Programme - Theatre Programme, Florodora / by Leslie Stuart, 1952

Historical information

The Kew Light Opera Company was formed in 1952. Its first production, held in the Kew Recreation Hall was Leslie Stuart's Florodora. In 1957, the Company was subsumed in the "Q" Theatre Guild.

Significance

Arthur Henry Dear was an employee of the City of Kew, acting as Hall Keeper of the Kew Recreation Hall in Wellington Street, and later the new Kew City Hall in Cotham Road. The Arthur Dear Collection contains memorabilia - tickets, programmes, invitations - as well as his identification badge. Items in the collection dates from the 1940s to the 1960s. The Kew Recreation Hall (Wellington Street) and later the Kew City Hall (Cotham Road) were major locations in suburban Melbourne in the postwar period for civic and private events including theatre productions and exhibitions. The Arthur Dear Collection (in conjunction with the scrapbooks compiled by Marion Tilley) provide a comprehensive snapshot of performing arts in Kew during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. The collection includes valuable data about performances, performers, directors etc., during this period.

Physical description

Theatre programme for a production of Florodora in the Kew Recreation Hall by the Kew Light Opera Company. The 12-page programme includes profiles, a cast list and advertisements.

Inscriptions & markings

An annotation on the acknowledgements page by Arthur Dear, the Hall Keeper, records that he was responsible for cleaning up the mess afterwards

Other parts of this item

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