Variety (November 1954)

56 LEGITIMATE , H£RIETY Wednesday, November 3, 1954 New York. Editor, Variety: For a long . time . I had in mind: to write to you about: the state of the backer tit’s bad state) in relation to dramatic ventures; What brought thisffo a head was that re- cently, aftei' a long layoff, I de- cided to try again and this time, with^ more than the average luck, 1 1 picked some good ones and ended up Very amazed at how little a: backer can get even if he misses the flops. For example: I went into two musicals (they really don’t .count because; anyone who figures collecting, profit from a mu- sical is like trying to find the 50-1 Winner at the track). I went into “Wonderful Town” (Jerry Cliodq- rov & Joe Fields are good friends) , made about $400 profit on a $1,000 investment. When, however, one considers that “Wonderful Town’' took in about $3,000,000 gross in : N. Y. in its first year and only paid Off $400 on $1,000—it's the: first.-sign, that inflation is in the backer’s market-—-but in spades! The Whole $1,400 was totally' lost in “Girl In Pink Tights’’—-again Jerry & Joe’s show. So I got a ride for free. The .big point here is the small percentage 'profit i “W. T.” on a big gross. Tli nonniusicals I chose. Were:, “Tea and Sympathy"; “Sabrina :Faif’’;-.:“Ondine'‘; “Oh! .Men, Oh! Women’’; arid “Anniversary Waltz.” Not one. of these was a flop— they all paid off. “Anniversary Waltz” is well on its way to paying off too. (It has returned 55% of its original investment to date and there’s more in. the -till). So—let’s assume I picked five hits out of five (I define a hit as a play that gives you a profit from its Broad- way, 'run ; : alone)—that’s a good record and I should be happy. Not to burden you with too much detail—let us take, “Sabrina.” It had a. very good run,, many months it 90-95% capacity gross ($31,000 per week)* The. profit at the end of., a year was 60%. This to me was sor surprising—especially since. I was in about. 35 plays in my life that I. went to my books and looked up my pre-war record of moderate successes (not “Life With Father”), and I found out to my regret that; it’s : a very sad picture for the backer today. Even “Tea and Sym- pathy,” a real hit with a moderate hut, did not pay off anywhere as well as .1 expected it to do. I’m not mpiaining about “Tea”—$1,800 i’iginal . investment and $2,600 profit to elate:. However, froi its gross and nut, this play, should have returned easily- $5,000 profit even under these inflated cost times. Tlie reasons re very obvious; Stars take 10% or more of the gross; the authors also edge to 10% if they have a name; take these two items alone, plus 30% off for the theatre owner, and you start with 50% off the top right from the word “hit.” From the remaining 50% comes the other inflated salary list, labor costs, etc. So the backer of a hit has his hands on the coat-tails of the phenomenon known as “diminish- ing returns.” I do not tell you all this in anger or peeve, No one. knows better than you how. much. I love the theatre and the people in it; it’s my hobby .instead of golf or fishing. It’s only; that someone like you should study or start a study Of this, situation before the producers find the an- gels have really flown away. If a backer: with “five, hits” feels dis-. epuraged. what happens to authors and actors when a recession comes —and the cupboard is bare? Any- way it feels .good getting it off the -chest;.. N'aiiie withheld By Request NX City Opera Ends 5-Wk. Run With $180,700 Gross The N. Y. City Opera Co. wound its five-week season, at. N, Y. City Center, last Sunday (31) with a $41,700 take for the final stanza, and a $180,700 gross for the entire engagement;. Troupe left yesterday morning (Tues.) on its biggest arid-most am- bitious tour in its 11-year history. Trek, which opened last , night in Boston, will coyer almost five weeks, with-35 performances in 11 cities. Hub. stand (for seven shows) is its debut there. JENNIFER'S 'PORTRAIT’ “Portrait of a Lady,”. currently in rehearsal, is financed at $80,000. Half the backing for the produc : tiori has beeri put up by the pro- ducers, Lynn Austin, Thomas Noyes arid the,Producers Theatre, headed, by Roger L. Stevens, Robert White- head and Robert Dowling. Adapted? by William Archibald from Henry : James’ novel of the same title; the play stars Jennifer Jones,, with Jose Quintero directing. . Production is scheduled to open Dec, 9 at. the ANT A Playhouse, .New York'. ‘Niiteraicker'Bowing To 1C0G Advance; Sets U.S. Mark as Regular-Run For the first time in its six-year history—as well -ak for the first time in the. hisfory. of ballet coitir. panies in America-L-the N, Y. City Ballet is presenting a work on a regular run basis instead of reper- tory, when it bows its late fall sea- son at City Center,'N. Y., tonight .