THE MERRY WIDOW
Show dates: Wednesday 6 March – Saturday 9 March 2019
Venue: The Rhoda McGaw Theatre, Woking
Time: 7.30 pm (Saturday matinee – 2.30 pm)
Rehearsals: Currently Monday and Thursday, 8 pm – 10 pm
Location: Main Hall, The Maybury Centre, Board School Road, Woking, GU22 5HD
Meet the Directors…..
E GLORIA SMITH
STAGE DIRECTOR
At the age of six Gloria had her first stage role as a fairy, and at grammar school progressed to pantomimes and G&S operettas. More recently her stage career has included roles in A Little Night Music, Bye-Bye Birdie, Oliver!, Divorce Me Darling, Carousel, Chess and Trial by Jury. However, having spent more than 30 years on the other side of the footlights, Gloria’s main passion now is that of directing. This will be her third show for KASJOG, having directed Ruddigore in 2015 and The Mikado in 2017. She has also devised, directed and narrated two very successful and entertaining compilation shows. Other productions have ranged from pantomime through to musicals: Anything Goes, Calamity Jane and Guys and Dolls. Gloria played guitar for over 20 years, raising funds for Lukaemia Research and Action Against Breast Cancer. As a NODA South East Regional Representative, she attends and reports on approximately 40 shows a year and, in any remaining spare time, can be found on the badminton court or the golf course – and yes, on stage too!
RICHARD STOCKTON
MUSIC DIRECTOR 
Dick was born near Dudley in the West Midlands, England and moved to London to study Physics at Imperial College, later going on to study Singing, Conducting and Composition at The Royal College of Music and The Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He has sung with several professional chamber choirs such as the BBC Singers and the Monteverdi Choir, participating in broadcasts and recordings and performing in many of the great Cathedrals and Concert Halls.
Dick’s wide range of conducting activities stretch from the choral repertoire (especially the standards but also C20th English composers) through stage works such as the Gilbert and Sullivan repertoire, light operas of Offenbach/Strauss/Lehar into musicals, eg “Anything Goes”, “Half a Sixpence”, Gershwin’s “Strike Up The Band”, “Kiss Me Kate” and “Chess”. Richard is a popular Guest Conductor for various groups in London, Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire, and has made many appearances as Musical Director at the International G&S festival.
In the world of Gilbert and Sullivan not only has Dick played all of the Comedy Baritone and Bass Baritone roles but has also conduced all of the 13 existing operettas many times including The Grand Duke and Utopia Ltd both three times.
In the choral world Dick has conducted (and also sung) most of the known and lesser known repertoire.
Recent projects in a lighter vein include conducting performances of 42nd St, Anything Goes, Oklahoma, The Witches of Eastwick, Oliver, Yeomen and Gondoliers, Follies, The King and I, Guys and Dolls, The Producers, Copacabana, Patience and Ruddigore.
Richard teaches Singing and is widely sought after as a Choral, Musical and Opera conductor. The remainder of his time is taken up working as an Independent Systems Consultant in Projects/Programme Manager together with family life.
