Variety (Feb 1948)

Wednesday, Febniary 25, 1948 LEGITIMATE 49 Imports Batting Under M\ ManagersCcuIng to Fortbr Deals I j^magerial expectations that im- 'f jiorted shows, mostly bom England, woald prosper on Broadway this : teasoa have been considerably modified with the result that some British attractions announcec" to be presented here were either cancelled er set back, being relegated into the •'if' department. OnJy one musical and one drama have registered, the latter being a qualified success. An- other may get its money back, but three others were distinct flops. Gilbert and Sullivan revivals by r the British D'Oylj' Carte troupe are a big grosser at the Century, al- though some of &e bills drew va- ried, grosses' and upon repetition during the coming month or so may be disappointing, A rearrangement of the G&S operettas ma; be-made following the second showing - of "The Mikado" last wedc, »nd as that revival preved the topper among the seven biOsr, it may be done again with one or more other shows probably dropped. Although the im- port is successful^ it does not com- pare With tlie popularity abroad of "Oklahoma!" or "Annie , Get Your Gun," ace Broadway musicals run- ning in XiOttdon and Iitelboume. /"The Winslow Boy" has, been a inoney-mahier ftt the Empire, - but it isn't comparable to a number of Broadway straight play standouts. "An Inspector Calls" did fairly well during its three months at the Booth •nd. has been, faring better on the road. That English^written melo- dranw produced here has an Amer- ican star (Tbomas Mitchell) whereas :»'Boy," D'Oyly Cartes, "Power With- out Glory" and "Under ihh Coun- ter" were brought over intact, neither of the latter duo; catching on.at: all.' 'Coimttr^ Buns Coottter "Counter," after going into the red for, plenty, was shipped, to Australia, .Where it is reported one of the most popular shows imported there for years. One specialty show, 'Taris Sings Again," starring Josephine Ba- ker, was tried out recently in Bos- toirbut it quickly expired there be- fore risking Broadway. Next import will be the Habima Players, coming from Palestine in April, group being the first foreign language attraction brought here in many seasons. Despite the battling between Jews and Arabs in the Holy Land, the Habima troupe is reported to draw excellently in its home stand of Tel Aviv, supposed to be out of the combat area. The Habima Players with repertory in Hebrew have visited U. S. once before. Eiperiiiental Tbeatre Sets Infermal Tryonts For Donbtfiil Scripts Supplementing its regular tryout productions at the Maxinp Elliott theatre, N. Y., the Experimental Theatre intends presenting an invi- tatipn series this spring as an infor- mal test of questionable scripts and •s a chance for new actors and di- rectors. The shows would be little Ihore than rehearsed readings, as there probably wouldn't be sets, costumes or any attempt at formal production. The idea is to offer them admission-free. The project depends on the reac- tion of the various unions and craft organizations involved, and it will 1be submitted at the next meeting of the ET fact-finding committee repre- senting Equi^, the Dramatists Guild, stagehands, musicians, scene designers, etc., probably later this week. The idea for the invitation series originated with the ET board, as a ■ way of giving a hearing to scripts Which obviously have possibilities •but seem questionable for regular ■ ET production. The ET board also wes the project as a chance for some of the 2,000 actor applicants who have been auditioned and are con- sidered competent, but who have never been seen on Broadway. Sim- ilarly, some of the directors who have sboVrn promi.^e would set a staging opportunity with a new play and cast. The ET board has a half- dozen or so of such directors avail- able, and 13 scripts regarded as pos- sibilities, _A theatre would have to be ob- tained for such a series, but ET has AUrkliPAgOiitOf Theatre, he, to Go on Own Richard Aldrieh is resigning as managing director of Theatre, Inc., but isn't severing connection with that non-profit organization, having been niuned a director along with Martin Ritt. Aldrich has resumed his partnership with Richard MyerSi they've taken offices for that purpose. Indications are that they v.ill make investments in new productions for themselves and others, but may re- enter the production , field later on. Before splitting, they presented "Margin for Error"' and "My Dear Children," the latter having brought the late John Bartymore back ta the stage. Theatre, Inc., will produce "Mac- Casting' Backers . Oscar Serlin is having an un- usual headache casting his back- ers for "Life With Mother" be- cause of the vast interest in the project. Firstly, the original "Life With Faiher" angels, along with the authors, et al., must be taken care of. But Serlin meantime has had a string of flops and he owes these ill-fated investors a look- in on "Mntter;" as a means to "get even." Play finally goes into rehearsal Miay 3. EdmpBe^ stock managers, especially those whose theatrical activity principally consists of operating strawhats, with beth," now in rehearsal, with five! accompanying drama schools, are plaj'ers from I^ndon, including Flora Hobson and Michael Redgrave in the cast. Outfit will also sponsor the Habima Players from Palestine Aldrich and Myers are currently presenting the Dublin . Gate tDteatise at the MansAeldi N. Y. ANTAKjfpos In an effort to stimulate the pro- duction of new plays, instead of the standard Broadway successes, the American ^(fational Theatre St Acad- emy is circulating scripts among SO to 160 locar stock conipanies and little theatre groups in tiie' V. S. and Canada. Some 25 to 30 such scripts are being circulated, with anywhere from one to 100 copies of each script making the rounds. ' Among the plays out are Arnold Sundgaard's "The Great Campaign" and John Finch's "The Wanhope Building," both produced last season by the Experimental .Theatre. An- other is Vivian Connell's "The I9th Hole of Europe," which Michael Myerberg has under option for Broadway, but which has been pro^ duced by a little theatre outfit in San Francisco and is due for several more such presentations^ A hundred copies of each of these three scripts are in circulation. An unproduced Gerald Savory play, "The Quick and the Dead," is also going, the rounds. There are no standard fees or royalties for presentation of the plays. In each case of possible pro- duction, ANTA merely puts the the- atre group in touch with, the author (or his agent), and lets them work out the deal. Not all scripts are sent to all groups on the ANTA Ust, as some of the theatres have insuffi- cient production facilities for certain _ _ _ of the plays. Or the plays may be in ]-Qr~"^uates must have had atTcasttwo professional engagements in stock before becomiiig eligible. Up to now one was sufficient to apply for Equity membership and it is charged that before a student-giad was given a contract he or she must have agreed to kick back salary which was $46 and is now <f50i Thetfe was big attendance at the stock managers meeting, the straw- hatters objecting to Equity's new rules but they were more exercised at the Dramatists Guild, which has raised the royalties on summer stock showings to a straight 5%. Hereto- fore the royalties were $75 to $100 weekly, which the Guild has dou- bl6cl and it makes ho diflEer^nce whether the play is coroparatively new or an oldie. Claimed that the royalty bpcst might prevent some summer stocks from operating, especially those out- fits that gross from $3,000 to $4,000 weekly. Strawhatters said that the difference in royalties not infre- quently represents the actual op- erating profit and an Spplidation to the Guild for reconsideratioil will be made. a form or have a theme outside the intere.st of some of the groups. The ANTA script activity is being handled by Warner Watson and Blythe Morley. 'OKLA.'85G ADVANCE, m 500, PERK DENVER Denver, Feb. 24. When "Oklahoma!" shows here March 1-7. it will break all records for Denver. Advance sales are up to $83,000 for seven nights and three matinees. Metropolitan Opera Co., which makes three appearances here April 26-27. also has advanced over $50,000, and the gross will set a recr ord for any similar engagement. Reservations have been received for "Oklahomai" and Met from IS states, according to Arthur M. Obeifelder, local impresario. Both will be sell- outs. ' With those two giving Denver a booming start, the spring season will .see an unusually large number of the better shows here. Already dated by Oberfelder are Diana Barrymore in "Joan of Lorraine," March 10-11; Alfred Lunt and Lynne Fontanne in 'VO Mistress- Mine," March 15-18; Charlotte Greenwood in "I Remem- ber Mama," April 8-10; "Lady Win voicing objections to Equity's new regulations, adopted to ooErect in- dicated abuses in the summer field. They huddled Tuesday{ 24) for the purpose of seeking revisions of tiie new "code." but from Equity's pres-- ent attitude, no changes wiU be con- sidered. It says, the new rules will be tried during the coming summer, whsi a checkup wiU ishow