Variety (November 1963)

eo es ....House productions:: _.President had ‘lured ‘Pabla ‘Cassals out of self-imposed. exile to ‘play. | ‘She business | then; _ tional Theatre’ s: ~~ She has. seen”. ‘most of. the. plays /°"" Swhich have been, in Washington’s jf | only legit ‘house in’ recent: years..|§ . | Her husband hag seldom'been able |f “to accompany: -her | Washington, he has always. had. too: . Rany demands on: his time. _ Mrs. Johnson’ “prefers. heavy’ @ramas. ‘with méat in “the message.. community but it’s: : ‘sife prediction that. the:.new Chief ‘and his. _ wife will continue :the gestures to ‘talent so. signally initiated by: their :* or ‘predecessors: : + Onee the: period: of grief. ‘abates,. the: new First Lady; named Claudia. at birth but ‘called. by -her nick‘name of Lady Bird: since she was a. paby; can: be expected to ‘continue. thé. tasteful selection of talent for ‘programs. following | ‘White. House 1. dinners. . “Jacqueline | Kennedy had made: ak show. Dusiness -history. and « at-'| “: tracted: the attention. of: thé world. “with... ‘precedent. ‘Shattering : White She. .and. .the presented | ‘selections © Shakespeare. and portions ‘of great: a -, ballet “in. the’ mansion for. the first, ~ "time in history. -As wife .of the. Vice President, , _Mrs.. -Johnson | “frequently | ‘invited |‘show. : busineés” people to perform.| at. her: parties. ‘Carol *Channing,. Sally” “Ann ‘Howes and Carol Law Fence have. been. among. those who. “have ‘entertained’ in. the . Johnson: home. ‘within the last 12. months. .“-: Opera: coloratura Joan Sutherland, : “ among. others, ‘has. been a _Buest there. he os A Pro. Broaileaster “One ‘unique “first” involving. the. “new First Family is: that Mrs. John-" “gon. is the: first. Presideiit's wife. ‘who .has. ever. been -a professional: . broadtaster.: With part. of’ her-inheritance.. from.. her. mother, .she |” bought . an. ‘Austin;. Tex., Tadio. station, KTBC, in 1943:. Tt was. losing: 7 money. “working © night: and:-day to. put ‘it |: ‘ into. . theblack, ‘and it has‘ ‘stayed: She . ‘spentfive “Months there ever since..’ She. is in -daily contact: with her: ‘pusinéss by long: distance: phone. and‘-with. balance |": _. Sheets: rushed : to’ her. “by, ‘air amail_ Special. delivery... “When FCC completed the: table of assignments. for tv: channels and. gave.one to’ Austin, Mrs. Johnson's ‘company, in which ‘the ‘Président |. has. never held: a: share of’ stock | Ff. ‘-or has-been’ otherwise’: involved, | F o applied. for-it. .There ‘was. no other \t. applicant. ‘Mrs. Johnson was: given |§ “It; too, | ...Jost money in the. early: ‘days ‘which. FEO be, "2 ‘waS-.a. common. experierice in the |f.-. -: -but' “she .master| it ona. non-contested basis.. minded . it ‘into “the black. faster |4. . .. “than a let .of ‘other tv. execs-in-a.]q-: | _ «market -of: that size in. ‘those days. |] her. company owned a. Teéxas. Rio. Grande..Valley |{ (Mission; | Tex:):-tv. station . which |} was . sold and the company bought |}. a minority | interest. (which. it still. -has_ in “four. other. ‘tv. stations “in-/f: smaller “towns: Of ‘Texas. Oklatioma. ; : Subsequently, --Pro-Cultural: Center| ‘President™ Johnson can. be’ ‘ex{f° >... pected; according to his. associates, |) re to’ give:.strong. support, including | the type of. personal. interést Pres“dent Kennedy. exhibited;. : National. Cultural Center. -One interesting sidelight ds that wo -when: the. closed circuit: tv benefit |ffor.the Center was held: here, Pres| ‘dent Johnson shelled out.$1,200 for |] -| | .. a table of. 12.No. member of the |f ~~ 200200 _ ‘Kennedy. family ‘bought more than] § 2. eS -. . twoseats... "e MIs. Johnson is among. ‘the Na-|fbest. customers, Next, ‘she likes . ‘musical comedies and, Teast. ofall, straight. comedies. . v She. -would never pass up a Shake-. speare. tragedy if she had an oppor{§ . tunity to see it. She is extremely. ‘well. read and retairis. much of. "> Shakespeare’s writings in her head. _Even though she is‘no fan .of come-. ; . dies, she has seen many of them |f. The NEW. ST. JAMES. HOTEL : Phile;. Headquorters For’ People in Shew. Businesa : 4 “BOB SPEDDEN, Managing oi. | ‘Located Coatrally. 