18 – 21 MAY 2011, London Oratory School Arts Centre
Based on the MGM Film
Screenplay and adaptation by Betty Comden & Adolph Green
Songs by Nacio Herb Brown & Arthur Freed
Musical Director: Jon Mizler
Director: Alex Sutton
Choreographer: Jennifer Ansdell
See some pictures here
See the NODA Review here
Cast List
| Don Lockwood | Bryan O’Flynn |
| Cosmo Brown | Dom Carter |
| Kathy Selden | Emily McDonald |
| Lina Lamont | Georgia Thomas |
| RF Simpson | Nick Simpson |
| Roscoe Dexter | Tony Trott |
| Zelda Zanders | Amanda Stewart |
| JJ Cumberland | Andrej Kos |
| Dora Bailey | Becky Channon |
| Miss Dinsmore/Vocal Coach | Angela Daniel |
| Rod | Marion Barton |
| Olga Mara | Candice Newton |
| Mary Margaret | Mithu Lucraft |
| Sugar Daddy | Hamish Norbrook |
| Charlie Chaplin | Robert Owen |
| Mrs Simpson | Dianne Norton |
| Sid Philips | Spencer Mitchell |
| Sound Engineer | David Croft |
| Policeman | Greg Shaw |
| Sam the Butler | Jonathan Murray |
| 1st Assistant Director | Emily Hanna |
| 2nd Assistant Director | Emma West |
| 3rd Assistant Director | Suzie Bailey |
| Wardrobe Lady | Marilyn McPherson |
Synopsis
Don Lockwood is a silent film star with humble roots as a musician, dancer and stunt man. Don barely tolerates his vapid leading lady, Lina Lamont, who is convinced that their screen romance is real. After the first talking picture, The Jazz Singer, proves to be a smash hit, the head of the studio, R. F. Simpson, decides he has no choice but to convert the new Lockwood and Lamont film, The Dueling Cavalier, into a talkie. The production is beset with difficulties, by far the worst being Lina’s comically grating voice.
After a disastrous test screening, Don’s best friend, Cosmo Brown, comes up with the idea to overdub Lina’s voice and they convince Simpson to turn The Dueling Cavalier into The Dancing Cavalier, a musical comedy film. Meanwhile, Don falls in love with an aspiring actress, Kathy Selden, who is providing the voice for Lina. When Lina finds out, she is furious and does everything possible to sabotage the romance and Kathy’s career. She maliciously demands that Kathy continue to provide her voice in all future films, but remain uncredited. An irate, but desperate Simpson is forced to agree; Kathy has no choice because she is under contract.
The premiere is a tremendous success, but the audience clamours for Lina to sing live…