Variety (June 1955)

Wednesday, June 29, 1955 ANKLES AWEIGH (As of May 21, '55) (5th Week) - Original capital, Including 20% overcall (supplied by backers) $240,000 Additional investment tsupplied by Anthony Brady Farrell, as ^ loans to be repaid out of first operating profits)........ 40,259 Production cost (estimated) ............ ........ 275,000 Total gross, first, 5 weeks ..... 212,000 Operating profit, last 4 Weeks . 8,780 Cost still to be recouped (approx.)............ ........ 287,700 Weekly Operating: Budget Theatre share (30% of first $20,000 gross, plus 25% of balance $5,700 Cast (principals) (No one on percentage) Cast (chorus) ^. Musicians (show’s share) ........ Company manager, and pressagent Stage crew (show’s share) Stage managers ... ♦ Wardrobe attendants (approx.) Advertising (average, show’s share) ..... i................ Book royalty Lyric and music royalty Director.royalty Choreographer royalty Producer royalty Arranger royalty V, Costume and scenic royalty Departmental expense (average, approx.) .................. Rentals (approx.) ...... Share of theatre payroll (approx.) Office charge .v..................... Miscellaneous (approx.) Gross necessary to break even (approx.) Potential operating profit at $55,900 capacity (approx.);..... (Note: The Fred F. Finklehoffe, Howard Hoyt & Reginald Hammer- stein production opened April 18, ’55, and was taken over April 23, *55, by Farrell, who also owns and operates the Mark Hellinger Theatre, N. Y., where the.musical is playing. Estimated production figures are used in this report because an accountant’s statement has not been issued for the production—see separate news story in this issue.) 3.300 480 650 1,754 535 720 3,900 4% 4% 2 ^ 2 % 1 % 1 % $100 200 500 750 3,150 350 1.300 38.000 11.000 Los Angelas, June 28. ' Business generally is on the up- grade on the local legit Scene, with two top grossers, “Pajama Game” and “Tea and Sympathy,” showing particularly well, Further step-up is seen this week, with last night’s (Mon.) opening of “3 for Tonight,” Paul Gregory production, which went into the Greek Theatre for a single week to tee off its summer season. Estimates for Last Week Pajama Game, Philharmonic Aud (3d wkV (2,670; $4.90) (Fran War- ren, Larry Douglas, BUster West). Another smash stanza at $65,100. Tea and Sympathy, Biltmore (1st wk)‘ (1,636; $4.40) (Deborah Kerr). Potent $32,000 for the opener. The Shrike, Carthay Circle (3d wk) (1,518; $3.30) (Dane Clark, Is- abel Bonner). Weak $12,600. Current British Shows LONDON (Figures denote premiere dates) Bad Seed, Aldwych (4-14-55). Ball, Book, Candle, Phoenix (10-5-54). Bet wood the Lines, Scala (6*28). Boy Friend, Wyndham’s (12-1-53). Can-Cen, Coliseum (10-14-54). Crazy Gang, Vic. Pal. (12-16-54). Desperate Houft, Hipp. (4-19-55). Dry Rot, Whitehall (8-31-54). Emlyn Williams, Globe (5-31-55). Follies Bergeres, Wales (4-9-55). Happy Returns, New Water (5-19-55). Intimacy At 8:30, Criterion (4-29-54). Jazz Train, Piccadilly (4-26-55). King and I, Drury Lane (10-8-53). Kismet,-Stoll (4-20-55). Light Fantastic, Fortune (6-21-55). Matchmaker, Haymarkct (11-4-54). Moby Dick, Duke York’s (6-16-55). Mr. Pennypacker, New (5-18-55). Mourning Electra, Arts (0-9-55). Mousetrap, Atnbas. (11-25-52). M.y 3 Angels, Lyric (5-12-55). Old Vie Rep, Old Vic (9-9-54). Reluctant Deb, Cambridge (5-24-55). Ruth Draper, St. Mart. (6-6-55). Sailor Bowaro, Strand (2-16-55). Salad Days, Vaudeville (8-5-54). Separata Tablas, St. James’s (9-22-54). Spider’s Wab, Savoy (12-14-54). Talk of Town, Adelphl (11-17-54). Teahouso Aug. Moon, Her Maj. (4-22-54). Tiger At Gates, ApoUo (6-2-55). 