La Belle Helene
Karingal High School
April 1971
Offenbach’s comic retelling of how the Trojan war began treats the legend with more than a pinch of salt. The ridiculous plot follows Paris’s wooing of the beautiful Helene. She has been promised to him by the goddess Venus, despite being married to King Menelaus. Disguised as a shepherd, Paris steals her heart with his good looks and intelligence, by winning a contest of wits. Disguised as a slave he gains access to her bedroom and steals a kiss while she believes herself to be dreaming. Then finally, disguised as the High Priest of Venus, he steals Helene herself, with her husband cheering them on. He takes her off to Troy and thus begins the Trojan war.
PRODUCTION TEAM
Director | Ray Burgess |
Musical Director | Paul Cauchy |
Choreographer | Coralie Carson |
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Production Co-ordinator | Eddie Jones |
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Stage Manager | Neil Weatherill |
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Wardrobe | Margaret McGregor |
Scenic Design | Gordon Brennan |
Lighting Design | Peter Hart |
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Assistant Stage Manager | Martyn Keeley |
Scenic Construction | Leslie Hart |
Scenic Artist | Nicki Munro |
Rehearsal Pianist | Celia Hallam |
Properties | Elaine Oldham |
Prompt | Joan Keeley |
Front of House | Dawn mau |
Ticket Secretary | Doris Baker |
Publicity and Promotions | Peter Hart |
Photographs | Tony Evans |
Program Design | Veronica Ferguson |
| Peter Hart |
Scenery Construction | Tom Hand |
| Ron Elliott |
Scenic Artist | Jamie Semmens |
Stage Crew | Trevor Barson |
| Denis Wiltshire |
| Michael Barson |
| Ian Robertson |
| Tony Evans |
| Edgar Borne |
Lighting Assistant | Owen Marsh |
| Michael Lawrence |
| Colin Tyrus |
| Daryl O’Brien |
| Ian McLune |
Costume Assistant | Elizabeth Palmer |
| Margaret Ovenden |
| Judith Aisbett |
| Elaine Oldham |
| Jayne Copeland |
| Pamela McNeilly |
| Sonya Dobson |
Ticket Assistant | Jean Borne |
Front of House Assistants | Rod Birch |
| Sarnia Birch |
| Norma Allen |
Properties Assistant | Judy Page |
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Conductor | Don Coxon |
Violins | Margaret Baillie |
| Ted Holmes |
| Ted Greenberger |
| John Conyers |
Viola | Heather Birrell |
Cello | Paul Mercer |
Bass | Tad Cznarnecki |
Oboe | Ray Hestelow |
Bassoon | Paul Barnden |
Horn | Andrew Rourke |
Pianist | Shirley Trembath |
Flute | John Jones |
Clarinet | David Parnell |
| Ilka Suhonen |
Trumpet | Max Argent |
| Brian Ellis |
Trombone | Ken Brown |
Tympany | Paul Farrugia |
Percussion | Greg Newham |
CAST
Juno | Audrey Carruthers |
Minerva | Wendy Allinson |
Venus | Noelyne Godson |
Mercury | Dirk Smibert |
Paris | Robert Jones |
Leonas | Noel Archibald |
Cressida | Pamela McNeilly |
Philocomus | Norm Sotherby |
Calchas | Robert Brewster |
Nesta | Joan Nightingale |
Helen | Rosemary Gunn |
Orestes | Ken Boness |
Ajax | Jack Baker |
Achilles | Keith Hall |
Menelaus | Arthur Mead |
Agamemnon | Bern Conlan |
Ballet | Christine Best |
| Nanette Dodgshun |
| Angela Dodgshun |
| Christine Hand |
| Janet Hand |
| Joanne Johson |
| Vivienne Mead |
| Sue Moore |
| Judith Prowse |
| Suzanne Rayment |
| Anne Rippingale |
| Cheryl Tilley |
Pa De Trois | Nanette Dodgshun |
| Janet Hand |
| Suzanne Rayment |
Chorus | Judith Aisbett |
| Wendy Allinson |
| Noel Archibald |
| Joyce Brown |
| Edie baldwin |
| Audrey Carruthers |
| Roslyn Da Costa |
| Joan Dowing |
| Marianne Elliott |
| Joan Hooke |
| Rhonda Horwood |
| Dianne Lane |
| Norma Macer |
| Hilary Morton |
| Pamela McNeilly |
| Margaret O’Toole |
| Teresa Ovenden |
| Bettie Packman |
| Julia Power |
| Coral Rekers |
| Jean Riley |
| Barbara Rothwell |
| Betty Schlager |
| Eunice Snow |
| Beverley Snow |
| Isobel Taylor |
| Tony Conlan |
| Doug Ferguson |
| Mark Heaysman |
| Geoff Hooke |
| Eddie Jones |
| Bill Hartley |
| Clem Macer |
| Keith Moran |
| Ian Power |
| Errol Rowe |
| Jamie Semmens |
| Dirk Smibert |
