Variety (March 1932)

52 VARIETY E ECITIMATE Tuesday, March 1» 1932 FUTURE PLAYS 'ShowerB,' by Auranl^' BouTtiralr a new title for 'It Never Rains' be- ing revived for Spston and Chicago by George 'Lefty* MiUer. Opening in the first named city Easter Week. Elisha. Coolt, jr., or Carl Julius probably heading the icast. 'Bridal Wise' opens at the Cort, N, T.,. March 7 week, Sigourney Thayer producing. 'Olivia Boyvs-jto Mrs. Grundy' tentative title for, a farce Shuberts are producing, written by R. 'Bot- tomley. ' Janet Beecher and Taylor Hblines ca3t leads, with EUsha. Cook, Jr., in support. Rehearsals- expected Feb. 29 week. .'Too TrM«i To B9 Good/ Guild's Shaw play is beiiig given a mini- mum of llV^; weeks' road booking/ ■Washington, March 14, follows Bos- ton, now playing, with Pittsburgh March 21 and Cincinnati and Buf- falo splitting. March 28 week. .'BIbodstreamr' by Fred Scblik is beiner cast by Sidney Harmon; Di- rection. Win. he by Sidney Saikow, assistant to Chesteir Erskln. 'We Are No Loriger ChildriBn' has been placed In rehearsal by Wil- liam A. Brady, Jr. French play by Leopold Mtu-chand ' which hais been adapted by. William B: Mur- ray and ilka Chase. Geoffrey Kerr and June Walkeir will have the leads. Win. op.en . in Phiia.. 'Bacciardi Cocktail' featuring Don Azpiazu, will be presented some time in the Spring. Book by Marloii Sunshine and music by Siinone. 'Torn Tom,' dramia by Cosmo Hamilton, will be produced by Alex Left^vlch with Lenore Ulrlcb In the leading role. WlU' not go Into re- hearsal until April, 'Radio Revue' is beiner readied, by Shuberts and will be given a week In Newark before being brought in^ to N. T. Phil Cook heads the cast which is .largely composed of radio 'Still Life' by L-wter Cole will be put into' production by Rosalie ■'Stewart, who was recently asso- ciated with Jed Harris in 'Fatal Alibi.' Projected production is a solo eff^ort. 'Croon Prince,' Will Morrisisey's radio play originally dubbed 'The Crooner,* is in rehearsal at the Bel- mont and due.to open In about three weeks. Cast includes, Jean Malln, Midgle Miller, Gertrude Neissen and Lorlng^ Smith. Bobby Sanford is staging the dances. 'Sons o' Guns,' coast production of the musical opens Mar. 4 at the Carthay Circle, Los Angeles as the Arst production of Municipalities Light Opera Company, Frank Raln- ger production, manager. In the cast are Ethelind Terry, Richard Powell, Frddrlc Santley, Fleurette Joeffrie, the Moore Twins and Wyndham Standing. John Britz is musical director and Eddie Larkin routining: dances. All CU Shubert Spots Dark for First Time; But for 1 Nile Only Chicago, Feb. 29. For the first time in the history of the circuit every Shubert-oper- aled house in the city of Chicago was in darkness last night (2S). Departure of 'Grand Hotel' from the Graiid Opfera House and 'Rhapsody in Black! from the Garrick Saturr day nlg'ht made it a cornpietcf mazda blackout'.for the fiye houses re- miaJnlhg'.undei' Shubert control. Shubberts' 100% shutdown locally, however, w:as only aii overnight af-, fair,. Unprecedented situation xyas broken by the entry of Fred Stone's 'Smiling Faces' into the Grand to- night (^9), As for the other, four stands' on the Chicago. !§hubci't string, no attraction has been set for a single one of the. houses, at least for the neit three weeks. Report current that Uie Shuberts may- take 'Experience Unnecessary' out of the Harris at the end of its three-week run there under the Dramatic Leajgiie banner and mov^ it into the Garrick on the clipped scale plan. Shift, if madej would bring the comedy into the latter spot March .13i ^ Just Operate Selwyn AH operating rights to the Harris and its sister hoiige, the Selwyn, were l©st»by the Shuberts two weeks ago wheh~the owners of the ground on which tl« theatres stand ordered the leaseholds cancelled and. an eviction notice issued to ihe circuit. Upon' the assurance of the Irving Trust Company, trustee for the Shubert receivership, that all oper- ating loses would, be guaranteed, the owner of the fee, the Hugh T. Dickey estate, permitted the Shu- berts to go through with the open- ing of 'Experience Unnecessary^ at the Itorris (22>. Local representatives for the Dickey estate have deferred passing on. the operating proposition for the Harris and Selwyn raade then! by