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Dunsandel, Centre of the Music World
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TitleDunsandel, Centre of the Music World
DescriptionWhen I married John Sheat in 1962, I could neither cook nor drive, but fortunately I came from a family steeped in the arts. My ability to sing and act and paint scenery made up for those minor inadequacies.
From 1874, Dunsandel has had a rich history of music, drama, and entertainment, with some notable enthusiasts. There were some very talented families, and the local schoolteachers and interested folk from further afield were attracted to join.
Community stability made organising clubs easier and TV was in its infancy.
In 1970, after four marvelous Pantomimes, the Dunsandel Drama Club’s production of The Pirates of Penzance was a great success.
After a name change, the Dunsandel Players, and a very dedicated committee with Mavis Allison as Musical Director, put on three nights of The Merry Widow, 1971. Mavis Barnett showed her versatility with a spectacular cancan along with other talented dancers. Mervyn Barnett was in the cast also - maybe keeping an eye on her!
Alas, another performer was not so lucky. Her husband threw stones on the roof of the Hall because he thought the cancan was immoral. I think he misunderstood the word…"Players".
John and I were in Oklahoma, 1972, as the comic couple, which was good fun….especially the Oklahoma Hello he gave me on stage. However, the memorable star of the show was Stuart Wright singing ‘Poor Judd Is Dead’.
Zylpha Chatterton was a talented lead singer, and acted with style, while Denis Chatterton showed us that he was an excellent character actor and the lighting expert for every show (with Ian McLean from the Garage.)
All the productions in the 1970s had full houses for four nights and it filled our lives with music, fun, laughter, and tears. We were like a big family for the three months from the end of harvest to the beginning of lambing. Practices were rarely missed because they were as enjoyable as they were essential.
We were blessed with two wonderful pianists - Mavis Allison, and Mavis Barnett, who was also a superb singer and actress.
Many of the locals had beautiful trained voices including Jenny Harkerss, David Ford, Roger Doak and Gordon Bishop. There were many other gifted soloists….too many to list.
Elaine Rennie and Jean Coe lived near the lake. Others from Rakaia, Mead and Te Pirita, rarely missing a practice. It was wonderful to see how it all developed. Even more marvelous was seeing the whole production come together at the practices in our shearing shed.
John and his good friend, Dave Reid, a reliable and capable actor and singer spent many hours making scenery and the washing machine they contrived for South Pacific was a masterpiece.
The very best laugh I ever had with the players was when he acted as a kid with his head stuck in a saucepan. The noise he made was magnificent. This was just one of many clever little skits performed in front of the curtains whilst the scenery was changed behind them.
I enjoyed helping to design sets and, along with other local artists, painting the backdrops, whilst Denis put up the lights and told us what he thought of the government.
Alas, after at least ten Musicals and as many Dramas, we, and all the helpers, were trying to deal with droughts and farming community changes and the Dunsandel Players had to fold.
A restart never occurred, but the Kirwee Players continued to flourish helped by Mavis Barnett on the piano, and our talented actress, Shirley Barron.
Remember, The Desert Song, Annie Get Your Gun, Brigadoon, Charlie’s Aunt, South Pacific, White Horse Inn, H.M.S.Pinafore, The Mikado, Trial by Jury, The Music Hall production and all the Drama productions?
The best thing for me was that my whole family was involved. In Trial by Jury we had three generations. What a great interest it was for us all, and what wonderful support we had.
Denise Sheat
Dunsandel Historic Society
Date27 October 2022 SourceThe Ellesmere EchoLocationDunsandel
DescriptionWhen I married John Sheat in 1962, I could neither cook nor drive, but fortunately I came from a family steeped in the arts. My ability to sing and act and paint scenery made up for those minor inadequacies.From 1874, Dunsandel has had a rich history of music, drama, and entertainment, with some notable enthusiasts. There were some very talented families, and the local schoolteachers and interested folk from further afield were attracted to join.
Community stability made organising clubs easier and TV was in its infancy.
In 1970, after four marvelous Pantomimes, the Dunsandel Drama Club’s production of The Pirates of Penzance was a great success.
After a name change, the Dunsandel Players, and a very dedicated committee with Mavis Allison as Musical Director, put on three nights of The Merry Widow, 1971. Mavis Barnett showed her versatility with a spectacular cancan along with other talented dancers. Mervyn Barnett was in the cast also - maybe keeping an eye on her!
Alas, another performer was not so lucky. Her husband threw stones on the roof of the Hall because he thought the cancan was immoral. I think he misunderstood the word…"Players".
John and I were in Oklahoma, 1972, as the comic couple, which was good fun….especially the Oklahoma Hello he gave me on stage. However, the memorable star of the show was Stuart Wright singing ‘Poor Judd Is Dead’.
Zylpha Chatterton was a talented lead singer, and acted with style, while Denis Chatterton showed us that he was an excellent character actor and the lighting expert for every show (with Ian McLean from the Garage.)
All the productions in the 1970s had full houses for four nights and it filled our lives with music, fun, laughter, and tears. We were like a big family for the three months from the end of harvest to the beginning of lambing. Practices were rarely missed because they were as enjoyable as they were essential.
We were blessed with two wonderful pianists - Mavis Allison, and Mavis Barnett, who was also a superb singer and actress.
Many of the locals had beautiful trained voices including Jenny Harkerss, David Ford, Roger Doak and Gordon Bishop. There were many other gifted soloists….too many to list.
Elaine Rennie and Jean Coe lived near the lake. Others from Rakaia, Mead and Te Pirita, rarely missing a practice. It was wonderful to see how it all developed. Even more marvelous was seeing the whole production come together at the practices in our shearing shed.
John and his good friend, Dave Reid, a reliable and capable actor and singer spent many hours making scenery and the washing machine they contrived for South Pacific was a masterpiece.
The very best laugh I ever had with the players was when he acted as a kid with his head stuck in a saucepan. The noise he made was magnificent. This was just one of many clever little skits performed in front of the curtains whilst the scenery was changed behind them.
I enjoyed helping to design sets and, along with other local artists, painting the backdrops, whilst Denis put up the lights and told us what he thought of the government.
Alas, after at least ten Musicals and as many Dramas, we, and all the helpers, were trying to deal with droughts and farming community changes and the Dunsandel Players had to fold.
A restart never occurred, but the Kirwee Players continued to flourish helped by Mavis Barnett on the piano, and our talented actress, Shirley Barron.
Remember, The Desert Song, Annie Get Your Gun, Brigadoon, Charlie’s Aunt, South Pacific, White Horse Inn, H.M.S.Pinafore, The Mikado, Trial by Jury, The Music Hall production and all the Drama productions?
The best thing for me was that my whole family was involved. In Trial by Jury we had three generations. What a great interest it was for us all, and what wonderful support we had.
Denise Sheat
Dunsandel Historic Society
Date27 October 2022 SourceThe Ellesmere EchoLocationDunsandelConnections
CollectionHistory of DunsandelOrganisationDunsandel Historic SocietyEvent150th Anniversary Dunsandel
OrganisationDunsandel Historic SocietyEvent150th Anniversary DunsandelAttribution
Researched ByDenise SheatWritten ByDenise Sheat
Written ByDenise SheatClick on the image to add
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Dunsandel, Centre of the Music World (27 October 2022 ). Selwyn Stories, accessed 26/07/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5241