6UNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1935"

THE MICHIGAN DAILY



a

"F +

Atusic

and Drama

-A-:''~

IT,..... ._.. ..m. ' 4


a I


The Theatre Ascendan

it
---------

1
l
E
I
.

Broadway-Now-


.}
..+i
t
?f',.j.
't ..

1. Nornian-Bel Geddes, by Valentine! his greatest actual production of By Valentine Davies tractive playhouse, elabora
Dayles. course, was "The Miracle" which he l :r ed. This will give thet
(Editors Note: This is the scod d witi Max Rheinhart. Rheinhart The present New Yorktheatrical theatres in New York City
of a series of six articles on contemp- declared that he considered Geddes is a rather unceitain . No- exclusive control. This is
orary personalities in the modern one of the greatest artists he had ever o when one considers that
world theatre. Among other subjects I been privileged to work with. He was the next hit is coming from. It has this now world famo
there will be an interview by Paul astounded by the vastness of concep jbeen a big year, at least thus far, caled the
Stephenson, assistadnt director of the tioi and the completeness of detail for musical shows. A larger number tys g
Ypsilanti Players, with Edward Cor- and practical construction which this than ever are filling houses nightly. Square players, a group c
". Ccomparatively young American show- Some of them are very much above whose rorkto wed
don Craig.) edTIeaemn tre ftii'aeae "Rose-Marie" for example is abrove the work of Corned
Norman-Bel Geddes is perhaps the far superior to the average musical other organizations on this
Mieeting. The most authentic one
most spectacular scenic designer of seems to be that they met at dinner i comedy. Likewise "Lady Be Good!" Walter Hampden recen
the new generation; but lie is also one evening during Rheinhart's earlier which in our humble opinion is the his season with "Othello"
the most practical. His vivid, un- visit to New York to arrange for the best musical comedy that has reached received with the usual (
bonde imagination pictures newt a coming production. At the time it roadway in the last three years at ovation by practically all
beautiful things; and his practical w no by 1 means decided that Geddes least. "The Student Prince" a re- This is by no means a c
ense works them out to the minutest would be assigned the gigantic task vival of the old play "In Heidleberg," view of the season for
detail. He binds himself by no laws of designeing the American produc- which the Shuberts are presentin vacation there is a defin
or conventions of the theatre. He tion of "The Miracle." During the with music by Sigmund Romberg, is the number of lays one
does not even let the physical limita- dinner Geddes impressed the Germa exceedingly popular. The male chorus
tions of the stage interfere with his dinnerrGedns impresedrtheoGrmoned*of is not even a selectionc
with the rapidity and beauty of his (according to rumor composed of plays and only the best, fa
conceptions. First he conceives; then that there was no music students in the city) is awe which were seen were
conceptions ta hr a oqe-wihwr enwr
he proceeds to work out the practical tion after that. Inspiring, breath taking, etc. It re- only by personal fancies,
oble h dautsh Those who expect to see in Geddes s least ecores an evening the possibilities of getting;
will even build a ,theatre to suit hisI hs h epc"ose nGde Of course the reviews are doing the 10; . ben hs
ideas This was what first brought a man as striking as his work are usual amount of business. The new 'is no small problem these
him into the field of which he is one disapointd when they meet him. He lMusic Box review, is staged by John -
of the leaders today. is not at all unusual looking, le is Murray Anderson, who resumes his
Born in Detroit, and raised here un- for one thing, quite young, blond and position after a lapse of several years, MiChigamani
til he left high school to attend art quite short. is clothing is abo due to the fact that Hassard Short -
equal to that of an average college
schols n Chcag andCleelan, ,has put out a review of his own, for-
chools in Chicago and Cleveland, student. He has a strong disliking for (Continued from Page
Geddes became interested in writing; vests merly known as the Ritz Review, but
although he was engaged in doing vests and rarely wears them. eI since it has left the theatre of that The Tempest started t
poster work and attending school at c given to slang and speaks with a name, called as Short's Review, scription blanks printed
the time, he wrote an Indian panto- ica po -r sera atcis h pos) think. , Anderson has added his im- Sold at twenty-five cents
mime "Thunderbird" and induced ni sos o conceit eih ope ' peccable taste to the already gorgeous expected loyalty from f
(,dmntowrt msi ori. Gde He shows no conceit, either openily dip- y adembarass one with worshil
Cadman to write music for it. Geddes r ycniosmdesy.On woud display, and Irving Berlin has writtenem rasoewtwohi
ad~ oeydfiieiea st t r-r by conscious modesty. One woul good music, notupt stssn' edition sold out before it
hadl very definite ideas as to its pre- never picture him as an artist--per- 'sup tooutst sfaren's
sentation, and when he found that his theeoipi y signiofasis activer- standard by any means, but never- press. Sheer exultation-
schemes could not be carried out, he is a constantg movement--brushing the less quite catchy. coffee in the tap room.
proceeded to design a theatre of his his thands through his hair-hitching Of the serious plays, there seemst of groups, groups, groups.
own in which to produce his brain- up his belt, etc., etc. Even his name be a number of excellent ones, though lasemestriflcms.orieand
hild, though it sounds artistic is not really most of them iun to extremes of var- eal groups, pink, blue, red
Although it was never produced. so. It is Norman Geddes. The "hy- 0io1s kinds. What Price Glory? isg s g
Aline Barnsdall saw his sketches and hpen Bel" part was added through a so exceedingly realistic in its presen- groups. Yellow group
took him to Los Angeles with her to peculiar chance. When he first began tation of a group of doughboys that ,goups. Persecution, chis
design sets for her little theatre there. submitting sketches, he worked in col- many of more moral citizens have dm antreliciu.
benunarsa h lnug sd om entirely fanciful.I
Here he picked up his practical laboration with his wife. Her first 1gbeenu rhge usehemiaisn, and the at
Sn"ad hi i ax R nrnfilvr on the stage. Notwithstanding the

