Variety (Sep 1937)

58 VARIETY LEGITIMATE Wednesday, Seplcmbcr 8, 1937 Freak Weather Nicked Legits Again; Holiday Trade May Hypo This Week • What Broadway hopes was the final heat wave of a torrid summer, nicked the legit shows of all the gains registered" the previous week of cool going. After taking a six- day beating a torrent . descended early Saturday (4) evening and . killed oflf the week's final perform- ances. • ■ ' More tain and a violent drop in temperature" made for a clean-up in the picture houses Sunday. Monday (Labor Pay) the weaither continued - cool ;and the legits were included in .the sui'gfe- toward theatres,, holiday 'matinees flourishing.. The beaches • cirref!pcidin<?ly --were, virtually de- iifserted. -rji^ht.trade was much- better than u.<;ual for the end of a three- ■•davhol'day. - The Jewish New Year made it a •double hbliday (Monday'), but the- atre patronage appeared to come -from vis.itnris rather than celebrants. .Next weak thg J)ay -of Atonement ■falls on Wednesday (15), but is over ,;^at sundown,' The solo'premiere is • 'carded' for that eyeninlg. therefore, 'it bain? 'Honor-Brifltht,' Broaidhurst. •On the same date 'King Richard IP '.will stai't a limited repeat date at the St. .Taitie!"!, That night, tpo, will -usher in fiv"> Yiddish .shows. on the lower 'E?-*-Side ?hd Blfobltlyn. • 'Virginia' touched oflf the season at the Center -Thursday • (2). Operetta -was accorded fairly taVorable- uress ,with, fair'.business, thereafter^ but its .chances . sl^ould, be bptter,'indicated •this week, -v/hich will see no addi- ti'>ns*tp.th'e'list. ": Current w6ek sees the finale in the ^fural tlrajna season, there be^ng but several try-outs.in those spots. How -many nlwa-from the sticks will be ;pvesented on' Broadway durin.st the .season hi^s not.yet be6n indicated. Estimates for-Last V«ek : . :: 'Balbes In Arm^'. * ShuWrt - (22d ,Tvesk) . (M-'1.38S-*3.30)'. • Business slipped, back- to around $115,000 .but .street's -solo- musical still, in -^ood • spot.' ' * ■" . •Blr;»thteK'lla4/ Biltmore'(39th week)■ •(C-991-$a:30)'. Weather hiek dropped -gr'osii aTjprdxiniately $2,000 and. the - week's^couiit-up ..djipped'unDer •$7^000' innrk... • . • . . • , • ,• ■ .*JfavIn'« "VTohderful fime/.I^yceum (29th wefekV (CD-i;0()Q-'$3,30[). Heat wavi 'and Saturday's, 0eltige deifited . -thai • evehirl*'s -take'at least $500;: ■grriTS around ii6,500. . 'Rttoni Service^' Cort ;(17th -week) (C-1.059-$3.30),., Satur49y. :matin6e: one , of w.ftak^st . since! spring hit • started; with night show oft too; 6li»^rtedl-to S14-,500. - « W6tfi?!h,'' ' Barrymore • (37th week). (C-l,048-.$3.30). .After climb- ' jn* to sumtner high pipped 'fvith -the 'fiilr}. last -\veek with takings around ^r'tOO. ■ ■ •. ■ - * 'T-tbicc* Road,' Forr^t (196th weak) (D'.1.107-$l.65>;■ Hardy drama a-owoximately • $5,000' last week, ,th'>n.'»h still profitable. /.. .•Vir^InH/ Cetiter (2d week) (M- 1.343-IS3.30). Opened late last week ;(2) in midst of- another heat wave • and . alsp affected by Saturday weather aftex* 'drawing favorable pv<»ss. • 'Yes, Mv J>arling- Daughter.* Plav- hoiL^e (30th w^ek) (C-878-$3.30). Es- . timated around $6,500 last week: sat- 'i-^factor.v for limited cast; slated un- til Thanks.rfivi'n*! or later. ?> 'You Can't Take It With Yon.' Booth (39th week) (C-708-$3.30\ Still , tops in -noint of demand not affected I .as much as others because of ad- f vanfe s'-'.le: last week dipped under ■ •• ■$15,000 level. Revival •Roberto,' Randall's Island; an- nounced final week. $1,000,000 Legit (Continued from pa.se 57) 'CANT AND 'RAT' IN CHI : ABOUT EVEN UP; 12G'S Chicago, Sept. 7. Onlj' new legit activity around town at this time is restricted to the Federal theatre, which opened series of one-acters at the PHncess last week'and comes throu.gh with the Yiddish 'Monesh' at the Great North- ern this week. In the pro line-up- at present are Just two shows, both comedies. Brother Rat' is in its third week at the SeHwii and looks set for a stay, while *Ybu Can't Take It With You' is getting' its second wind at the JHarris. and is feeling no pinch, despite its 31st week. • Estimates for Last Week . •Brother-Rat,' Selwyn (1.000; $2.75) (3d week). Strong box office pace, ahd a demand which indicates it will be here for some time. Overesti- m3t3d first week. when gross was $11,000; last week better, about $12,000. 