20 Mlrts. South, PlayerA (5-10-55). Uncertain Joy, Duchess (3-31-55). Wonderful Town, Princes (2-23-55). SCHEDULED OPENINGS From Nfr* A There, Royal Ct. (6-29). Shadow of Doubt, Sayllle (7-7-55). CLOSED LAST WEEK Lost Generation, Garrick (6-1-55). Merry Widow, Palace (5-3-55). TOURING Affairs of Stato Airs on a Shoestring All for Mary Bath Ends Meat Evening with Beatrlcg Lillie French Mistress Guys and Dolls t Am a Camera Klnlech Players Little Hut Manor of Northstead Moon Is Bluo Murder at the Vicarage Nina Old Vic Pardon My Claws Privato Lives Roam for Two Seagulls Over Sorrento Shadow of Doubt Sluth Pacific Three Times a Day Time Remembered' Twenty Minutes South Wedding in Paris Women ef Twilight ‘S.P.’ Is Still the Champ, Grosses $62/100, Dallas; $25,208, Highland Park Dallas, June' 28. State Fair Musicals* first musical production of the current (14th) season, “South Pacific,” reached the midway mark with Sunday’s (26) matinee, showing an all-sea- . son’s record $62,400 b.o. for seven performances. Rodgers & Ham- merstein revival, which runs through next Sunday (3), stars Gisele MacKenzie and John Brown- lee. “Pacific” is first Of four book shows produced this season by Charles R. Meeker Jr., veepee- managing director-. Rehearsals started yesterday (Mon.) for “Bit- tersweet,” due next Monday (4) through July 7 in the air-condi- tioned, 4,285-seat State Fair Audi- torium. The season’s opening show, the “Kismet” touring company, grossed $50,700 for its first week and $50,900 for the Holdover stanza. Also Highland Park Highland Park, 111., June 28. “South Pacific,’ starring Betty Jane Watson, closed Sunday (26) after breaking two six-year box- office records at the Music Thea- tre. Total take for the 17 days was $52,500, including the final week’s $25,208. Magda Gabor opened last night (Mon.) in “Best Foot Forward” for an 11 day stay, to be followed by a 17-day run of “Guys and Dolls.” I Stock Notes The Playhouse, Livermore Falls, . Me., will open July 5 with a tryout of Bob Guest’s comedy, “Western Valentine” . .. “Good News,” open- ing last Monday (27), is the initial bill at the new Musical Stock The- atre, Beach Lake, Pa.. . . Lawrence Langner, Armina Marshall (Mrs. Langher, John C. Wilson, Philip Lahgner and Windsor Lewis tossed a swimming-and cocktail party last Sunday (26) at Langner’s home at Cannondale, Conn., to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the West- port (Conn.) Country Playhouse. Herbert Evers will play a leading role in support of Joan Blondell in “A Palm Tree in a Rose Gar- den,” Meade Roberts play which Albert. Selden & Morton Gottlieb will tryout on the stock circuit . . . Betty Jane Watsoii, who' just com- pleted a two-week engagement in “South, pacific” at the Highland Park (111.) Music Theatre, will star in the same tuner for two weeks starting July 25 at. the Neptune Music Circus, Asbury Park, N. J. She 11 also *do the same show as well as “High Button Shoes” later in the summer at the Oakdale mu- sical tent, Wallingford, Conn. Production staff for the Mont- clair (N. J.) Theatre, which begins a 10-wcek season July 16 under Harold J. Kennedy’s management, includes CUandos Sweet,- resident j manager; Mordi Gassner, designer, 1 and David Powers, pressagent. PfiSIWTfr LEGITIMATE 59 Marietta’ Nice $42,000, Opening K.C. Starlight Kansas City, June *28. “Naughty Marietta,” opening bill of the Starlight Theatre's 10- week al fresco season, grossed a moderate $42,000* last. week. Cool evenings were offset to some extent by threats of rain. “Me and Juliet” opened last night (Mon.) as .the second bill, with a cast headed