The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 31

i BROOKLYN EAGLE, APR. 18, 1948 31 OFF STAGE By George Currie On the Screen 1 ifllll if I. if -miffi. i 6 mtmm.mmttittfi,ii I mi MARGUERITE PIAZZA, soprano, as Donna Elvira in "Don Giovanni" next Thursday evening, with N. Y.

City Opera Company at City Center. HIZI KOYKE, soprano, as Madame Butterfly, with the San Carlo Opera Company at Rockefeller Center Theater next Wednesday night. ll City Center's Last Opera Week Laszlo Halasz. artistic and Drawing by WiUlam Auerbacb-Levy MILLARD MITCHELL, John Corradine and Elisabeth Bergner in "The Cup Qf Trembling," opening Tuesday night at the Music Box Theater. San Carlo Opera In Final Week The current engagement of the San Carlo Opera Company, which opened last Wednesday at the Rockefeller Center Theatre, fill continue through next Sunday when a matinee and an evening performance will close the 12-day season.

Two Puccini operas, "La Boheme," this afternoon, and Experimentalists Are 1948's Bright Children of Theater Now and then theater branches into enterprise. This has been a season leaning pretty heavily upon revivals, an indication of an enfeebled imagination on the production line. Here and there "A Streetcar Named Desire" or a "Mr. Roberts" or "An Angel in the Wings" or a "Look, Ma, I'm Dancin' has intruded, winning huzzahs from such as are required to gaze upon the walkie-talkie dullness of 'The Rats of Norway." On the other hand, liveliness has been bouncing ionically from the so-called "off-Broadway" theaters. The experimentalists have truly been giving the play a shot in the arm.

And it is high time. The American National Theater and Academy (ANTA), occupying the Maxine Elliott Theater, recently put John Garfield, in "The Skipper Next to God," up in lights, "off 39th St." Mr. Garfield started in this play as an actor who was trying himself out in a difficult role, as did also his cast. Some liked it. Some did not.

But the point is that if Mr. Garfield had been cast for anything more than the Experimental Theater, this play would never have seen the lights of night, whpn people go shopping around the theater. ANTA proved its usefulness, then and there, when moved into regular production. The same could be said for New Stages. which brought forth "The Respectful Prostitute," now at the Cort.

The ably beautiful Meg Mundy, as the lady for hire, should not have been buried in Bleecker where New Stages unwraps its foundlings on the stage of a tiny theater. (I believe it has only 299 seats.) Two Broadway productions in one season from "off Broadway" is surely an excellent record for the testers. So it is with pleasure that one notes yet another stepchild is about to make its bow before hoi polloi, with enthusiastic blessings from the cognoscenti. "Hope Is the Thing With Feathers," by Richard Har-rity, also an ANTA endeavor, is moving into the Playhouse May 3, in association with.Eddie Dowling, no less. Harrity's two one-acters, "Home Life of a Buffalo" and "Gone Tomorrow," will complete the bill, with Mr.

Dowling directing and appearing in both. "Feathers," as Broadway is already calling the skit about park bench vagabonds which the Experimental Theater revealed last Sunday night, well rates its promotion. It begins here and ends there, but in between unfolds the desperate frustrations of lonely and empty minds gone to seed. Deeply moving is the tragedy of these hungry wanderers when the duck man loses his duck. Compassionate is the word for the bit in which (he captured monkey is given its freedom, because one drifter (the short order cook) cannot abide the thought of "cannibalism." The little play runs all the way from the sublime to the ridiculous and back to the sublime.

It deserves a larger audience than that of the subscription customers of the Experimental Theater. We should share it with you all. Thus do the "try-out" houses feed their best into (he stream of contemporary entertainment. A word should be added to "The Six o'clock Theater" which was jnvited by ANTA to present "Feathers." This is a group of actors many of whom were in World War 11. They have got themselves jobs outside the grease paint circuit, because man and woman must eat.

