Indianapolis Times, Volume 40, Number 184, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 December 1928 — Page 5
DEC. 22, 1928
“MY MARYLAND” IS BOOKED FOR A RETURN ENGAGEMENT
Under Present Plans English's Will Remain Dark Until Monday Night, Jan. 7, When an Operatic Favorite Comes Back for Week. “TV/TY MARYLAND,” the thrillingly romantic operetta, with an Amsr-l-l-ican theme and American music, which has won deserved popularity wherever presented, will be the attraction at English’s week of Jan. 7, This new offering, book bv Dorothy Donnelly and score by Sigmund Romberg, author and composer responsible for “Blossom Time,” “The Student Prince,” has made a deep impression, we may say a favorable impression, on lovers of good drama and high quality music. The story of “My Maryland” has a wide and strong appeal, dealing as it does with an important page in American history of the days of 1862. Never has there been for American audiences a musical play so genuinely
thrilling and so absorbingly interesting. This is the first all-Amer-ican operetta and the Messrs. Shubert, the producers, have paid meticulous attention to every detail as well as to every vital element, and the result is an operetta of the highest standard. “My Maryland” is not only a beautiful romance of crinoline days, laid amid realistic scenes of the southland during the exciting period of the conflict between the north and south, but there also are adventures to stir the police and domestic incidents to warm the heart or tickle the risibilities. While the war-crossed romance of a beautiful southern girl and a captain of the army of the north holds the attention of audiences, “My Maryland” is not at all lacking in comedy. To the contrary it contains a generous portion. Miss Donnelly has provided a wonderful book and wonderful lyrics and Romberg has furnished an equally wonderful score, including some original creations and the weldings of old tunes and patriotic airs of Dixie. Some of the more Stirring numbers are given with the assistance of one of the best male choruses ever heard in a prodilction of this kind. So inspiring is the singing of such numbers as "My Maryland” and “Your Land and My Land” that audiences are impelled to rise and cheer.
Shubert Shows Making Good
Business reports from “Gay Paree,” the Messrs. Shubert’s revue which is on tour, indicate that this production will keep its cast occupied for the rest of the season. Charles (Chic) Sale, Stanley Rogers, Sylvia Froos, Franklyn Batie, Irene Cornell, the Kelo Brothers, Margie Evans, Charlotte Terry, Chauncey Parsons, Iris McDowell, Gachray and Hully, Margaret Morand and Lillian' Herbert are a few of the stars in this revue. Mitzi, touring in her latest Broadway musical success, “Lovely Lady,” under the direction of the Messrs. Shubert, ha3 gotten off to a great start. The production played Albany, Syracuse and Rochester last “Standing Room Only.” Her itinerary includes all of the principal cities with an engagement in Chicago during the holidays. Mitzi’s supporting company includes Jack Squires, Frank Greene, Jack Sheehan, Doris Patston, Clarence Harvey, Wesley Pearce, Hazel Harris, Charles La Torre, Emile De Tramont, Janet Murdock, Lucille Sisters and others. This show has five Broadway song hits. The production was staged by Milton Shubert. Jane Cowl in her latest dramatic success, “The Jealous Moon,” written by herself and Theodore Charles, is scheduled to have its Broadway premiere at the Majestic theatre on Tuesday evening, Nov. 20, under the direction of Messrs. Brady and Wiman. Miss Cowl’s supporting cast includes Philip Merivale, Sir Guy Standing, Harry Davenport, Hale Norcross and others. Dr. Hugo Felix has contributed some incidental music. “The Five o’clock Girl,” the musical comedy hit with Mary Eaton and Oscar Shaw, which ran nearly al lo fthe last season on Broadway, is playirtg an indefinite engagement at the Woods theater, Chicago. Few musical comedies have such a talented cast as this one, and the book and score are of such charm as only a distinguished hit can offer. The play has speed and spice with comedy far above average, and the dancing chorus is one of the prettiest and most spirited Broadway has seen. To Use Film The University of Minnesota will use a reel from Warner Bros, spectacle, “Noah’s Ark” to demonstrate the highest perfection of motion picture camera work to the class attending the series of lectures on cinematography. The request for the privilege of showing the reel at the university was made to J. L Warner through the American Society of Cinematographers in Hollywood.