Crosby Gaiige. for . another week. Crosby's plan guarantees the estate against any operating loss and of- fers a 60-60 split on the profits, with no rental to be charged against either house. ; Murphy's Tent Fold Cuts Coast Stocks to Three Hollywood, Feb. 2». Murphy stock at Montebelio folded its tent and disappeared. Leaves the Coast ^ith only three dramatic stocks, one in Seattle, one Hollywood and one split week be- tween a tent at Hawthorne and the CallCornia, theatre, Venice. Ends 20 Weeks' Bun ; Rochester, Feb. 29, Auditbrliim stock cloaes a 20 weeks' season March 5. Rowland G. Edwards will be: retained as permanent manager and a . drive will be made on subscribers for an other stock season. Edwards is looking for a musi- cal production to open Easter Mon day and his 'workshop' group is to pi-oduce 'Charity Ball' as an ama teur .efTort. Budget Membership Any little theatre producing three or more plays per year and a pro ductlori budget of over $i,00fr per year is eHgIbI6 for membership In the recently formed National The- atre Conference, brganlzatlon will include college, community or com merclal theatres. .. Louisville Stock Prospect .Louisville, Ky., Feb. 29, Harry Martin has begun work lt\g on a stock, troupe to oi>en hei soon. City has been without stock for several years since Martin gave up his company at the Browji theatre Shows in Rehearsal (Row- 'Mbney in the Air' land) Rltz. 'Round Ujp' (Reed) Mttjestlc. 'Wise Girl' .(Bannister Sc. O'Noll) Lyceum. , 'Barrie Plays' (Brady) Pliy- house (revival). . 'Warrior's Husband' (Moses) Morosco. ' Novel procedure for a showman^ was the suggestion to his creditors by Vincent Youmans that, they grant him a : year's moratorium. The creditors agreed to the prop- bsltlon at a^ meeting in Younrian's office Friday (26). Youmans frP-nkly stated his case to the assembled creditors. He de- clared he wished to pay off at least' 90, ceihts 6h the dollar,, feeling, that his revenues as a composer will work .but to that end if he is un- hampered by debtor worries. The young producer sat at his desk to answer .ia,ll questionsj while his at- torney, Dan M. Logan, propounded the Idea. Forced to make a settle- ment at this time, the lawyer said, the creditors would get very little, Youmans wishing to pay off as he partially liiasr done for the past year or so. ' Claims against Youmans totaled $350,000. All but $50,000 is owed on 'Great Day,* which was tried In two versions in 1929-30 at the Cos- mopolitan, New York. Another loser was 'I>amh Your Honor.' The recent 'Through the Years' failure at the Manhattan Is hot concerned in the moratorium, it being a sep- arate corporation. In the past two years Youmans has been iable to pay off about $40,000 although hav- ing no show. His assets consist principally of his musical compbsi- tions and a publishing business which has been more or less dor- mant. Inside Stuff—Legit Cy l<andry has lost his action againist AOirohs & Freedley. Between' $7,000 and $8,000 was involved in the decision, handed down by abiters. Case dates back to. 1929 when A. & F. produced 'Me For You' fop, which Landry had a run of the play contract. 'Me' was taken, out of town where it closed; > Producers thejV put on 'Heads Up.' / Landry, who' brought the action Only recently, claimed the amount in litigation was due him on the theory 'Me' and 'Heads' were actually the same play, it was shown at the arbitratibn, which included reading both script^ \ that 'Me' was written by a Owen Davis and 'Heads' by Lorenz Rodgers, Richard Hart, .jack MacGowan and Paul Gerard Smithy In moving.'Mourning Becomes Eleetra* from the Guild Theatrb. K Y,,- to the Alvin across the itreet Monday (29), nd trucks were used; First show to be thus transplalnted In accordance with recient agreements affected by the Theatre League betwecni,'lbgit producers, and the various van owners' groups. ' While no vans were involved stage crews were not allowed to move the sets, thisf befne done by the teamsters* union who carried them across the street, Under tile old. systeni if the theatr* were immediately next door, It was neicessary .to'load the production on trucks which were then , driven around the block., to the new house. No grand-opera for Los Angeles this coming seasq^ for the L. A. Grand Opeira Assn. Under the