Variety (Dec 1948)

4& |.li:«SITIMAVB~CONC3B|tT Wednesday, December "il^^. 194ft Opera With Dinner Intermission Planned for British Co.; $10 Tap Click Monolog Bow Plans are progressing for pres-^' entation of the Glydebourne:; n i L* k I Opera Co pf Sussex, England, at; IWary nUtCIimSOn IM Princeton next fall-^witli the finan-' , cialy social and cultural ramifica- j tlons setting it apart as the most J^r-nv Hutchinson Broadway . . „ _ actress making her N. Y. debut unusual music event of modern .yj^^ j^g^ -Thumbnail Theatre" times. 1 Sunday tS) at Times Hall, shapes Thfe company, one of the world's "P as attractive, successful ad- . , ■ J. ' J - dition to the thin roster of special- fam6us opera troupes and mam- dramatic monologs. Hcrj stay of the annual Edinburgh Music forte is comedy, with her sketches Noblesse' Oblige Mia Slavenska's Ballet Va- riant has gone : out on tour under Columbia Artists Mgt. booking, with Miss Slavenska dancing with the troupe de- spite a leg injury sustained by . the star a month ago in Chi- cago, Nana Gollner joined the troupe to take over some of Miss Slavenska's roles, with the latter dancing only ofl'-toe parts. When Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin learned about the seriousness of Miss Slavenska's in.jury, they offered to appear on her program for several big-city dates without- pay- ment. Festival, v.i\l make, its first appear- ance outside of England to do a three-week season at the Jersey college town Oct 3-Oct. 22, '49. The troupe won't appear else- ranging a broad field from comic to caricature. Jf the material is a • little slight for a Bioadway thea-1 tie evening, it's perfect for the | lecture and concert circuits of j temme clubs, colleges and the like Comely actress' physical altri where, at least by present plans, butes are no small aid to her ap although It's been invited to Cali- fornia and Texas. It won't play New York, natural shovi'place for a foreign impotti because the opera founder and angel, John Christie, doesn't like big cities as citadels' for music. Company would: bring its princi- peal, but she hasv a sure sense of tlie theatre as well; and a variety of charactei'izatiDii.s to avoid monot- ony; Her sketch material haS' a- good deal of genuine humor; though with a little too much corn for sophisticates. , Sketches cover a wide range. "A Case of Mistaken Identity" shows a flighty Park <i\cnue hostess en- Culhnan Knows Howto Win Angels And hifluence Hits pals and some- dancers, and likely i tertainmg at cocktail time. "Moun- reeruit the famed Westminster | tain Idyll" limns a Kentucky corn- Choir of Princeton for its chorus With Sir Thomas Beecham and the London Philliarmonic Orchestra < reported to be readying an Ameri-i can tour next fall, opera plans in- p clvide using Beecham and the orch for the opera performances—pro- I vided James C. Petrillo is willing ; Size ,ot the troupe brought over ■ would depend on the operas to be i givenv These haven't been decided. | although all vnll be Mozart, with | hkelihood that the large-scale j . "Don Giovanni",. and small -'Cosr : Fan Tutte," as well as "The Abduc-^ i tion From the Seraglio," will be j Included. I Christie is willing to sponsor the project, except that the British ' government won't: allow such an i expenditure of pounds in a dollar; market Christie will pay for such , xnattera ■ as . sets, ■ costumes drinking hillnelly. In ''East Lynne Miss . Hutchinson ; runs through several amusing, exaggerated take- offs of the famed old meller. And so on, for an entertaining evening, Bron. Gleason in 'AveA Vice Howard Howard S. Cullman, already recognized as Broadway's most pro;- lific angel, is now backing more' much more professional to me." shows than ever.- He's in on some of the top grossefs current and several of the hottest forthcoming productions. As usual, too, he has brought some of his friends in on the same ventures. Among the current shows Gull- man Is • backing are last :season's '■Streetcar Named Desire',' and "Mister Roberts" and this season's "Life With Mother," "Private Lives," "Red Gloves" and tonight's (Wed.) opening, "Anne of the Thousand Days," Future produc- tions in which he'll be represented are "Kiss Me, Kate," "Smile of the Billy Rose was assigned by Life mag to review Moss Hart's "Light Up the Sky," but the deal fell through when the author-producer-columnist- songwriter insisted on doing a piece on Hart himself rather than a review of the comedy hit. Rose felt that the newspapers would have already reviewed the show extensively when Life hit the street, so why follow so far behind? Rose wanted to review "Sky" only incidentally in his Hart