Variety (July 1958)

LEGITIMATE *AfcIETY Wednesday, July 2, 1958 „ Settings for Los Angeles Civic Light Opera’s “At the Grand,” musi- Guesls of the \alion Robert Duvall, as an admirer of. cal version of Vicki. Baum’s “Grand Hotel,” which preems July 7 at and Mrs. War £®^J? a ^f^ Song of Norway . “philharmonic Aud., L. A., will cost nearly $100,000. Designed by Rou- »nu m ripn . . ticular onenaer as ne scampers, Guy Lombardo; in association with . Tpr-Amtnnian thpv arp hplipved to be the most elaborate ever ... Paul E. Davis & ^eU McKenzie^roduc- aUhough^e has" whit w constructed for a Coast Stage production. Price is exclusive of cos- Virtcent Millay. a and a“one^act tragedy as pear to be unconscious assists from r^an*' ivrics d and n adaptation of EdVard tumes » lights, etc. After the Los Angeles break-in,_the show will play . .Tames McMahon in a sarcastic por- £v : RdblrtWright'and another subscription engagement at the Curren Theatre, San Fran- Stttogs. Mo?de°wi GureS:; lighting. Rob* - trait of his clergyman father, and George Forrest. Fi-oductipn supervisor. cisc0t and then go tothe 46th Street Theatre. N.Y.. for an indefinite ert l. Ramsey. At Theatre Marquee. U^hae! Conrad as a nervous-hand- "J®*™ ^ —run. N Y June 2fi '38* S3 90 toD (S5 opening*, t.- v ; , , i -f u__ don;, dances and musical, numbers stager... *““■ Cast for “Aria": Berna Richter. Maurice ed, lecherOUS knight Of the realm.. Frank Westbrook; gets and lighting. —-- Edwards. Roscoe Browne. Richard Mer- As Mrs. Warren and daughter. ** e .°f®* Jenkins; musical .director.^Fred*. •.j osep h M. Hyman, producer of “Fair Game,” disputes a report of "&*“» Sfe-. Tom ^ a „ CJ , tiam f respective^ Vlrgniaand s 6me weeks ago in Variety that the Sam Locke comedy lost about Clancy. Dan.Morgan. Tim O'Connor. Alan | Eulalie Noble glVC It tne Ola COl is. Robert Rounseville. Helena Scott; Erik $357)00 011 a $120,000 investment. He claims the actual COSt of hring- •SSr ?atrick Cla ” C ^wSh • Show to town was $85,000 and that the coin was recouped on, Gran a __ Music Theatre * theBroadwayrun alone. He also asserts that revenue from the film -v Frank. O’ConnqrV “Guests bf“he • (Closed last Saturday night (28) EUnar william Linton ; sa i® ($155,000, plus possible: share of the Profit) and stock and_amateur Nation” as dramatized by Neil ; . Sigrid....,.......Shirley Leinwand rights are hkely to bring the ultimate profit to about $100,000. McKenzie, is an affecting one-act ; 1 .i Grima Diana Pitou ;/ — . play of man’s bewilderment when j I A II Eri^^.rC.VVVVV'.V-■.V.V'.VV ■: Charles Wood The gross for Bob Hope’s seven-performance engagement ending ' Crania O'Malley. McKenzie, is an affecting one-act . ■ - play of man’s bewilderment when; nt A . £ T trapped by circumstances far be- 1 JUOW UlltOl 10WD yond his personal control. It is a. small theatrical gem that rates at- t i . V . ' i . . ■ tention both for its clean design Off Limits comDa^ioiT radianCe ° f US hUman Montreal: June 12. compassion. Norma Sorinirford production of a' tw Off Limits i Montreal, June 12. Erik i Charlea Wood The gross for Bob Hope’s ••seven-performance: - .engagement--.