direction Of Merle Arnvltage, local opera was held down.to a.deficit of $11,000 in 1930, with many of the backers think- ing that Armltage was too lavish in his expenditures. For the 1931 season, he was asked to take a third cut in pay,, which he refused, going back with Charles Waener to handle concerts. In other hinds, the : local operai; season" last year w^ up $56,000 behind the eight bail, "which brought the decision: tp sluff the musical • melos this'seasoh.''' ' , . Brand new Idea In leglt production is being plotted i)y Dr. " Milton Bender. . Notion is to iise pniy paper, largely .cellophane, .for costumes, scenery and sets. Tleup Is being made with a paper manufacturing compa,ny for that; purpose, with tiie paper company piayihg for every- thing excepit cast;, and theatre. ;' ' , Bender's Idea is a revue, with material now being gathered by him, on the hope of starting rehearsals within a month. Bender is a dentist, only previous production experience being a revue titled 'New Yorkers* some years back. Pawle for 'Wise Girl* Lennox Pawle gets the part Irt "Wise Gifl' first slated for J. C, Nugent. Producers' deal for James Hall, film actor, is off," with Hall getting additional yaude dates. Tom Moore may .go instead. Others cast are Isabel Dawn, Charlotte Granville, Armand Kallsch, Marjorie Claris, Sterling Oliver, Larry Elmore, Patsy Klein, Allen McFarlane. Show, which is being produced with most of the cast on minimum guarantees and gross percentages may open at the Gaiety, N. Y. DES MOINES' STOCK Des Moines, la., Feb. 29. The Princess, after being in the dark most of the season, reopens \Yith the Princess Playiers, headed by Frances Dale. Cast Includes Jack Paige, Fred Sullivan, Jean Ardeh, Kathryn Card, ;Arthur , Curtis, , Warren Parker, Tlielma; Brandori; • Alexiis Luce,, Dorothy Artois and Ed Wing, •Omer Kehyoh. is managing the company, which has. a ,75-cent top, MORE CHI RECEIYEBSHIF . Chicago, Feb.'29 Property of thei Lawndalel, west side Yiddish house, went into rc ceivership, but does not affect the operation of the theatre, wlilch is on, a straight rentiil basis. Mid-City Trust and Savings Bank was appointed receiver of the theatre .and business block on which there is a balance, of $333,0.00 of a $400,000 loan In defa;ult. Cast Changes Barbara Bruce replaces L^ura Harding as the imseen telephone glrlln 'Whistling In tho Dark.* Edwin H, Morse replaces Douglas Gllmore in 'Brief Moment,' when latter retired because of illness, I'lay clo.sed Sjat. 27. Anne ShoomaUor .luocoeda Merle Madderu lA 'Left Ufyi^,.' . ALIEN BILL iWOTHER WORRY BESIDES m Equity Is alarmed over two pend Ing pieces of legislation, an alien actor measure proposed in. Wash ingfpn and the proposed New York state 10% admissions tax. Repre- sentative Dlckstein: of New York has prepared the alien bill, which threatens tiie functipning of Equity's own' measure In that dl rectibn. The federal bill was first drawn up at the instance of the Choral union, whose members are grand opera choristers. . It was proposed to bar all non-citizens. DIclcstein since revised the bill; to apply to all foreign actors or professional players but not operatic leads, 'BELIEVnr* DEFERRED 'Seeln' Is Believlh',' musical slated to go Into rehearsal yester- day (Monday) for Barry Buchanan suffered another delay, Its second, the reason given the illness of Ber tram Harrison, director. Original Washington^ D. C, opening has been cancelled.: Chas. Lawrence now cast repljEic ing Bobby Jarvis. RICE'S FALL SHOW 'Life Is Real,* Elmer Rice's next play, won't show up until early In the; Fail. Writing on It is prac tlcally finished, but Rice figures his two plays on Broadjvay currently 'Left Bank* and 'Counsellor at.Law, sufficient for the time being, " Mesinwhilie Rice Is golhg to _Rua sla to see production there of his 'Adding. Machine/ New Firm . Milto'n Kramer .and , ,Herbert Krapp are principals concernedIn Forrest Productions, recently formed to produce for the Forrest, N. Y. House Is one of those leases disaffirmed by the Shubert re eel vers. Kramer Is part. oVner the theatre and Krapp. the architect and also said. to be a part owner. First .show, 'A Few "Wild pats,* is being staged by Chauncey Kelm who was g. m. for Charles Hopkins for 18 years, Arbitration of the dispute between Ben Stein, producer of 'Black Tower,* and th6 authors is due thils week. When the show was being readied Ralph Murphy, one author, was on the Coast while Laura Baxter, the collaborator, was busy rehearsing. In 'Animal Kingdom.