Variety (November 1963)

Wednesday, November. 6. 1963 Wee iid a Ned | fs zt Pee By HOBE MORRISON ‘Herman Bernstein, ‘ president. 3 the League of N.Y. Theatres and “a leading Broadway. -prodiction | -died ‘last | Saturday night (2) .in N.Y. ‘Hospital A and theatre ‘manager, ‘of abdominal .cancer...He was 58, and ‘had © ‘been ill “about three months...’ respected and. well-liked. ‘figures in legit theatre circles, a man. “who avoided. personal... quarrels. “and ‘held: the ‘friendship. -of virtually |e. the ' comedy; .(Tues:) for a ‘week's: stand at: the: local . Auditorium. . The’ company,. featuring ‘Leland: Howard, Gaylea Byrne and. Charles Victor will be the first professional . touring musical to. play | Winnipeg: in’ more | than a: decade. and one. of: three. ‘| Broadway. shows booked here in ‘the last’ five. ‘years. everyone. with whom: he. came in contact: As.a manager and executive -he was. deceptively efficient, seemingly : never. hurrying, becom-: ing’ excited, or -being under presure, but. accomplishing an ‘enor “mous. amount ‘of complex,. detailed work. . ‘He had an extraordinary . mem-: ory and ..the advantage of. long, 7: wide © experience. He= had: an .un_canny knack: of dealing. with diffi“cult people, many: ofthem extreme temperaments. es “Although — “Bernstein was A. shrewd negotiator, : and: was. known. “-for being. able to make: advanta for fairness, and it was. aby-word in’ managerial circles that he fre_-quently had a free hand in work: -” ing out agreements, ‘ “After serving for many years as|a .League..of N.Y.. Theatres. board | members,’ Bernstein: .was ap-} proached. several. months “ago: ‘about. becoming president: He}. sought to decline, because: of. ill-| . ‘hess, ‘but. the board | refused. ‘to ac-| was}. ‘the. Shubert interests, in an initial. |-eollective action by Broadway pro-. -| ducers: and theatre. ‘owners: for the establishment of.-bars .in’ legit houses,. will submit ‘statements ‘to-. “morrow (Thurs.): at-'a hearing’ -of the Moreland. Act Commission. The |: body is studying the “N.Y: ‘State. ‘Alcoholic. Beverage™ ‘Control Law: pand. ‘will propose’ revisions of ° the. cept his ‘decision, ‘and -he (Continued on. ‘page 58) Menotti’s ‘Last Savage’ A Legit Show Decked Out as Grand. Opera ‘By WOLFE KAUFMAN : Paris, Nov, BO. year Once: ‘the musical. headquarters . of the: world, Paris has not had an “operatic “world. premiere”. in “nearly half a century.’ It shad: one. this: week; the first showing™ of "Gian-Carlo Menotti’s. new : work, and it. was very much: a: gala: occasion at the. Comique, replete ‘with celebrities, leigs,. Garde: Republi| of -eains, ermine .-. . the works.. “The. | Last Savage” proved. a great ‘show, except | on the stage. Opera Jovers are likely to to say | that “The. Last Savage”. belongs |. -in legit. It is good theatre (poten : tially) but. it is: not good ‘opera. | It is too light, too clever, too mu-|f} -.sical-comedy. Yet it is. not musical } .’ eomedy; there.is no dancing, there | ~-are no: songs, : the music Ae too . musical. Menotti’s. “phe ‘Consul * ‘by the. Paris Opera ‘a.-half dozen years ago. It was.on and off. as the |i} .