by Russell Arms, Dorothy Coulter, Michael Kermoyan, John Henson, Joseph Macauley, Maury Tuckerman, Murray Hamilton, Beryl Tobin and Charles Reilly; Top is $3.50, ‘Kate’ $46,000, Sf.; San Francisco, «June 28. With the summer season in fit 1 ! swing, Frisco legit was only so-so last week. “Kiss Me, Kate” ended its run at the Curran and was re- placed last night (Mqn.) by “Kis- met” as the season’s second Civic Light Opera subscription offering. It’s a return engagement for the operetta which was produced here two seasons ago by the CLO, be- fore going to Broadway. .Estimates for Last Week Fifth Season, Calcazar (2d wk) ($4.40; 1.477) (Joseph Buloff, Gene Raymond). Slid to $10,080 (pre- vious week, $11,000). Kiss Me, Kate, Curran (4th wk) ($4.40; 1,758) (Jean Fenn, Robert Wright). CLO subscription item soared to $46,000 for the closing stanza (previous week, $43,000); folded Saturday night (25), with “Kismet” replacing last night (Mon.), also, fpr four weeks on sub- scription. Solid Gold Cadillac, Geary (1st wk) ($4.40; 1,550), Got away to a moderate start with $19;800 for the opener. TEAHOUSE’ BIG $32,500, THIRD WEEK, SEATTLE Seattle, June 28. The third week for “Teahobse of August- Moon” wound up with another good but not great $32,500, for a total of $95,100 for the three- week engagement at the Moore theatre. The 1,670-seater Was scaled from $4.50 evenings and $3.76 matinees. _ • Current Stock Tryouts < (tune 27-July 10) Angel on the Loot*, by Victor Clement and Francis Svfranh (Arthur Treacher)— Kennebunkport (Me.) Playhouse (4-9). Cyprioiine, adapted by Dorothy Monet from Sdrdoji’s Dlvorcons (Uta Hagen, Herbert Berghof)—Hyde Park (N. Y.) Playhouse (5-10) (Previous stock tryout reviewed in VARIETY, Feb. 16, ’55). Great Glt-Away) by Romeo Muller—The- atre-Go-Round, Virginia Beach, Va. (5-10). Star Light, Star Bright, by S. K. Lauren and Gladys Lehman (Terry Moore, Frank Albertson)—Westport (Conn.) Country Playhouse (4-9). Honeymoon For Three, by E. V. Tld- marsh—Lakewood Players, SkoWhegan, Me. (27-2). Kid For 2 Farthings, by Wolf Manko-- Witz—White Barn, Westport. Conn, (3). W** a ^Bachelor, by Irving W. Phillips (Billie Burke)—Sea Cliff (N. Y.) Summer Theatre (27-2); North Shore Play- ers, Marblehead, Mass., (4-9) (Reviewed in variety this week). / Sacrifice to the Wind, adapted by John Whiting from original play b.v Andre Obey, based on Iphlgenla In Aulis, by Euripedes—White Barn, Westport, Conn, (9-10). • Tonight W* Sing, musical comedy built around an assortment of old standard pop. songs—Lambertvllle (N. J.) Music Circus (5-10). Two-In-One Lover, Italian comedy—Mo* nomoy Theatre, Chatham, Mass. (29-2). Western Valentine, by Bob Guest- Playhouse, Livermore Falls, Me. (5-10). Woman with Red Hair, by Sam Locke and Paul Roberts—New England Mutual Hall, Boston (4-0) (Original production at Trenton reviewed in VARIETY, May 23, ’51; Coast tryout reviewed in VARIETY, Feb. .9, '55). Current Road Shows (June 27 -July 9) Can-Can— National. Wash. (27-9). Klhg and I (Patricia Morlson)—-Shubert, Det. (27-2); Royal Alexandra, Toronto (4-9). Klfmet (William Jbhnson, . Elaine Mal- bin)—Curran, S. W. (27-9). _ Falama Game (Fran Warren, Larry Douglas, Buster West) — Philharmonic Aud., L. A. (27-9). Solid Gold Cadillac—Geary, S. F. (27-9). .Tea and Sympathy (Deborah Kerr)— Biltmore, L. A. (27-9). Teahouse of the August Moon (Burgess Meredith, Scott McKay) — Community, Berkeley (28-29); Aud., Sacramento (30-3); Aud., Fresno (6-9). Tender Trap (Kent Smith, K. T. Ste- vens/ Russell Nype)—Harris, Chi. (27-2). SCHEDULED N.Y. OPENINGS (Theatres indicated if set) Skin ef Our Teeth (8-15). Catch a Star, Plymouth (9-6), D'oyiy Carte . 