'Ytn Can't Take It with You,' Har- ris (l.OOO; $2.75) (31st week). New .entry seems to hav6 helped rather than hurt this one, which approxi- mated $12,000 Ir"-- veek. WPA •• •Monesh,' Great Northern. Opens .tomorrow (Wed.); .' , One-act series, Princess. Opened last Friday (3). $85,000, with two weeks of 'Idiot's Delight' and one week of 'Am- phitryon 38.' . 'Scandals' oh. two weeks gj^me/ed a nifty $45,000, while four weeks of 'Tovarich' piled up another $55,500. Three weeks of 'Boy Meets • Girl' spelled $3G;000 at the b.o. Jane Cowl in 'First Lady' drew-.$30,000 in two weeks^ -Leslie Howard's two weeks in 'Hamlet' added $19;300 to the Bilt- more take,- while Ruth Draper, with her character impi'essions,. piled up $11,()00 in five nights and three mati- in'ee performances. Then there was $31,900 for .'Brother Rat' on a four weeks' sojourn, and $24,000 for three weeks of 'Dead End.' Cocnell's Hefty Tak6 Starting.the seaon, with the sec- ond .week of. -a 10-day booking. Katharine Cornell accounted for better than $39,000, while 'The Mu- latto' added another $11,-500 over a three-week period, , ^ Virtually all of these legits played at the Curran in ■ San ' Francisco, where they plied . up another easy $300,000, on top of wbich that house: currently is experimenting with a. new opus, 'Story to Be Whispered,'- starring - Marjorie Rambeau, that grabbed a sweet $11,000" oh its ini- tial week ahd is reported building. On top of the.<;e staggering-grosses for traveling shows* Henry : Duffy produced five playis' during-the sea- son that-ran for a-total of 20 weeks: at ErCapitan theatrj," Hollywood,- to total receipts of around • $127,000. \ These productions -were: 'Di&taff Side,', opening the season Septi 3,'running two weeks and tak-i int $13,000 at a $1.65" top, at Which all Duffy shows' are priced. ' 'Meet My Sister' grabbed $17,500 on three w6eks, then Tohibrrow 'We • Live/ starting Christmas Day, wound up with- $38,500'oh four weeks'- stay. 'Petrified' Fbrest' accoimted for $10.- 500 over two stanza's," with Duffy's production of -'Boy Meets Girl,''fol- lowing its three-weeks at the Biltr more (dov^ntown),' winding up the season May 15 after nine weeks for 'a combihed '$47,700! •''Duffy's El "Capitan 'season was around' 10 'weeks shorter- than cus- tomary, la'rgely attributed to his failure tp. line up New York' suc- cesses because of a strong desire on part of . their producers'to road show them to the Coast and play them at the larger Biltmore theatre ^ere. On the strength of the strong showing made at the Biltmore and Curran theatres during '36-'37, six New York shows are already booked for these houses for the new season, with thi'ee or four othei: possibilities in sight. Season opens here Oct. 4 with Abbott's 'Room Service' skcdded for- four weeks. Late in November 'You Can't Have Everything' moves in for prospective five-weeks' stay. Then on Jan.' 7 'The Women' starts a three weeks' engagement, followed by two weaks of 'Frederika,' start- ing Feb. 21. . Evans and Hays Due On March 2 Maurice Evans comes in with 'Richard II,' while Helen Hays in ''Victoria Regina' winds up the season with three weeks start- ing May 30, The 'Follies' is angling for time ai'ound the Christmas holi- days. Another prospect is the new Beatrice Lillie opus, 'The Show Must Go On,' while the Lunts want to return here in April or May in a repertoire of plays. Irish Abbey Players are also a possibility for the '37-'38, season. Homer Curran plans an active season of production for the Coast for the hew season, with.Dufl!y now lining up plays for an early season's resumption at El Capitan. Being tried out in Santa Barbara this week, with an eye on Broadway, is David Hertz's new play, 'The Miles of Heaven,' which stars Walter Hus- ton, with Nan Sutherland (Mrs. Huston) and Barbara O'Neil fea- tured. Federal Theatre Project has en- joyed a successlul Season locally, presently doing its plays in the Mayan theatre, downtown; the Play- house in Hollywood, and the Greek theatre in Griffith Park, Billy Rose will invade the Coast around Christrhas time with his 'Show of Shows,' which he will present in auditoriums in a number of California and Pacific Northwest cities. Whether he will include Los On Broadway VIRGINIA Operetta In two ftcts i)respnte3 Sept. 2 at the Oenler, N, Y,, by tliei I'entcr Tlic- atre (Itoclcefellor nionoy; John Kenneth Hyatt, managiniff.dji-ijetin-); inu,>)lc l»y Ar- thur Schwartz; iKiolc by I..auren.