‘ending-, plrharii t, ihlrt^ul^vuif June 21 in the Municipal Opera production of “Roberta,” in the For- NinaHaffnip :: / Helena. Scott est Park Theatre, St. Louis, was over $105,000* according to PaulBeis- Edvard Grieg ....,.. :. Stephen Duug^ss mailt general manager of the open air operation. That was the highest Father N^rdraak V*. ’. ! ‘VV. Le^iard^EiUott single-week gross in St. Louis MUny Opera history, topping the take MpUier Grieg .......... Muriel O’Malley two years ago for the second week of “South Pacific.” The 82,666 at- On a • nearly bare Stage using! ac^Sf^?u?f°SJSfe tendance for Hope was about 1,300 short of the record, however. stark dramatic .technic, “Guests" j ^an S k'°p.; p iat“ 1 Am?' scopp. ‘IKS \ ' ' ' - ' l- •• ' relates how. in the rebellion, some Sedawie.. Features Jack Cteley, Sheila Marghareta. Nancy Reeves Af | « 1 Irishment develop an affection for Billing. Pam Hyatt. Dave^Broadfoot. Jim T^,w e tc VIlAurn A KvAO/I their English prisoners that SlnT^ifom 1 ^?od?cUo*n ■SlSSdS. Ber*- Miss NordeVVVVVVVVMarga^^ iJllOWS flDlOaQ indkes ultimate orders , to shoot nard Rothman; decor. Jack . J^Cullagh; Miss-Anders. . Mane Crittendep : these- British as hostages fearless-' costumes, Shirley Thomson:. : At Mountain Henrik Ibsen. I............... Burns • V- _ ■ ■ ... ... . ly^crueland bitter^WMt consider. Ri.>;Uoa«* M<>ptr^aL>hiii« ». ^ *3 tor- ,F»P r Adulte Ailly ISL*r t n n thVw«t ation for both points of view and I ; , . ■ ■ ., - . u Major Domo __ ...... James J. Fox Robm Fox Ltd. a s. A.^joriinsky pres- for transfer to tne west Jj.no, 1 A S a ehange-.of-pace from the Adeline ...... Patti Ann Reta entation of a revue in tWt'acts. devised The Dlot is riddled With imDlaUs- Wlth richness Of characterization..} usual strawhat fare, producer NdrWaJ •!* NancVLee' Parker • and^written./by Peter Myers and Alec ' IhilAef ?ot the lCast< of-Shich^iq’ the tale IS -developed With rare.vt. _ c nr ; nd f rtr 4 J... nnono.A Viol* Spirit of Grieg . ......... Nicky Powers Grahame; music. Ronald Cass and John lDUllies, noi tne least Ol Wnicn IS whimsy. Each detail though small, .Norma Springford;has opened- her -singers: Anita Aipert. perryaO Anker, Pritchett: direction and choreography, when.an ex-Commumst femme spy, ^ seventh season, at this 20.0-seat Carol. Bergey. Betsv Bridge. ..Margaret Michael Charnley; decor. Henry Graveney. w hn had induced a member of the IS finely etched, and as adaptor, Moiintai n Plavhouse atob Mouilt Broderson. M^rie CHttenden. Cleo Fry. At Strand Theatre, June 25.'58; *2.80 top. s * J McKenzie has been able to stage SJval in- mid Montreal P unth° U an ?«***»»■• ^van. Jean^^Kraemer,^^ shiriey Cast ^ Miriam KarUn, Hugh Paddick, British peerage to commit treason with a vision that is almost a car- , in ■ ■“‘la-Monireai- ■ .vnin an Leinwand. Alexandra Moss. Lois Monroe. Ron Moody. Patricia Xjmcaster,; Barry during the. war -in Singapore, mar- Zr *u“^ original revue Which, if it gets an Louise Pearl..Diapa Pitou..Nancy Reeves. Took. Josephme .Gordon.■ Louie Ramsay, r ie *. Washington's leading witch bon copy Of the author s plan. assist from the weather should run Francine Roberts, Ruth Schumacher. Imo- Richard Waring. Frederick Jaeger, Geof- ries w asmngton s leaaing. wuen With “Aria Da Capo.” the other r ' ,° uia :^^ ru ° gene wiei. Jimmy-Amson. Charles Asch- frey Webb. Gladys Tudor. Margaret Ru- hunting senator and exposes her half Of- this twin bill “Guests” had in e enure season. ■ mann. Tony Bamard. Ray Cook. Ed Du- bel. Diana Payne. Helen Cotteiill. Derina farmer partner-iD-crime.. iiau QL Basically the work Of SIX Toronto mont. Grant Eastham. James J. Fox. Nor*. House. T . „ ... . .. . - a sort of pre-off Broadway tryout ; A„j e - ^ radio writers With addi-^ man Fredericks; David Kennedy. Christo- -i— Templeton is in the form, of In a matinee at the Theatre de Lys ; } i aI ^ _ nd monologues bv 'F he?> ?