Variety (March 1956)

71 Wednesday, March 28, 1956 PjQzIEfr I-EfilTIMATE Weather Hits Philly; ?&F $42,900, ‘Can-Can’ $31,100, ‘Johnson’ $19,400 Philadelphia, March 2 1. -*• ••plain and Fancy” continued at near capacity last week, despite blizzard conditions. “Can-Can” f uled to stir much action Jn its velum booking. It cleaned up in pre-Broadway tryout three years ^“Mister Johnson” rallied during second week of its tuneup. Lone new entrv this week is the musical trvout “Strip for Action,” open¬ ing tonight UTues.) at the Shubert. Estimates for Last Week Plain and Fancy, Forrest, (MC) (3d wk) ($5.40; 1,760). In the.face of poor weather, this musical about upstate folk bettered second week's returns at nearly $42,900; it exits town next Saturday (31). Can Can, Shubert (MC) (1st wk) ($ 5 . 95 ;'1.870). Cole Porter tuner, in for one week, was ’hurt by both weather and familiarity. So-so $31 100. Mister Johnson, Walnut (CD) (2d wk) ($4.80; 1,340). Theatre Guild-American The'atre Society tryout picked up nice ,$19,400 in its concluding round/ ‘Pajama $29,100, ‘Wind’ $27,10, Chi Chicago, March 27. Business in the Loop was a bit better last week, subject to the traditional pre-Easter limitations. Trade picked up the latter part of the week. “Bad Seed” is slated for April 30 at the Harris while the Playwright Co.-Gayle Stine produced “The Lovers” goes into the Great North¬ ern for three weeks beginning April 16, then to New York for a May 9 opening. Also, the Harry Belafonte-starring “Sing Man Sing” may stop off at the Shubert for two weeks in May, enroute to New York. Estimates for Last Week Inherit the Wind, Blackstone (7th wk>- ($5; 1,450) (Melvyn Doug¬ las). Almost $27,800 (previous week. $28,500). Pajama Game, Shubert (19th wk) ($5.50; 2,100) (Fran Warren, Larry Douglas, Buster West). Al¬ most $29,400 (previous week, $28,200). Teahouse of the August Moon, Erlanger (28th wk) ($ 5 ; 1.335) iBurgess Meredith, Hugh Reilly). Topped $29,200 (previous week, $27,900).^ ‘STRIP’ $44,300 FOR 9 IN NEW HAVEN TRYOUT New Haven, March 27. Despite a lukewarm critical and word - of - mouth reception, the breakin of “Strip for Action” at Shubert last week in a Saturday- to-Saturday (17-24) stand pulled substantial business. In face of trade-stalling snowstorms, the nine-performance gross of $44,300 at S 6.00 top was okay. Current is a full week of “Can- Can.” Next thing on the boards is a breakin of “Wake Up Darling,” April 11-14; “Shangri-La,” April 21-28; “Bus Stop,” May 2-5. and ‘New Faces of 1956,” May 12-19. 1 Touring Shows (March 26 -April 8 ) ‘Boy’ Sprightly $33,600 For 1st Week, Detroit Detroit, March 27, “Boy Friend” grossed a good $33,600 last week in its opening stanza at the 2,050-"seat Shubert. Show originally announced for a fortnight, has been extended a third week. The 1,482-seat Cass will relight next Monday (2) for the breakin of Leslie Stevens’ new play “The Lovers,” presented by The Play¬ wrights Co. and Gayle Stine. Try¬ out is in for two weeks. ‘YANKEES’ BIG $34,200, ‘AFFAIR’$14,000, WASH. Washington, March 27. Legit biz improved here last week, with both “Damn Yankees” and “Affair of Honor” bettering the previous stanza. “Yankees” has had seven profitable