Variety (May 1959)

Wednesday, May 27, 1959 UfrRiEfir LEGITIMATE 75 Biz Lively For Most Road Shows; Holliday $77,500, LA.; ‘Lady’ 60G, K.C. Business was good last week forf most road shows. The dwindling lineup was down to seven: four musicals and three straight plays. The list of shows continues the same this stanza, with the number dropping to six next week after the close of “Garden District” in Chi¬ cago -next Saturday (30). Estimates for Last Week Parenthetic designations for out- of-town shows are the same as for Broadway » except that hyphenated T with show classification indicates tryout and RS indicates road show. Also, prices on touring shows in¬ clude 10 % Federal Tax and local tax, if any, hut as on . Broadway grosses are net; i.e . exclusive oj taxes. Engagements are for single week unless otherwise noted. CHICAGO Garden District, Civic (D-RS) (7th wk) ($4.50-$5.50; 910; $26,000) (Cathleen Nesbitt, Diana Barry¬ more). Almost $8,500. Previous week, $11,500. Closes next Satur¬ day (30). Music Man, Shubert (MC-RS) (15th wk) ($5.50-$6.60; 2,100; $71,- 458). Nearly $65,200. Previous week, $67,000. Shows Abroad ===-Continued from page 73 , Ulysses in Xighttown madame who reduces Bloom to sexual ineptitude. Among others busily employed in this bitter offering are Jill Mel- ford, Brian O’Higgins (in eight dif¬ ferent parts) and Patrick Connor. Allan McClelland, the narrator, fights a losing battle in attempting to interpret the author’s confusing philosophy.. KANSAS CITY My Fair Lady, Music Hall (MC- RS) (Michael Evans, Diane Todd). Detour After Dark Glasgow, May 13. George Brandt & Richard Bachrach. In association with Toby Rowland Ltd., pres¬ entation of three-act drama by Lucia Victor, based on the French of Guil¬ laume Hanoteau. Staged by David Alex¬ ander: decor, Ralph Alswang; technical adviser to the director, John. Wyckham. Stars Albert Delcker, Maxine Audley, William Franklyn. Opened May 11, '59, at King's Theatre. Glasgow; *1.20 top. • Luc . William Franklyn Chris .... Moira Redqiond Chauffeur ... . Michael Hawkins Batil'e ... Maxine Audley Antoine. .. Albert Dekker Drama with, an overweight of spookiness is becoming rare these days. This one dishes up plenty of eerie atmosphere, however, creat- Almost $60,000. Previous week,, ing a baffling air of mystery in a j $61,500 at the Kiel Aud., St. Louis. LOS ANGELES Bells Are Ringing-, Philharmonic Aud. (MC-RS) (5th wk) ($5.75- broken-down mansion in provincial France. The interest tends to be in plot rather than skillful writing. The story involves a novelist and his $6.50; 2,670; $78,200) (Judy Holli- j good-looking secretary who have a day). Over $77,500 with Civic motor-crash in a lonely part of Light Opera subscription. p re -! France, and land In a creepy old vious week, $78,300 with subscrip-! house inhabited only by a genial tion. j oaf of a Frenchman and a semi- Once More With Feeling, Hart- hysterical woman, ford CC-RS) (2d wk) ($4.85-$5.40; The mysterious setup deepens 1,024; $27,600) (Fernando Lamas, ! with the arrival of two more Marjorie Lord). Nearly $21,500 j French inhabitants and the dis- with Guild subscription. Previous . appearance of the chauffeur. Sus- week, $21,000 with subscription. , pense and spookiness are at'their Two for the Seesaw, Biltmore ■ height as the travelers prepare to (CD-RS) (3d wk) ($4.40-$4.95; 1,636; I spend the night in the spooky $41,500) (Ruth Roman, Jeffrey. house. Once the explanation is Lynn) . Over $30,900 with Guild revealed the play moves speedily subscription. Previous week, $29,-; to melodramatic climax. 