The Actorsingers

Presenting Community Theatre since 1955

Chimes of Normandy (1957)

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Good Shepherd Parish House Auditorium
November 11-13, 1957

Music by Robert Planquette

English Libretto by Farnie & Reece

(Produced by special arrangement with Tams-Witmark of New York)



DRAMATIS PERSONAE

(In order of appearance)


Village peasants

GERTRUDE Frances Peterson

JEANNE Beth Tebbetts

MANETTE Theresa Hauser

SUZANNE Arlene Annis

SERPOLETTE Mary Strickland

NOTARY Gerald Stevenson

CLERKS Karl Henry and James Jones

THE BAILLI Leonard Rule

GASPARD, A Miser Lionel Boucher

GRENICHEUX, A Fisherman Edgar Simoneau

GERMAINE Barbara Monroe

HENRI, Marquis of Corneville Bill Morgan

A SAILOR James Jones

PEASANT MAIDENS Arlene Annis, Ethel Shenton Jones, Marcelle Houle, Virginia Smith, Nancy Laquerre, Beth Tebbetts, Therese Houle, Joan Lenz, Helen Kiratsos, Louise Stulgis, Frances Peterson, Kathryn Wiggin, Connie Wood, Theresa Hauser, Jean Lenz

VILLAGERS, SAILORS, AND SERVANTS Ralph B. Gould, Roger Lovejoy, Donald Hurd, Gerald Stevenson, Harold Annis, James Burns, Albin Tamulonis, Robert Goss, Terrence Fairbanks

Credits

We wish to thank our many friends for the kindness and generosity for helping make this production possible; especially are we grateful to our ever growing list of guarantors for their continued support, and also: the Rector, Wardens and Vestry, George Hambleton, Bruce Spaulding, Lionel Boucher, Beth Tebbetts, Johnson's Electric, John Hess

STAFF

Producer and Director James A. Wood

Assistant to the Producer and Business Administrator Ethel Shenton Jones

Accompanists Jo Millett and Corinne Conlon

Chimes Joanne Millett

Stage Manager Ralph Wright

Stage Assistants Roert Hoitt, Carroll Leone, Maurice Buckley, Ralph Cudhea, Thomas W. Butt, Albert Bedard, William J. Baybutt, George Niles

Decor and Painting Geoffrey Smith, Dee Bradley, Julie Carter, Mrs. Parker Bradley

Scene Construction Bob Goss, George Hambleton, Eileen Hoitt, William J. Baybutt

Costumes Beth Tebbetts, Chairman and Designer, Pearl Stevenson, Margaret Tamulonis, Flora Cross, Pearl Ware and Hooker-Howe Costume Company, Haverhill

Properties and Set Decor Betty DerManoogian, Ora Travis, Zoya Shlakis

Make-Up Pearl Ware, Betty Badeau

Wardrobe Administrator Phyllis Hjelm

House Manager and Seating Marietta Vore

Ushers Monday: Flora Cross, Pearl Stevenson, Vera Buckley, and Margaret Tamulonis; Tuesday: Betty Niles, Flora Cross, Sally Morgan and Dorothy Boucher; Wednesday: Rachael Simoneau, Claire Joyal, Lili Boyatsis and Anne Olshewsky

Tickets Clifford Monroe, Chairman, Ethel Shenton Jones, Helen Kiratsos, Ora Travis, Marcelle Houle

Publicity Ralph Wright, Marcelle Houle, Bob Goss and Ethel Jones

Photograph for Actorsingers Ralph Wright

Refreshments Monday & Tuesday: Unit VI
Wednesday: Litchfield PTA

Refreshments will be sold during intermissions
in the lounge, where smoking is permitted
NO SMOKING IN THE AUDITORIUM PLEASE

SYNOPSIS

Act I Scene 1: On the way to the Fair, near Corneville
Scene 2: The Hiring Fair, Corneville

(Intermission of ten minutes between acts)

Act II A room in the chateau of Corneville, the following night

(Intermission of ten minutes between acts)

Act III A park, near the chateau of Corneville

TIME -- 17th Century

"THE CHIMES OF NORMANDY"

At the opening curtain, villagers and peasants are on their way to the hiring fair, and the ladies become engaged in a bit of gossip with Serpolette, a village good-for-nothing. Gaspard, a miser, who wishes to have his niece, Germaine, marry the magistrate Bailli, cames upon the scene and disperses the crowd. (Germaine meanwhile is being sought by a young fisherman, Grenicheux, who pretends he has saved her from drowning).

To escape from having to follow old Gaspard's power Germaine takes advantage of the fair, and is hired by Henri (who appears disguised as a Mexican). Both Grenicheux and Serpolette follow her example, and thus enjoy protection of their employer, Henri, the Marquis of Corneville.

In the second act, within the chateau, the Marquis, Germaine and his followers are determined to find out who the supposed "ghosts" are who have given the chateau its "haunted" name. Henri discovers it is Gaspard, the miser, who has been hiding his gold and treasures in the closed chateau. The discovery of his hiding place drives Gaspard crazy when he hears the chimes ringing out for the first time.

In the concluding act, a fete is in progress to honor the return of the Marquis. Serpolette arrives as the Marchioness, as papers found in the chateau seem to convince her she is the lost heiress. Gaspard, however, recovers his senses and proves the Germaine is the true Marcioness, Henri and Germaine are at last united (the reunion of two old Corneville familes- the Lucenays and the name family of the village- Corneville) Thus the right ones are united happily.