weeks here and the sale is up again for this eighth and final stanza. Something new for Washington, the Sunday night performance in¬ stead of Wednesday matinees, has apparently been helping the musi¬ cal. The experiment proves that despite the added overhead en¬ tailed in running seven days a week, the company’s net has been bigger. Estimates for Last Week Affair of Honor, Shubert (C) (2d wk) ($3.85; 1,542) (Dennis King). Still slim $14,000 -for the final local stanza of this Broadway- bound comedy. Shubert Theatre now goes dark. Damn Yankees, National (MC) (7th wk) ($5.50; 1.677) (Bobby Glark). Climbed again to $34,200. Looks even bigger for this final week of the run, despite Holy Week. ’ Hammerstein, Lindsay, Goetz Head Dramatists Oscar Hammerstein 2d has been elected president of the Dramatists Guild, with Howard Lindsay and Augustus Goetz getting the nod as vice president and secretary, re¬ spectively. Hammerstein succeeds Moss Hart. The new administrative lineup for the playwrights’ organization was announced yesterday (Tues.). Elected to the council were Rich¬ ard Adler. Robert Anderson, Abe Burrows. Betty Comden, M arc Con¬ nelly, Russel Crouse, Dorothy Fields, Joseph Fields, Goetz, Hart, Lillian Heilman, Arnold B. Hor- witt, William Inge and Garson Kanin. Also, Jean Kerr, Sidney Kings¬ ley, Arthur Laurents, Alan Jay Ler- ner, Richard Lewine, Lindsay, Rob¬ ert E. McEnroe, Arthur Miller, Paul Osbornr Elmer Rice, Richard Rodgers, Harold Rome, Samuel Taylor and Maurice Valency. Representatives of the Guild on the parent Authors League council are S. N. Behrman, Crouse, Ruth Goodman Goetz, Hammerstein, Jo¬ seph Hayes. MisS Heilman, Lewine, Lindsay, Rice, Rodgers, Victor Wolfson and Stanley Young. Affair of Honor (tryout) (Dennis King) £leve. (?R-31) (Reviewed VARIETY, Feb. 29, *56). (2" 7) d Seed <Nanc V Kelly)—Curran. S. F. Boy Friend—Shubert, Det. (26-7). Stop (2d Co.)—Laying off this u U< ‘ k; Aud., Allentown, Pa. (2-3); Play¬ house. Wilmington (4-7). Can-Can—Shubert, New Haven (26-31); ,; al Alexandra, Toronto (2-7). ^mn Yankees (2d Co.) (Bobby Clark) <~ster U <27) 1, Wash * (26 ' 31); Aud.. Roch ' fnherlt ‘the Wind (2d Co.) (Melvyn l) UKlas)—Blackstone, Chi (26-7). L, ov e r * (tryout)—Cass, Det. (2-7). . Ha P°y Fella (tryout) (Robert i,/''. de h—Shubert; Boston os-7) (Reviewed VARIETY, March 21, i5$). Pajama O&me (2d Co.) (Fran Warren, Chi 1 <26 ^ 0Uglas ’ Buster West)—Shubert, ~,° la 'n ?nd F’ncy—Forrest, Philly (26- National, Wash. (3-7). T>K-n r p for Action (tryout)—Shubert, Tr (26-7) (Reviewed in VARIETY March 21, *56). •n., , a . an i* Sympathy (Maria Riva, Alan r\i X , ter 2'T' Layin £ of£ tllls week: Aud., T».l U i m u ^ Aud., Charlotte (4); Aud., H'^ei»h (5); Aud., Norfolk (6-7). of August Moon (1st Co.) Kston V (2 , 7f h * Gene Blakely)—Colonial, Teahouse ‘of the August M6«n (2d Co.) ge- r Chf (26 < 7) edJLth * Hugh ReUly> — Erlan ' ^e-houre <?f the Auqust (?d Co.) U. And.. Waco (26); Will Rogers 4” d -- Ft. Worth (27-23); Munl«*ipnl Aud., rm hl lon J2B)r Municipal Add., Amn- a, i (3 0-33)r And..'’’■‘tr’'?