Variety (Feb 1927)

Wednesday, February 2, 1927 LEGITIMATE VARIETY RTRY POUCE FROWN ON DRA(r AT BRIDGEPORT BOW McLaughlin's Aid Present to Report to Authoritii Billed as '^Homosexual Comedy" Packs Poll's Park Theatre—Local Police Censored Play Tho first performance of "The Drag" at Poll's Park, Bridgeport, Monday was a huge tumaway. The two-for-one scheme ha4 been re- p«orted to through newspaper oou- 90110, but It wasn't necessary. Ail of Bridgeport was aoqualnted with the offering, w|iich spUts this week With Lena Dalty** burlesquors at the Park. Besides display advertising, the town was plastered with billing* Across the town's main street and in sight from the New Haven Rail- road station there was stretched a banner reading "'Tho Drag/ by tho author of 'Sex.' More sensa- tional than 'Rain* and 'The Cap- tive'." Other billing described the play as **A homosexual comedy drama" and "The Male Captive." The only reason the town wasn't all there, apparently, was the capa- city of tho house, not especially profitable for burlesque threO days a week. The capacity is probably around 2.200. The late evening local papers carried an announce- ment from the house manager in their news columns assuring Bridgeport that the play was '*dlean«*' The statement said the show had been cancelled by Mrs. Hartley, manager of the Stamford (Conn.) theatre, where it had been booked to open< but her action was due to a misunderstanding, and she now had expressed her willingness to play the attraction. It had been eoHunlned by the Bridgeport police oenaor, who bad given it his o. k. after certain expurgations had been made at his suggestion. In the premiere audience was James P. Sinnott, secretary of the New York Police Department, view- ing the performance at the direc- tion of Commissioner McLaughlin. He was accompanied by a depart- ment man assigned to investigate complaints of improper shows in New York. Approached by re- porters from New York who were present and asked what he thought of the show, Sinnott grinned and declined to express any view before be had reported to his chief. How-' ever, it was said around New York police headquarters last night that the department would take every means to prevent a New York open- ing of the piece. The sponsors had not obtained any New York house up to yester- day. The play was booked to play Bridgeport three days, including tonight (Wednesday) and then com- plete the week in Paterson, N. J. Asked what tho move would be then, one of the backers said Mon- day night: "We don't know what we'll do. Bverything depends upon how the public takes the first performance. Even the Paterson engagement hangs on that." ' No Disorder The Monday night performance was played out without disorder on the part of the audience. At the beginning Was a mild disturbance In one of the upper boxes when a "stew," who had wandered in un- der the impression it was a bur- lesque Show, became unruly. Later on, during a scene between the principal ptrvert and the normal man, there was a mild flurry about the middle of the orchestra when a middle-aged man and his woman companion, apparently hi.«? wife, pot Up hurriedly and departed, regis- tering obvious disgust. The body of the audience laughed immoderately. During the "drag" scene they were convulsed with mirth. There could be no question about It. they thought for the mo- ment the scene was uproarious comedy. It is possible that this reaction Was natu r al In a burlesqu e hou s e MARC CONNELLY ACTS AND AS DEBIONSTRATOR Lets Producer Goodman See How Role in ''Borneo" Sbould Ai Played ^'hero the "nance" comedy tech- nique is almost a convention of low comedy. At the end of live play they seemed to realise that some- thing else was expected of them, for a considerable part of tho rrowd remained in their seats and ap- plauded. ^ Bridgeport talked of nothing else. The Variety reporter stopped at a Washington, Feb. 1. Mare Connelly stepped Into the lead of his latest oomedy, "The Wild Man From Borneo,*' written In con- Junction with H. J. Mankiewicz. on the closing night (Saturday) of the try-out at the Belasco last week. Connelly is said to have pre- vailed upon Philip Goodman the producer, to let him play the part to demonstrate his idea as to how it should be done. That there were less than 50 paid customers In the house is said to have had much to do with Gtoodman's approval' of the idea. The opening Monday was treated pretty roughly by the local review- ers. Following this Frank Mc- Cormick, playing the old time medicine doctor, the central char- acter of the piece, handed in his notice Tuesday. Connelly Is eaid to have played the part "as is," bald pate and all, with one of the local scribes, John J. Daly, of the ''Post," catching the "demonstration** as offered. A column on the event by Daly the next morning was brought to a close thusly: **. • • tho audience, having absorbed a certain amount of wis- dom from these theatrical pyro- technics, now know what makes a wild man wttd." The piece is reported to be cur- rently playing in Atlantic City. Whether McCormick is back in the part could not 1>e learned here. Zieegy Falls lot