Exhibitors Herald (1927)

48 EXHIBITORS HERALD September 24, 1927 humorous introductory verse which was read by I>ave. The first page of “Whatsit” introduces the Janton Sisters, who go through a number of comedy steps to the tune of “Me Too.” They are nimble and light on their feet and good to look at, and draw a good hand. And now we have "Georgeous” by the orchestra played with the zest and rythme which has made them so popular to Milwaukee audiences. Woodrow Herman, the boy singer, renders the chorus of the song with his rather ineffective jack-rabbit manner. Herman hasn’t a bad voice, but his stance before the audience is not of the best. George Lipschultz, Milwaukee’s own concert violinist, came back to his own this week and was received with open arms. Lipschultz, who has been directing numerous orchestras on the Coast, is perhaps the best violinist to come to the Wisconsin boards in many a moon. He played two classical selections with Dave Schooler accompanying him at the piano, and received a tremendous round of applause. Despite the fact that it is “Rah! Rah! Week,’’ Lipschultz and his selections did not seem out of place, and the audience appreciated his talent to the fullest extent. A sort of interpretive tap dance to the melody of “Poet and Peasant” was done by Bert Darrell with considerable skill. Darrell went through a considerable number of steps during the overture and his selection was well received. Inez and De Wynn, on the upper stage behind the orchestra, were well received with a classical dance, which included several strenuous acrobatic steps on the part of the girl. The whole act was done with the ease and slow grace of experienced dancers who delight in their profession. “Sing Me a Baby Song,” the next selection of the orchestra, was put over in great style with Woodrow Herman singing the chorus and Dave Schooler playing part of the selection at the piano. t4 Ed<Re Hill is announced by a verse from "Whatsit” and makes his appearance in collegiate jacket, freshman cap and baloon trousers. He sings “Katy Did,” and indulges in a number of wise-cracks. He gets a big hand, and comes back to sing, “The Girls Won’t Let Me Be,” with much expression. Jean and Fritz Hubert, in the role of two slightly inebriated individuals returning from a night club, obligingly slid down a steps placed at the wings for their use and engaged in a bur lesque of two drunks to the tune of "Just a Little Drink.” They were mighty funny and it was not until the end of the act, when they took off their hats, that it was discovered that the one was a girl. For the grand finale the Trivoli Girls made their appearance in track suits, each with a megaphone, and went through their paces ending up with the Marquette yell led by Eddie Hill. The orchestra played “Collegiate” while the Marquette emblem in gold and purple lights appeared in the middle of the upper stage. Then the Wisconsin yell was given and the “W” of the University of Wisconsin was lowered in lighted effect while the orchestra played "On Wisconsin” and the Janton Sisters danced on the upper stage. Milwaukee is the home of Marquette and there are many Wisconsin students who have not yet returned to school so the entire presentation went over big. Chicago Chicago Week Ending September 18 “Non-Stop to Mars” offered as its highlight the popular comedian, Lester Allen, who ranks topmost among comedians and eccentric and acrobatic dancers. This pint-high comedian could have remained on the stage throughout the performance, and still the audience would have cried for more. The act opens with a portable airship in front of a drop. A soloist, with a pleasing personality and voice (and we’re sorry we can’t give you his name) sings “Non-Stop Flight to Mars,” following which two girls, one dressed as a boy, do a clever and peppy tap dance. As their dance ends a scrim is dropped on which a cloud effect is produced as the airship is raised into the flies on its trip to Mars. The scene changes and you 6ee a colorful impression of the planet. The backdrop conveys a circular rainbow effect, in front of which is a modernistic representation, we would say, of a skyscraper. The wings are in keeping with this general layout. Three dancers open this scene doing a serpentine, which leads into an act with two girls doing acrobatics on ropes from the flies. Next comes one of the cleverest of the stunts. Six men in clownish attire, made up, we suppose, to represent the inhabitants of Mars, do a dance which