Variety (Jan 1948)

S54 Forly-second P^'RiETr AnHivatmy WediwBchiyt JainatHry-7* 1948 White Minstrels 2(Continued from page 236); written, by a northerner in 1849. Tfto composer was the popular minstrel, Daniel Decatur Emmett, and he was inspired to do the number by, the runar'ound in Bryant's ' Minstrtl. "Diicie" was first sung at the Chat- ham theatre, N. Y., Feb. 17, 1843. More;than Mty composers' laid claim to the work, but a manuscript writ- ten in his'own hand proved Emmett's authorship, ll^ater on he wrote a torkoften sequel called "I'm Going Hbthe 'id Dixie," . Emmett was edited, also with origipaiing the minstrel first-part and introducing Negro dancing. Eventually dancing became a fea- ture of the minstrel show. Softshoe numbers were usually accompanied by a convention in which a stage- hand would'"^come out and scatter a cornucopia of sand before the footlights as a prelude to the en^^ trance of (he dancer. Sddie Leonard built a career around., softshoe dancing, and George Primrose was particularly famous for what was called "picture dancing," in which ■he would come to a sudden rest in the middle of a dance, strike a posture with his hands and feet and then continue with the 'fiumber, Charley Queen, one of the most popular and fastest tap dancers, finished his numbers by passing his shoes around the audience to prove fliat there was no iritfc appai'atus concealed to mcrease his taps. . While others did doublerolls, Queen did trebles. • Blackface Popular Eventually blackface entertain- ment became so popular that per- manent . companies were set up in Brooklyn, Boston ■and San f rancigco. Philadelphia piled up a world's record of 20 years' continuous run. Here, under the direction of Frank Dumont some of the greatest stars played, including Lew Sully, Lew Dockstadter,. Willis P. Sweatman, Tom Lewis and Chauncey Olcott. The original minstrels, of course, had their imitators. Among these were the lady minstrels, whose form of entertainment became a part of tTie early burlesque show. Oddly enough, too; there were all-colored companies in which the colored per- formers blacked up ■. andl" imitated themselves. Primrose and West, ac- cording to Mrs. Isaacs, sent out the first mixed troupe which they called "Forty Whites and Thirty Blacks." In one of the last "Follies," Ziegfeld had a minstrel number, with lovely Marilyn Miller in pink tights, break- ing the tradition'of an all-male com- pany. Among the famous minstrel troupes were Bryant's, Tony Pas- tor's, Thatcher's and Dockstadter's; It is interesting to note that al- though Christy, one of the earliest 'of minstrel show producers, charged only 25c. admission> l)e retired with a large fortune. By JOHN MARTIN hall .eaoon at the tol \ minor ""VSure ot VtsMfl Y. DAILY MhtRoi Ballet Theatre OH To Good Start tour-week season at the City «nrf. ^v^ning to i top and a $60,000 ad- ;'t?r|al«>. That means that half of the seats for the en gagenjent had been sojd be wti'l* '■°se. This IS thj first tjme that an at- , traction has charged more 'thkn $2.40 at the Center Ballej -Theatre still the best company in the field.' ''NOT ONLY 1HE BEST BALLET COMPANY, BUT ALSO THE BEST LOOKING lintHIN.lilEIIOKY**-N.y. TIMES N.Y. H ERAID TRIBUI4E ^ WALTER XERHY appears to be Seto^ r?,?^*" season. - ' ^^'^ ever this PM Ballet Theatre in Top Form ,Ballet Theatre, by all odds the best M the ballet companies, opened a four-week engagement at the City Center Monday evening utider the most auspicious of circumstances. S '^"'^ J,!''t ">e applause loud ana long, the floral tributes seo'oSo In".^/™"'*- "^l^^ »'^ported ?u '2"" "".advance sales already in the box office, you had bettet hurry and get your tickets if you want to see the good things this cSny 6^^W icheduiji,- ' LUCIA CHASE wOLlVEK SMITH. ; y.; ... pfiinl H. Y. JOURNAL-AMERICAN Cheers for Ballet Ballet Theatre has come twcl: at Its fliaeit It would be hard to aslt for anything much better than its opening pwformancs at the City Center last night. Ovations wef e" aealtt In order. . N.Y.SUN After some or tlie things that have happened here in the name of b^et, it is pleasant to welcome bade so {Steady an organization as Ballet Theater, which last night opened a four-week engage- went at the City Center. The Ballet Th'e'atfe, which hais withstoodmore^economte And maiiflKerial assaults than any theatrical organization of SSeM i^fehtMurne d to the City Center stage aa bright, as cheerful arid M deter.|—— -■ mined as ever, ., , „ , i «. For the first time since the stub- bornly artistitf Lucia Chase began pouring a personal fortune into this dance group some ten years ag6, there were indications that the long awaited, self-supportinK days might be at hand. .BallfitThfflUg l ast night had a 865.000 advance at the Center's popular prices. 'Ihis is more than half its potential gross'of $120,000 for the engage- went Which will run through Dec, 14. It is also more than twice last Spring's advance »t the same ..roomy auditorium. i IMPORTANT • DATES & UmS 1948^49 Our first booking letter of ten days ago hit» brought such terrific response that W« urge you to set your 1948-49. date for kallet Theatre just. as quicklyi at potslUe. ' -William rtelds, looking Representative, 030 fifth Ave.,New York 20, NtYk BROOKLYN EAGLE Theater.-has rfr h«t been singled out as the a''erg%«dtnr'?i Vatican Choir Tour Fizzles Mexico City., The checkered tour of the Vatican Choir wound up with disastrous box- office takes here. Although the singers opened fairly well at the Plaza Mexico, the 65,000 seat bowl where bullfights are held, receipts degenerated to the point where a performance at the Gine Alameda had to be cancelled because only 50 ducats , were sold, Events ;Were cli-. maxed . with a collection' ts^ken at the Cathedral of Mexico to provide fare ■ out of tfie country for the group. . Choir, thought by local im- presarios to be a terrific draw in this devoutly Catholic country, did sev- eral unscheduled concerts in order to meet its expenses. They started at the National theatre at a $3 (U. S.) top, which afterward was conceded to be too high because of local economic'conaitions. High'was dropped to $1.20 (U, S.) for the Cine Mexico concert, a charge that in- cluded the right to see the cuifrent film. But at curtain time there'was; only $40 (U. S.) in the till which' was refunded to the few ■ customei-s. This occurred despite good advertis- ings and publicity. It was conceded that the general run of customers just didn't have enough coin to pay the prices. The final concerts held- here were billed as homage to the Vatican Choir in an effort to provide them with suf- ficient fare. The plan to guarantee the Choir 10,000 (U. S.) per concert bad to he dropped, and guiirantee for all .con- certs totalled $30,000 in U. S. coin. Sign Edwards, Grayson For /Roote' on Coast Iios Angeles, Hay Spencer, stage producer, signed James Edwards and Jesse Grayson, Negro thesps, for top roles in "Deep Are the, Boots," which opens here at" the Belasco theatre Jan. 13. Howard Bay, production -designer at Universal-International, is doing the set. ATTSmiON! PRODUCING AND BOOKING OFFICES I RICHMOND, VA. Is Six Hours From Broadway— 100 Miles South of Washington! With a Theatre-Going Public of 400,000! A LEGIT THEATRE IS AVAILABLE ON RENTAL, STANDARD SHARING, PERCEIMTAGE OR FLAT RATE Contact Jack Stone, Mgr. WRVA THEATRE 9th and Broad Street