10-27). View From. Bridge, Coronet (9-29). Diary of Young Glrl> Cort ,. 10-S). Wooden Dish (10-6).. Red Roses For Me (10-12). No Tlmo For Sgts., Alvin (10-20). ‘Seed’Sll Lark, Longa ore. (10-24).. • OFF-B'WAY Typewriter, Tempo (7-26). The season slump hit Broadway last‘week. Shows that have been playing to marginal business in recent weeks took the biggest beat- ing. As usual, however, the smash entries held fairly steady, with nine productions continuing at ca- pacity. . Biz is expected to sag further this week and continue to shrink until the usual mid-August pickup. There was only one closing last week, “Can-Can” which began a road tour yesterday (Tues.) in Washington. However, with biz on the decline, a number of manage- ments are contemplating throwing in the towel. ; Estimates for Last Week Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), CD (Comedy-Drama), R (Revue), MC (Musical-Comedy), MD (Musi - cal-pmma), O (Opera), OP (Qp- retta). * Other parenthetic designations refer, respectively, to weelcs played, number of performances through last , Saturday, top prices, number of seats, capacity gross and stars. Price includes 10% Federal and 5% City tax, but grosses are net: i.e., exclusive of tax. Almost Crazy, Longacre (R) (1st wk; 8; $5.75; $1,101; $34,000). Around $5,000 for first eight per- formances. Anastasia, Lyceum (D) (26th wk'; 206; $5,75-$4.60; 995; $23,339) (Viveca Lindfors, Eugenie Leon- tovichb Nearly $12,500 (previous week, $15,800). Ankles Aweigh, Hellinger (MC) (10th wk; 80; $6.90; 1,513; $55,*900). Over $31,200 (previous week, $36,300). Anniversary Waltz, Booth (C) (64th wk; 507; $4.60; 766; $20,000). Over $10,500 (previous week, $12,- 600). Bad Seed, Coronet (D) (29th wk; 229; $5.75-$4.60; 998; $27,700) (Nancy Kelly). Over $13,400 (pre- vious week, $15,400). Boy Friend, Royale (MC) (39th wk; 307; $0.90; 1,050; $38,200). Almost $29,000 (previous week, $31,800). Bus Stop; Music Box (CD) (17th wk; 134; $5.75-$4.60; 1,010; $27,- 811). Capacity ..again, $28,100 (previous week, $28,100). Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Morosco (D) (14th wk; 108; $6.90-$5.75; 946; $31,000) (Barbara Bel Geddes, Burl- Ives). Over capacity again, topped $31,500 (previous week, $31,600). Damm Yankees, 46th St. (MC) (8th wk; 60; $8.05-$7.50; 1,297; $50,- 573) (Gwen Verdon). Over ca- pacity again, almost $50,800 (previ- ous Week, $50,800); Desperate Hours, Barrymore (D) (20th wk; 156; $5.75-$4.60; 994; $27,200). Nearly $18,900 (previous week, $21,200) Fanny, Majestic (MD) (34th wk; 268; $7.50; 1,655; $82,968) (Ezio Pinza, Walter Slezak). Over .ca- pacity again, nearly $63,800 (previ- ous week, $63,800). Inherit the Wind, National (D) (lOtli wk; 76; $5,75-$4.60; 1,162; $31,300) (Paul Muni). Over ca- pacity again, topped $31,600 (previ- ous week, $32,000), Lunatics & . Lovers, Broadhurst (C)' (28th wk; 224; $5.75-$4.60; 1,182; $29,500). Nearly $17,900 on twofers (previous week, $18,500). Pajama Game, St. James (MC) (59th wk; 468; $6.90; 1,615; $52,- 118) (John Raitt, Janis Paige, Eddie Foy, Jr.). Capacity again, over $52,100 (previous week* $52,- 100). Miss Paige exited the cast last Thursday (23), with Pat Mar- shall replacing; Helen Gallagher, who recently took over from Carol Haney, now shares star billing with Raitt and Foy. Plain and Fancy; Winter Garden (MC) (22d wk; 172; $6.90;. 