“ Opera’ changéd -its general man|i} ‘ager several times. Finally. George }4]: o Auric, the ‘current g.m., passed: it |on .to’ Herve Dugardin,: his . aide, | GI. Who .is in charge of the smaller |]. house, the. Opera’ Comique:. Du-|#} " ‘gardin | -was delighted ‘because he |fi has been: looking for. a way to in| fl. ject novelty. Plot presents’ ‘an: ‘American girl | anthropologist who. falls for a sup posed aborigine who loves her, too, ‘the. play. form, opene ‘George Bernard Shaw . Straight. |. ‘for .a two-week run as..a Manitoba | : 1 Theatre -Center presentation’ star-. ‘Patrick Waddington. ° geous deals,hehad: a. reputation |: League ‘Shuberts ‘necessitate | “and | “The Medium,” déspite~ -a lot of: ‘carping, did. pretty well in legit; | both had fairly. long runs and came.1§] ~close to Tepaying their investors: }“Last Savage” was-commissioned Alan’ Jay the. original “Jast Friday (1) : “Pygmalion,”’..: ring Leo Ciceri, Pat Galloway, and To Ask for Bars An NY, Theatres |: The League of N.Y: ‘Theatres and law ‘to the State. Legislature: next The” ‘league, | trolled. by the--Shuberts,. is. seek ing. a license: which: would permit | ‘theatres to sell drinks from’40 minutes before the: curtain~ rings} “up until 30 minutes. after the. end.| the. performance. This would ‘exemption. : of” the ‘theatre from the law’s present re. quirement for: the service of food ~ (Continued: on | page 58). but spurns: American -culture and| (Continued on page: 58)... ‘SOUND’ TOUR CLOSING WITH TORONTO. STAND | The touring company: of. “The “Sound: of Musie,” on the. Toad since * ‘the O’Keefe Centre, “Toronto: The “musical, in which sarbara Meister and. John. Myhers. are. currently costarring: at the Fisher Theatre, | Detroit, exits there next Saturday |i} (9) for the final two weeks at: the |. The tour had originally |#]been. scheduled. to. run. at least: O'Keefe. . -through: next . spring: “Music” ‘was: the’ last show’ on: : which’ the late Oscar Hammerstein. 2d collaborated with his. sanetinne e. tuner, with book by: Howard Lind; | oo say. .and ‘ Russel..Crouse,: was co-. = “produced by: R&H with Leland|/f} °°. Hayward and Richard’ ‘Halliday. | partner, Richard | ‘Rodgers: . a Aas Py ; NEW YORK 10036 154 W, Ath ‘St. LONDON, 'S.W.1 ar) St. James's: Street “Piccadilly. ‘hit. the ‘semester. | comedy, | Pretzel: Factory.”.. It’s. j.ducedby -PaulVroom: and: Buff. | Cobb..for 4 mid-February opening -in ‘New York. | O'Keefe, ‘who. AWaS succeeded: in} “uy ennie”. by. George | Wallace; ‘is |: still on ‘the musical’s payroll. ‘That | condition, ‘which ‘could remain in. effect | for 12° months. after. the. “tuner’s: Main Stem preem,, may’ ‘be. which represents i producers and the .owners of :.all ‘Broadway. houses except . 17 con E | ‘Mollie Sinclair’ Slated I; For Dec. 2-4 at Raleigh |. 7 [ga ye 1 SUNT ET eet ce . Patricia. Neway and Norman}: | qreigle will play the title roles in| | “The. Sojourner: and. Mollie. Sin| | elair,”. the Carlisle Floyd opera to | . | be: given-its world preem Dec.. 2-4 } at the. Raleigh (N.C.) Little Theatre. ay air Lady’. Pygmalion oat In Winnipeg This. Week| “Winnipeg, . Noy. : The: ‘original: ‘Shaw and the} | musicalized. Lerner-Loewe versions Bernstein was one: ‘of ‘the. ‘most here this week. in: competition The’ touring “My. Fair ‘Lady,’ Lerner-Frederick. Loewe ¢ong and darice adaptation | ' opens: ‘tonight |. Cast OKeefe in ‘Pretzel Factory’; | Pay from ‘Jennie’ the. final. major event. ‘of the state’ s 300th anniversary celebra tion.: Julius Rudel, general. man|: ager ‘and director ‘of the N.Y. City:[ Opera Co.,. will be: guest conductor. | ‘The. work | will be. produced by. | the. East. Carolina. College | Opera: Theatre, .under . the supervision. of ‘Gene Strassler.. The’ ‘performance ! ‘js then scheduled to. be taped ‘for ‘distribution to: North Caroline. tele: vision. stations.” ’Dennis. O'Keefe: Is again sched ‘uled. to make his..Broadway debut this. season. .'The. film actor, ‘who’ '.