(Wed-* with “The Nutcracker.” The evening-length- work,' first such in the trpupe’s setup, was a huge suc- cess when premiered last year, and as. result, had been booked for a full four-week run this.fall. Company had an advance, mail- order sale, of $61,000 before b.o. opened last week, so that a fifth week has had to be added. Troupe is opening with an advance of about $100,000. If. b.o. activity, continues at its present pace, sea- son is likely to go two weeks more, or a total of seven, for an unheard- of record U. . S. terp annals. (Sadler’s Wells' of London puts on occasional -runs with its “Sleeping Beauty,” aiid. the Moscow Ballet also offers regular-run presenta- tions.- Otherwise, such moves by a ballet troupe are a rarity). Nightly-run “Nutcracker” is an expensive proposition .for the. Cen- ter,- more costly than regular rap-., ertory, due to the enlarged orches- tra and double-cast, including a group of children. It costs, about $34,000 weekly, to operate. Capac- ity of the house is $57,000, and al- though this has never been reached, the ballet troupe hit a $55,000 figure one week last March. With amortization, of the $90,000 production cost figured over the current run, and carryover, looses added in, troupe can still clear $5,- 000 a week, Although the regular-run is a departure for the NYCB, and may have caused raised eyebrows among some balletomanes, the move was done quite deliberately, as a. purely commercial venture, says management. Org sorely needs coin, and hopes to clear enough on the “Nutcracker” engagement to put on nevv ballets 'during its Feb- ruary-Marcli season; Management also hopes to do a regular-run “Nutcracker” annually at holiday time, particularly since it’s a great draw for kids. Success of the. current run will decide this,. Seek $65,000 Bankroll For Sundgaard’s ‘Kilgo’ Capitalization of the Jerome Mayer-Irl . Mowery production, “Kilgo Run,”, skedded for-'a. Broad- way opening Nov. 29, has been set at $65,000. Arnold Suridgaard .comedy was .tried out several weeks ago at the Bucks. County Playhouse, New Hope, Fa., in lieu of . a regular out-of-town test.. No house, has been set for . .the Nevv York stand. Show was. the inaugural produc- tion of Mike Ellis' “fall festival” at. the Playhouse. Under the festival setup, the. Playhouse footed all pro- duction' costs for the Nevv Nope tryout in return for an approxi- mate 5% cut of the Broadway take. “Kilgo” originally preemed as a stock entry in July, 1952, at the Barter Theatre, Abingdon, Va. . Productions at New. Hope starred Eileen Heckert and Conrad Janis, with Betty Lou Holland and Thomas Coley featured^ Miss Heck- ert has since signed to appear in Maxwell Ander.soffs “Bad Seed.*' Ince Plans to Offer ‘Monday Next’ on B’way U, S. rights, to, “On Monday Next,” Philip King’s London com- edy hit, are being sought by Alex- ander. Ince, with the idea of a Broadway 'production this season. Show, a farce dealing with the shambles, of a provincial stock company’s rehearsals a few days before the scheduled opening, was a hit in London two; years ago. Festival Ballet Last week might have been billed as Television Writers' Week for Young Southwestern Heroines in 48th Street, The week's two openings on Broadway were both, at theatres in West 48th St., both Iocaled in the southwest, with femme loading characters. And both were by members of the Talent Associates scripter stable of tv producer Fred Coe. “The Traveling Lady,” a dCania by Horton Foote, opened Wednes^ day. night (27) at the Playhouse, as a playwrights Co. production, with Kim Stanley as top-featured lead (she was subsequently upped to star billing)., “The Rainmaker,” a comedy by Talent Associates staffmate N, Richard. Nash, premiered Thursday night (28) ; at the Corf, directly across the street from the Playhouse, as an Ethel Linder Reiner, (in'association with Hope Abelson) production, with Geraldine Page starred. The. London Festival Ballet, new tp this country, has been .racking up imposing grosses in the first weeks of its toiir. On basis of its . first three stanzas in America, dur- ing which it’s . taken " nearly $190,000, troupe looms as 1 the sea- son’s b.o. surprise. Not only is the. company new to America, but it hadn't been too well exploited nationally in advance,, to make the big .takes all the more unusual. Company came here two ; years ago for a brief visit