-a Slalllnijfs and Owen Dayla; lyrics by .Vlbert StlU- man;. production ata.-;eil by lieoii l,?(>nUo((; 'dancca by Florencfj Ut»se«; l>oi>Ic staged by KJwara Clark Lllley; ^3.31) lop i?5,5U, np.>nln£r night). l.ady Agatha Mona -Barrle Captain Somerset Uonlon Rlchnrds Captain Boyd ,l>unalnp Hattlold Sir Guy Carleton.... Pennls Uncy li'ortesque, ot Drury • Ijaiie, .Gene huokhart Minnie Porteaque Ueitl'a IJelniore Sylvia Laurence .':.\nne JMoth- Miranda .Vvls AnJiowa Daphne , Hi'lon Carroll Phyllis ,' I'-sla KU'inn Major-Dbino iToin 'J'eiiiiiest G'overtTor ot Colony. ........... .N'lsel linice Sc'll>lo ;.John VV, Hubbies Hannibal : A-'or.X Jtiid: Colonel Rlthard •l''alri:ttx...i:oTiari I'Jriihuiii •Stage Doorman Prima Ballerina.,,, Premier Dancer Town Crlor.. Patriot Puppet Master...... Fire-Eator JUBBlCl's Inside Stuff-Legit ,',Tom 'renipcit T'atrlc'.a Bowinan ,, ..Valla - Valeiitlnolt" ,... i llerbw-i (.iiirbten .-. .,lohn ItavoKI. (jeuri'e X'ranlift .V.1ax ......... ^.. Jaine.M I'Jvan.-* A Co, Children: Peggy Romano, Doils l-'lscher, Billy Redfleld, Slave (hlldren:, Bub'jl«3',-tle Leacocit, Clarence Beasley, Charles Tlnip- spn. . .. ■ .. '"Virginia' is a combination of the former Hippodrome spectacles and Globe musical shows in ^ general scheme but fashionecl along the lines- of the presentations at the Music Hall which like the Center is in Radio City. It . is melodioiiS and colorful operetta, impressing as hav- ing an appeal to the average person rather than class patronage. Chances indicated are for a moderately suc- cessful engagement. Center has "been the i>i:oblem thea- tre in the Vast construction of Rocke- feller Center or Radio City, a mecca for visitors. 'Virginia' is the third operetta to be presented at the Cen- ter • since it " was-- realized that. it would not do 'for films".' But it is the first that is wholly -financed and operated under Rockefeller • direc- tion. It cost less .than 'The Great Waltz' and 'White Horse Iim/ yet is almost as big a flash.- V . !l^resentation is made by,the Cen- ter Theatre corporation and it is the first bf' tK«'-productions which the house plans to' sponsor* annually. Last season during- the run "of .'Inn,' when the Rockefeller end drew down- a big, share of the taHings iri rent, the idea of foirining a piroduction ' compdn^ cropped up and v^as adopted,.' .Ah • operetta- witH' a story anent- Virg;inia -in Colonial times, and "with Williams- burgh .the particular locale was ai>- -par^ntly a must by the Rockefellers since .they had but .recently' .com-: ]plete(|l the t-estoration of that histori- cal spot. ' . . Laurence Stallings who has his castle in that. .state liked the idea and • delivered the book, with some misgivings. All hands - seemed to think it' heavy-and- unexciting ahd so Owi^n Davis' was called in as col- laborator arid editor..' ' . ■- But tW" story bf a London the- atrical troupe' come to the colonies to - present' Shakespeare and a bit of Drviry Lan^, fantasy, still: does not ring the-bell. A .letter to. the then Col. George Washington prom- ising support in the event o£ a revo- lution is finally obtained by a Tory- officer, ripped from- the skirt-hem of the troupe's prima donna but by that timie 'Virginia has joined the other colonies and then comes • the star spangled finale. There is exactly one laugh line In 'Virginia,' It is" long on impressive settings by Lee Simonson, the lovely tunes of" Arth|ur Schwartz and the striking costumes of Irene-Shareff. Leon Leonidoff; Florence