Hence the clock title. They have been keeping themselves fresh in their chosen profession and it is nice to note that some of them have had the happy fortune to be reclaimed. There is something cheerful in the knowledge that the group theaters have been coming up with things so substantial. In fact, they have been, with all their frequent failures, the most exhilarating feature of the declining season. Speaking of revivals, "The Rats of Norway," which howed in at the Booth the other night, might better have been left in the pre-World War II mothballs among which it was decently wrapped in London so long ago.

Probably never did so much effort end in so complete a nothingness. It was a pity and one felt for the cast. This was theater, truly enfeebled in imagination on the production line. Fermenting ANTA and New Stages have made of this revival a thing afflicted with pernicious anemia, by comparison. Mr.

Capra Goes to Washington And Returns All-in One Piece Frank Capra Hollywood's top authority on how to reach the public's heart and mind by way of its funnybone considered the question a moment, serious faced, then grinned suddenly, a thing he does easy and often. "I'm all in one piece," he said. "There's your answer. I'm all together. They didn't misunderstand." By "they," he was referring to official Washington, to President Truman, the Cabinet members and all the other Capitol figures, some 3,500 of them, who had seen a preview of Capra 's latest picture, "State of the Union." The question had been on their reaction to his comedy about a dark-horse Presidential candidate.

"I'm all in one piece," the man had said, making the preview sound as if it had been a mild or negative success. But we knew better. From other and disinterested sources, we had heard glowing reports. It had been an unqualified hit. The President, in fact, had requested a print for showings on his yacht.

Capra, in spite of his wry answer to our question, was really feeling good about Washington, not only because of the welcome to his picture but because of the implications of that welcome. You could tell he felt good about it. He began to open up. "As long as we can laugh our heads off at ourselves, we're all right," he said. "It's a wonderful sign, especially when the people in public office are doing the laughing, too.

It shows this country is in a healthy shape. It's not afraid 'o take a clear look at itself. "That's what I'm doing in 'State of the Certainly I'm not interested in undermining democracy. Why -hould 1, 1 like it very much. This country has been very to me, and not just me but hundreds of thousands, millions, of others." Throughout Capra's talk you find the same pattern, his same extension of himself going on.

He never sticks to himself, never considers himself as an isolated individual. It's always himself in relationship to others, as one person among countless others. And It's all too easy to get the conversation off himself and off his work. Like the time we asked him how big a part does he take in helping to write the screenplay of one of his productions. He said yes, he worked on all of them, but wouldn't say to what extent, and he was off on the general subject of screen writing.

"Writers have the worst job in Hollywood" he feels. Thai's why so many of them turn directors just to get. their stuff as they wrote it on the screen. They'll work hard, write something really good, and then see something entirely different in the finished movie. Between them and the screen are two barriers, the producer and the director.

It's a Tinkers-to-Evers-to-Chance setup." For a man with Capra's reputation, for one who made such hits as "It Happened One Night," "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town," "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," and many others, it might sound strange and, yet, he is wondering how New York will take to "State of the Union," particularly those who saw the play. The picture is a pretty free adaptation. "I was makipg a movie" as he puts it.

"I wasn't interested in photographing a play." Anyway, New York will be able to judge for Itself within several days. "State of the Union," starring Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn and Van Johnson and featuring Angela Lansbury, Adolph Menjou and Lewis Stone, will open this week at the Music Hall. Capra's explanation why he prefers to make comedies is simple, ami significant. "Because I like to laugh myself. Besides, I can't get serious about things.

People who take themselves too seriously give me a pain somewheres or other." "La Tosca" tonight, highlight the week's repertoire. Newcom- eis appearing during me set ond week are Martha Larri- music director of the N. Y. C. Opera will open the closing week of the company's Spring season Wednesday evening with the season's fifth perform-knee of Debussy's "Pelleas ct Melisande." Maggie Teyte will sing the Melisande, Mack Har-icll and Norman Scott the Ar-rell the Golaud, Mary Kreste the Genevieve, Virginia Has-kins the Yniold and Norman Scott the Arkel.