| was: repalced. out-of-town. ‘as: the. -|male ‘lead in -the Mary Martin-} -|:starrer,’ “Jennie,” is. now slated to ‘Main . -Stem later ‘this |. in upset: ‘by ‘his appearance in “Pretzel.” ‘It's ‘understood. that : if. his salary’ in the comedy. exceeds ‘the amount -he gets from “Jennie,” Shade.” “was. the. only .one. of the. six Gaily newspaper . reviewers | -to pan the Merrick production. ‘Of the . other the management : of: the musical. .doesn’t: have: to pay: him anything. ‘Tf his “Pretzel” .wage is less than: ‘the “Jennie” figure; the difference between the two amounts “would: ‘have to: be: made: up by. the’ tuner, | provals, its-explained. . have to resume. doing: 80,, At understood. o — Whitelaw and Leo Friedman. for a Dee:-10 opening. at an. undesignated . theatre, . 7 If you. consider ‘yourself, @ or your company, ‘In, quelified. for, or moving toward the big time ‘of show business, you cannot afford to stay: eut ef the old.: year-new year, retrospective-prospective compilation. of. fame and: the reasons— therefor which ist the purpote and substance’ of | he th Anniversary Edition of i Replete with facie and: figures; eolor ‘and: personality, arganized with > ait. eye to justify. its traditional reputation as a useful, -preservable, often ‘delightful. special occasion, this: Edition presents you: with: a ‘chance, fo: ‘be. counted: ‘among. those who. count in entertainment. . Ls be Contact 9 Your Nearest. Representative “HOLLYWOOD 90028. . 404 Swaset Bivd. PARIS 7” | ae de Breteail ‘posium. held last September. at. the Brown. Theatre, Louisville, “planned: ‘for . next month at ‘the “‘Clowes.. Memorial. Hall, © Indian‘apolis. | from -. that | : | Columbus, . Bloomington, | Bend and Chattanooga.’ “ agreed ‘upon at. ‘the Louisville ses ‘ings so as to’make more: entries | | available to. a ‘participating. group _4 of several cities. ‘At. was : also sug-’ | gested at. the symposium that the. ‘theatres could make. it. possible for: ‘a particular house to get certain basis. aa ‘the: Jerry. . Devine. “Never ‘ Live. Over a being’ pro| ‘becoming. cannier, That was indi-| If “Pretzel” folds’. during. the. period in. which’ “Jennie”. is obli-: gated to -pay. O'Keefe his’ .con-tractual salary, the musical will ‘eritics have been fair: game. for |_|the producer, his: sights have. been ae "| trained: ‘most: often on. Taubman, “An. off-Broadway _ -revival’ of “Cabin.in the Sky,” to he staged by. Brian ‘Shaw, is planned by Arthur ‘of the: importance. of the Times. Tegular’ critics following the re-|! Stompa Estera (Foreign Press Club). + The designation of a group of ‘seats at 90c each in the upper balcony of Broadway legit theae tres is. catching on Morton Gottlieb,. as general manager of the Bonard uctions presentation . of “The Hollow Crown” at the Henry Miller Theatre; N.Y., last season, established a 90c low forSat. offering. ‘He™ repented “at -policy..for his. own pr uction' a ‘Attending the: Louisville [the Miller of:“Enter Laughing,” meet were. legit representatives now in its 35th week at.the house. city, ”gion, South The producer continucd this season with “Chips with Everything,” the. British import. which he and Helen Bonfils are presenting at the Plymouth Theatre. They also intend scaling tickets from: 90c up: for. their projected. coproduction next spring on Broadway with Gilbert. Miller of A. E. Hotchner’s “The White ‘House Story,” ‘in. which Helen Hayes is to star, At the Miller, “Laughing” has ‘200° seats. at each performance available at the 90c rate. On a regular. eigh-performance week | that’s 1,600-seats.. Over 50,000 j seats in this.category have thug | far been sold by the Miller tenant. [At the Plymouth,.