whether criticized conditions in the hideaways ^ave been bettered for actors. Squawks from the strawhatters re- ceived by Equity appear to be in two classifications. One bunch com- ing from barnyard impresarios who were tabbed as using Equi^ to pnn mote tuition fees in their schods by guaranteeing membership in the as- sociation to graduates, had their pro- tests.'mostly disregarded. Other com- plaints have to do with the new package or unit show rule, which from some aspects appears to be a break for the strawhatters. Package Show Sciaps Those booking package shows through the summer won't be re- required to have resident companies. Heretofore, when units played, the resident stock players just sat around, rehearsed or acted as stage- hands, ticket takers or ushers. Com- plaint is that there are too many, package companies and the basic idea of stock as a training ground for new talent is defeated. As the number of unit: shows increased steadily in recent, season^i Equity asked. why objection had not been made before now. Equity leaders don't anticipate that new talent wiU be hampered by the changed rules. There are drama schools of unquestioned repute in New York, Chic^tgo and the Coast, where some: are operated by the film studios. There are also any num- ber of Utile theatres which attract ambitious newcomers, besides the new talent developed in other amuse- ment fields including radio and now television. Rural drama school people cannot count on Equity as a comeon to in- crease the number of: student-ap- prentices as much as . heretofore. dermere's Fan," May 3-5; Tallulah located an old downtown New York Bankhead in "Private Lives," May Jiouse that would be suitable if ren ovated. 10-12, and Bobby Clark in "Sweet- hearts," May 17-19, 'Caligula' Calls Quinn Hollywood, Feb. 24. Anthony Quinn, who debuted on Broadway last fall in Emmet Lav ery's "The Gentleman from Athens," is aU-eady planning on a second legit fling next fall. He hopes to play the lead in a serious drama, "Caligula," by Harold Bromley. Production set^ up is undecided. B way Rep Gettii^ Bad Name as 2d Season Att^pts Continue to Flop Dea^e Set At Marcb 1 \ For Toni Perry Awards; Second annual awards in memory :i 01" the late Antoinette Perry will be , made March 28 at a supper to be given at the Waldorf Astoria, N. Y. All attractions which will have. opened up to March 1 will be con- ' sidered. this week's arrivals there- ! fore constituting the deadline. Com- mittee which will decide the win- ners will probably start considering j the selec^ons diuiug the coming week. ■ ! Perry awards will lead the parade ' of annual "bests" named seasonally i during spring. Understood the num- ' ber of categories that accompanied ] the memorial event last year will be \ inci-eased so that virtually the en- tire field of the theatre will be cov- ffwood Ibis B way Bets Any number of Broadway's out- standing successes have passed through the hands of several mana- gers before being accepted for pro- duction, but those errors in judg- ment are not limited to legifc Holly- wood,: idways avid for material to be derived from best sellers, had the first chance to buy the rights to at least three current Broadway standouts—"Mister Roberts" (Alvin), "The Heiress" (Biltmore), which was "Washington Square" in book form and "Command Decision'^ (Fulton). In the latter instance^ however, there was a pre-production deal (Metro). Point is made that the studios had the opportunity of securing the film rights for from $20,000 to $30,000 when in book form, only later to pay upward of $300,000 for the same rights, after the novels were adapted and presented on the stage. Other theatre clicks which Hollywood bougiit at big money but which were offered it for comparatively small sums when in galley proofs, and rejected, include "I Remember Mama" ("Mama's Bank Account" in story form^, "A Bell for Adano." "The Late George Apley" and "Mr. and Mrs. North," all stage hits of past seasons. Picture people are not exactly blamed for indicated failure to buy such rights, claim being that the higher rates paid are justified after book plays are fashioned into stage successes^ because the properties are thus made much more valuable. Some pre - production deals for dramas which were highly rated, only to fail on Broadway, have not been satisfactory. There seems little doubt that in other sea.