* KovaL H. Lawrence, Wimam Lin- With 2 o Upm _ in 197 -minutps a series of flashbacks, and in the in Mav The recent ion there em- : ltonai 51UIS , ar } a monologues _0> ton, James Marley. Charles May. Nixon „ With zd Items m l<d7 minutes the phrnnnlooicalceniipnce v 1 !? X « e r ^V epi1011 members of the company. Off MUier, Casper Roos... van Stevens, Feo- playing time, “For Adults Only” “* sl act fhe cnronoiogicai^sequence, holdened co-producers McKerizie : LimitS M the most Drofessional Tedick. Raioh Vucci Jr.. Edmund ^oves hrisklv and nfteiT wittiiv 1S somewhat confusing. The play and Paul E. Davis to-transfer the | ^ X?-th? S f£nifiar wfn? 1 S .opens with a prolog revealing that , For Adults Only Robin Fox Ltd. & S. A. Gorlinsky pres¬ and Paul E. Davis to transfer the} program to the Theatre Marquee. | musical revue yet produced in! Dancers*. Virginia Banies. Barbara Beck, along the familiar lane of inti- b'-ow e beaten°word l ^Tom" Clancy h 1s ■ P acin 6 such that the dead spots are Mahteer.'^anV'McDanieis.'Hlte"’ Moore. Amusement Only," dreamed’ up by jncidenb is'when he chodMs’fo^be Tugged^vigorous' a* narStor^and i "mV iS *f. ^°lSf h L c °S|? * a“nd face SSS thM chief guard of the Tommies Dan ii? r P erl ? rm f r ^lin tnur summer S b U biet. Barb^^ara Watson. Alan Bergman, off briniantly. A youthful east acceDt an p asv , va v out ifhAfe«I hu^oi.! theatre, is standout m all appear- Hubert Bland. Wesley b. Carroll. Gray brings high spirits to some merci- »e c Wt .an. easy way out. looking best perhaps in the CockreU. Stuart Fleming. Ben Gillespie, I es <r leg-pulling, but the targets Among the mostly unknown cast and* bald* humor^ acldeves ^a ^plen- ! Noel Coward satire and a funny, I Charles ^MoWeii; n ^mch4ii Jl NuUck^i?ay I are mainly too^parochial and full only Heather Chasen. as the Red lyjr. ; --off-the-cob costume routine titled Pointer; Don: Price. Lowell Purvis, Robert of name-dropping for the revue to Bgent, shows real promise. William O’ConntuMs 8 \^^n?V ^helievebli^as ■ “ Yotf11 Always Come Back.” V g®cente. Jog- starkweather, waiter f f^unsh any where Jutsidl the West Russell ^ makes the title character y^S ! ^ ^Vskit on Ludovic K 0n„0dy ^ ln 0 e e und n crstandJn a g^RE^Irih!tlta 5 1£ ^ V 3^8^S S«W £ ,,- nm9n aa-hneo roviilclon fnr th(3' SI?ia11 Company are trim lookers i ce Skaters: Linda Hayes, Doris Has- ic still in th*» rpvup thnnoh in a auD ^ eci ' Myra. woman iinose revulsion ior ine, 9T1(1 irnnH dnoforc crivindr aHHpd im- tihn. Sanrtra Krvviep. Bilie Mahnnev. IS . AL111 111 U1C jeVUe, mOUgn m a “enemy” turns to something akm i ^' t g ?^ .^ g ^kphAc ; g A« i Q “Ma t in’ ,Margo Moore. Eleanor. Sotihiet. watered-down form, as a result of - ===—^ ~ ■ to love - - A^ SinSnzV snoof ^ V-—^ ^ : a legal wrangle. More vigorous A n . Edna St. Vincent Millay’s “Aria _ n p ^iv an Y? tele com- “Song of Norway” involved an in- spoofs are made of such figures as (fDBFa R&V16W Da Capo” is an appropriate com- ' , vestment of about $65,000 when it Vera Lynn. Maria Callas, Nelson IlCTlCIf . panion piece. It gets an affable tri ho «. nn histi- * was originally produced by Edwin Eddy, Jeanette Macdonald, Gene ■ ' ; ' — 8 — once-over-lightly as the program P - a Jfd rather^haii ' blue although I Lester for the^; Los Angeles Civic Kelly, Kim Novak, James Dean, • - tides time for O’Connor’s masterly , J a ^“ ^ • th ’ p dividing Light Opera Assn, ’in 1944, The Dylan Thomas and Julian Slade: Spoleto Opera miniature. . Geof. fli® (and nCr- U*l> oh the current Jones Beach Hollywood . films, television, the Spoleto, June 21. Spoleto Opera Spoleto, June 21. Two contemporary operas and tides time for O’Connor’s masterly _ h . n th ’ p dividing Light Opera Assn. In 1944, The Dylan Thomas and Julian Slade: Spoleto Opera miniature. . Geof. i inp ^Aw;n The writers (and nCr-^'-U*.l> 'oh the current Jones Beach Hollywood . films, television, the Spoleto, June 21. -—— S venture: is : ^gured ; at around Royal Court Theatre, the Lords Two contemporary operas and Mrs. Warren’s sacred angle whether it be poli- $500,000. The increased cost is Day Observance Society and one 17th century (all one act) Prafo«Blnn tio<? the nftmaligned government- '- evident in the. sUmptuous presenta- “Oklahoma,” as played by an Inept were the bill (21). Typical curtain staff. To r.vivai nf . »hr«»Rf Wnprf Canadian Broadcasting tion mounted by producers Guy amateur company, are other show- raiser was Cimarosa’s -’Maestro di drama by S Georg?VraLdsLV h Steged i rorD d or national culture ° Lombardo and Leonard: Ruskin. biz topics that take deft punish- Capella” a delightful 20 minute by Salem Ludwig; settings, Fred Sammut;, (,;* » likp “Partv Girl ” -It's an eye-filling extravaganza in ment from authors Myers and piece. Sung excellently by Paolo EiSSr Itaiw*;. At In ?hJ-c r it. C Th«JI: "I^ar Old Ireland” and Shelia 4 Ihe patteni of, past offerings at the Grahame. Montarsoh) in the leading flgiire. N.Y.. June .25'58; $3.85 top. Billing’s caricature of Marilyn waterfront Marme Theatre. The show owes much to a pol- EoHowcd Italian piece by Valen- *i^%SSl N anSiaei h Co^d t0 Rob6rt Monroe seem forced and on the The production has been taste- ished and talented cast. Miriam tino Bucchi II giuoco del barone” l)uvau. james^McMahon. ’ minus side in a revue of this cali- fully designed, not only with mag- Karlin, with razor-blade wit and which was a reworked piece of th« . fber. The excellent major share of nificent sets by George Jenkins observation, is outstanding as Kim Sooe POse J s f qore ^tteii.'in Bitter a pill as it may : for true- the mUsic and arranging is by Ed- and colorful costumes by J. Michael Novak ("befogged, bumbling, star- i 9 ob and wmch had won the Ital- blue Shavians to swallow, “Mrs. mund Assaly; who with drummer Travis, but also with such added ring in B pictures”), as a foreign lai l 1 K ?u 10 ^. e , ^. 19 56. Appar- Warren’s Profession” is no longer Billy Graham also conducts the visual effects as fireworks, a water maid with a shy. job, as the Lady the musical directors of the a viable play. This tract on prosti- entire show. Lighting by Bill fete and an ice skating sequence. Mayoress of Gomorrah and as a Festival could _not find a really tution, economics, and integrity that Sprinford is effective and Shirley These elements, plus the. ear-ap-: housewife W'ho can’t resist buying contemporary .Italian piece they shocked late-Victorian and early Thomson’s costuming has the.ap- pealing Edvard Grieg score, as up half a supermarket’s goods, bked (although there Is no dearth 20th century censors into horrified propriate revue touch. Newt. adapted by Robert Wright and Hugh Paddick and Ron Moody get of composers even in Italy), activity, now’ seems callow, an: .—-—-—-— ■ > George Forrest, transform the ba- together with good effect as .a “,^ cchis . P. 1 .^, .is very expertly early piece that might be forgiven* Af I\ Ulf 1 Tfl TAITD irC sically routine operetta into a sock couple of buskers and as James vritten, retailing.the ancient mad- a playwright who was to become ULU Vlv lU lUUll U.u.