-'• (3-4); Municipal A.vuL,.Dklaioma r.Jt y j&d ___ 3d ‘Teahouse,’ Sans Parks, Nabs $31,700 in 1-Nites Midland, Tex., March 27. Third company of “Teahouse of the August Moon” piled up a neat $31,700 in an eight-performance, four-way Texas split last week. The show had a $3,500 guarantee for one performance Monday (19) at the Del Mar College Aud., Cor¬ pus Christie. The comedy grossed $15,900 in three performances Tuesday-Wed- nesday <20-21) at the Municipal Auditorium. San Antonio, with an¬ other $7,500 guaranteed at the Municipal Auditorium, San An¬ gelo, for two performances Thrus- day-Friday (22-23). A two-performance stand Satur¬ day (24) at the High School Audi¬ torium here grossed $4,800. Jerry Oddo is pinchhitting for the vaca¬ tioning star, Larry Parks. Edward F. Kook, Century Light¬ ing prez, returns tomorrow (Thurs:) for tc quick -business trip • to ' St. .Louis. ’ ’' ‘ ‘ 1 ' I ‘Aleichem’ $3,200 for 11, I Arena Stock, Rochester Rochester, N.Y., March 27. The big storm snowed under the first week of the local Arena Thea¬ tre’s production of “World of Sholem Aleichem,” resulting in only a fair gross of $3,200 for eleven performances ending Sun¬ day (25). Following a darkened Holy Week, producers Omar K. Lerman and Dorothy Chernuck will relight their theatre-in-the-round next Tuesday (3) for £ two-week run of "Anastasia.” ‘Fella’ Hot 43$. ‘Bus’ $16,400, Hub Boston, March 27. Third blizzard in eight days bopped legit last Saturday (24). Matinees at “Most Happy Fella,” in its third week at the Shubert, and “Bus Stop” in its third and final round at the Colonial,, were hurt. Shubert ran (25) Sunday and evening performance to make up for theatre closing the previous Monday-Tuesday (19-20). Colonial ran a special matinee Friday (23) to make up for its closing Monday (19> due to Boston’s second bliz¬ zard. “Most Happy Fella” is being streamlined and cut. Shubert gets “Ziegfeld Follies.” April 16, and the Colonial opens with the New York company of “Teahouse of the August Moon” next Monday (2). Colonial is dark this week. The Plymouth, dark for over a month, gets* “Wake Up Darling,” April 16 for a two weeker: “Shan¬ gri-La” opens May 1 at the Shu¬ bert and "Pajama Game” has been booked to follow, extending this year’s legit season into June. Shu¬ bert houses report this has been the best legit season for Boston in years. Estimates for Last Week Most Happy Fella, Shubert, (MD) (2d wk) ($4J>5; 1,717) (Rob¬ ert Weede). Tryout grossed near¬ ly $43,500 and liolds for two more weeks before Philadephia and then Broadway. Bus Stop, Colonial (C) (2d wk) ($4.40; 1.590). Nabbed $16.400'and exited town Saturday (24) night. ‘Ride’ Still Just a Trot; $12,500 in 10th Week, L.A. Hollywood, March 27. Lenten slump set in this week to batter “Joy Ride,” town’s only legiter. which wound up its 10 th week at the Huntington Hartford Theatre. Gross dipped to around $12,500. still in the red. Revue will continue here for at least another four weeks as the producers work it over for a hoped- for Broadway bow. British Shows (Figures denote opening dates) LONDON Boy Friend, Wyndham’s (12-1-53). Cranks Revue, St. Mart. (3-1-56). Crazy Gang, Vic. Pal. (12-16-54). Dry Rot, Whitehall (8-31-54). Fresh Airs, Comedy (1-26-56).. Girl Called Jo, Piccadilly (12-15-55). Kismet, Stoll (4-20-55). Likely Tale, Globe (3-22-56). "Morning's