Thursday evening, the fourth performance of Mozart's "Don Giovanni" will be presented with Rosa Canario, young Brooklyn soprano, singing her first Donna Anna and Marguerite Piazza her first Donna Elvira. Friday evening the company will present the twin bill of "Cavalleria Rusticana" and "Pagliacci" with Arjene Carmen, young American contralto, who recently made a successful Town Hall debut. more, mezzo-soprano, and Jane Frazier. lyric soprano. The rest of the week's schedule follows: Tomorrow evening, "Faust" v.ith ballet.

Tuesday evening, 'Cavalleria Rusticana." Wednes U't day evening, "Madama Butter fly." Thursday evening, "La Traviata." Friday evening, "Aida." Saturday matinee, "Car men." Saturday evening, "La Boheme." Next Sunday matinee, "The Barber of Seville." Sunday evening (final performance), "II Trovatore." Maiuruay evening dian-1 aim; Menotti's double hill of "Old Maid and the Thief" and' "Amelia (Joes to the Ball" will again be presented. In the performance of "Ma-: dama Butterfly" next Sunday' idternoon Rudolph Pctrak will; Agnes De Mille Does Crime Dance RAYMOND EDWARD JOHNSON and Judy Somerside in "To Tell You the Truth," Eva Wolas' comedy opening tonight at New Stages Theater, 159 Bleecker St. "Fall River Legend," a new ballet by Agnes de Mille with an original score by Morton Gould, will have its premiere by Ballet Theater at the Metropolitan Opera House next Thursday, with Mr. Gould conducting. Ballet Theater is currently entering the third of its four-week Spring season, presented by Lucia Chase and Oliver Smith (bv arrangement with S.

HurokK "Fall River Legend" was suggested by the Lizzie Borden Musical Notes Ban. sing his first Binkerton with the company. The closing performance will ho Puccini's "Tosca" in the evening. Eden's Garden In Bleecker St. Tonight, New Stages, Jnc.

will offer "To Tell You the Truth," comedy by Eva Wolas. is its third production at Bleecker St. This will be the fiit comedy lor the company. The subject case, the eclchrated unsolved murder that startled New Ens-land and tiie nation in 1SD2. "While in no way attempting to tell that fearful story factually, in fact departing radically from history," says a program note explanation by Miss De Mille, "the ballet explores the passions that lead to a violent resolution of oppressions and turmoils that beset an ordinal life." Miss de Mille's study in crime, a theme suggested to her by the late Edward Sheldon New Plays matter is the relationship between the sexes.

Miss Wolas. who adapted the successful Sartre play, "The Respectful Prostitute," now at the Cort Theater, has set her own play in a place indicated by the program as "the palace primeval." Advance reports confirm the fact that this could well be the Garden of Eden, and in it Miss Wolas offers her version of what really happened when the first man met the first woman. The play has been staged hv Ezra Stone in a setting designed Arlene Francis No Longer "Ad Libs; She Reads Lines Whenever Arlene Francis finds herself speaking lines that had been written down and copyrighted by an author, she has the agreeable sensation of getting something for nothing. Dur- lug much of her grown-up life she had ad libbed for hire, and TOXIGHT TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, new comedy by Eva Wolas, at the New Stages Theater, 159 Bleecker St. Third production of New Stages, Inc.

Four parts to be played by Anthony Randall, Jean Gillespie, Raymond Johnson and Judy Somerside. Ezra Stone stages the play. The setting by Ralph Alswang. after the success of her "Rodeo," is set in Fall River and there are six principals. of relief when she landed In writers were shadowy figures to her.

But now, as Sheila, the girl who has foresworn the Vincent Lawrences play, "The. Weidman by Ralph Alswang. The four roles will be played by Anthony Randall, Jean Gillespie, Raymond Edward Johnson, and Judy Somerside. Incidental mu grape in "The up ot i remo- wri ions. Charles Weidman.

noted MONDAY THE MIKADO, final New York weekly appearance of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Co. at the Century Theater. This ends 17 weeks, on extended visit. TUESDAY THE CL OF TREMBLING. Louis Paul's dramatization of his own novel.