piece, but Life pointed out that it had to cater to its reader- ship in the extreme hinterland—"those who never heard ol Moss Hart." So Life settled for just a picture spread on the show. Rose and hlg wife, Eleanor Holm, are characterized in the play. In the column that he writes for Bell Syndicate, Rose last week dis- cussed Hart and "Sky," giving the author a once-over-lightly. Rose '. generally thought it a funny show but thouglit much of it "phony." Th« column, whose content was similar to what he wanted to do for Life, had no bearing at all on Rose iUfid Life failing to get together. Rose had intended doing such a column anyway. Producer Jean Dalrymple's public assertion last week that "Red Gloves " IS tlie only Jean-Paul Sartre play ever done in the U. S, with lugh class professionalism elicited the following statement from pro- ; ducer Herman Levin: "You will remember that Oliver Smith and 1 produced 'No Exit* two years ago and won the Drama Critics A'(vard,for a foreign play. This girl who is doing 'Red Gloves' might like to' know we budgeted 'Exit' at $S0,000 and lost about $40,000. Since Smith ano I are both veleran.s of hit productions, wo thought of ourselves as pros. But with thi.s girl's remarks I realize we were just a coupfe of kids playing with matches. I do wish she'd look over our books and tell us what happened to $39,999.80, I must close now because we are having a magic lantern show in the cellar. Admission is two pins and I've; got.- to count the hous6. Incidentally, I saw 'Red Gloves' in London and I saw this girl's version in New Haven. The London production s<!emed For the second time in recent seasons, the New Republic's drama, critic has been placed in position of passing on his own work. Cur- rently it's Harold Clurman, reviewing "The Young and Fair" (Fulton, N= Y,), which he directed. Previously It was playwright Irwin Shaw, who was NR reviewer when his play I'The Assassins'' opened on Broad- way in October, 1945> Clufman was very short with "Young,""devoting a brief paragraph to it m current (6) issue as follows: "For the record: I served as stage director for 'The Young and Fair,' by N. Richard Nash (at the Fulton). The play is set in a girls' school; its theme is the danger of moral compromise. The play's virtues and. defects derive from the melodramatic (or schematic) technique with which the young autlvor has attempted to treat his subject. Most of the reviewers found the play studded, witli exciting performances:—an opinion with which I am pleased to concur." and probably transportation. The National Arts Foundation here will sponsor the Glyndebourne visit in-- stead, and IS now forming a com- mittee ol sponsors to guarantee the deficit, It's estimated that the defi- cit for the three weeks will run from $100,000 to $150,000. Birds, Bees and Music Philadelphia, Dec. 7. /; Jackie cFleason replaces • W^illle Howard as star of ''Along -TO Avenue.", beginning next week. With Howard, shuttling between the theatre and the hospital, pro- , ducer Arthur Lesser has been un- music 1 gjjle to have rehearsals without the ■ comic, so revisions could not be i 1 made. Gleason starts rehearsing new material tomoirow (Wed.). Both the music and book ot the I show are being revised. One comedy sketch about juvenile de-1 linqiienGy and divorce was yanked ! after the .first performance in. New j I Haven, and has been replaced. One N.:y„ $1,500 (l%),; .Jane M. (Mrs. . , . Lawrence): Tibbett, ,$1,000 (?3%); Christie's determination to keep ' °^ Nancy Walker's song-and-dance [Joseph C. Lesser, representing pub- ' " ' ' ■ ^ - ■ Usher Alfred Knopf, $1,500 (1%);: Mrs'. Edwin R. Po^vers; in the office of producw Jean Dalrymple, $1,000 %%); Daniel Ta;r£idasli, theV adap,- World," /"Madwoman of ChaiUot," "South Pacific" and the fojathijom-1 "Magdalena," which folded at the Ziegfeld, N. Y„ Saturday (4), ing Robert E Sherwood-Irving won't go to the warehouse. Ornate production is being shipped back to Berlin show, "Miss Liberty. | the Coast, where the property originated, and fabes extensive work Cullman has $4;,500 ■ in "Red i preparatory tO; another possible try. Understood present plans are to : Gloves," for a 3% interest, while i get it in shape, for presentation during the L. A. Civic Light Opera his wife. Marguerite, has an addi-1 Assn.'s 1950 season. It closed off the Civic season- earlier this year tional $1,500 for a 1% slice. Also i prior to its Fri.sco and N. Y. stands. . : in on. the production, through Heitor Villa-Lobosj who composed the score, will turn out some new friendship : with the - CuUmans, are tunes, expected to be in a lighter vein to give the sliow something Madeline