History of the Repertory Society
The Repertory Society in Whakatane was initiated by a Mr John Kelsey in 1950, who was its first President. Interested persons attended a meeting at Magnus Lennie's premises in Strand East and it was decided to purchase two sections in James Street from a Mr Green, who owned the grocery shop on the corner of James and King Streets, for 300 pounds (150 pounds per section). This money was raised by the first group of members and the Title purchased.
Then the Hut was built, again by members, aided by Mr Warren Beasley (a local builder) and Mr Luke (of Boon, Sullivan and Luke). Then, as now, it was obviously all hands on to get things done.
The first committee consisted of, amongst others - John Kelsey, President, Gladys Franklyn, Secretary (this job taken on the following year by Dorothy Pearce) and Millie Thatcher, Treasurer. Others on the committee were Cyril Thatcher, Warren and Barbara Beasley, Doug Debreceny. Incidentally, Millie is still with us.
Other early members were Ursula Lovelock, Nan Morice, John Sullivan, Breton Chadwick (Robin Chadwick's father), Froggie Le Lievre and Ian McLean.
The first production was 'You Can't Take It With You' by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufmanan. This was probably performed at the old Grand Theatre on the Strand, but other, smaller productions were put on at the Women's Institute Hall in Lovelock Street.
All the Record Books and photographs are held at the Whakatane Museum, where you are quite welcome to peruse them for further information.
So, 1950 to 2005 - not bad going and many, many happy memories - of successes - ALL successes in our eyes but some not so rewarding; of hard work, dedication and all the great people who have come through the doors of our little Hut in James Street and contributed to 'The Repertory'.
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1950 |
You Can't Take It With You |
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1951 |
Outward Bound |
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Major Barbara |
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1952 |
French Without Tears |
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1953 |
Arsenic & Old Lace |
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Twelfth Night |
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1954 |
Return to Bedlam |
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1955 |
Caesar & Cleopatra |
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1956 |
See How They Run |
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1957 |
The Shop at Sly Corner |
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Thark |
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1958 |
Separate Tables |
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Dear Charles |
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1959 |
Dial M for Murder |
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As Long As They're Happy |
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1960 |
Heartbreak House |
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Our Town |
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1961 |
Night Must Fall |
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Beauty and the Beast |
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1962 |
Doctor in the House |
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The Bat |
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1963 |
Teahouse of the August Moon |
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1964 |
The Hollow |
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Look Back in Anger |
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1965 |
Macbeth |
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1966 |
The One Day of the Year |
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Only an Orphan Girl |
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1967 |
As Long As They're Happy |
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1968 |
Arsenic & Old Lace |
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1969 |
Twice In A Lifetime |
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Letter From The General |
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1970 |
One Way Pendulum |
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1971 |
As We See It |
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Semi Detached |
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1972 |
1 Act Plays - The Happy Journey & |
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Sunday Costs Five Pesos |
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Crossing the Bar & The Age of Leisure |
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Whose Deal, Sketches & Sons etc. |
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1973 |
Barefoot in the Park |
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1974 |
The Effect of Gamma rays on Man- |
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in -the-Moon Marigolds |
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1975 |
Goodnight Mrs Puffin |
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Dead Liberty, After Magritte, The Bear |
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Brush with a Body |
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1976 |
Conversation with a Golliwog, Mill Hill |
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The Witches, Burn-up, Perfection City |
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A Taste of Honey |
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1977 |
The Morepork Tree |
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Anthology of NZ Literature |
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The Laboratory |
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Edward |
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Oh Romeo |
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1978 |
The Killing of Sister George |
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How the Other Half Loves |
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The Diary of Anne Frank |
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Mediaeval Evening |
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1979 |
Billy Liar |
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1 Act Play Festival |
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The Great Cross-Country Race |
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Habeas Corpus |
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1980 |
Boeing Boeing |
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Move Over Mrs Markham |
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The Plotter of Cabbage Patch Corner |
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The Miracle Worker |
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She Stoops to Conquer |
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1981 |
Crossfire |
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Bad Jelly the Witch |
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Shotgun Wedding |
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NZTF Play Festival |
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1982 |
Halfway Up The Tree |
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Skungpoomery |
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Cowardly Custard |
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An Ideal Husband |
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1983 |
Laughter In The Dark |
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The Dancing Donkey |
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A Murder is Announced |
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Lock Up your daughters (with Operatic) |
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Melodramas '83 |
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1984 |
Package Deal |
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Gruzzlefumit |
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What Shall we tell Caroline/After Margritte |
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The Lion in Winter |
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1985 |
Globbo |
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Something's Afoot |
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Incredible Vanishing |
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A Bedful of Foreigners |
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1986 |
Footrot Flats |
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Ritual for Dolls |
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Zanthe & Socrates/Don Juan's Failure |
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Catherine Parr/The Gingerbread Man |
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The Effect of Gamma rays on Man- |
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in -the-Moon Marigolds |
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1987 |
Absurd Person Singular |
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Sganarelle |
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Six Characters in Search of an Otter |
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1988 |
Tom Jones |
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An Evening of Intimate Theatre |
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September Spectacular |
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1989 |
When Shakespeare’s Ladies Meet |
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A Time to Laugh |
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Incident |
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Noises Off |
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1990 |
Out of the Frying Pan |
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1991 |
Stepping Out |
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Fur Coat and No Knickers |
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1992 |
Jack the Ripper |
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Man In a Bowler Hat |
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When Did You Last See Your Trousers? |
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1993 |
Middle Age Spread |
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Robin Hood |
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Plaza Suite |
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1994 |
The Importance of Being Earnest |
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One Act Play Festival |
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The Sex Fiend |
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1995 |
Ladies Night |
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Sganarelle/Mr McKenna |
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1996 |
Red Hot and Cole |
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Airwaves |
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Social Climbers |
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1997 |
Ladies Night 2 |
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe |
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Hot Mikado |
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1998 |
Nga Tangata Toa |
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Osbert the Huge |
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1999 |
Bad Jelly the Witch |
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It's Now or Never |
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2002 |
Hercules |
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Bouncers |
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2003 |
Romeo and Juliet |
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Take a Chance on Me |
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2004 |
Serial Killers |
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The Learner's Stand |