at 7, W’stmst’r (2-7-56). Mr. Pennypacker, New (5-18-55) Mousetrap, Ambassador (11-25-52). One Bright Day, Apollo (3-20-56). Pajama Game, Coliseum (10-13-55). Paris by Night, Prince Wales (4-9-55). Plain & Fancy, Drury Lane (1-25-56). Plume de ma Tante, Garrick (11-3-55). Reluctant Deb, Cambridge (5-24-55). Repertory, Old Vic (9-7-55). Ring for Catty, Lyric (2-14-56). Rivals, Savillc (2-23-56). » Sailor Beware, Strand (2-16-55). Salad Days, Vaudeville (8-5-54). Separate Tables, St. James’s (0-22-54); Spider's Web, Savoy (12-14-54). •Strong Are Lonely, H’market (1-24-56V Such Is Life, Adelphl (12-14-55). Summer Song, Princes (2-16-56). Tabltha, Duchess (3-8-56). Teahouse Aug. Moon, Her Maj. (4-22-54) 3 Penny Opera, Aldwych (2-9-50). •Interrupted run. Scheduled Openings Comedy of Errors, Arts (3-29-56). Waltz of Toreadors, Criterion (3-27-56). Power & Glory, Phoenix (4-5-56). Closed Last Week Hamlet, Phoenix, (12-8-55). Waiting for Godot, Criterion (8-3-o5). Water Gypsies, WInt. Card. (8-31-55). SCHEDULED N. Y. OPENINGS (Theatres indicated if set) Affair of Honon nvrrymore (4-6). Waiting for Godot (4-16). King and I, City Center (4-18). Strip for Action, Wint. Gard. (4-23). Goodbye Again, Helen Hayes (4-24). Wake Up Darling (5-2). Most Happy Fella, Imperial (5-3). Kiss Me Knte, City Center (5-9). Lovers (5-9). Ziegfeld Follies, Wint. Card, 15-26). Four Dolls on a Dime (wk. 5-27). Carmen Jones, City Center (5-31). Shangri-La (6-6). OFF-BROADWAY Beaver Coat, Greenwich Mews (3-28). Antigone, Carnegie Hall (4-2). Month In the Country, Phoenix (4-3). Ann- Lccref-*, Temple (4-4). Plough & Stars, Barbizon-Plaza (4-5). Swiftly the Yeari, Prdvincctown (4-5). .Beautiful People/ Theatre '.East. (^-10). Llttlcst Revue,, Phoenix (5-15). ,.•> The Desert, ProVineefown (521). was “Mr. Wonderful,” while this stanza has two preems. “Little Glass-Clock” and “Mister Johnson.” Estimates for Last Week Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), CD (Comedy-Drama), R (Reinic), MC (Musical-Comedy), MD (Musi¬ cal-Drama ), O (Opera), OP (Op- retta). Other parenthetic designations refer, respectively, to weeks 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; excluswe of tax. Bus Stop, Winter Garden (CD), (56th wk; 446; $5.75-$4.60; 1,494; $43,000) (previous week, $15,000; closes April 21 ).* Last week, almost $14,400. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Morosco (D) (53d wk; 420; $6.90; 946; $31,- 000) (Burl Ives, Patricia NeaW (pre¬ vious week, $30,700). Last week, over $30,500. Chalk Garden, Barrymore (CD) (22d wk; 173; $5.75-$4.60; 1.077; $27,811) (Gladys Cooper, Siobhan McKenna) (previous week. $14,100; closes next Saturday (31). Last week, over $16,600. Damn Yankees, 46th St. (MC) (47th wk; 372; $8.05; 1,297; $50,- 573) (Gwen Verdon) (previous week. $49,700). Last week over $50,400. Desk Set, Broadhurst (C) <22d wk; 176; $5.75-$4.60; 1,182; $31,500) (Shirley Booth) (previous week, $15,200). Last week, over $15,000: Diary of Anne Frank, Co% (D) (25th wk; 197; $5.75; 1,036; $28,854) (Joseph Schildkraut, Susan Stras- berg) (previous week, $25,800). Last week, almost $24,700. Fallen Angels, Playhouse (C) (10th wk; 79; $5.75-$4.60; 994; $27,- B’way Still Fading; lady’ $64,831, ‘Wonderful’ 52G For 6, ‘Fanny’ 35G, ‘Night’ 33G, ‘Rain’ 18G; ’ Business on Broadway was down: $38,500) (previous w: r*k. $38,800). again last week. Several shows i week, nearly $39 000. roeistcred ^ubs’liiniin] drons lint i Gnmo, St. •Ijinics (MC 1 ) lcgisicicci substantial cuops. but , 98(h wk . 