South Yorkshire Times February 19, 1949

Star for Dearne

Mexborough baritone, John Metcalfe, will herald a return to the theatre stage in April by playing Robert in Dearne District Operatic Society’s Production of “New Moon.”

Since 1934 Mr. Metcalfe has sung on the concert platform but his decision to sing the male lead with the Dearne Society could not have been happier, for it was with Goldthorpe and District Operatic Society —earlier name for Dearne District Operatic Society—that he sang in the Society’s first production—” The Mikado “—in 1931.

Mr Metcalfe was telling me this week about these early shows. “I played Pooh-Bah in this first show. ‘The Mikado’ was played by Dr. Austin Doyle, of Bolton, and others in the cast were Arnold Shaw, Dorothy Dickenson, Harry Salkeld, Annie Mellor and Ella Lockwood.”