Radio; Rio Rita on Air Ton^ht Florenz Ziegfeld has been **sold" the idea of exploiting his new Zieg- feld theatre, which opens tonight (Wednesday), via radio. WGBS, Qimbel Brothers, will broadcast some of the numbers from "Rio Rita," the debut musical attraction at the new house, direct from the stage. The necessity for exploiting a new house in an out-of-the-way location, 6th avenue and 64th street. Im- pressed Zieggy with the value of the radio plug. The entire overture, the opening ensemble and the two outstanding iiiimber^^^^"]^^^ MARIE NORDSTROM Reopening in "Sweet Laxly," of whom Chester Bahm, in the Syra- cuse 'herald,'* said: "^e comedy comes principally from Marie Nord- strom, as Margie. Miss Nordstrom fits the role with the nicety of Ramon Novarro's fleshings in the late 'Ben-Hur*; and without her in- terpolated numbers tho evening might well have lacked something in fun.'* G.OP. LEADERS TAUTAXCUT Washington, Feb. 1. With the Demoeratio plan for a tax cut now definitely defeated, word comes from the Republican leaders that next winter will see such a out sponsored by them. This is to include a revision In the amusement tax. The statement having been made by Martin B. Madden, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, plus the fact that he was among those who was much opposed to any cut in tho If per cent tax on admis- sions, makes the move even more significant, it is stated here by theatre managers. BEAUNG the TRAFFIC BY OFF MAIN LINE Clifford Brooke Acting Chicago, Feb. 1. Upon the death of Byron Beasley in Detroit, just before the final per- formance there of "Howdy King," Clifford Brooke, director of the piece, stepped Into the vacant role. He remained In it when the show opened here Sunday. Arthur Caesar's play, "Off-Key," which oomes into tho Belmont, New York, will Inaugurate a new Idea of a late curtain at 9 as a bid for motor trade and for the pur- pose of sideatepping tho heavy Times Square traflllc. Robert V. Newman is sponsoring the production, which opens Feb. 8. Tho New Ziegfeld on 64th street and Sixth avenue, which opens to- night (Wednesday), Is being simi- larly exploited as out of the heavy traflle sector. The motor conveni- ences have been no small factor in Immediately catching on with the Jolson and the John Golden patrons, both houses on Ifth and SSth streets, respectively, on 7th avenue being similarly advantageous in location. one-arm lunch near the station on the way to the train. All the men in the place were discussing the event. Five had tried and failed to get seats and the other man, who had been in the audience, was tell- ing them about the performance with much gusto. There probably was no large d<'loi;.ition from New York present Monday night. Tho performance w a s e v e r sb o ut lO tl Oi e nd th e r e was ample time to catch the train back to the city, leaving at 11:07. The 11:07 has only two day coaches and no Pullmans. The only person on that train who looked like Broad- way was Killy (Krausmoyer) Wat- son and Jimmy Sinnott Tho lat- ter was a theatrical and sporting writer before he became a police oflllcial. Ukrainian Chorus After Injunction for Belief Los Angeles, Feb. 1. A restraining order Is being sought in the United States District Court by 2S members of the Koshetz Ukrainian Chorus appearing . at Grauman's Egyptian, against for- mer managers and agents in the matter of interfering with their local engagements and for cancella- tion of their contract, on grounds that the defendants owed them K.IOO. Defendants are Harry Block, Max EndicofT, Max Zablnoff, John Ostrander and Paul A. Kline, all of New York. Dorothy Hall in George Walsh started work on a new independent film at the Tec- Art studios, New York, last Week, in which he will star. Dorothy Hall, currently in "The Virgin Man ." legit show, will pla y opposite Walsh, malting her debut. Screen Stars on Stage Los Angeles, Feb. 1. James Kirk wood and I.ila l^c will bo Bf^n In a revival of ''I'h*- Fool" to be done at the lielmont. The piece was formerly done here with Richard Bennett and Sarah Southern. THE EVANGELIST IS PUY OF AiMEE Mcpherson AND SMTS Written by Zelda Sears—Opens in Tent Scene-— Mother and Daughter Came Up prom LotrrrhlDU WiswoU Producing on Coast GUD D'S REP ON ROAD UNDER CONCERT PLAN Touring Company Playing Un- der Auspices—Mayer Bureau Guaranteeing Theatre Guild will have a touring repertory company next season, booked for a transcontinental tour. The Daniel Mayer Concert Bureau will book the show under a guar- antee plan. The company, consisting of per- haps 15 players, will have a reper- toire of four plays, "The Guards- man." "Arms and the Man," "Mr. Pirn Passes By'* and the current Sidney Howard hit, "The Silver Cord." Of these plays, "The Guardsman" and "The Silver Cord," have not been seen outside of New York. This marks the first time the Guild has sent a company out under its own name. About Ave years ago Joe Gaites leased three plays, "The Devil's Disciple," "He Who Gets Slapped * and "Peer Gynt," organ- ized a company and took them out under the name of tho Theatre Guild Repertory Company. Plays selected for the Mayer tour are for