« al fresco spectacle: Dean and Dylan Thomas In heaven, ri ? al “ ts - especially the pnall a master. AnrtTiiin orwr tr P V There are occasional dull spots,,and both of these young comedians ^ lxed .. cho f us wh J ch comments on It is evident that when Shaw nPFNINfi Sr.PT 15 S r . but they’re overshadowed by the score in individual items. the action (a country squire playmg wrote this play he was still under; 1 • elaborate gimmicks: and pictur- Richard Waring Barry Took a dlc e game and remembering his the influence of his admiration for London, July 1. esque amphitheatre locale; with LoUie Ramsay Mid Patricia Lan- P asa ed adventures which appear in the work of Henrik Ibsen. “Mrs. . A new Old Vic tour of the U,S. the mobile stage situated in the caster also have many good mo- « C ii 0I Vr °° a . s . cre en m back- Warren”Js the very quintessence under the management of Sol Hu- lagoon. Another visual plus fac- nients and the show fs tastefully Iranpn 7 li° ri v^n a a Un" S rfp^Pn pH of a problem play, a sort of writ- rok will open Sept. 15 in San Fran- tor is the exceUent job done by di-essedand stased Themusicof fL anc0 . ^ re ^ ll ^ ho w ? th% G 5 S v’SrfSh?- cisco - The entire ' c o™P«“y o£ 48 Fiank Westbrook in sUging the Ronald Cass and John Pritchett is fte two operas d^ne l^DalTa^wIth ? 1 wiU fl i r Sept. 11 from London; dances and musicalmumbers. The. tunefuUy reminiscent and unob-■■■Callas lS wfntS ''-*^ with costumes, scenery, etc. The huge terp ensemble, covering a trusive and the choreography rea- American contribution to the thnrprf ^wiWprf” aU * tour will be for 25 weeks, ending ^ lde stage area, looks good in the sonably slick. The show might have evening- Lee Hoiby’s “The Scarf” tt The last ioclf^frofessional re- with a five-week run at the Broad- f^^tive costumes, and performs gained by a few^more items less aftet a g Cechov novel, te5 by Harry viv-al^of “Mrs War?en” was at the way Theatre, New York. . ^Snal roles arc bandied f e ^l Se * le5 S y • debated-to. verbal Duncan . The opera distinguished navpimnrt Thpatr^ iust tw(T vpars The Old Vic reportoire for the ^' vlt * but all round it registers- as itself by being written entirely on vival of “Mrs. Warren” was at the I way Theatre, New York. 1 . J;. - n Jinclnal roles are handled rcrnnrselessly dedicated to. verbal Duncan. The opera distinguished Davenport Theatre just twd years The Old Vic reportoire for the I - t] ? v St e oh eh Douglas Bren Wlt * but all round it registers as itself by being written entirely on a«?o Why 1 e^ly re S Uinmer should'i'-tour- will comprise “Hamlet,” j Charles Aschrn^ a neat and happy-go-lucky entry In a high pitch which takes away from seem a time to "acklS | “Twelfth Night” and ‘‘Henry V.” the afterdinner amusement ^Ukes; the Tliamatic si^pension, also, the such a formidable piece of drama-1 with John Neville, Barbara Jefford j Helena Scott and Erick Rhodes. : * small 300-seat theatre, well suited turgy is hard to fathom. The failr and Laurence Harvey as the lead- Those in supporting assignments m far ancient operas and dramas, was ure of each of these two produc ing player s: also do% good"job; Robertk Gor- Templeton Sv tions. however, is no coincidence, . ' . ■ — don’s staging,is brisk, while John London, June 20.