* Original script called for decapitated bodies and other sights mindful of the Spanish Inquisition. Stein decided such details would be rievolt* Ing stage fare and deleted them from the script wl^ich Is one reason why the authors complained. Colleen Moore, back in New York from the south after her recent marriage, ^^d with a legit assignment to fulfill for Henry Duffy on the Coast, Is spending most of her time rehearsing; She will do 'Church Mouse'out west, believed to be her first legit effort. ■ Failing to find Bert Lytell with sufficient time oh his hands. Miss Moore has persuaded the stage manager of the show to tutor her in ■ the Ruth Gordon part, and the manager may also hop west to aid DuCCy in staging'the piece which will open in San Francisco. Something of an old love in Arthur Lubln buying 'A Trip to Press* burg,' foreign play by Leo Perutz. It was previously owned by Ray- Minor, former Paramount leglt subsidiary, at a time when Lubln waa employed by thd firm. Adaptation of the play was one of the things Lubin fought for. before being dropped. With Riay-Mlnor letting go of the pliay, Lubln promptly picked It up on his own. Ltust minute mind change caused J. J. Shubert to drop his scheme of folding 'Marching By* In Chicago and puttin£r the company into immedi- ate rehearsal of a follow-up musical, 'Clrcua Princess.* Thougii the entire company was sent Into New York to open 'Marching By' there, It Is understood that as soon as the, eastern stay Is over the Shuberts wiU ship the cast back to the Greiit Northern, Chicago, to do Princess.' With 'Child of Manhattan;* by Preston Sturgea opening, Mrs, A. 0. Blumeinthal (Peggy Fears) appears in earnest about legit production, buying another show, 'I Musf Love Some One,* by Jack Kirk^od, Latter is the foriner husband of Nancy Carroll. " 'Must,*^ a comedy, involves about 25 scenes. Production probably noon after 'Child* with mention of Mary Duhcan for the lead. 'Lysistrata,* as a stock attraction, has been playing a pretty fair num- ber of towns lately. One recent week is estimated to have netted about $3,000 in stock royalties. CONCERTS Sadah Schucharl was heard In her annual vlollh redital. at Town Hall.. The Important numbers on the program were the Bach Gha- conne and Franck'a A Major Son- ata, followed by shorter ones by Do Falla-Kochanskl, Ravel and Doh- nanyl. Miss . Schucharl seems to have the same fault'that was evi- denced In her playing of last; sea- son—her high strings are still', me- tallic but her tone is vibrant and large, Gregory Ashcan. assisted at the piano.' A friendly audience. Lewie Eniery Recital . Lewis Emery, baritone,.)^ a re- cital which crowded • Town: Hall, again demonstrated his fine vocal artistry in a program covering French, Gorm'an and English songs. iEIia diction, especially in the (3er- man group, waa perfect, as were his technique and phrasing. The color and blending of Mr. Emery's voice ' hod Ita best expression lii 'Hallelujah*' which was received with much enthusiasm. The pro- gram er^tlre was a good departure from tlie hackneyed ones so often heafd. . : Sala at Town Hall . .. After an absence of three years, Antoni Sala, Spanish *cellist, ga^ei hia second recital in Town Halli The Brahm'8 Sonata. in E Minor,' Op. 38, Saliit-Saen'a Coiioerto in A Minor, a sonata by the Isth century Neapolitan composer, Nicola Por- pora,: and two Spanish plecei^ Joaquin Turina*8 'Farruca' and a Malaguena by Isaac AJbenIz com- pleted a delightful program. Mr. iSala displaya. thorough technical skill and a beautif ul quality of t<Jne, mellow .and sympathetic- A largo audience. Met Surpriae Party . ' The operatic surprise party at. the Met. Sunday, March 6, promises to b« a great lark, There vrill be a try-out on the stage before Mr* Gatti-Gazzazl, with six scenes. 'Bootlegging French Champagne,^ 'Wiener Schnitzel und WuTzburper, . 'American. Flag,* (only tlie American artists), ^A'iild Lang Syne,* featur- ing the big "artists of. times past and concluding with 'Family Pa- rade,' by Wl artists, chorus, ballet, stage hands, ushers and bpx-oCiice personneL '.