Broadway greeted the repeal of the Prohibition Amendment with surprising restraint. The streets were a little more crowded than usual, the citizenry a trifle more boisterous but theatres and restaurants reported that business was only fair. Of course the expected pre-holiday slump contributed to the indifference of the habitual theatre-goers and the next two weeks should find plenty of empty chairs in our playhouses. It will be a fine opportunity to go and see those shows you have been hearing so much about. If you want our advice we suggest “Men in White”, “Mary of Scotland”, “She Loves Me Not”, “Ah Wilderness”, “As Thousands Cheer”, “The School for Husbands”, and “Peace on Earth”.
“Peace on Earth” is our special recommendation. Although it was received indifferently by the daily press it is such a sincere, vital and moving play that you owe your conscience a trip down to the Civic Repertory Theatre on West 14th Street. Few of us believe in war. Most of us are horrified at the spectacle of senseless mass murder. All of us go around shaking our heads at the idea but we do nothing about it. If the world could crowd into the old playhouse perhaps we would all act differently the next time the drums and bugles roar forth a call for human sacrifices. Don’t miss it!
FOR THE CHILDREN
The Theatre Guild thinks of everything. On December 26, 27, and 29th it will give matinees for children. Robert Reinhart will be on display and will give the smaller folks not only a variety show, modeled after the Maskelyne and Cook performances of London, but some magic, juggling, ventriloquism and shadowgraphs.
MOLLY IN BROOKLYN
“Birdie”, Molly Picon’s first show in English which opens at the Selwyn on December 22nd, will have its tryout at the Majestic in Brooklyn, starting tomorrow. Of course Molly will play the role of Birdie, a girl who goes from Ellis Island into the noise of the East Side. Abe Ellstein has written the music and Molly will sing her own lyrics.
JEWS IN NEW YORK
Clifford Odets has written a play about Jewish life in New York which will open after Christmas at the Little Theatre. Its title is “Awake and Sing” and it will be produced by Frank Merlin. The author who is an actor, claims that the Jews come off very nicely in this new piece,—nothing sentimental or burlesque. It’s about time!
MR. ZERO GOES TO WORK
Mr. Zero, whose exploits as a friend of the homeless and destitute has earned him no small measure of public attention, has a job. He is acting as guest manager of the Fifth Avenue Playhouse. His first offering is “Penny Opera”, (L’Opera de Quat Sous). He will do the introduction in person and the prologue has been especially written by Dan O’Brien, sometimes known as King of the Hoboes.
ON THE SCREEN
John Barrymore becomes a New York lawyer in “Counsellor-at-Law”, now current at the Radio City Music Hall. You’ll probably want to see how differently Barrymore portrays the character Paul Muni made famous on the stage. On the same bill Roxy has one of his spectacles which is based on Rimsky-Korsakoff’s “Scheherazade”.
Over at the Paramount they found that the two funny Jacks. Haley and Oakie, in “Sitting Pretty” grossed so well that the picture has been held over for another week. . . . Another of the week’s holdovers is Joan Crawford and Clark Gable whose “Dancing Lady” will continue at the Capitol. . . . “Little Women” moved across the street and will be flashed daily from the screen of the New Roxy. . . . The four Marx Brothers in “Duck Soup” stay on at the Rivoli awaiting the arrival of Eddie Cantor’s new picture, “Roman Scandals”. . . . Metro-Goldwyn announces with some pride that it has bought the screen rights to “Men in White” and Warner’s are a little peeved because one of the Warner family had an interest in the play.
YIDDISH THEATRE NOTES
“Laughter Through Tears”, the Yiddish picture now at the Acme, goes into its last two weeks. . . . “The Clown”, musical drama scheduled for one week at the Prospect Theatre in the Bronx, is doing so much business that it will be held over for a run.
On December 14th in the Rolland Theatre, Brooklyn, Aaron Lebedeff will open in “Yankel Litwack”, a Jewish operetta by Alex Olshanetsky and Isidore Lash. . . . “Yoina Seeks a Bride”, musical comedy hit in which Menashe Skulnick stars, reached its fiftieth performance at the Hopkinson Theatre in Brooklyn last Friday. It will continue. . . . Molly Picon, Maurice Schwartz, Ludwig Satz, Aaron Lebedeff, Leon Blank, Jennie Goldstein and Jacob Ben-Ami are among the Yiddish theatrical stars who have promised to appear at a benefit performance to be given at the Prospect Theatre in the Bronx on the evening of December 12th. The proceeds will go into the sick and relief fund of the Association of Yiddish Theatrical Agents and Treasurers.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