(MUTUAL HIGH CLASS BURLESQUE DIRECTION OF MUTUAL BURLESQUE ASSN. OF NEW YORK WEEiC BEGINNING SUNDAY MATINEE DECEMBER 23 Feature HELEN ASPEN WITH Funny Jew Comedian MAX FIELDS and His RUDDLING KUTIES ?Tobasco—She's Red Hot? ■ CHORUS of BEAUTIFUL GIRLS S ANNUAL MIDNIGHT SHOW NEW YEAR'S EVE
The Guild Has New Success ‘Wings Over Europe' Is Latest Hit on Broad- . v way. BY GILBERT SWAN NEA Service Writer NEW YORK, Dec. 22.—Splitting the atom has been a haunting problem in the world of science. And dramatizing the atom might seem, at first thought, to be an ..equally difficult task. Yet this has been done, and with the most thrilling results, by assuming the atom to be completely under man's control. The result is one of the most stirring and thought-compelling adventures that the Bi aadway theater has to offer, "Wings Over Europe,” third of the Theater Guild productions. b B B And while the unseen atom was being prepared for its role of hero, just around the corner David Belasco was expending some ot his remarkable energy converting his theater into a miniature of the Baldwin Locomotive Works. For at the age of 73, the old master of stagecraft decided to put on his mightiest effort. That the atom should prove infinitely more excit--ing than all of M. Belasco’s gadgets and shooting flames is no reflection on the white hairs of the “old massa.” Had Belasco been half as careful in the selection of a play as he was in the preparation of his theater for the event, there would have been a different story to tell. As it happens, he selected Molnar’s “The Red Mill,” and renamed it “Mima.” This is a play in which they literally “raise hell.” They raise hell and bring it to Belasco’s theater. It seems that an inventor, arriving in hell, decided to save Satan a lot of time. Hell needed greater efficiency. It was taking too long to wreck souls. So the inventor contrived a machine which would wreck the most virtuous soul in a few moments. The wrecking crew consisted of a super-siren, put together with great care by the inventor, and operated by the machine. This is Mima, and very lovely she was since Leonore Ulrich played her. So they pick on a hopelessly pure gent up on earth, bring him down to hell and turn him over to Mima, while the wheels turn and the sparks fly and the imps work overtime. The trouble is that Moinar took his bright idea and wrote a very dull play around it. The hero, then, becomes the honest sweat of Belasco’s brow. For there can be no argument that he has labored for love—since he can’t hope to make money. Something like $300,000 was requiring extreme patience in rehearsal lest some cog slip. 8 B B “Wings over Europe,” on the’ other hand, requires cnly the dignified setting of No. 4 Downing street, London, where the British cabinet chiefs meet. There is no woman in the play, since there is no “love interest.” The staggering situation is this: A poetic minded young genius has suddenly harnessed the atom. Because he can control energy he can free mankind. He can change gold to clay and disintegrate matter; he can blow up London and the world; he can free men from the slavery of labor and can provide food for all. The physical millenium is at hand—no mines, no gold, no strife and worry, for the secrets of nature are in the hands of man. Faced with this astounding fact, the feeble politicians are unable to grasp it. Each sees his own petty little place in the sun crumbling away and his own petty little inerests being swept away. The messianic young inventor grows bitter and frantic at their quibbling and threatens to destroy the city unless they come to terms.
AMUSEMENTS
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I—Sophie Everitt will be one of the chief singers in “My Maryland,” due at English’s for the week of Jan. 7.
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Johnnie Perkins Three hundred and seventy-five pounds of Indiana's celebrated stage talent will be seen at the Indiana theater here next week when Johnnie Perkins returns to his home state for the purpose of helping Charlie Davis say "Merry Christmas.” Perkins is a native of Terre Haute where he first was recognized because of his eccentric wit and humor. After being “discovered” it was only a matter of weeks until he became known the nation over. He was last seen here at the anniversary performance at the Indiana.