Rogge, who staged several excellent ballets, are of the Music Hall staff .and their technique is easily, recognizable. In the Hall the presentations ap-^ proximate 45 minutes. There is no second act to worry about. That may be the reason why the first part of 'Virginia' so distinctly .tops that after intermission. Nearly all the good things in the .scora come in act one and are re- prised in the second. There ara four or five numbers which s'.and out, but a succession of slow tempos should have been given r/ )re change of pace. That waS'partly provided by the warblings of a corking colored choir, 'Virginia' has a valid reason for its mixed cast, a background of Negroes in Southern siirroundin.gs. The principals are chiefly Engli.sh, several being imported but the British accent too, is natural in Colonial days. Standing out above all is Anne Booth, \vhose sweet song-birding does so v.-ell bv the Schwartz score. . Albert Stillman turned in a consistentl.y good set oC lyrics, but 'An Old Flame Naver Dies' and two other numbers were written in collaboration v/ilh Slall- ings. It is one of the totopor.s along (Continued on p.ige CO) Angeles and San Francisco in his itinerary is problematical, but it's highly probable he won't want to pass up the giavy available for the better type of attractions. Altogether the oullook is one of optimistic hue, with l?gil showmen smacking their lips in anticipation and looking forward to even higher grosses than were reached In the past season.. f Harry Moses, who died in New York last week after a two weeks' ill, ness, was gravely ill last year and cancelled plans to produce, recuperating fully, it was thought, in. Hollywood. He was on Broadway seven years starting with 'Grand Hotel,' produced in association with Herman Shumlin! Retired from the textile business, the theatre was a new field and one in which he said provided plenty ot fun. His solo presentations were much more successful than most newcomers to the managerial field. 'Hotel' was estimated having cost $CO,QOO. Of that coin $35,000 was in- vested by MG, there being some arranslement on the picture rights. Pre- vious to 'Hotel' venture, Moses los't $30,000 in. a little theatre venture called Leo. Bulgakov Associates" Moses' wife, Elsa, was his confidant and aide in all productions, figuring particularly in reading-'The Warrior's Husband,' 'Dangerous Corner' and the Pulitzer prize winner, 'The Old Maid.' She intends producing 'Tough to Chaw,' which he was about to cast. Carley Wharton will produce on her. own for the first time this faU-, readying a plax tentatively called 'Violets;' written by Dore Scharey. Mrs. Wharton was previously connected with Delos Chappell in legit activities and also had Coast experience with Selznick-International. Author is film w^'iter. - Forrest Izard, who has done pi^blicity in other, fields, is newest addition to. Broadway p.a, ranks, representing Arthur Hopkins. First assignment is that manager's 'Blow Ye Winds' which opened in Boston Tuesday (7) and comes to the 46th Street, N. Y., Sept. 21, For the Huh premiere Izard devised the announcement in rhyme which will probably, too, be used for the Broadway opening. ' Two out of four young actresses sent east from the Coast by one studio to get stage experience in rural sunmier- stock troupes, were married and are taking their mates back westi Latter g^re .also embryo, professionals. . Girls are under contract which is a break for the boys -who, however, expect to get set-, on their own. 'Jinx' Bugaboo; Switct Concert Dates Rain Helped Hipp Opera; Week-End Gross of $10^600 Only stage attraction in,New York benefited, by the rainy, cool Sunday was pop opera' at the Hippodrome which recently resumed on. a week- end schedule with Alfre<lo Salma^gi the' director. Saturday (4) evening the';wet going dented attendance but capacity was-drawn Sunday night and both Monday (Labor Day) .per- formances. . • • , . • Top is $1.09 (99 cents plus 10 cents tax). Takings in lour performances Went to $10,600. 