Exhibitors Herald (1927)

30 EXHIBITORS HERALD December 31, 1927 exposes hereelf as being white by taking her gloves oft. At her second bow she also takes oft her wig, leaving the audience with the impression that she "was a man. Finale: The Keena Sisters, Lamont and Buck dance while the band plays "Is She My Girl Friend.” Kansas City Capitol Week Ending December 24 “So Long Letty,” Charlotte Greenwood’s success, was the stage production at the Capitol this week, staged by Bert Smith. Vi Shaffer assumed the feminine lead, as usual, appearing frequently in song numbers. “Chuck” Hoback also was prominent in lead song numbers. The Capitol’s beauty chorus was a frequent visitor to the 6tage. A medley of song selections used in the show was played by the Capitolites, the theatre’s permanent orchestra, as an overture. Chicago Norshore Week Ending December 24 “Jazz Flashes” was the stageshow offered by A1 Kvale and his Jazz Collegians, that ran as follows : Opening: A1 playing clarinet, assisted by his boys, in a snappy chorus of “At Dawning.” A1 sang a chorus while the boys hummed it. It was very well received. Two former dancers from the Follies, Accent and Janeska, next offered a fancy ballroom waltz that was very gracefully performed, and followed with a good acrobatic dance which they did to fast music, winning them a good hand. Billy Snyder follows with 6ome songs and old jokes. He offered a recitation that was cleverly done which earned him an encore. An arrangement of Walter Donaldson’s “A Shady Tree” by Rex Manpen was next played by the orchestra, with Cloyd Griswold singing a fine chorus and A1 playing on his soprano saxophone. Rubber Legs Hewitt offered eccentric steps that pleased. Myrtle Gordon played a return engagement and stopped the show with her singing. She took two encores. The orchestra then played about three or four bars of some number when half of them say good night and leave few more bars and the rest leave. This left A1 in a quandary until Chauncey Haines, the organist, offered to help him by playing "Blue Heaven” as A1 played it on his trombone. As A1 leaves, strains of music are heard through curtain. All the boys are back again playing "Is She My Girl Friend” with Cloyd and A1 singing parodies on the song for the finale curtain. New York Roxy Week Ending December 30 The Roxy program for Xmas week opens as follows: On either side of the theatre, in the upper boxes is a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. On the spiral staircase, on one side of the house we have the male chorus and on the spiral staircase on the other side of the house we have the female chorus who render some old English Carols, accompanied by the Roxy grand organ. The first carol "God Rest You, Merry Gentlemen,” 6ung by the male Chorus and the third and last Carol "The First Nowell” is sung by both the female and male chorus. The entire ensemble is dressed in old English court costumes. No. 2 of the program is the overture “Merry Wives of Windsor” played by the Roxy Symphony Orchestra. “The Adoration” is No. 3 of the program. “The Star of Bethlehem,” sung by Jeanne Migrolet, accompanied by the Roxy Symphony Orchestra, is the first selection. She appears in one of the upper boxes beside the Christmas tree. While she is singing a "Star” to represent the Star of Bethlehem appears on a curtain behind a purple scrim curtain. The next scene shows the discovery of the Baby Christ. Harold Van Duzle sings "Jesu Bambino” followed by the song of “We Three Kings of Orient Are” sung by a trio, J. Parker Coombs, A. Dockray and J. Santiago; also accompanied by a male chorus. The ensemble then enters bringing offerings of sacrifice to the Baby Christ and they also sing “Adeste Fidelis." The 4th number of the program, “Eine Puppen Fantasie” consists of a song sung by Beatrice Belkin, who appears next to a Christmas tree on one of the balconies. B. This is a scene with a background of eight long peppermint sticks which, when raised, reveal eight girls who do a little dance to the tune of “School Days.” Also in this 6cene there are three military steppers, dressed in green and white military 6uits, and an open box which reveals a beautiful doll. The three military steppers do some great tap dancing, later accompanied