13th and Welust. St ROOMS: $5-ap. * PENNYPACKER Baten from |’. -sehedule, ‘Kennedy’s ‘over who: had -been asked -to the ‘White _Hoiise’ and who’ hadn't: President and: Mrs:. Johnson ‘will. and We An. _ the. . _ wood because, in: _ 0 : 0 Ca ary r | on 5 Catural Program ; and has. aimed. ‘that “Beyond the 7 Fringe”. was. a highly. enjoyable. ve | .experience for. her: wy _ President J ohnson, with: a head. : which has .always been. filled with} ‘weighty. problems,especially. gets If ‘¥elaxation from. musical. comedies: ||Like his wife, -he also. enjoys:heavy:||. ‘drama. He, too, is less interested | in comedy,.alttiough ‘he ‘is privately eas among ‘the most witty of.men.: ‘The Johnsons “have.” not. Jackie’s Opera Taste © Johnson. are; either: : "At is assumed. by. President John: son’s: associates:.that he will keep | _aliveand’ use: President. Kennedy’s. plan fora. ‘history: making Presi+ dent’s. Advisory Committee .on the Arts. . President -.. named: the. Government members. ‘of. itand. ‘was slated ‘to-appoint. the: public: members (about..25 or 30)./. inJanuary. Because of -the: pres: 1 sure of business, President. John-:. ‘}sqn: may not. ‘make: the :January.| ‘but. che. will probably. ‘Make the appoittments. and: bring: fo -:realization’ the.unprecedented. Government. Tecognition of the ‘per-. forming: arts. The mourning period—if. not. the change: inPresidénts—cancelled. a’ ‘mid-December. . party ‘which -had. peen in. the works for. President |" Hollywodd friends. Re|. portedly, ‘stars were:inan ‘uproar do no entertaining until-January at ‘the’ earliest,” There’ has. been. no} announcement of ‘when they “will Start... But’ oncé they. ‘do, friends. who ‘often. | been to symphony. concerts, “but ‘both enjoy: them. They enjoy: mo‘tion pictures ‘and. the White House * screening room canbe expected to |}... nn “be, used. ‘often in, the: Johnson: Ad|-. ‘ministration, as. it was. in. the Kennedy Administration::: ...- While Mis. Kennedy was: ‘inter--|_ . ested: in opera, there was no sug|. gestion that “President ‘Kennedy : ‘was “or. that.” : President. cand Mrs: |‘ Kennedy ‘had. ‘home: “That. ‘was last. January. Adler: has: commitments ‘from: tical. ‘problems, “arowdwey Ver. extravagant or ‘ballyhooey inhis. _ Press Agentry of . Yesteryear . / anotiier Belght’ Featare: ta the upcoming © J ARTETY they. Swill do: “it ‘with, taste * and | | imagination: r After all, ‘Lyndon. and. Lady Bird Johnson always ‘have: done: it that ‘way. : ~ Jan. 23 Gala es Continued from: page. 1 ——€~ Rind: Sir’ Dec. 26-Jan. 12 at. ‘the ‘Mineola. (1.1.)' Playhouseand ‘Jan. |-. | 14-26 at. th? Paper: Mill Playhouse, . | Millburn,’ NJ: | :-Bruce. Miltholland: ‘will. ‘give a i public: reading of the first. act of his play about: the ballet, “Kighth {Wonder of. the World,”. next Satur‘day, afternoon (30) at the Ligoa, her’ “early. years. ‘in! “'Pexas,. “Where t ‘she’ was . born. _ Miss . ‘Burnett. ‘also once. ‘performed in” Johnson’s Gina. ‘Lollobrigida, ‘Ed. -Sullivan, Gregory Peck. and: Rock. Hudson to -act ‘as..emcees: for the ‘big. Jan. 23 affair planned ‘for the: National ‘Guard: Armory: here. Previously, | ‘the’ Armory: had _ disastrous | acous-. “but Adler... who. | produced -.an . identical” gala: last | January . ‘licked. ‘them “completely with’. ‘an “ary. of.: electronics . and ‘sound specialists. _ “Other ‘talent. which has ‘been set | Lena. ‘Horne, Joan. Baez, : Milton. ‘Kamen; | Jonathan. Winters, :-Robert Merrill, the N.Y: :-City Ballet ; and” Peter | Gennaro’s Light. Ballet. About: 6,000.