1,494; $55,672). Over $48,500 (previous week, $49,300). Seven Year Itch, Fulton (C) (136th wk; l,085; v $5.75-$4.60; 987; $24,000) (Eddie Bracken). Almost $14,200 on twofers (previous week. $12,900). Seventh Heaven, ANTA Theatre ^MCJ (5th wk; 36; $8.30-$7.50; 1,177; $50,200) (Gloria DeHaven, Ricardo Montalban, Kurt Kasznar). Under $20,000 (previous week, $24,400). Silk Stockings, Imperial (MC) (18th wk; 140; $7.50; 1,427; $57,800) (Hildegarde Neff, Don Ameche). Over capacity again, almost $58,400 (previous, week, $58,300). Teahouse of the August Moon, Beck (C) (89th wk; 717; $6.22-$4.60; 1,214; $33,608) (Eli Wallach, John Beal). Picked up to over capacity, J > ■ #* nearly $33,800 (previous Week, $33,600). Witness for the Prosecution, Miller (D) (28th wk; 220; $5.75- $4.60; 946; $23,248). Over capacity again, topped $23,6Q0 " (previous week, $23,700). MISCELLANEOUS Phoenix ’55, Phoenix (R) (10th wk; 73; $4.60-$3.45; 1,181; $22,000) (Nancy Walker). Nearly $12,000 (previous week, $14,000). CLOSED LAST WEEK Can-Can, Shubert (MC)* (112th wk; 892; $6.90; 1,453; $50,160). Nearly $28,900 (previous week, $31,200); closed last Saturday (25) to tour; has earned approximately $940,000 profit thus far on a $300,- 000 investment. off-broadway (Figures denote opening dates) La Ronde, Circle in Square (2- 37-55). . ' - . Mornings At Seven, Cherry Lane (6*22-55)V Trial, Provincetown (6-14-55J, Chicago, June 28. . “Tender^ Trap” slipped a bit in its 11th week at the 1,000-seat Harris, grossing $13,100 at $4 top. Loop loner, starring Russell Nype, K. T. Stevens and Kent Smith, folds here next Saturday (2). Chicago, with no shows sched- uled until August, will be legitless for the third time this century. First time was during the two-week Equity strike in October, 1919, when nine shows were.struck, with five reopening for runs after the settlement. Second occasion was during the depression days of 1932, when all legit houses were shut- tered between July 16 and Aug. 25. On the future schedule are “Skin of Our Teeth.” With. Helen Hayes, Mary Martin, George Abbott and Florence Reed, for two weeks starting Aug. 1, and “Can-Can” opening the following evening. “Teahouse of the August Moon” opens. Sept. 7 as the first Theatre Guild-American Theatre Society offering of ; the season. ‘KING’ HEALTHY $31,000; ‘CAN-CAN’ NEXT IN DET. __ , Detroit, ’June 28. , Fifth week of “The King and I,” starring' Patricia Morison, grossed a good $31,000 at the 2,050-seat Shubel*t. Play winds its engage- ment next Saturday night (2). Top is $4.40. Shubert will close for the sum- mer, but the 1,482-seat Cass will reopen July 13 with two-and-a-half weeks of “Can-Can.” ‘Wonderful Town’ $40,000; Weather Hurts St. Loo St. Louis, June 28. - “Wonderful Town,” cut by rain and threats of rain, grossed a so-so $40,000 last week in the Municipal Theatre’s 11,937-seat al fresco play- house in Forest Park, at $3 top. Cast included Audrey Christie, Cris Alexander, George Gaynes, Betty Gillelt, Joan Ki brig and Jor- dan Bentley, “Vagabond King” opened last night (Mon.) with a cast headed by Clifford Harout, Gloria Lane, Eddie Bruce and Guy Tabarie. ‘Me and Juliet’ Sad 21G, Pitt Stadium’s New Low Pittsburgh, June 28. Not even the Rodgers & Ham- merstein label could get them into the Pitt Stadium last week for “Me and Juliet.” Musical only got $21,000, the poorest any show has ever done in the 10-year history ofc the Civic Light Opera al fresco productions. Weather was just right most of the time for an outdoor show, and two out of three notices were excellent. Leads were done by Jo Sullivan, Neile Adams, Bob Shaver, Fred Smith, Warren Emmerling, Lola Fisher and John Reardon. Current production is “Wizard of Oz,” with Miss Sullivan, Zero Mostel, Lou Seiler, Elizabeth 1 Watts, Walter Donahue, Walter Burke, Patricia Drylie and A. Rob. bins.