At Colonial
The bill for next week at the Colonial is “Big Chief Buddy,” featuring Buddy Kane in his fourth week of the script bill' offerings. Buddy plays the part of the bard-boiled chief of police and always gets his man, but he has trouble getting the right man. Babe Archer, the blonde jazz singer who was featured in the opening shows some time ago, will return to the cost with new song numbers. The movie is “A Bit of Heaven," with Bryant Washburn and Lila Lee. To Make “The Charlatan” Universal has just announced that “The Charlatan,” which as a Broadway was produced by Adolph Klauber at the Times Square theater, will be made as a talking picture.
New Term The talking picture vocabulary, which started with “talkie” and now includes “damping ’ and “overloading,” is amp’ifiea today by the term “dis ir.g consultant.” The first of this species is George Scarborough, playwright of “The Heart of Wetona,” “The Lure” and “The Sun Daughter.”
THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES
ROUNDING ROUND THFATFR9 with Walter 1 n A HICKMAN
IT is Merry Christmas in the private life of Ad F. Miller at English’s, but in professional life it isn’t so merry. All because English’s theater is dark this week, dark next week and stays dark until “My Maryland” arrives on Monday night, Jan. 7. First, Miller had anew musical show booked in for Christmas week and then it was taken out to make way for Mrs. Leslie Carter in “The Shanghai Gesture.” Then it developed that Mrs. Carter would be unable to fill her engagement here. And so Mr. Miller and his staff just closed shop and went their various way to enjoy a vacation that they didn’t even want.
In other words the moral of this Christmas story is that it isn’t merry at all on the road. n tt a The advance sheets of the January American Magazine supplies me with this interesting data: Within the next three years, Walter Damrosch expects that America will be “the most musical country in the world.” The radio is the influence that he relies upon to bring prosperity to the musical profession. His ideas on the subject are given at length by Graham McNamee in the forthcoming issue of The American Magazine. Graham McNamee, now bestknown as a radio announcer, is himself a concert recitalist and a sincere student of the problems of the musical field. He speaks sympathetically of the aspirations and aims of Mr. Damrosch’s plans to build up a bigger and better audience for music of the better class, Mr. McName says: Mr. Damrosch nas come to see in radio the most potent force for advancing the musical culture of America. The vision kindled in his mind by that realization has opened up before him anew country. Damrosch came to the National Broadcasting Company a year ago and proposed to give three experimental concerts to see whether or not the schools were really interested in a plan to promote musical education by radio. The results of those concerts were so amazing that the broadcasting company, without waiting for anybody to finance the great plan, decided to make Dr. Demrosch its music councilor and to start him off this year with twenty-four concerts as the really first mature section of the Musical University of the Air. After the experimental concerts letters poured in on Dr. Damrosch. He must have gotten more than twenty-five thousand of them, and they came from colleges and from crossroads village schools. His concerts had converted thousands of schools and millions of children into one vast schoolroom in music. Down in Florida with the sun shining briskly, out in Minneapolis with a near blizzard piling a white snow against schoolroom doorsup in Portland. Maine, with a wind roarins: in from the Atlantic; way down in San Antonio. Tex., under a tropical sun—all were part of a single class in music, with the instructor and his musicians in New York. And did the children love it? One little boy wrote from lowa that he had always wanted to know what an oboe was and he was delighted to have heard ln l d * ec °* niz<fd it in that little piece tbe Entr ance of the Little Fauns. But here was and still is the rub: A boy of 11 wrote Dr. Damrosch that he w S gla ,? be had broken h ‘s le not long before It forced him to remain at home where he could hear the concert whereas, had he been in school, he would have missed It because the school had no radio set. That was true in the vast majority of schools. It is stil true, in one city 4.000 chuldren were marched to the city hall where there was a large auditorium and a fine set because there was no school in the town with a radio receiver. In most of the cities where the children were able to hear, they would not have been able if public-spirited citizens, and in most rases merchants, had not supplied the sets for that day. And yet they most certainly did want to hear. In New York City more than 200 schools with their 200,000 pupils sat in at this great music class. In Washington. D. C.. when Dr. Damrosch broadcast his concert for high schools and colleges, 16,000 high school students listened in. Hardly had the last notes of the first concert faded out of the ether before the telegrams began pouring in from all over the country. In one day 14,000 letters arrived, and the stream continued for weeks. When it is posible to have Dr. Damrosch visit your school with his orchestra in a series of music lessons without paying one cent for it. can it be possible for a single school anywhere to miss it for the sake of saving the price of a good receiving set? So here is a chance for public-spirited residents all over the land. If you are looking for a way to spend a few dollars usefully—donate a good receiving set to your school. The youngsters, if the can't find any generous grown-ups to pay for them, can get up little entertainments and buy them. Go down to the mayor in a body, or to the school board, and tell them you want to join Dr. Damrosch’s music classes. Here is one of the finest cultural things that has ever been done in any country. It is up to the school to see that it is not only a success but is made permanent. It is well that this new university idea
2—Mary, of the team of Noodles Fagan and Mary, the headline attraction on the Christmas week bill at the Lyric.
