Under the Coolibah Tree

Last updated
Under the Coolibah Tree
MusicVarious, including Dick Diamond
Book Dick Diamond
Premiere18 March 1955: All Saints Hall, Brisbane
Productions1956 New Theatre Sydney [1]

Under the Coolibah Tree is a 1955 Australian musical by Dick Diamond. It was Diamond's follow up to his successful musical Reedy River and like that used bush folk songs. [2]

Contents

It debuted in Brisbane in 1955 and had a season at the New Theatre in Sydney. [3] The musical was also performed at the Melbourne Olympic Arts Festival. [4]

Premise

In the 1880s, a paddle steamer has run aground on the Darling River while carrying a cargo of beer to Bourke. Local shearers become involved, as does a free settler and his Aboriginal friends, the ship's captain. [5]

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References

  1. "WHAT'S ON". Tribune . No. 967. New South Wales, Australia. 3 October 1956. p. 12. Retrieved 28 August 2023 via National Library of Australia.
  2. Pinne, Peter (5 December 2015). "Queensland Sings". Theatre Heritage.
  3. "From Reedy River to Coolibah Tree". Tribune . No. 884. New South Wales, Australia. 2 March 1955. p. 8. Retrieved 28 August 2023 via National Library of Australia.
  4. Angela O'Brien, 'Diamond, Richard Frank (Dick) (1906–1989)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/diamond-richard-frank-dick-12417/text22323, published first in hardcopy 2007, accessed online 28 August 2023.
  5. "A SHOW TO TAKE YOUR FRIENDS TO". Tribune . No. 970. New South Wales, Australia. 24 October 1956. p. 8. Retrieved 28 August 2023 via National Library of Australia.