"Breakdown." At the Music Box. Starring is Elisabeth Bergner. The cast includes Millard Mitchell, Arlene Her training was for thej(iance satirist, will make his theatre. After a high polish in 'first Broadway appearance in the Treatre Guild's school, she nine years when he opens at joined Orson Welles' Mercuryjthe Mansfield Theatre tonight coming (o the Music Box Theatre beginning next Tuesday, the words she utters to Elisabeth Rerener were writ- sic has been composed and ar-j tanged by George Karlin. The! production was supervised byj Norman Rose and David Heil -weil.

Theatre for roles in "Horse 'ten by Louis Paul. She wonders for a week's engagement with his Dance Theater company. The feature of Mr. Weid "vhat people will think of next. Eats Hat" and "Danton." She played the leading role in "All That Glitters" and a more se- man appearance will be the Duncan Plays date part in "Journey to York premiere of his bal-salem." She made a decided hit i let based on James Thurber's Raymond Duncan returning Brooklyn and the Dodgers Have Been Set to Music Our fair borough has received some publicity from an unexpected quarter.

If there is one thing known about Brooklyn throughout the length and breadth of the land it is the fact that we have here a baseball team. Regardless of the outstanding position of many Brooklyn institutions, such as the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, it is the Dodgers who pull in the national headlines, particularly when the season is nearing its climax or the manager of the company decides to take unto himself a Dride. Now, it seems, all of this publicity concerning Brooklyn has filtered into the field of music, with the result that the Brooklyn Dodgers have just been immortalized in song. The man responsible is George Kleinsinger. Georgie is quite a boy.

He wears a bow tie, a broad smile, and bubbles enthusiasm. A few years back George came up with a cantata, "I Hear America Singing," which attracted some notice. He first hit the jackpot with an outlandish children's epic, "Tubby the Tuba," which relebrates the efforts of a poor symphonic tuba to appear as a soloist. After a tuba player was located who could contend with the score (Herbert Jenkel), "Tubby" was recorded and created a sensation. George was in.

Several other similar works followed. Now it seems that some ten years or so ago George wrote another cantata dedicated to baseball here in Brooklyn. It had a brief stand on Broadway as part of a show and then vanished into limbo. This week the "Brooklyn Baseball Cantata" has been (ailed back for an encore. Curiously coinciding with the opening of the baseball seasort, an elegant recorded version of the baseball cantata has been published by Victor, with Brooklyn's Robert Merrill doing the baritoning.

Mr. Merrill, we understand, has tried his own hand at playing ball; how successfully, we do not know. Perhaps yelling at the umpire developed young Mr. Merrill's lung power to the point where he was able to make the Metropolitan Opera. Be that as it may, he appears to put forth his best effort on behalf of Georgie Kleinsinger's music and the ball team to which it is dedicated.

In this novel work we hear the song of the umpire (he had an unhappy childhoqd) and the arrival of a pinch-hitter, one "Cookie," who comes through, as would be expected, with a home run. At this point we suspect that there have been some changes in the score since it was first written ten years ago. Be that as it may, this is not a piece of music intended for performance by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in formal concert at the Academy of Music; it is something which was written to be fun and is offered in that spirit. As to how much good it is going to do our borough generally, we cannot hazard a guess. Probably none.

Nevertheless, we have now another piece to put on the shelf alongside Ellie Siegmeistcr's "Sunday in Brooklyn," and it is possible that more will follow. Perhaps some one will give us the M. T. Suite," with movements entitled "Seabeach Express," "Brighton Local," and so forth. We have a great and colorful community here and one which should offer a fertile inspiration for more light music in celebration of what we have to offer.