“Chips” has 389 ‘|seats available each: week at the 90e figure. That applies. to the last’ ‘two rows. of the balcony fer all but . Road Managements Sked More Talks on Bookings A followup. toa ‘theatre symis Among. the areas of exploration. sion was the ‘coordination: -Of book booking of shows by a-group of offerings it might otherwise-be unable to. handle on. an independent. ences, when only seats in the. last | row are available at that price. The Joseph Cates production of Berate Tubman. | Over Pan of ‘110° sre Besse om its. current berth at the Broadway. producer David MerBooth ‘Theatre, N-Y., to . the rick ‘appears to be Tmellowing, or| Belasco’ Theatre, N.Y., will have a 90¢c ticket. for 200 seats in its new location. At every performance of the Arthur Cantor-E. E.. Fogelson . production of “The. Golden Age,” opening Nov. 18 at the Lyceum Theatre, N.Y., there'll che 100 seats available at, 90e each. . Longer N. Y. City Opera: Season Likely as Dance Unit to Linc. Center * When the New. York City Ballet. decamps NY. City ‘Center next. April for the new State Theatre, ‘in Lincoln -Center, the resultant: booking gap at. the: 55th St. site will. probably result in an elongated ‘fall, and possibly :spring, season for the N.Y. City Onera. | Other changes are probable, es-. pecially more bockings of foreign folkloric troupes of the kind* hand‘led by. Sol Hurok and Columbia . Management. Such companies seek if | large capacity with a stage rigged |for scenery, the N.Y. City ‘Center. | qualifying with 3,000 seats and 10 sets. of lines. 1 Action of Philharmonic . Hall in |-bringing ina children’s ballet (via | Jay K. Hoffman office) from Holland: for eight performances this | Christmas has raised the question ifij of whether a year hence, at Christ ‘Mas 1964, the N.Y. City Ballet in the State Theatre might: find its “Nutcracker Suite” run, always. a solid yuletide moneymaker, with 4d Cente competition within Lincoln enter, | YANKED ‘CAMELOT’ ADS ~—_ARTER PAN IN CINCY Cincinnati, Nov. 5. “Camelot” advertising was with-. drawn from the Cincinnati Post &. | Times-Star last week in. the mu18} sical’s second of a three-week en | gagement at Taft Theatre follows iil ing a pan of the musical by the 18] paper's. critic, Dale Stevens. The | aisle wrote a favorable follow-up notice the following day, on the. basis of Jan Moody’s replacement. of the ailing Kathryn Grayson as. femme lead.: 1. The Stevens rap against “Came[| lot” included reference ‘to Miss. ill|'Grayson when she became ill and was’ replaced by Miss Moody, the latter ‘was praised by Stevens in @ cated last week by failure to make a public attack on Howard Taubman for the latter’s. pan of “110 in The ‘N.Y.. ‘Times:. critic five, three endorsed: the ‘musical and two. registered “qualified ap In. past’ seasons: a situation. ‘such as this would ‘have been a. natural |. for’.a -Merrick onslaught against | Taubman.: Although a ‘umber. of | : presuniably.in large part ‘because However; . Merrick: may. have decided. to. lay-off in his. baiting of (Continued. on Page. 58). CHICAGO 60611. | follow-up notice. Blowups of the } Stevens favorable piece and of the 400. N.. Michigan: Ave, 7 | rave. review by the Cincy. Enquirer’s E..B. Radcliffe were dis ROME 215. ‘played in the lobby of. Theatre, | where the show is: continuing. ‘The.show management’s ad can‘-eellation recalled a somewhat sim{8} ilar. instance in 1941, when “Banjo | Eyes,” starring Eddie Cantor, Played a tryout engagement here. % Steed gore s cae ‘8 Vie della Mercede 55. SENS TG SIE TS AS PTS ES I ETN EE {the Fridry and Saturday perform-. !’