you might describe in any number of ways. It was, we would say, a takeoff on a classical dance, it was eccentric and it was acrobatic. The pivotal dancer in this act, we would say, was Allen himself, although with the makeup we could not give this information with assurance. If it weren’t Allen, then it was a dancer who should be recognized. Allen is next, and although this reporter has seen many a good dancer, he has never seen one that could pull a better hand. He has steps of the most intricate type and how he does them — and how ! To top off his steps he does a merrygo-round on his head that is a knockout. Unfortunately for the audience, Allen is on only twice, the second time in an act that doesn’t quite measure up to his dancing performance — nevertheless good. His chatter is good, but his dancing is better. The overture of the show was “ Jewels of the Madonna.” New York Paramount Week Ending September 23 Paul Whiteman continues to be the chief attraction around the Paramount, where he and his band are now entering on the second week of their return engagement. The boys appear this week in flaming scarlet jackets and their music is as hot as the color of these coats. Featured among the selections which Whiteman presents this week are "Dawn” and “Just a Memory,” and both numbers he has given a special arrangement in the best Whiteman manner. He also plays, due to the many requests received for it, “The Rhapsody in Blue” in a way that had the audience clamoring wildly for more. One of the best parts of the Whiteman outfit is those three boys who make merry with a couple of baby pianos and a clever and original line of chatter. The audiences are getting to know them and they are according them a big hand each week. One of the most effective bits of this week’s presentation is the arrangement of the popular song, “Shanghai Dream Man,” in which, as the orchestra softly plays the refrain, a singer appears in a cutout on the raised stage in the rear. He is dressed as a denizen of the underworld and the 6et represents the interior of an opium den. He sings “Shanghai Dream Man” and does it mighty well as the appreciative applause indicated. Another highlight of the bill was a saxophone solo which was about as fine a thing of its kind as we have ever heard. This is a well-rounded stageshow with sufficient variety and specialty work to give it good balance. New York Roxy Week Ending September 23 “Seventh Heaven” and accompanying stage show held over for second week. See report of show in “Herald” last week. Chicago Nor shore Week Ending September 17 “Red Hot Al” was the second week’s stage offering here featuring Al Kvale, Chicago’s newest band leader, and his jazz collegiates. Milton Watson and Peggy Bernier topped the list of artists. The stage presentation ran as follows: Opening: With orchestra in full stage setting, with the boys dressed in white suits and white hoods to match with the background setting of icebergs and snow, as the strains of a popular tune came through the scrim curtain, which parted, disclosing a pretty winter scene in the background. The Abbott Girls, in similar costumes, pose around snow-covered setting, later coming off platform to do one of their new dances. Al Kvale makes his entrance *here, and from the reception accorded him, it is evident that he has set himself solid with this audience. His first selection was rendered on his saxophone, after which a young man dressed in fur coat and straw hat enters with a series of smart gags, and after chatting with Al, goes into a vocal solo of “Swanee Shore.” The next scene displays a scrim curtain which, when Al makes a few comedy motion, parts, disclosing a beautiful sycamore tree with the Mississippi river running through background as boat slowly sails across. A colored man and two little pickaninnies are shown under the tree as the orchestra plays snappy tune, while one of the boys goes into a buck-and-wing routine. Clifton and Brent, two men in a comedy acrobatic dance, come on next. These boys have been reported in these columns before and again proved very entertaining. After this the orchestra went into an arrangement of “You Don’t Like It, Not Much,” sung by the boys at the finish as Al introduces Milton NOW TOURING AS FEATURE ACT ORPHEUM AND KEITH-ALBEE CIRCUITS A GREAT SUCCESS IN COMBINATION THEATRES Direction EZ. KEOUGH Woods Theatre Bldg., Chicago gg\ GRACE R. CLARK Featured Organist * ASCHER BROS, CROWN THEATRE, CHICAGO Solos and Community Singing