<H)ns a flock of plays would never have reached the stage without picture money pal'ticipation, but now mana- gers seem more dependent on back- ers, a trend that started half a dozen years ago. Repertory attempts on Broadway do not appear to be any closer to success this season than last year, wiien the highly publicized Ameri- can Repertory 'Theatre ended as the mo.st costly flop of its type ever known to show business. Currently there are two reps, the Isben troupe and the Dublin Gate Theatre, both having started badly and both slated for brief engagements. Indications are that rep showings of old plays have a better chance out of town than in New York where the compe- tition with modern plays is much too keen. Eva Le Gallienne opened at the Cort with "Ghosts" last week when the adverse press caused the man- agement to clip the engagement which ended Sunday (22) and the star appeared in a second Ibsen drama "Hedda Gabler" yesterday fTues.). If busmess docs not Pfrk this week the rop will not stick and ART, which was supposed to partici- pate in the profits, wiU have Uitl« chance to benefit. •The OW Lady Says No." which the Gate put on as its second attrac- t'oiv, drew mixed notices and less biuiiness than the mild takings for "John Bull's Other Island," the ini- tial bill, and finaled at the Mansfield on S u n d ay (22), too. ■ It offered "Where the Stars Walk" yesterday (Tues.), too, the two .reps ttierej>y opposing, each «Uwr., Ihe Dubliners have a fonrfli play. "Portrait of Miriam," in their reper- tory, but when it wiU be played it uncertain, as "Island" is scheduled again for next week. Unless the Shaw play draws a better gross than in its first showing, it's planned to Send the troupe to Boston and it may try repeat dates in Canada where business was much better than on this side of the border. 'ROdABY BABr FffiST m mm kmu Florence Ryerson, co-author of "Strange Bedfellows," at the Moios- CO, N. v., has several partly-com- pleted plays on which she and her late husband, Colin < Clements, were working. One on which they'd done the most work and which she hopes to finish first is a comedy called "Rockaby Baby." Two acts of it are ready and the third act is all blocked out. However, completing it may be difficult for her, as it's been so many i years since she's worked on her : own. j ■■Authoress has returned to her' home on the Coast and is expected to be busy for some'time with busi- ' ness and domestic adjustments. It may be a while before she gets down to steady writing. As with all the other Ryerson-Clements works, the new play will be handled by Garrett Leverton, of Samuel French. Situation between N. Y. managers and' the stagehands union, which sought ipereased: pay scales and re- vised working conditions, is definite- ly stalemated. When the union re- jected the managers' offer of modi- fied tats, the League of New York Theatres was asked to make an amendetf proposal, but the showmen elected to stand pat. flatter had de-, clined to make concessions on work- ing condition* or consider contrib- uting to the union's welfare fund. Ire show circles the idea of a wel- fare fund supported by managers is not considered as fitting into the pattern of the theatre. One leading official, not A manager, pointed out that unions usually fail to consider, the theatre as it is—a hazardous en- terprise or gamble, not comparable with the steady revenues from an industry such as coal mining, union of which started the eniployer- financed welfare fund idea. Also stated that managers should not h« expected to shoulder the increasing load of operating expenditures un- der present conditions. League will hold a meeting this week to further consider the stage- hands situation and if after further contact with the deckhands union, agreement is not reached, it is like- ly thelparent International.Alliance of Theatrical Sta^ Emptoyees will step in the mediate, if the state board of mediation is not called upon to do so.:' . TWOMAXiESlM LE^INBRQEAIN Hollywood, Feb. 24. Max Baer and Maxie Rosenbloom are set to do Cecil Spooncr's musical. comedy'"This It If in England. Jack Hilton will produce in conjunction with Lee Shubert. Pair will go to London in May in preparation for an eight week ap- pearance at London Casino and will rehearse "This Is It" while doing: the two-a-day stint. Anthony Buttltta, advance man for touring "Song of Norway" the last ; two seasons, left to do publicity for . Los Angeles and San Francisco Light ' Opera Assn. summer season, Forrest J Crossman replaces. EOa'slHrnister' Hollywoodi Feb. 24. Stage musical, adapted from .Tames M. Barrie's "The Little Min- ister," is being readied by Fred Finkelhofle for presentation in New York. . Ella Logan, Finkelhofle's. wife, il slated for the top role.