000 with subscription. I Albert Dekker turns in a power- SPLIT WEEK ! ful performance as the massive, Li’l Abner (MC-RS). Totalled, leering French peasant. Maxine $17,500 for seven performances, 1 Audley has strength in hysteria as as follows: Memorial Civic, Stock-:th? n .jaunt femme 'of the house, ton. Cal.. Monday (18). one, $1,900; |^ llliam F / h anklj1 ?. fits ru'-o Can Thcp TnpeHav no) ments as the-writer, and Moira Cn.c Aud. ; San JoseTuesday 19 , R e( j m0 nd has merely to look pretty one, $3,(00; Memorial A^d., and scare( j as his secretary. Fresno, Wednesday (20), one. $2,- Gord 200; Granada, . Santa Barbara. Thursday (21 >, one, S2.600; Civic Aud., Santa Monica, Friday-Satur- day (22-23), three, $7,100. Pre¬ vious week. $34,000 at the Cur¬ ran. San Francisco. Wash. Area Stock — Continued from page 72 Univ. graduates under the watch¬ ful eye of Father Gilbert V. Hartke, has not completed its schedule beyond “Say, Darling,” but plans are to use mostly non-musicals which have recently been staged. off-Broadway. Candlelight Playhouse is the ambitious undertaking of William Pullinsi, its producing, director, a drama student at Catholic Univ. He and his family raised the capi¬ tal in his hometown, Chicago. He is using a mid-city ballroom, the Presidential Arms, recently used for large luncheons and din* ners of private groups, clubs, etc. The audience will sit at tables elevated in tiers circling the in- the-round stage and can buy drinks. There will be 500 seats. Candelight starts a 12-weeks' season June 25 with the off-Broad-, way company of “Boy Friend.” The remaining five productions aren’t firm, but at least two will be package shows from New York, Pullinsi says. Those four summer theatre venr tures are, of course, in addition to the engagement of the Broadway hit, “Sunrise at Campobello,” at the National Theatre for five and possibly six weeks starting . next Monday (1). With Ralph Bellamy playing his original role of the pre-President Franklin D. Roose¬ velt and most of the original sup¬ porting cast, the Dore Schary drama looms as a major event in this history-minded, politically- eonseious Capital. “Shakuntala,” an Indian play by the fifth century poet, Kalidasa, is planned for a Sept. 29 opening at the St: Marks Playhouse, N.Y., by Patricia Newhall. Off-Broadway Shows (Figures denote ooening dates ) NEW YORK Boy Friend, Cherry Lr.ne (1-25-581. Chic, Orpheum (5-18-59); closed last Saturday (23) after six Derformances. Crucible, Martinique (3-ll-58>; closing June 14. Enemy of the People, Actors (2-4-59). Family Portrait, Seven Arts (5-5-59): closed last Sunday (24) after 24 per¬ formances. Fallout, Renata (5-20-59). Leave It to Jane, Sheridan So. (5-25-59). Lysistrata, E. 74th St. (5-19-59); closed last Sunday (24) after eight peffotm- ances. Many Loves, Living Theatre (1-13-59). Mark Twain Tonight, 41st St. (4-6-59); Once Upon a Mattress, Phoenix (5-11-59). Our Town, Circle in Square (3-23-59). Shaw Repertory. Provincetown (5-28-59). Tis Pity She's Whore, Players (12-5-59). closes next Sunday (3D. Threepenny Opera, <ie Lys (9-20-55). Waltz of the Toreadors, Jan Hus (4-6-59); moves next Wednesday (3> to the Oicket. Widowers' Houses, Downtown (3-2-59); closes next Sunday (31). SCHEDULED OPENINGS Young & Bu'ful, Theatre East (5-28-59). On Borrowed Time, Players (wk. (6-1-59). Dr. Willy Nilly, Barbiron <6-4-59). Billy Barnes Revue, York (6-9-59). Cast of Characters, Downt'n (6-10-59). Drunkard, Gate (6-24-59). Three Sisters, Fourth St. (9-10-59). . Shakuntale, St. Mark's (9-29-59). CLOSED And Wind Blows, SL Marks (4-28-59); : closed last Sunday (24) after 32 per¬ formances. Oedipus Rex, Carnegie (4-29-59); closed last Sunday (24). Mariorie Winfield, who has been stage manager with Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn on their last several shows, will be resident stage manager this summer at the John Drew Theatre, East Hampton, N.Y., Jerome Whyte, production as¬ sistant to Rodgers & Hammerstein, sails today (Wed.) with his wife on the Queen Elizabeth for London, the Riviera and . Israel. They’re due back in mid-July. New York Univ. has arranged to accept students who have com¬ pleted two years at the (American Academy of Dramatic Arts, to con¬ tinue at the NYU Se.hool of Educa¬ tion, with credits. George Abbott will stage the Robert E. Griffith and Harold S. Prince musical production, “Fio- rello,” which has advanced the start of rehearsals to Aug. 24, the. out-of-town opening to Sept, 28, and the Broadway bow at an un¬ designated house to Nov. 3. David Clive planed last week from N. Y. to Edinburgh, Scotland, for a looksee at “All in the Fam¬ ily,” the Wendy Hiller-starrer, which he and his partner Robert Herrman are co-producing in Eng¬ land with Henry Sherek. Norman Rosemont, newly-ap¬ pointed vice president of the Alan Jay Lemer-Frederick Loewe firm, Alfred Productions, Inc., planed from New York to Paris last week with Irving Cohen, the firm’s at¬ torney, for business meetings there with Lerner and Loewe, who are headquartering in the French capr itol while working on a new musi¬ cal. Rosemont was general man¬ ager of the corporation the last three years. “The American Shakespeare, Festival—The Birth of a Theatre,” edited by John Houseman and Jack Landau, artistic directors of the Festival at Stratford, Conn., will be published next Monday (1) by Simon and Schuster, beginning next Wednesday (3). The offering is being produced by the Seven Arts Center and Jay Garon, who was co-producer of the Broad¬ way production of “Kataki,” in which Hayakawa aoneared earlier this season. The lighting and decor are under the supervision of Wal¬ ter S. Russell. Barbara Hayes, who succeeded Nancy Wickwire as the lead in the recently-closed off-Broadwav pro¬ duction of "A Clearing in the Woods,” was reouired to bang her leg on a tree slumo during one of the scenes in t^e play.. She’s now in Flower Fifth Aye. Hospital. N. Y.. with a traumatic inflamed phlebitis oF the right leg. . David Ross, who launched a cycle of Chekhov plays in 1955 at his 4th Street Theatre, N.Y., with Stark Young’s translation of “The Three Sisters.” reoDens the house . Scot. 10 with a revival of the play. Fd Padula v ill be stage manager of "Saratoga.” George Roy Hill will stage “The “Gang’s All* Here.” which Kermit Bloomgarden plans opening on Broadway next Oct. 1. wi’h Melvyri' Douglas starred. Jo M*elziner will design the scenery and lighting.. B’way Spotty; Mennan $51,100 in 5, “Music Man’ $6$JO, ‘Raisin’ $41,' Destry,’ ‘Flower’ Set House Records Touring Shows t May 24-June - 7) Bells Ar'e Ranging (Judy Holloday)— Philharmonic, L.A. (25-30); Curran, S.F.' (1-6). Garden District (OHileen Nesbitt, Diana Barrymore)—Civic, Chi (25-30, closes). Li'l Abner—Biltmore. L.A. (25-6). Music Man (2d Co.)