^■ - '■ *i?ir ii? for it will always be difficult for • q ■ ij nnn DonlrMnll KennedV as Droduction suDeirvisor ■. Arts Theatre presentation of drama in chooses for his work. But the m- actors to make flesh and blood of j Seek $2 dU, 000 Bankroll :. ha S done welL with a man-sized 1 t,v 6 a A C ^hnnv en T SCe v es) V pr ? log a “w ep th % ter P retatl ou of the lead, Miriam characters who are less human be- For ‘Saturday Laughter* alignment ^ ““' ^ {th f witch who spins the scarf she ings than figures created merely to rvr Muslim JSf w r?h(( tI . Gibson; decor. Paul Mayo. At Arts Theft* puts on the lover, but the husband make a uoint I Saturday Laughter,” musical The offering, which officially j tre.^London, June 19 ; '58; Si.55 top. subsequently kills him in the Salem Ludwig has directed this! adaptation of Peter Abrahams' opened June 20, had to Jmck some •;;; 5 ®^ woods and comes back with the revival, laboring mightily on be-[hovel, “Mine Boy,” is being capital- un £ avprable weather during the Lord Templeton william Russeu scarf whereas the wife strangles half of a: stage resounding with ized at $250,000, with provisions, c«t ti^bISSss ‘’ a!& wSS' ' him ‘ with ' ^ Patri fi a Newa y ringing speeches, trenchant ideas | for iqq, overcali: it's unparalleled bv anything seen and. hail-fellow feminism. It is > f or Broadway production next fall ^ i Ha ?i - -- •. Moyd_Assee and heard so far in Spoleto and scarcely CliristepKer A; Manes and Ar^ S|ht Mff^^Sdtthe 55St^S dealt unkindly with “Mrs. War- nold Mateolin ^ ki w •«? «••• Anna Dasousa ... Heather Chasen I -Collum as husband and Richard rpn” that though Shaw’s trunk is • ni J - £ 5' 'k«•'• fortaWe p - aG ® £o ■ P®.- on a chilly Pe ter Kuhn .. John g. HeUer cross as the lover were also very ren, xnst inougir ovayv » ; t. u k . The book is by Herbert Martin, eVen j ng> j esSm Tsai-Wing .. .. SheUa Chong outstanding intheir Darts r full of plays that Will endure, and stephei j. Bates, while Duke B ■ ••■•■• ■••■■ Sen. Karl NeUsen .. Michael Peake ••SSS!?!? * w */lr- ♦« “Mrs Warren is a script that -t-,,,- . , Uq . o f [ . . •.; Freddie Elliot ... Stuart Hutchison Festival has one more week, to hoct hP left to gather dust. Ellington and Herbert Martin are| Administrative appointments, at Sir Henry Burke .... Robert Lankesheer go. Goth. £5 thp noting iobs are responsible for the music and [the Pasadena (Cab) Playhouse Col- : —— ^ ^ S wal^sranSi £ Si Seek §250,000 Bankroll ingJ a han S figureh ^n’hated^hie’eiy^to .. For ‘Saturday LaUghl make a point. ; | “Saturday Laughter,” mus Templeton London, June 20. r—— z r- — ^ . j : xwo acis (seven scenes I has done well with a man-sized : by Anthony Lock. S innnleof-the acting jobs are ! responsible for the music and the Pasadena (Cah) Playhouse Col- to the satiric that it’s easy: lyncs, respectively. Michael How- lege of Theatre Arts include Rob- WUh its theme of politics, trea- Blanche Yurka has authored a tn Vm-eine this production being | ard will be stager. ; ert Renee, dean; Dr. Helmuth Hor- son and witch hunting, this Arts book “Dear Audience,” subtitled 'ISaeS over into mockery’. Since ' . ■ mann, dean of faculty and super- Theatre offering should have been “A Guide to Greater Enjoyment of was not the intent,. Ludwig j Mickey Calin, who’s appearing visor of instruction, and Richard a powerful and moving drama, but Theatre.” It’s scheduled for pub- iv.wf hpar some of the onus for Lin “West Side Story,” has been Morelli, chairman of the theatre pedestrian writing and moderate lication next January by Prentice permitthig performance excess, 'pacted by Columbia Pictures. production departments acting robs it of much of its poten- Hall. i production department I acting robs it of much of its poten- I Hall.