to two Ca- nadian cities. This time, under Sol Hurok management, it’s Set for a national ; tour from Oct. 12 to Feb. 27, with a N. Y. season to follow. In its first week, troupe racked up $61,000 in seven showings, grabr bing $5 ; 900 in a single for its Oct. .12 opener in Quebec; $10,500 for two in Quebec,, and a sock $44,700 for four in Montreal. Second week was more impres- sive, with $65,400 for seven. Com: party drew $31,100 for three in Toronto, despite arriving simul- taneously. with Hurricane Hazel, and $34,300 for four in Detroit. Fact that it's using big halls and, arenas is, of course, helping the group’s b.o. In Chicago last week, the outfit: had another healthy stanza, racking up a socko $62,900 i Canadian reception indicates that the troupe was well-liked, its previous visit. In other spots, re- views were also good arid word- of-mouth excellent. Company has- been.. reinforced this year with guest artists, in TamarS. Touma-. nova and the. team of Kovach & Rabovsky. These., however, have been integrated into the repertory, rather than just doing guest bits like pas de deux, thus strengthen- ing the repertory as well as adding to the b.o. draw. .. . Appearance of Kovach & Rabov- sky on the first “Omnibus” tv show of the season, in a 28rininute stint, has also helped, Anton Dolin, w.k. dancer-choreographer who’s also been in-a couple of Broadway legiters, is founder and artistic di- rector. Scheduled N.Y. Openings (Theatre indicated if set) BROADWAY Abie's Irish Rose, Holiday (11- 13). Wedding Br’kf’st, 48th St. (11- .16). Living Room, Miller (11-1?). Hot Rock (11-22). One Eye Closed, BijoU (11-24). Kilgo Run (week 11-29). Mrs. Patterson, National (12-1), On With Show, Hell'ger (12-2). Shoemaker's Children (wk., .12-3), , •" ■ Flowering Peach, Belasco (week Of 12-6)., Witness For Prosecution (12-8). Portrait of a Lady, ANT A Play- house (12-9). Lunatics. & Lovers, s - Br’dhurst (12-13). Festival (12-15), Running Mate (12-15); Between Friends (12-16). Black-Eyed Susan (12-16). Stars Person’s Backyd. (wk. 12- 19). Anastasia (12-22). What Every Woman Knows, City Center (12-22), House of Flowers, Alvin (12-23). Flim Flam (12-24). Purple Dust, Bijou (1-4). Painted Days (wk., 1-10). Silk Stockings, Imperial (12-30). Grand Prize (wk., 1-10). Plain & Fancy (1-20). Desperate Hours (1-26). OFF-B’WAY 12th Night, Jan Hus (11-9). Infernal Machine, Finch Col. (ll- 12 ). i Sandhog, Phoenix (11-23). Jill. Harmon, nine - year - old daughter of pressagerit-prodUcer Lewis. Harmon and producer-au- thor Charlotte Buchwald, makes her pro debut tonight (Wed.) at City Center, N. Y,, as a dancer in the". N. . Y. City Ballet’s “Nut- cracker” . . Billie Burke will star in “Mother Was a Bachelor,” by Irving Phillips, opening Nov. JL1 at the Pasadena Playhouse. ... Others in the cast are Frank Cady, Flor- ence Thompson, Susan Seafortli, Dave Showalter, Dona Lowe-' and Alan Smith. Shepard Traube’s production of Ronald Alexander’ “Grand Prize” goes into rehearsal Dec. 1, with Jack Del Boridio: as manager and George Ross pressagent ... . Violla Rubber’s production of “Put Them All Together/’ by. Theodore Hirsch and Jeanette Paiton goes into re- hearsal Dec. 6 . . Ralph Lycett, Westport. (Conn.) . Country Play- house , pressagent for the: past 10 years, has a similar assignment at, the Paper Mill Playhouse, Mil- burn, N. J. James Hughes will be company manager and William Weaver stage manager for Haila Stod- dard’s production of Justin Sturm’s “One Eye Closed,” scheduled for a Nov. 24 Broadway preem-v^ Kim Stanley has been upped to stardom in the Playwrights Co. production of Horton Foote’s “Traveling Lady” . . . Marian Walters has re- placed Parker McCormick in “The Tender Trap,” currently at the Longa ere Theatre, N. Y., with Miss McCormick going into the upcom- ing “One Eye Closed.” Karl Malden has obtained a re- lease from his Warner Bros, con- tract until the end of 1955 to star in the Howard Erskine-Joseph Hayes production of “Desperate Hours”Douglas Wood joined the cast of “What Every Woman Knows” in San Francisco last week, succeeding Walter Kings- ford, who was stricken with pneu- monia and taken to the hospital the final day of the show’s Los An- geles run. . Hope Hampton will sing and be m.c. of “Hello, Paree,” revue to star Charles Trenet ... . . Ben Hecht has written a play with music, titled “Gallows Laughter,” based on the life of the late Maxwell Bodenheihii which tv producer Harry Saltzman plans to present on Broadway next ^spring . . . Kermit Bloomgarden’s production of “The Lark,” Lillian Heilman’s adaptation of Jean Anouilh’s Paris drama about Joan of Arc, has been postponed until next season, with Julie Harris still *slated to star. Daniel Reed will give a perform- ance of his. one-rnanshow,,based on Edgar Lee Masters’ '‘Spoon River Anthology,” at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Saturday even- ing (6). Franchot Tone will star in '‘Mis- ter Roberts,” second fortnight offering of the winter play festival at the N. Y. City Center beginning. Jan. 5 . Allan C. Dalzell, press- agent for the recently ended tour, of .