- Shubert, Chi (25-6). My Fair Lady (2d Co.) (Michael Evans, Diane Todd)—Russ Aud.. Sin Diego (26- 31): Philharmonic. L.A. (2-6). I Once More With Feeling (Coast Co.) , (Fernando Lamas, Marjorie Lord)—Hari- ! ford, L.A. (25-6). ) Sunrise at Campobello (Ralph Bellamy) | —National, Wash. (1-6). LOS ANGELES Be An Angel, Civic (5-11-59). Billy Barnes Revue, Las Palmas (10-13-58). Blue Denim, Players Ring (12-26-58). Boy Friend, Tvar (2-16-59). Circle of Wheels, El Capitan (5-22-59). Compulsion, Omnibus (3-10-59). Fair Game, LaGrand (4-23-59). Green Bay Tree, HoHywood (4-17-59). Good Night Ladles, Music Box (4-15-59). No Time for Sgts., Pasadena (4-17-59). Quare Fellow, Stage Society (5-8-59). Rose Tattoo; Valley (4-24-59). Shrike, Horseshoe (5-16-59). Silver Whistle, Centre (4-25-59). Who That Lady, Players Ring (4-13*59). SCHEDULED OPENINGS Mendel Beatnik, Le Grand (5-28-59). Scheduled B’way Preems Much Ado, Lunt-Fontanne (9-17-59). Gang's Alt Here, Ambassador (9-24-59). Drop pf a Hat, Golden (10-8-59). Miracle Worker, Playhouse (10-19-59). Connecticut Summer, Shubert (10-22-59). Warm Peninsula, Hayes (10-22-59). Sound Music, Lunt-Fontanne (11-12-59). S Finger, Music Box (12-2-59). Silent Night, Morosco (12-2-59). London Shows (Figures denote ooeviun dates ) . Auntie Marne, Adelphi (9-10-58). Beware of Angels, Wcstm’ns’r (5-26-59. Blue Magic Revue, Wales (2-19-59). Cxndide, Saville (4-30-59). Caught Napping, Piccadilly <5-22-59). - Change of Tune, Strand (5-13-59). Clown Jewels, Vic. Palace (3-5-59). Eighty in Shade, Globe (1-8-59). Five Finger Exererse. Comedv (7-16-58). Fool's Paradise, Apollo (4-1-59). Ghosts, Princes (4-6-59). Gilt, Gingerbread, Duke York’s <4-17-59). Grass Is Greener, St. Mart. (12-2-58). How Say You, Aldwych, <4-23-59). Irma La Douce, Lyric (7-17-58). Let 'Em Eat Cake, Cambridge <5-6-59). Living for Pleasure, Garrick (7-10-58). Long, Short, Tall, New (1-7-59L Repertory, Old Vic (9-17-58). Mousetrap, Ambassadors (11-25-52). My Fair Lady, Drury Lane (4-30-58). Not In the Book, Criterion (4-2-58). Orpheus Descending, Royal Ct. (5-14-59). Pleasure His Co.. Haymarket (4-23-59); Roar Like a Dove, Phoenix 0-25-57;. Salad Days, Vaudeville (8-5-54). Simple Spyraan, Wnitehall (3-19-58). Swedish Co., Princes (5-4-59). Taste of Honey, Wyndhem’s (2-10-59). Ulysses In Nlghttown, Arts (5-19-59). Unexpected Guest, Duchess (8-12-58). West Side Story, Majesty's (12-12-5J»>. Wolf's Clothing, Strand (3-17-59). World Paul Slickey, Palace (5-5-59). SCHEDULED OPENINGS Marigold, Savoy (5-27-59). Prodigal Wife, Winter Gard. (5 28-59). Detour After Dark, Fortune (6-3-59). French Mistress, Adelphi (6-4-59). Farewell, Farewell, Garrick (6-5-59). Broadway held fairly steady last week although some shows picked up and .others dropped. The changes were generally slight. There were, however, a few entries where the decline in receipts was substantial. There was one closing last Satur¬ day 1235; with two more scheduled to fold next Saturday *30). The sellouts and virtual capacity entries last week included “Destry Rides Again,” "Flower Drum Song,” “La Plume de Ma Tante,” “Majority of One,” “Marriage-Go-Round,” “My Fair Lady,” “Raisin in the Sun,” “Redhead” and the newcomer, “Gypsy.” Estimates for Last Week Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), CD (Comedy-Drama), R (Revue), MC (Musical-Comedy), MD (Musi¬ cal-Drama), O (Opera), OP < Op¬ eretta), Rep (Repertory), DR (Dra¬ matic Reading). Other parenthetic designations refer, respectively, to weeks played, number of performances through last Saturday, top prices (where two prices are given , the higher is for Friday-Saturday nights and the lower for weeknights), number of seats, capacity gross and stars. Price includes 10% Federal and 5% City tax, but grosses are net; i.e., exclusive of taxes. Destry Rides Again, Imperial (MD) (5th wk; 36 p) <$8.35-$9.40; 1,427; $65,000) (Andy Griffith, Dolores Gray>. Another new house record, S66,082 with parties. Previ¬ ous week, $65,697 with parties. First Impressions, Alvin 'MC) (10th wk; 76 p) (S8.35-$9.20; 1.453; $61,568) iHermione Gingoid, Farley Granger, Ellen. Hanley L Over $32,200.. Previous week, $40,800. Closes next Saturday (30). Flower Drum Song, St. James (MD) (25th wk; 200 p) ($8.05; 1.615; $63,166). New house record at $63,166. Previous week, $33,100. . Gazebo, Lyceum (Cl (24th wk: 186 p) ($6.90: 995; $29,600) (Walter Slezak, Jayne Meaddws). Over $12,800. Previous week, S12.70Q. Closes June 27. Miss Meadows withdrew from the cast last Wednesday (20) because of illness. Her role has been taken over by • Kit McCardle. ! Gypsy, Broadway <MC) (1st wk: 4 p) <$3.63-$9.40; 1.900; S80.500) (Ethel Merman'. Opened last Thursday (21) to unanimous ap¬ proval (Aston, World-Telegram: Atkinson, Times; Chapman, News: Coleman, Mirror; Kerr, Herald i Tribune; McClain, Joumal-Ameri- * can; Watts, Post'; nearly $51,100 for first four performances and one preview. The matinee and evening performances next Wednesday (3) have been cancelled to permit Miss Merman to attend her daughter’s high school graduation in Denver. Colo. J.B., ANTA (D) (24th wk; 188 p- ($6.90; 1.185; S46.745' (Christopher Plummer, Raymond Massey, James Daly). Over $25,200. Previous week, $27,100. La Plume de Ma Tante, Rovale (R) (28th wk: 223 p) '$8.05; 1.050; $44,500; (Robert Dhery'. Nearly $45,000.. Previous week, same. Lays off July 6-Aug. 1. Majority of One, Shubert (C) (14th wk; 112 pi ($6.90; 1,453; $53,- 000) (Cedric Hardwicke, Gertrude Berg). Over $53,200 with parties. Previous week, $53,300 with parties. Make a Million, Morosco <C> (31st wk; 244 p) <$6.‘9Q; 946; $35,- 300) (Sam Levene). Nearly $15,300 with twofers. Previous week, $16.- 400 with twofers. Marriage-Go-Rourd, Plymouth *C) (30th wk; 231 p> ($6.90; 1,062; $43,000) (Charles Boyer, Claudette Colbert). Over $43,400. Previous week, same. Lays off June 15- Sept. 12. Music Man, Majestic (75th wk; 596 p) ($3.05; 1,626; $70,500) Nearly $68,500. Previous w’eek, $67,500. My Fair Lady, Hellinger (MO (167th wk; 1,331 p) ($8.05; 1,551; 869,500) (Edward Mulhare, Pamela Charles). Another $70,400. Nervous Set, Miller (R) (2d wk; 15 p) $6.90; 946; $33,056). Over 87,400. Previous week, $11,500 for first seven performances. Closes next Saturday* < 30). Once Mere With Feeling, Na¬ tional (C) <31st wk; 247 p) ($6.90; 1.162; $43,800) (Joseph Cotton, Arlene Francis). Almost $21,500 with twofers. Previous week, $20,- 800 with twofers. Pleasure of His Comoany, Long- acre (C) (31 r t wk; 246 p) (S6J90; 1,101; $37,600) (Cyril Ritchard, Cornelia Otis Skinner, Charlie Buggies, Walter Abel). Nearly $27,900. Previous week, $27,600. Moves June 15 to the Music Box. Raisin in the Sun, Barrymore (D) (11th wk; 86 p) ($6.90; 1,076; $41,569) (Sidney