6,166 Americans Saiw Salzburg Show; Next Year's Plans Now Up ' Salzbiirg, Aug. 27. With the seasoti liearing its end, plans for the following • yeau:" are being discussed,- Arturo Toscanini would like to see 'Barber of Sevilla* (Rossini) pro- duced". Bruno Walter is putting in a. good word for 'Die Fledermaus,' (Johann Strauss), while Knappers- busch is all aflame for Richard Strauss' 'Ariadne auf Naxos.' lyiod-i est Mussorgsky's 'Boris Godunov' may appear on next year's program, too. New fl.!;ure-jugpnng led to statis- tics showing another increase of visitors from abroad; 6,166 Ameri- cans against 3,698 last year. But ,do not forget that many U. S. visitors come and go. They are counted twice or thrice. Nevertheless, Salz- burg is well satisfied. Prof. Alphonse Hochs' concert of the Strassburg choir was one of the high spots of the last week. Knap- persbusch directed 'Elektra' and 'Rosenkavalier,' It has been raining a lot, Salz- burg is becoming normal again. Big Advance for 'Regina* Hartford, Sept, 7, Advance sale for 'Victoria Regina' fHelen Hayes) which starts tour iicre Sept, 16 at Bushnell auditorium opened today and all 3,300 tickets solcj by afternoon. 'Phat insures gross of $G,500 for ninqle local performance and estab- lished new record. Frank Gillmore III Frank Gillmore has been ill at his home for the past week. He was ordered abed with a heavy cold after last week's council meeting at Equity. Yestei'day'3 (Tues.) session was curtailed because of l\is ^bsctice. Atlanta, Sept. 7. • Valiant, effort is being made by city >officialS;to prevent 'jinx'-ap- pellation being tacked onto remodel- led 6;000-seat city auditorium, which wa?" damaged ■ during-"heavy; rain^ •st&riii-just a week before it was due •to be formally;opened; "To dissipate-, •and circumvent rumors, Mayor Wilr •iiam B. Har.stfi.eld last week held flrst of series of 'open houses' fox. public to come and see for them- selves .that' structure is not a sham^ bles as so many have .been led to believe. • . . Oscar 'WiUiantson, aude mgr., su- pervised corps of' firemen" and po- licemen who acted as : guides for sightseers" during tour, • while City Organist Charles Sheldon,. Jr, /thrummed out-soothing melodies. . Portion of structure that collapsed was' not part of auditoi-ium propet that , was rebuilt by WPA, which put up $500,000 to city's $50,000. It was a flat roof section connecting main aude with old front of - buildinig. •Damage .was estimated at.$20,000. However, investigation revealed that steel girders used in aude" roof sup- ports were not what they should'be and they have been ordered re- placed before, structure will be given a clean bill of safety. This work will require an additional $33,000, of which WPA has agreed .to put up $23,000. Work is expected to start Sept, 15 arid 60 working days will be needed before completion. A safe' guess on opening data of aude would be Jan, 1, 1938. Meantime, Marvin McDonald, who manages All-Star Concert Series sponsored annually by Atlanta Mu- sic Club and Atlanta Philharmonic Society; skedded to open at aude Oct. 14. again has been forced to make other arrangements. Stymied by failure of WPA to complete aude, McDonald had to switch all his. dates of 1936-37 series and put them on at Lucas & Jenkins' Georgia the- atre. Since McDonald annually sells 5,000 season tickets to series, it was necessary to book his attractions for two-night stands because Georgia has Only 2.375 seats. This year, however, McDonald has made a deal with L. .& J. to rent its Fox theatre .(5,500 seats) for the first •three bookings, as follows: Oct. 14—Rosa Ponselle, ■ Nov, 24—Yehudi Menuhin; Dec. 9.—rSerge Rachmaninoff, Other attractions, to be presented at aude. are: Feb. 12—Jooss European Ballet. March 9—Nelson Eddy. March 30—St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. April 27—Kirsten Flagstad, All-Star. Series is. always a sell- out, season ducats going at $10, V and $5. "At" lime of aude roof collapse, city was fauding with local Stage Hand.s Union over city's refusal to hire a stage hand at $75 per week. Inter- national union, at request of local reps, had put house on 'road call, which status remains.