M. Low, $1;500 (1%); hummable. Additionally, heavy production will be trimmed in various Hortense M. Hirsch, $1,500 (1%), I ways to make a road tour feasible if such action is decided upon, and Adele R: Levy, $3,000 (2%). j Present physical production is unsuited to short stands. Other investors in "Gloves" in- , ■ :: :. ■ ■ ■•" , . ■ elude Harry Essex, general mana-1 Continuance ot "Lend An Ear" on the Coa.st will depend upon east- go r of the show,' $1,000 (%%); ! ern reaction to the show, wliich bowed in Boston last week with half-a-, Herman Jerome Berns,'of 21 Glub! I dozen memjjers of tlie original cast in the troupe. ''Ear/' at Las Pal mas,: spots is also being expanded, and i two or more new songs are being i added. i :' Originally - scheduled fortnight run. iiere. has: been extended to three ■weeks, ; with a subsefiuenti Boston booking possible. The show will, open in.New Vork early in January, : probably at'. the Broad- j hurst. Budsreted at S100,000 I ;I:.'"Along■< Fifth .-Xvenue." ,:is bud- the project out of N. Y., where financially it would pay best, is in keeping with his idea, that music goes, best in sylvan settings. With that in mind, it's also planned to start the opera at 6 p,m, and run to 8 p 111 . then taking a IVa hour in- termission lor dinner and ""a walk in the woods." Dinner-intermission has been tried herd in legit in re- cent years, with :"Strange Inter- lude," "Mournmg Becomes Elec- tra" ^nd; :''ieeiiian ; Cometh," but :geted at; $100,OOOv w li i,C:h,;: is , ex- hot ih. opera, ; : ■-: ■ : irenii.'iy low by present musical Special trains would be arranged standards. Two brothers, David A. on the Pennsylvania RR fiom a""! Louis M. Vinocur, of Pitts- N. Y and Philadelphia direct to burgh, put up $70,000 and the bal- the McCarter theatre, which is ""fe was invested in small pieces across street from the Princeton ''v 12 other backers, all residents railroad station These would leave Pittsburgh or nearby Washing- :early enough, before 5 p m., to ton, Pa,, except for one man from, make the opoia, with no late- Parkcrsburg. W. Va, comers admitted, .! Partnership agreement permits: Eighteen performances would be f l^'''" o^ercall, and substitute Jimi- given at the 1,000-seater. with '•^^ P^''*^""^ ^oi'^^'dden. Les- piobable top ol $10. Princeton ^^'^ ""'""■^ Micheline, are the faeullv and students would be ad- S^neral partners. initted to dress lehearsals. —' :. . The , National Arts Foundation, according to its director, Carlelon Smitli who returned recently from a vis I to KiMope, woUld spon.sOi the opci.i pieiit as a goodwill tie , between;England.and AiiiericaV but: moie 50 because of the cultural aspect. Feeling is that because ol Ifs .setup, its unlimited rehearsal lime and careful preparation, the Gl\iidehourne presentations should be s.'pn in .-Vmeriea as an artistic . "must.!' ,The- 'Foundation .itself: is backed bj a gi-oup of wealthy Bouthounei-s and easterners who wish to sponsor the arts while re- maining completely anonymous rumors being tliat several of fliem are Texas oil people. Hollywood, has shown a gradual boxofVice decline since the second company took over. It's hoped to carry the show through New Year's, after which it may tour the west while the eastern unit remains on Broadway, • ,.•.■,,.■■:■ With the Coast company at or near complete amortization of the : original $30,000 budget,.a new audit will determine if Coast backers can start collecting profits. Some of the cost of the eastern troupe : was pui on the books of the Coast company and when that's straiglit*- tor, S1.500 (1';; i; William Taradash, , . his father, $1,500 (1%); Charles! ^"'^'^ melon-cutting may be in order in Hollywood. Boyer, star ot the plav, $25,500 , ' ' , 17%); Jed Harris, who staged it,' There are. few show business names and: only two sizable investments $15,000 (10%)- filni producer How- among the 25 backers of Charles P. Heidi's production of "Leaf and ard-Benedict, $3,000:(2%V, "Gloves" is capitalized at $75, 008. lOTITO'S CHECKUP Louis A Lotito, president of City Tlieatres Corp. anjl Manager of the Martin Beck theatre, N Y., is in a Boston hospital for a check- up. He's due back next week. As City Theatres head, Lotito handles the Morosco, Fulton, 46tii St. and Coronet in New York. Mi-s. Paul Ames Mulls Becoming Producer Harriet (Mrs PauU Ames, an in- vestor in various Broadway shows, IS looking for a sn ipt with the ■.idea. ,pf.' prbdu hersStf, pos.