Poitier). Almost $41,900. Previous week, $41,800. Rashomon, Music Box (D) (17th wk; 135 p) ($6.90-$7.50; 1,101; $38,- 500) (Claire Bloom, Rod Steiger, Oscar Homolka, Akim Tamiroff). Nearly $18,600. Previous week, $19,300. Closes June 13. Redhead, 46th St. (MD) (16th wk; 124 p) ($9.20; 1,297; $62,410) (Gwen Verdon). Almost $62,300 wdth parties. Previous week, $61,- 700 with parties. Lays off July 6-11. Sunrise at Campobello, Cort (D) (69th wk; 548 pi ($6.90; 1.155; $38,300) (Ralph Bellamy). Over $28,900. Previous week, $25,800, Exits May 30 to tour. Sweet Bird of Youth, Beck (D) (11th wk; 87 p> ($6.90; 1.280; $47,- 963) (Paul Neivman. Geraldine Page, Sidney Blackmen. Nearly $45,900. Previous week, $45,300 with parties. Touch cf the Poet, Hayes (D> . (33d wk; 260 p) (S7.50; 1,139; $43,- : 887) (Helen Hsycs, Eric Portman, j Betty Field). Over $17,600 with ■ twofers. Previous week, $18,800 I with twofers. Closes June 13. | Two for the Seesaw, Booth (CD) ! (71st wk; 564 pi ($6.90; 730; $32,- •300) (Dana Andrews. Anne Ban- ; croft). Almost $21,200. Previous ! week. $22,100. . j West Side Story. Winter Garden ; (MDI (87th wk; €92 p) ($8; 1,404; : $64,200). Over $11,800 with two- I fers. Previous week, $42,600 with j twofers. Exits June ?7 to tour. ! World of Sure Wong, Broad- ; hurst <D) (3?d wk; 255 p> ($6.90; : 1.214: S47.400'. Over $28,600. Pre- ^ vious week. 828J00. i Miscellaneous 1 Orce TJp-n a Mattress. Phoenix i (MC) (2d wk; 16 p» (°4.60; 1,150; ! $29,382). Almost $16 500. Previous ’ week, ncarN' $15,700 for first eight person”'r"cs. f Cose*. L— t ^’eek I Party, Colc^n O (6th wk; 44 p) i ($5.75; 800: $25,153) (Betty Com- : Adolph Orem>. Neerlv $6,- : 900. Previous v.-o-i- r8.6C0. Ended ; return rm Ir.st v <23i with the profit on the ’“'n 4 ”» , e figured . at approximate’;.* $15,000. SIe?ak fa Exit ,Ve 27, I Sa ‘£?.zeb’ Dae to Close ! “The Gazebo” will end its Broad¬ way run June 27. when Walter Slozck's contract as star termi- = nates. Slezak hes been stde head- , liner since Jeyr-e Meadows with-- i drew as costar last Wednesday (20) ; because c f “cumulative exhaus¬ tion.” Kip Mc.VTrle has Lken over : as femme lead. Slezak intends spending the ; summer in Europe. A Coast edi¬ tion of the comedy, with Tom Ewell • starring, is scheduled to open Sept. • 1, at the Hartford Theatre, L. A. date with an Aug. 1-29 booking in Central City, Colo. Plans for the ; Broadway production of *J.B,” to i play Central City have been dropped. ‘Romanoff to Reopen On Coast With Ustinov A sixweek Coast revival oT ^eter Ustinov’s “Romanoff and Juliet/* with the author repeating as'riar, opens June 8 at the Hartford Thea¬ tre, Hollywood. Ustinov had to withdraw from the comedy during its post-Broadwafy tour earlier this season because of a film commit¬ ment The David Merrick production was then taken over by the firm of Bowden, Barr & Bullock for a one- niter trek, with Bert Lahr in fne Ustinov role, ending March 14. The Coast presentation will be spon¬ sored by Merrick. Allan C. Dalzell will pressagent the comedy prior to embarking on a European vaca¬ tion in August. . Dalzell will also handle the pub¬ licity for next season’s production of “A Mighty Man Is He,” which co-producers Diana Green and Ed¬ ward Joy plan sending on a lengthy pre-Broadway tour. “Mink and Honey,” a musical by Anthony Osnato and Jean Flynn, is slated for a June opening at St. John’s • Hall, N.Y., by f heatrr Encore. 1