by the eight girls. The doll, (Maria Gamibarelli) then comes to life and does a doll dance. This is followed by a dance by 24 girls, dressed in red and white striped costumes to represent peppermint sticks. No. 5. Newsreel. No. 6. of the program is “The Cinderella” legend offered in a condensed version, with a musical setting, and transposed into the modern idiom. In this last scene the Fairy Godmother also appears and by the wave of her wand 6he visions to Cinderella and the Prince their wedding ceremony. This is shown on the stage behind a scrim curtain. Atlanta Howard Week Ending December 24 The Howard presentation this week consisted of the eight Victor artists who are touring the Publix circuit. They are Henry Burr, tenor ; Billy Murray, tenor; Monroe Silver, monologist; Frank Banta, pianist; James Stanley, baritone; Carl Mathiew, tenor; Stanley Baughman, bass; Sam Herman, xylophone player, and the Peerless Quartet, consisting of four of the performers. Needless to say, the program was polished and highly artistic, perhaps a little too much so for an audience accustomed to the usual ballyhoo pep singers. But a change from this seemed to bring sufficient favorable comments to hail the number a success. . The settings used on the stage were artistically arranged in keeping with a concert stage bearing, black and gold being the color scheme. Each performer as he concluded his offering introduced the oncoming artist and the bill was kept moving at a good pace. It did not lag and the acts were so arranged as to prevent a monotony of similar numbers. Salt Lake City Capitol Week Ending December 24 A spectacular extravaganza, in the form of a “Parisian Idea” was presented on the stage at the Capitol theatre here this week by the Fanchon and Marco Company. It was a whirlwind of song and dance. This presentation is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and enjoyable stage acts which the Capitol has yet offered. A hilarious night in Paris is spent with Alberti and his band, Carlos and Dorothy, internationally famed dancers ; Pyramid Trio, and above all, the twenty beautiful artists’ models, a number of whom step from the line to offer specialty numbers of outstanding ability. The scenery and artistic color effects used for this presentation are very attractive, and as a whole it was received as an exceptionally highclass presentation. The feature picture given in this connection was "The Spotlight” with Esther Ralston. Des Moines Capitol Week Ending December 23 A nicely balanced bill at the Capitol gave the hectic week-be fore-Christmas atmosphere plenty of light, airy recreational activity. Paul Spor, new director and master of ceremonies, dug a little deeper into the regard of the new audiences and gave them a treat by singing his first solo number. He sang “Lock a Sunbeam in Your Heart” and was recalled for more. The orchestra presented a very good program of musical hits led by the new man who seems to know how to get what he wants from the boys. Spor gives credit to his musicians when the applause is extra loud by making the players take the bows. “Danse Caprice,” a John Murray Anderson production, features four top-line troupers. The Albertina Rasch ballet in the zebra strut made this novelty go well. This was a surprisingly unusual and entertaining number. Cy Landry, comedian and eccentric dancer, made a willing audience chuckle itself into a hilarious finish with his more than funny antics. Llora Hoffman, lyric soprano, gave two songs, good for enthusiastic encores. Two comedy ballet dancers burlesqued the traditional ballet offering to the tune of several EDGAR AMSTEIN Solo Organist Just concluded one year at Balaban & Katz Central Park theatre, Chicago. Opening at Publix Metropolitan theatre, Houston, Tex., on December 24. 0% GRACE R. CLARK f Featured Organist ASCHER BROS. CROWN THEATRE, CHICAGO Solos and Community Singing JESSE CRAWFORD With MRS. CRAWFORD at the STAGE CONSOLE Mn Paramount Theatre, New York “At the Cross-Roads of the World” Baby Dorothy Johnson World’s Youngest Saxophonist Playing Deluxe Theatres One of the Feature Attractions at the Chicago Theatre CHICAGO THIS WEEK Vaudeville — Direction, The Simon Agency Picture Houses — Direction, Max TurnerWm. Morris Agency