‘'picnic,” now managing the Chicago Opera for three weeks prior to joining “Sailor’s Delight” in San Francisco Nov. 22 as drum- beater. Paula Lloyd, featured soloist in “On Your Toes,” who began her dancing , career . with . The Ballet Theatre in 1944, will rejoin the company as a principal dancer. She leaves the cast of . “Toes” Sat- urday (6). Chi Bits Chicago, Oct. 26.. Producer Phil Tyrell prepping a touring revival“Gigi,” to star Margaret O’Brien . . Ernestine Perry directing “Jane” at Evans- ton’s Showcase Theatre . . Press- agent Bernie Simon here to ad- vance “Fifth Season,” opening Nov. 15 at the Erlanger . . . Jules Pfeiffer, whose “Schools For Brides” is in rehearsal herie, was in New York last week for booking conferences . .. Howard Newman, “Wonderful Town” pressagent, off to Pittsburgh, show’s first stop when, it exits here Nov. 20. His baggage will include some 25 paint- ings done by himself and meriibers of the cast,. Including star Carol- Channing, to be shown at Pitts- burgh’s Studio 130. ; London Bits London, Nov. 2. Constance Cox’s new dramatiza- tion of “Quo Vadis” will be tried, out Dec. 20 at the Pilaice, Swansek, with Mark Lawton to direct . “DunmOw Flitch,” musical by Philip King, with lyrics by Fred Tysh, tune by Bernard Gnm may be tried out by the Bristol: Old Vie. Ballet Needs Extra Coin Only on New Productions; Various Ways to Get It A well-run ballet company should be able to take care of its ooera^ tipns and overhead from its box- office receipts, according to Luci Chase, co-founder and; co-director of Ballet Theatre. But the b.o. can’t take care, of the- cost of new productions, too, and new works are the lifeblood and progress, of a . dance troupe. Hence, the need of outside support, or subsidy. A firstrate troupe ought to have three new works a season, says Miss Chase; At an average pro- duction cost. of $25,000, .these to $75,000. With extras, a company needs $100,000 additional' capital a season to keep going. ... Ballet Theatre, celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, opened its season Oct. 26 in Princeton, beginning a 23-week tour that will carry it to mid-May and into 83 cities. It will then come into N. Y. for a three-week run, . Miss Chase explained some ways in which the company can meet its. financial demands. Formation in 1947 of Ballet Theatre Founda- tion, which is non-profit, with con- tributions tax-exempt, has been, of great, assistance, the Foundation helping to raise the additional coi needed annually. There are several ways now of hiaking money besides at trie b;o., according to Miss Chase.’ One is troupe's ballet school; also non- profit, which the company runs in N. Y. It’s been so successful that a branch has been opened in Den- ver, “We intend to open branches all over the. country — wherever we are wanted, said Miss Chase. Other extra revenue now comes from summer dates in stadiums, parks, etc., where guarantees and transportation are offered (as against a winter tour,, on percent- age dates, which is a garnble); ar- ranging or lending put dancers for summer engagements at musicals, beaches, etc.; royalties from rec- ordings, and tv appearances. At the moment, Ballet Theatre is con- tracting for a book about the his- tory of the company, and as Miss Chase says,. “ ’ always hoping for a film.” Charltons Double IQOG Ante in American Prods.; Helena W. Chariton, wife of pro-* ducer Richard Charlton, has dou- bled Her $100,000 investment in American Productions, jrier hus- band’s setup to present plays pit Broadway and invest in. other shows. Mrs; Chariton is sole, backer of the project. . Original investment of. $100,000 was made in November and Decem- ber of last year. Last, month Mrs. Chariton raised the stake $55,000, with an additional $45,000 to be contributed by next . April 1. Profits from the venture will be split 50-50. with her husband; Charlton, who operated the Som- brero Playhouse in Phoenix with Ann Lee for six years, has two plays under option.. They’re Joseph Barbera’s “Down, to Earth” and “The Open Window,” by Leonore Coffee and William Cowen Joyce.