Theatre

The Theatre is to be taken to the country this summer with the hope that plenty of fresh air and sunshine will bring back its vitality. Critics as well as playgoers have mourned over the manifestations of anemia which have beer displayed the past season. Lawrence Langner, physician to the Theatre, offers the country playhouse as a successful remedy Writing in this month’s issue of Stage, Mr. Langner answers those who so often have slighted the summer theatre. He points out that new blood which is periodically infused into the Broadway drama has always come from the amateur back alleys. Illustrative of the products of the summer theatres are “Another Language”, “The Comic Artist”, “Goodbye Again”, and many others.

According to Mr. Langner, the coming summer season will see a larger number of new plays by American and foreign authors tried out than ever before have been tried out in the summer. At least twenty reputable companies, each offering from five to eight plays, will bring new material to the theatre for the fall. This activity constitutes a laboratory from which we hope that the theatre will emerge splendid in its new radiance.

The Theatre Guild’s Pulitzer Prize winner, “Both Your House”, is coming back to town tomorrow night at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, for only a week. . . . Heywood Broun will act as master of ceremonies for the Spring Revue tonight at the Shubert Theatre, the proceeds of which will be devoted to the summer rehearsal work of the Group Theatre. Among those listed to entertain are Fannie Brice, Belle Baker, Jimmy Durante, Walter C. Kelly, Martha Graham and Bill Robinson. . . . “Under Canvas”, a new play by Richard F. Flournoy, is slated to open at the Belmont Theatre some time during the latter part of the month.

The Associated Operatic Artists of New York are presenting a series of operas at the Forrest Theatre. “Carmen” will be sung tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday nights, “Cavalleria Rusticana”, Wednesday matinee, “Traviata”, Thursday and Friday evenings, and “Hansel and Gretel”, Saturday afternoon.

Josef von Sternberg has been signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to direct the next Joan Crawford-Clark Gable picture, which will be based on an original story by Frances Marion, author of “The Champ” and “Emma”. . . . “Hold Your Man” is announced as the final title of the picture formerly known as “Black Orange Blossoms”, now being filmed at the M-G-M studies with Jean Harlow and Clark Gable. Sam Wood is directing the picture which is based on an original screen story by Anita Loos and Howard Emmett Rogers. The supporting cast includes Stuart Erwin, Dorothy Burgess, Muriel Kirkland, Barbara Barondess and Hugh Herbert. . . . Manuel Komroff’s “Two Thieves” has been purchased by M-G-M. It will be interesting to see what will happen to Mr. Komroff’s story of the two thieves who died with Jesus Christ when it is transplanted to Hollywood soil.

“The Man Who Dared” is the new title for the Fox film previously titled “The American”, the story suggested by the incidents in the life of the late Mayor of Chicago, Anton Cermak. . . . Sammy Cohen, popular screen comedian, who made his mark in “What Price Glory?” and more recently in “Sailor’s Luck”, will be seen in “Arizona to Broad-way”, a Fox Film, with James Dunn and Joan Bennett. . . . Helen Hayes and Robert Montgomery will be costarred in “Another Language” which is to be produced by M-G-M. . . . RKO has purchased W. H. Hudson’s almost classic novel “Green Mansions”, as a vehicle in which to star Dolores Del Rio. In an effort to provide a faithful setting for the story the company will travel to a South American country for the exterior scenes. . . . “She Outdone Him”, RKO Radio Pictures’ burlesque on Mae West in “She Done Him Wrong”, will be seen shortly. Dorothy Granger who has the leading role, is said t### have created a sensation at th### studio by her characterization an voice. She sings some old-time songs for the production, includin# “My Mother Was a Lady” an “Generous Jenny”.

William Powell has been signe by RKO to co-star with Ann Har###ing in “Double Harness”, the screen play of the reigning London stage hit. John Cromwell, acclaimed f### his direction in “The Silver Cord will direct. . . . Laurence Stalling who in collaboration with Maxwe Anderson, wrote “What Pri### Glory?” has been signed by Columbia to write three screen stories. . . . Adopting a new method of supplying the screen with new faces a### new talents carefully coached in a###vance, Carl Laemmle, Jr., general manager of the Universal Picture production, announced last wee### that he has created a junior sto### company at Universal City, wi### Harold M. Turney in charge. T### stock company will be a summ### school of screen dramatics. To di### play their talents to studio exec###tives, directors and artists, membe### of the summer school will prese### weekly programs of one and thre###act plays in the studio Litt### Theatre.

Definitely setting at rest a nur###ber of conflicting rumors, Par### mount has announced the successful conclusion of negotiations for t### screen rights to “Alice in Wond###land“. The picture will be a mu###cal version of the classic story a the cast includes Charlie Ruggl Alison Skipworth, Jack Oak Charles Laughton and Mary Bola### Norman Taurod will probably dire. . . Gary Cooper and Claudette C###bert will be co-Starred by Pa###mount in an original story, “Hor### Bright”, by Jack Kirkland and M ville Baker.