should begin with music. Radio has had a good start there. And already radio has done wonders for the musical taste of our people. When I first began announcing programs 80 pe: cent of the music broadcast was jazz. The demand was for jazz. But that is no longer true. Now 75 per cent of the requests are for the better music and 75 per cent of the leading programs give better music. Dr. Damrosch once mentioned to me his own observation of this: “Without any friction,” he said, “the bad has given place to the better music, the better to the good, and in some cases the good to the best. Millions dwelling in the lower depth and darkness of accepting mere rhythmic noise as a substitute for music have now learned something of the inner significance and emotional power of music as a language.”
Need Plant
In order to cast the huge quantity of statuary and plaster decorations ordered by Director Von Stroheim for various sets in “Queen Kelly,” Gloria Swanson’s third independently produced picture for United Artists release, production officials found it necessary to build a special plant. Elaborate carved columns, crests and statuary were reproduced in plaster for use throughout the German sequence of the story which is laid in and about the royal palace of “Cobourg-Nassau.” The work was done under the supervision of experts who insisted on faithful copies of iriginal pieces. Costly “Props” Two of the most costly “props” ever made for any motion picture will be featured in “She Goes to War!” which production features Eleanor Boardman and is being directed by Henry King. They represent the very latest engines of destruction as perfected by the United States government. Plays Princess Constance Talmadge has spent the past fornight on a private yacht off the French coast in the Mediterranean, dressed up as the Princess Doriani and playing hostess to 300 guests in a scene for “Venus, ’ her United Artists picture. AMUSEMENTS
MURAT £ DEC. 26th THE SCARLET MASK CLUB OF OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY PRESENT^ “OCEANS OF LOVE’’ Three-Act Musical Revue of College Life GIRLS, MUSIC AND FUN Large Stage Band —Twenty-Piece Orchestra Prices—s 2 00, $1.50, $l.O0 —No Tax SEATS SELLING
ENGLISH’S <££ Matinees Wednesday, Saturday THE GREATEST OF AIL OPERETTAS % Hon/kni nnippo NITES, 50c, SI.OO, $1.50, $2.00, $2.50, $3.00. ' rnIUEO Wed. Mat., 50c to $2.00. Sat. Mat., 50c to $2.50. SEATS READY DEC. 31ST. MAIL ORDERS NOW MAIL ORDERS must be accompanied by remittance and selfaddressed stamped envelope.
3—Anna Fink is the chief player in ’’Kuddling Kuties” which opens at the Mutual Sunday afternoon.
Fields to Top Cast of Show ‘Kuddling Kuties’ Will Open Engagement Sunday. MAX (look out there) Fields and his “Kuddling Kuties” in new dress and new everything, is announced as the next burlesque offering at the Mutual, starting Sunday matinee. May Leona, one of the brightest lights of burlesque is featured with the star. Max Fields. Many novelties have been added to a show of general excellence as a provider of good fun and the kind of songs and dances expected of a thoroughly enjoyable entertainment. Among the principals are Henri Keller, Eddie Murphy, Eli Lucas, Ruth Donald, Mabel Erickson and Melva Lenzi. The two most important scenes are described as “Hunting Grounds” and “A Night in an Oriental Palace,” both elaborately staged. Make Gift H. M. Warner, J. L. Warner and Major Albert Warner have donated $40,000 to the temple B’Nai B’Rith in Los Angeles for the purchase of mural paintings for the new edifice now being erected. The gift was made by the Werner brothers last week to Rabbi F. Magnin. Hugo Ballin, noted artist, is now at work on the paintings. Work' at Night Practically all' of tlse filming of “Nightstick,” the underworld stage thriller that Roland West is making as a talking picture for United Artists, will be done at night, according to announcement by the producer-director.