780; $6 D0 li615; 0,52.11$) receipts picked up lor a lew pn-j ( j 0 |in Railt, Eddie Foy, Jr.. Helen ’’aglier) (previous ‘week. $38,- Last week, over S38.100. tries, mostly those with closing | dates_ already announced. Only j 9^0 i Pipe Dream, Shubert (NID) (17th “No Time for Serg'eants” and Fair Lady’’ hit capacity. j wk; 133; $7.50; 1,453; $55,039) Sole closing last week was Ten- (Helen Traubel, William Johnson) house of the August Moon, which (prcviaus week $ 48 ,i 0 0 ). Last will tour. The frame slone opener K voek . ovcr $ 54 , 000 -. with ihp«i,.p week, over $54,000; with theatre parties. Ponder Heart, Music Box (C) < 6 th wk; 44; $5.75; 1.010; $30,000) 1 David Wayne) (previous week, $25 500). Last week, almost $23,600. Silk Stockings, Imperial (MC) (571 h wk; 452; $7.50; 1.427; $57,800) (Hildegarde Neff, Lawrence Brooks) (previous week, K25.7Q0; closes April 14, to tour, with Jan Sherwood succeeding Miss Neff). Last week, nearly $25,200. Tiger at the Gates, Helen Hayes <D) (25th wk; 209; $5.75; 1,039; $30.- 845) (Michael Redgrave) (previous week, $16,000; closes April 7). Last week, over $16,400. Time Limit, Booth (D) (9th wk; 71; $5.75-$5.20; 766; $24,330). (Ar¬ thur Kennedy) (previous week, $16,900). Last week, over $15,400. Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter, Bclaseo (C) (24th wk; 189; $5.75; 1,037; $31,582) (previous week, $15,- 600). Last week, over $16,700. Witness for the Prosecution, Miller (D) (67th wk; 532; $5.75- $4.60; 946; $23,248) (previous week, $17,400; closes June 30, to tour). Last week, over $16,700. Closed Last Week Teahouse of the August Moon, Beck (C) (128th wk; 1.020: $6.25- $4.60; 1,214; $33,608) (Eli Wallach, Gene Blakely) (previous week, $26,- 000. Last week, over $29,400; closed last Saturday (24) to tour at an approximate $ 1 , 000,000 profit on a $ 100,000 investment. Opening This Week Little Glass Clock, Golden (C) <$5.75-$4.60; 800; $22,647) (Eva Ga¬ bor, Reginald Gardiner). Com¬ edy by Hugh Mills, presented by Richard Aldrich & Richard Myers in association with Julius Fleisch- mann; production financed at $70,- 000, cost about $45,000 to bring in and can break even at around $16,- 000 gross; opened last Monday (26) 251) (Nancy Walker. Margaret Phil-] to unanimous pans (Atkinson, lips) (previous week, $14,100). Last Times; Chapman, News; Coleman, week, nearly $13,900. I Mirror; Hawkins. World-Telegram; Fanny, Majestic (MD) (73d wk; j Kerr, Herald Tribune; McClain, 580; $7.50; 1,625; $62,968) (Ezio : Journal- American; Watts, Post); Pinza, Walter Slezak) (previous I closes next Saturday (31). week, $36,000). Last week, almost I M»ster Johnson, Martfn Beck (D) $35,000. ($5.75-$4.60; 1,214; $32,985). Play Great Sebastians, Coronet JC) , bv Norman Rosten, based on Joyce (12th wk; 93; $6.90; 998; $34,5Q0) (Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne) (previous