the greater part small-east afltairs and the players will be se- lected and rehearsed in the Guild Theatre during the summer months. Billing Yfin be "The Theatre Guild Presents," with the Mayer Bureau handling the management. The Mayer bureau will sell the Guild company to looal organisa- tions In the usual concert way. What theatres the Mayer company expects to play the rep^in isn't an- nounced, f ' ^ This plan partially solves for the Guild the problem of touring their shows, as the past season has brought many requesti for the Act- ing Company now playing In the Guild's four current productions. The difflculties of sending this out- fit on tour, even for a brief time, and of maintaining the repertory plan in New York, could not be surmounted, hence the Acting Com. pany will have to stay in New York and the touring company, which will have several "names" In Its line-up, will take to the road, fu- ture tours, of course, being de- pendent upon tho success of this first try- Aim eo Bern pie McPherson^ Angeles evanfrellst and her much publicized disappearance stunt, are to reach tne stage. A script in New York by Zelda Sears and Garnett Weston, ia entitled "The Evange* list." A production Is reported readying on the coast under the direction of Lou C. Wiswell, husband of Zelda Sears and former general manager for Henry W. Savage. The piece is in a prolog and three acts. Tho prolog opens in the Evangelistic tent, where a mother and daughter are operating. Tho daughter is the evangelist and tho mother the organist. They are both graduates from a small circus. Tho planting is then done that ^elt particular form of gospel spreading is Just another form of sbAW buat* ness. ■: Tho flrit and third acts are te an apartment adjoining a taber- nacle which the evangelist has built in an eastern city. The second act takes place in a cabin retreat In Adirondacks. Those who have read the script pronounce it almost a perfect pie* ture of the lioPkmon af||lUr cording to ehargoa mado te <llMf ff^ . cent trial. Mothers' Experience Tho opening dialog la In the tent^jk^ after the evening services, with the mother trying to repair the organ. It broke down during the services. / Hhe ia liberal In her use of pro- ; ' faulty and the daughter chides her. ■ ' Mother replies that she was with a ^i."-, circus too long to be fully redeemed in so short a time, and llMkt flk§ does backslide easily. No eastern producer hi|iL.I^ *1li!i a ohanoo at the play. Toronto Stock Struifl^ The Princess Players, instead of continuing last week In Torcrhto^ came to a sudden halt. The com- pany was brought back by Equity. Salary claims amount to about $6,000. The company, under the direction of Stanley Whiting, was guaran* teed salaries during the engage* ment by B. C. Whitney, who con* trols the Princess. After notifying Equity of the back salaries the deputy was informed of the Whit- ney guarantee and the players as- sembled at tho theatre, ready for the performance. The house was found dark, however, with tho stage hands dismissed by the local manager. Tho atocH. • despite the guarantee. r-s' ONE OF ZIEGGrS WESTERN UNIONS 1' Flo Ziegfeld, Jr., is one of the reasons why running a telegraph com- ' pany becomes a pleasant day's work. The one b^w. Is a fair iampla of Zieggy's earnestness, in promoting the W. U. grOSi-,- a J0l O U|gki.! •' ^ brief for him, probably beoause not a night wire. It's printed for those unfortunate enough not to hear from the beaut picker as often, and also to show the moods one person can go through while writing a nMssage: / ; Baltimore, May 28, 3;3i« p. m. ••Editor Variety: I don't know where you get your Information about what happens in my show.*? but I have anked you repeatedly to extend me the courtesy of at least calling up my office to verify reports you print. Two contemptible lies this week which have not the slightest founda- tion. I run my shows, not the actors, and they dresa where they are told to dress. With 180 people dressing under conditions such as these theatres outside cities oflTer they should be satisfied to drees four in a room and no one has made the slightest objection. I hold a three years contract with Ada May and even your contemptible lie printed today, if it had the slightest foundation, could not bo carried out. Miss May Is making the hit of her life, but you ieem to prefer printing slurs on man.'ir^<'rH, Why don't you print the truth about something that I.h worth while? "Hlo Kita" broke all rerords in I'hiladilpliia ufU-r I had restaged it with S ammy Lee putting on t he dance.s a nd John Har- wood the book, Royco being ♦•liminatfd, and played ti> thr blpgest bUHinf.s.s ever in the Forrest theatre. The .second wo»k aftor Uioso changes had been niado. we had the largest house ever in the Ford theatre last night and are completely sold out for the balance of tho engagement. I am wiring you beratis^ I don't f'o] that you d« liboratply wish to print lifs about my company. ' Itio Hitu' ha.s broken the "Sally" record held by Marylln Miller in both cities. This you can verify. Hope to see you at the opening of my theatre. The finest in ibo world, iiciraida. iCiKntfiefM