Page 10 - OT_70th Anniversary

Back to the Octagon and Jane Barr agreed 2002
to direct our next play ‘Time of My Life’. A very special event started our year. This
This also brought some new faces to our was the wedding of Suzanne and Les
stage. McKenzie on February 2. Suzanne and
Les had met as members of Repertory
some years previously, then went their
separate ways only to renew their
friendship again at the theatre. Where
better to celebrate the nuptials?

We then had to get down to business and
the year began with two New Zealand
dramas ‘Flat Out Brown’ directed by Pania
Deverell and ‘Damage’ directed by Barry
Freebairn.

At this time Jim Montgomery decided to put
down his paint brushes after many years of
having handpainted our advertising boards.
Linda Parker continued with the board
painting until 2007 when we decided to use
removable vinyl lettering produced
commercially.
These letters took some time to apply and
a lot more time to remove (just ask Rick
Billing who resorted to his trusty hair dryer).
The impact of the boards, however, was
most effective and appreciated until
Corflute technology came along.

Mid-year we found we were in a situation
we had experienced before, trying to find a
play, a director, not to mention a cast!

A one-woman play called ‘The Book Club’
by Roger Hall had been recommended to
Barry Freebairn as an option. Carol
Freebairn was cast and the play was
directed by her husband Barry in August. ‘Secret Bridesmaid’s Business’ directed by
For a change Jane Barr brought more new faces to the
to end this theatre and the return of Natalie Berghan
year, it was who had been with us in a one-act play
decided to put several years previously.
on a
pantomime Sadly, very soon after this came the
and so sudden death of Lois Vallancey, who had
‘Sleeping been a great worker for the Society,
Beauty’ catering for many productions with a
directed by Wendy Bell completed the variety of helpers. Lois had also been a
year. versatile member in her other roles as
painter and paperhanger for many sets.

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