week, $30,500). Last week, over $28,700. Hatful of Rain, Lyceum (D) (20th wk; 157; $5.75-$4.60; 995; $23,339) (Shelley Winters, Ben Gazzara) previous week, $20,200). Last week,' over $18.000., , Inherit the Wind, National (D) (47th wk; 373; $5.75-$4.60; 1,162; $31,300) (Paul Muni) (previous week, $28,200). Last week, almost $25,700. Janus, Plymouth <C) (18th wk; 138; $5.75-$4.G0; 1,062; $32,700) (Margaret Sullavan. Robert Pres¬ ton, Claude Dauphin) (previous week, $23,7.00; Claudette Colbert replaces Miss Sullavan next Mon¬ day (2). Last week, nearly $20,300. ' Lark, Longacre <D) '(19th wk; 148; $5.75; 1,101; $29,378) (Julie Harris, "Boris'Karldff) (previous week.' $21,- 000). Last‘wfrek, almost $21,700/’ Matchmaker, Royale (C) (16th wk; 128; $5.75; 1,050; $31,000) (Ruth Gordon, Eileen Herlie, Loring Smith) (previous week, $28,100). Last week, nearly $27.°.00. Middle of the Night, ANTA The¬ atre (D (7th wk; 53; $5.75; 1.185; $39,116) (Edward G. Robinson) previous week, $36,200). Last week, over $33,000. Mr. Wonderful, Broadway (MC) (1st wk; 4; $7.50-$6.90; 1.900; $72,- 000). Opened last Thursday (22) <o one favorable review (Chapman, News) and six unfavorable (Atldn- kins, World-Telegram; Ker r, Herald Tribune; McClain, Journal- American; Watts, Post); over $52.- 000 for first four performances and two previews; show, which can break even at around $34,500 gross, has an approximate $400,000 ad¬ vance sale. ___ My Fair Lady, Hellinger (MC) (2d wk; 12: $7.50; 1.527; $62,452) (Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews) (previous week, $38,300 for first Cary's novel, presented by Cheryl Crawford and Robert Lewis; pro¬ duction financed at $ 100 , 000 , cost about $90,000 to bring in and can break even at around $19,000 gross; opens tomorrow n*i g h t (Thurs.). OFF-BROADWAY Admirable BashviRe, Cherry Lane ( 2 - 20 ). Candida, Downtown (2-23); closes April 22. Cradle Song, Circle in Square (12-1); closes April 29. He Who Gets Slapped, Actor’s Playhouse (1-20). Mary & Fairy, Club Cinema ( 0 . 09 ] Private Life of Master Race, CXpgji- Stag'd-SO)/ 4 RoDftip Sc- Juliet,; Jan Hus (2-23& Salpine, Daviefripdrt (2-2). Shadow .*& -Substance, Tdmpj <343L- : :■ .. //. Threepenny Opera, de Lys (9-20J. Uncle Vanya, 4th <1-31). Closed Last Week Beautiful Changes, Presulent 23); closed last Saturday (24). 13- ‘S zed’ Healthy $18,000, ‘Waltz’ Fast $16,100, S.F. San Francisco, March 27; ■ “Anniversary Waltz” finished a good 19th round at the Alcazar last 0 , aim __- . week, reportedly smashing the Al- Times; Coleman. Mirror: Haw-1 cazar’s house record formerly held by “TopSjr and Eva.” “Bad Seed” at the Curran started slowly, but spurted on the strength of excellent reviews and wound up with a good week, too. “Reclining- Figure,” with Gene Lockhart, is due April 19 at the Geary. ' Estimates for Last Week Anniversary Waltz, Alcazar ($3:85; 1,147) (19th wk) (Russell moL.Nype. Marjorie Lord). Nifty $16,- four performances and one pre- j 100 , claimed to be a new mark for view). Last week new house rec- the house. 1 ord at $64 831 - . Bad Seed, Curran ($4.40, • No Time 1 for Sergeants, Alvin (C)! (1st wk) : 1 Nancy Kelly). • Neat $18,- . (23d« wk: 180: $5.75-$4.60: 1 331: *000.—..