— the: ‘capacity’ —: “would. be’: expected, ‘with the “| money _ going to the. 1964. Demo‘cratic ‘national ‘campaign. oe included .; Miss.” Lawrence, sank Anniversary Number. | . : |isbeing. : Pies ons statistical ‘ond rates | Pa: | Marshall | _ Barer, | BERNARD. SOBEL "| | | 1. fom _ Rennie ‘ing: musical. ‘by: “Hugh. Martin based | -on.. shaw, ‘as. ~ hig’ ‘ first Broadway ‘production. Shakespeare * Festival, . | NY., Sunday afternoon (24), Arlene ‘Francis | will star — Duncan -Arts ‘Center, N.Y,’ Drama Tne. ean” Shakespeare’. Theatre,” ‘every: ‘Sunday’. afternoon ‘during. ‘the ‘fall. and .winter. seasons. Theodore: J, Flicker has donated fre,. ‘The Premise, to the Congress. ‘of “Racial . Equality for wuse-:as a ‘Christmas store'to raise funds: .’ : Keith Rockwell’s flamenco show, 7 Krell” ‘has -gucceeded as Paul O'Keefe. in the title: Tole of: | “Oliver” on: Broadway. 1° Sets’ andcostumes © for. the] 1 Lincoln: ‘Center (N.Y. . Repertory | Theatre : revival : of: “Marco MilTL lions” are being designed by David | Hays and Beni Montresor, respec|} tively. Music’ is being composed by. “|| Doris Sehwerin and the production: choreographed by. Ray, > Os Slade. Brown jiitends: present“A Little . Night Music,” a and |: an: George: Brad-. ‘independent . The first. sessiom of : the ‘newly: ; formed: Classical Reading. Work_./shop, .undér the auspices. of the: ma N.Y... .| held”: at’ the. American. | Theatre. &: ‘Academy, was. National * last 4 campaign. for the legit .venture. .__ in|Douglas has. been doing tv guest” ~ shots to. promote the show. recting .a . new revue, Free “guided: tours of the Ameri‘Strat-. ‘ford, : Conn., are. being conducted | “Ole, Ole,”. has been pooked: fnto the Mermaid. Theatre, N. ¥., opening. Dec. 16.. Bradley G. Merison takes | ‘over next..week. as director of publicity . for the Minnesota Theatre. Co. which operates the Tyrone Guthrie. Theatre, ‘Minneapolis, with Kay. Fiielr. arid. Cindy Maughan as assistants.: Mary Jelliffe, who or ‘ganized the publicity program for. |the theatre's first season of opera-. tion;, is: currently doing ‘pa. work. in her native Canada. Seven Arts, -which ‘put. Up the ‘backing. for the Broadway production of “One Flew ‘Over. the Cuckoo's Nest” and -which will. finance the film version. of the play, to be produced. by Edward Lewis for. the Kirk. Deuglas in dependent ‘film company, with’ Douglas. starred, is ‘reportedly. spending. an. estimated $25,000. on a radio-newspaper | advertising Jonathan Miller, who withdrew recently from: the -ast of the. .+ Broadway production of “Beyond the: Fringe, ‘will rejoin the presen-. tation in January when the show willbe revised with about 50%: ‘new sketches and a change of title to “Beyorid. the. Fringe, 1964.” |:‘There: have already ‘been some. “The | Daughters ‘of. Troy,” . -by| 4 Euripides, ina -new English. trans‘lation by Paul Nord, is. planned: for production * in’ N.Y. with. a Negro | east. ‘by the. Group. of Ancient: ‘Sketch changes during the course -of the reyue’s lengthy: Main Stem run.. Ben Bagley. is ‘producing | and din. starring. Jorie ‘Remus, for a Jan. 5 opening -at . the Purple Onion, San Francisco. Ronald -‘Brugniere. is assisting general manager Carl Fisher: on the Broadway. production of “She Loves Me.” — the “use ‘of: his off-Broadway thea-j Broadway producer: Morton” Gottlieb. will: speak Dec.'8 at forum. ‘on “The British ‘Challenge to the American Theatre”. at the Master Institute ‘Theatre, N.Y. . Tees ne ae ee ae , “Kenneih Nelson s sings the score with com-. pelling ardor,” with. a superbly. focused. woiced that never misses its mark... he is simply. great a ‘KEVIN KELLY, ‘Boston ~Globe Soe: eet os “Kenneth ‘Nelson ‘isan excellent pantoper ee ee mimist, . dancer, ‘and. actor; one with an Soe unusually ‘good. voice. of considerable ee ~~ ~power.”” E B. ‘RADCLIFFE, Cincinnati Enquirer =, "o' RON Or I ae a por rpntres.0,s-s crenata erg ep ale arnt rererere e's een art PR “Kenneth: “Nelson. brin gs consummate: grace, a sensitive skill in pantomime and | 3 @. fine voice to the demanding role. of. Little: Chop’. Se _ -“DONALD KLEPFER, * Wilmington News Journal KENNETH NELSON Starring in in -Cortently SHUBERT THEATRE, Boston’ fl bru Nov. 30th) |