- :, sibly in association with ah estab- lished;: manager;: Sh'e'.s :;talltih^ with authors and others, but hasn't taken an ofl'ice. u:\ ■■'■:;•-.; ; ,■:' \mong Mrs. Ames' current investments are "Inside USA.," at I'the; Hajestfie.,' N, ■. Y,;"Th:e'' 'Y6ii:hg : afld:Fai,r,'; at the Ftiltoh; N, Y,; and '■Brigado.qn,"';at the Shubert,, glii- cago She was slated to buy into ::"Love; Life," at- the ■:46th:: Street, N. Y,, but withdrew .lust before the 'musical went into rehearsal. |:■,; Mrs.' Ames' husband, a broker, and his brother Si^pheu, co-pro- duced "Guest in the House" during , the 1941-42 Broadway sea.son. Oscar Straus' Reactions On His European Return By OSCAR STRAUS I Vienna, Nov. 26 ' Back in Vienna after more than i 10 years, absence, I find the damage I less than I had expected Pans, of course I found hardly not, changed at all. : In Zurich, for the first prepara- tions of my new operetta "Here Comes the Waltz," I had to intei - rupt my work for a concert in Lon- don on the occasion of the inaugu- ' ration of the new Empress Hall with an attendance ot 10,000 ! people. It was Capacity, with man> | I turnaways. Even London I did not find much changed I Back to ,Zunch, and then : for a I short stay in Bad Ischl. where 1 I Bough," by Joseph A. Hayes The play is budgeted at $75,000 and the . backers include Heidt, James Merrill Herd: and Robert K.: Christen^ berry, managing director of the Astor hotel, N: Y. Investments of $12,000 and $18,000, respectively, have been made by Barney Morse oit Los Angeles, and J. ,S. Seidman of New York Overcall is limited to 20%, Substitution of limited pailnership is forbidden. Harry Wagstaff Gribble, who withdrew as stager of the'recent flop, "For Goodness Sake, Mother," before its New York opening, has issued a detailed denial of recent charges made ag^linst him by :the'author, Julie Berns, In general, it elaborates on. his public explanation for quilling the show; namely, that he was unable to agree with the author on script revisions. Specifically, the director asserts that until the unfavorable notices were out in Pliiladelphia, Mrs, Berns "lavisned praise" on.his Work and ''even went so far as to use the term genius." In connection with the first anniversary last week of "Streetcar Named Desire," at the Barrymore N Y., jiressagent Ben Kornzweig announced that the .show is the fii;,! serious drama of the last 25 years to play a solid year ot standee perioimances Wiiereas "Streetcar" grossed $1,438,271 (or $39,471 more than capacity) for the first 52 weeks, figures from the Variety files were cited to prove that no other serious play had ever had such a record. "Twelfth Night" wil! be Thealic '48's (Dallas) third production ol the season, to be staged in the Gulf Oil Playhouse for three I weeks starting Dec. 20. , Members of the cast of "The Silver ■VVhistle;'* at 'the::BiitmOre,' N: Y., have denied last week's report in VabIety thiit they were incensed at: the Theatre Guild because of an extra, non-paid matinee' and two: ... „ „,,..,^ ^ pailial lun-thtpugh rehearsals the day of the premiere. Story was met lots bl old Iriends and was so ""S'nully obtained from someone connected with the show anil was pleased to learn that they had not ''""'"med by a Guild employee. I lorgotten, me and: that":the ei.tv I council had decided to name one 1 ol their streets alter me—Oscai I Straus Strasse, Besides, I wa-, made an honorary citizen of the I city. : ■ ..My.flrst impression of my. native: I town Vienna was a rather sad one It was the first really bombed cilj I which I saw. I have the feeling I that everything is going upward I again and that the intense love ot the Viennese people for music will .overcome all these obstacles I ' 1 shall klso niake a shbrt.musical: Judith Anderson, currently in Chicago in "Medea," wanted to come up to the Ashton Stevens' apartment and read the play as a one-woman perlormanee lor the dean of American drama critics, but the Chi Herald American's oracle demurred. Plans .sneaking into a matinee some tune but, at the moment, he's still too weak, following his recent illness Silent partners in the Fred Finklebofle, Jr , production of "The Heir- ess are Jed Harris and Ella Logan (Mwh- Finklehoite), not Joshua Lbgan. picture called Vienna Cavalcade, Virginia Davis ItJ Concert ^-'^^ Fa.l\s, Pa„ Dec. 30- ■washing- ton Club, Washington, D.C., Jan 3; ln,?titute, Brooklyn, Jan. 7,. and Cenn State, Teachers College, State College, Pa,. Jan, 11, ■/■:■ : Following her N. Y. appearance, she heads for Chicago and the Virginia Davis, who'',, concerting with a program of tolk songs, will which I am conducting for the ^ make her tirst N \ appearance at screen with 90 musicians. This I the Lexington avenue YWCA Jan picture will project the high stand-: 16. Daughter of bandleader Meyer sue n ard of the music life of Vienna. 1 Davis is booked for the Inn, Buck Coast