eadie
Musical Director Arthur Muddiman
Picture from the Alloa production - pretty sure that's the only time a donkey has appeared on the Town Hall stage!
In Gallery you will find some of the Programme content - scroll down to 1960
1961
1961
President Victor E Cuthbert
And back to Gilbert & Sullivan
HMS Pinafore & Trial by Jury
Music Arthur Sullivan
Lyrics W S Gilbert
Producer Muriel Brown
This was Muriel's first show with us
She directed 20!
Musical Director John Hunter McBain
There are two cast photographs, one from each piece, in Gallery 1961
1962
1962
A new President Grant P Horne
And a very sudden leap forward into shows of the 1950s and the magic of Rogers & Hammerstein's Carousel (April 1945, Broadway). This is not an Operetta - it's a Musical! Hello USA ...
Carousel
Music Richard Rogers
Lyrics Oscar Hammerstein ll
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director John Hunter McBain
The part of Louise was played in this production by Linda Ormiston, daughter of Producer Muriel Brown. Linda went on to perform with Scottish Opera and Saddlers Wells!
See a few pics from the programme in Gallery
1963
1963
President Grant P Horne
Loving our Rogers & Hammerstein ….
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (March 1943 on Broadway) is one of a handful of turning-point musicals that changed the direction of musical theatre ... a real break-away from operetta and music hall into an integrated production - songs, dance and story as a seamless whole. And these are musicals that became motion pictures ...
Music Richard Rogers
Lyrics Oscar Hammerstein ll
Book Green Grow the Lilacs by Lynn Riggs
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Robert Younger
1964
1964
President Grant P Horne
And back to operetta …
White Horse Inn
Music Ralph Benatzky & Robert Stoltz
Lyrics Hans Muller-Einigen
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Robert Younger
We have one photograph of this production in Gallery
1965
1965
President Grant P Horne
Castles in Spain
Music Harry Fragson
Lyrics Eustace Ponsonby
Book Cosmo Hamilton
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Robert Younger
Ballet Mistress Jessie Murray
This was the year Jessie Murray became a long-serving choreographer with AAOS - to be succeeded by her daughter Barbara in the 1980s.
We have a cast photo from the Programme in Gallery
1966
1966
President Grant P Horne
We select from the 1920s …
The Desert Song
Music Sigmund Romberg
Lyrics Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II &
Frank Mundell
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Robert Younger
Sets by George McIntosh
There are pictures in Gallery
1967
1967
President Grant P Horne
We move forward to the 40s and discover Lerner & Lowe …
and Scotland as you never knew it!
Brigadoon
Music Frederick Lowe
Lyrics Alan Jay Lerner
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Robert Younger
See highlights of the Programme in Gallery
1968
1968
President Grant P Horne
And back to operetta – the best – Offenbach! Yes – the one with the Can Can!
Orpheus in the Underworld
Music Jacques Offenbach
Lyrics Hector Cremieux & Ludovic Halevy
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Robert Younger
Here is Tom Forsyth as Orpheus
Sadly President Grant Horne died suddenly, later this year, at the early age of 49.
1969
1969
President David M Dewar
A new President this year. He remained President for many years and David was honoured by the Society in 1978 ...
The Gypsy Baron
Music Johann Strauss II
Lyrics Phil Park
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Robert Younger
Here's a photo in Gallery (scroll down to 1969)
1970
1970
President David M Dewar
Still with operetta with the finest of scores – this time Franz Lehar.
The Merry Widow
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Robert Younger
Photos of principals in Gallery (scroll down to 1970)
1971
1971
President David M Dewar
The 1950s reassert themselves with this blockbuster …
My Fair Lady
Music Frederick Lowe
Lyrics Alan Jay Lerner
Book Based on the Pygmalion tale immortalised by George Bernard Shaw
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Robert Younger
There are a few cast photographs in Gallery - click through and scroll down to 1971
Interestingly in this year an Arts Guild was established so that subscribers could support the arts in Clackmannanshire. Alloa Amateur Operatic Society was listed along with many of the other performing groups.
Possibly even more interesting - a bomb scare during the final performance! Link is to a newspaper cutting of the audience that night - packed house!
1972
1972
President David M Dewar
Then we time travel back to Victorian and the frothiest G&S - performed by the company for the second time. (See 1956)
The Gondoliers
Music Arthur Sullivan
Lyrics W S Gilbert
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Robert Younger
Ballet Mistress Jessie Murray
Piano Accompanist Archie Ewing
Pictures in Gallery show some well-known and much loved Clackmannanshire performers from this era. Click through and scroll down to 1972.
1973
1973
21st Anniversary Year
President David M Dewar
And back to the 1950s and the outstanding partnership of Rogers & Hammerstein
The King and I
Music Richard Rogers
Lyrics Oscar Hammerstein ll
Book Margaret Langdon:
Anna and the King of Siam
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Robert Stein
Ballet Mistress Jessie Murray
Piano Accompanist Archie Ewing
And the company also performed a concert:
Songs from the Shows
Musical Director Robert Stein (his first year with us)
Producer Muriel Brown
Accompanist Archie Ewing
There are some photos from this year in Gallery
The company also performed "Songs from the Shows" in Alloa Town Hall in December 1973. We note the programme price was 5p.
1974
1974
President David M Dewar
Back to operetta – still the very best with this adaptation of "Die Fledermaus" by Johann Strauss
Pink Champagne
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Robert Stein
1975
1975
President David M Dewar
A contemporary blockbuster ….
Hello Dolly
Music & Lyrics Jerry Herman
Book Based on The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Bob Stein
Choreographer Jessie Murray
Songs from the Shows (concert)
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Bob Stein
There are some pics in our Gallery
1976
1976
President David M Dewar
Our first Irving Berlin!
Call me Madam
Music Irving Berlin
Lyrics Howard Lindsay & Russell Crouse
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Bob Stein
There are some more photos in Gallery
1977
1977
President David M Dewar
Oklahoma!
Music Richard Rogers
Lyrics Oscar Hammerstein ll
This ground-breaking 1943 musical, building on the innovations of the earlier Show Boat, epitomized the development of the "book musical", a musical play where the songs and dances are fully integrated into a well-made story with serious dramatic goals that are able to evoke genuine emotions other than laughter. The company first performed it in 1963 - it has and will continue to stand the test of time ....
Book Green Grow the Lilacs by Lynn Riggs
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Bob Stein
Choreographer Jessie Murray
There are some photographs in Gallery
The Company also performed:
Jubilee Songs from the Shows (concert)
1978/9
1978/9
We have a new:
President Peter Harrower
King’s Rhapsody
Music and Book Ivor Novello
Lyrics Christopher Hassall
Producer Muriel Brown
Musical Director Bob Stein
Choreography Effie McCowan