For a time Miss Francis made with the extemporaneous light-hearted gab on a radio fhow called "What's My Kame?" Correct juessers were heaped with rewards, though 'the eive-awav hadn't reached Francis, John Carradine, Bev erly Bayne, Martin Wolfson, Anthony Ross, Philip Tonge, Louis Hector, etc. Paul Czinner directed. THURSDAY MY SISTER EILEEN, at the Playhouse of the Henry Street Settlement. Anne Loos and Marcia Lloyd are the sisters who make out, somehow. Edward Mitchell directs.

BENEFIT BORN YESTERDAY, at the Lyceum. Second performance for the Stage Relief Fund, tonight. from staging his epic poem, "San Francisco" in his home town, will present a new nlav, 'Parisian Nights" at the West as the Bolshevist sharp-shooter in "The Doughgirls," and it was about then that the radio powers acknowledged her wit by engaging her to tame the gag-crazy whoop-tee-do mentioned above. "Fables for Our Time," created during his tenure of the Guggenheim Fellowship in the Dance for 1917-48. The Fables will be performed opening night and during every performance of the week Foyer, Waldorf-Astoria, tnmor-j row evening before sailing fori Paris on the 21st.

I today's bountiful measures 'when knowing your right hand Jrom your left might get you Mthe abundant life in Cathay. of the men who competed fill-, Bergman-Boyer For 'Arch' Benefit Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer, co-stars of "Arch of Triumph," will attend the Enter (ill iliss itwu regarded themselves quite as fancy with a mot as Oscar Wilde or Sidney Smith, and their efforts always kept her f.n the thin edge of a nervous 'breakdown. For she had to think up the rejoinder that restored decorum and kept them all out of the censor's creel. But instead of fleeing to a prise film's premiere tomorrow night at the Globe for the benefit" of the American Overseas Aid-United Nations Appeal for i I Children. 3 The stars will also partici jiifesi nonie, sue vuun on mi even stiffer assignment.

This was a radio show called "Blind which was just that. The prospective daters were GIs, who pate in the ceremonies, which will include a broadcast from the theater's lobby. United Artists is releasing the picture, which was produced by David. Lewis and produced by Lewis' Milestone. had shed their inhibitions with th Ing the long duration of the show managed to keep her pacK romfortablv ahead of the D'Oyly Carte's Final fheriff.

But just the same she Avas heard to fetch a long sigh Queen of Television Sheldon in Recital a number of years he worked with Sascha Gorodnitzki. In Ralph Sheldon, young Amer January, 1910, he made at the Town Hall. Mary Kay Jones, in the cast rf "Strange Bedfellows" at the Morosco Theater, has been 1 Chosen "Queen of Television" in a readers' poll sponsored by "Television Weekly Magazine, This week will be the Iat time in several years to come for New York theatregoers to see the D'Oyly Carte Opera which is presenting "The Mikado" in its final week. The most popular of the Gilbert and Sullivan Operas winds up the 17-week New Y'ork engagement of the famous London company at the Century Theatre. After closing here next Saturday evening, the company.

will move on to Boston for four week? before returning to England. Matinee performances at the Century are on Wednesday ican pianist, will appear in a recital at the Flatbush-Tomp- There will be no admission kins Congregational Church, charged for this concert but I Mnxr 1 irff Dorchester Road and E. lStlva free will offering will be St. next Wednesday, at taken for the committee on recognition of the weekly television show, "Mary Kay and p. m.

Mr. Sheldon has held a 'Congregational War Victims fellowship in music at thejand Reconstruction. Mr. Shel- Johnny." Her husband, John milliard Graduate School andldnn Is the grandson of Col. "ARCH OF TRIUMPH" Ingrid Bergman's gambling luck attracts Charks Boyer, in the background, in this scene from the romantic drama, opening Tuesday at the Globe.

JOHN KRIZ ond Jean Sullivan in "Tally-Ho" in Ballet Theater's eighth season, now at the Metropolitan Opera House. Ftearns. writes, dipects and acts with her. ha studied with noted teach- Hugh L. Cooper, the great ers at home and abroad.

ForJ hydro-electric engineer." and Saturday..