AMUSEMENTS
MURAT®JAN. 13 RACHMANINOFF Celebrated Composer-Pianist Prices: $3, $2.50, $2, $1.50, $1 Send al mail orders to the treasurer, Murat Theatre, accompanied by remittance and self-addressed, stamped envelope. For information call Riley 7512. Seat sale opens Monday, Jan. 7th, at Murat box office.
Old West Ample proof that the “old west” is far from dead was demonstrated recently to the Charles R. Rogers Motion Picture Company when a small town about seventy miles from Bakerseld, Cal., gave an election celebration that would have done credit to the ’’old west.” The entire troupe of actors, including Ken Maynard, western star, were on locating photographing scenes for “The Californa Mail,” a First National picture, when several impulsive cowpunchers burst forth hi all their glory and proceeded to “shoot up” the town to celebrate the election of Herbert Hoover.
Brown With Pickford Mary Pickford has chosen Johnny Mack Brown to play opposite her in her forthcoming all-talking screen production of “Coquette.” He will play the part of Michael. George Irving, long a player on the legitimate stage and known for his screen roles as “The American Father,” has been chosen to play the role of the lawyer and close friend of the family-
8)/ Xmas 1 Six Exceptional 'iff i/lc Features fl| wtss-w ISA iisMl l Jcatcr Asst, fly \!N FARfiAfi W® :antor DNAL REVUE mT° ;w X^^vvv#AH&CASEY;fAMi 4ly-y/ L ,nthe shrinking violet v • \rPIJ Fin "a somersaulting sensation/ / p x f x ®AUAS WALKER | AND SISTER W. yIVH ORIENTAL ODDITIfSIfiP MYSTERIES FROM FAR OFF CHlNA''\j(\jj w RICHARD TALMADGE BARBARA BEDFORD) TORRENCE / SWORDS CLASHED AM?V~V none could catch
Fagan to Top Bill at Lyric Christmas Week Show Will Bea Very Rig Event. TkTOODLES FAGAN, a jester of vaudeville, will lend his personality and potund individuality to the coming Christmas week’s festivities at the Lyric, where a big gala holiday show has been arranged. Noodles is the same happy personification of good nature as in years past. He is assisted in his mirth making by his daughter Mary, who sings and dances. The bill will include: Zermain-Farrar and Cantor—Present "A National Revue.” Nat Cantor, eccentric wise cracker, will act as master of ceremonies of this snappy happy-go-lucky revue. Zermain and Farrar are dancers, who feature their radialite spectacle in their primitive dance, “The Medicine Man.” The remainder of the cast is made up by Bee Rice and Tillie Tillis. The Four Waltons—"Kings of the Springboard” will present a thriller of the first magnitude with their series of sensational somersaults. Coogan and Casey—Offer "The Shrinking Violet,” a comedy skit which has to do with a lady doctor and a timid patient who discovers that what’s wrong with them can be cured by Dan Cupid. Dallas Walker and Sister—Two clever pretty Texans present a wild J and woolly show with ropes anew quips. Oriental Oddities—Mysteries of the picturesque land of China with some extraordinary feats of magic will be presented by a clever magician from the far east. On the Screen—“ The Cavalier,’’ one of Tiffany Stahl’s special productions, will be the screen attraction for the week. Harking back to that picturesque period when Spanish pioneers settled in the new world, “The Cavalier,” is an exciting mingling of action, romance and beautiful scenic effects. It concerns the exploits of a mysterious cavalier—El Caballero, he is called—sworn foe of the ferocious and avaricious Ramon Torreno and his overseer, Pierre Gaston and champion of the peons whom they have enslaved. Richard Talmage has the title role and introduces some of the tensest, swiftest action and most thrilling stunts ever seen. Irvan Willat in directing this adaption of Max Brandt’s novel, “The Black Rider,” remembered that dangers, daring and romance guarantee entertainment and he has packed them into the Cavalier times them so that there isn’t a dull lifeless second from start to finish.
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