ately equipp-
Guild three;
under their#
interestingE
not so long'
us organiza-
Washington
of amateurs,
not very far(
dy club and
campus.a
ntly opened
which was
or unusual)
the critics.
omplete 're-
during one
ite limit to
can see. It
of the best
or the plays

Ithe lawful companion in my misery
has to hold the stovepipe in its place.
For my part. I place a stealthy hand
Three Pianists of Note;against the kitchen i upper
(1001rs. so to keep the rattling dishes
I safely on the shelf. He regards him-
__ _ _ _self as a great wit, and in this he
Ossip Gabrilowitsch and the Detroit the effect that when orchestras do is partially right: his overcoat would
Symphony orchestra will make their come to Ann Arbor they usually play serve a baby elephant for a night-
second appto-aconiofthey usasoly'play gown.
appearance of the season many of the more modern composi- gwn
morrow night in Hill auditorium. s But I digresss.
They will be assisted by three re- tions instead of the more vital works
nowned artists-all pianists-Messrs. of the great composers which are al-
Maier, Pattison, and Shattuck. This ways more popular than any of the
will be the fourth number of the modern work.
Extra Concert series and will in all The program will be opened with
probability be one of the most attrac- the Funeral Music from Wagner's
tive programs of the year. "Gotterdammerung" as a memorium £
The unusual featu're of the evening and tribute to President Marion Le- y
will be Bach's Concerto in C major jRoy Burton. .s rw e
for three pianos and orchestra. This *. ER5Tui eI' tHeri irru
will be played by the three above ooair mill, to wearer. Outof ordinar values.'r-
as Colmb"+,"Mste Nah, ad 8deand.Rigre ab~na.We eliverforon
named artists, who need little intro- IotmsMd in stores.sNoNCaptal-oralGe reIC reuired.
duction to Ann Arbor audiences. Mr. am Hacalls."8 S HRTcago. PAN
Guy Maier is at present head of the It must indeed be affecting. The
piano department of the University choir leader, whom I happen to know,
School of Music, and both he and Lee is an ex-sailor of notoriously low,
Pattison have appeared here earlier in ribald tastes. He calls on me once in__
the season in a two piano recital. Mr. a while. When he laughs at one or;

decided not 'Shattuck is among the outstanding I
but also by American pianists and appeared here
seats which with the same orchestra last year.
(lays. making an unusually favorable im-
pression.
Another rather interesting number
la Iwill be the Liszt's Concerto Pathetique
which has been arranged for two
pianos and an orchestra by Lee Patti-
E Nine) son. Although it borders on repeti-
hrough sub- tion, the two who will play this num-
on credit. ber are Maier and Pattison. They are
each. Un- among the most sparkling, daring and
friends who progressive of modern pianists. Their
p. The first repertoire embraces not only the more
t is off the standard works of the so-called clas-
-over black sic composers, but the compositions of
Formations more modern musicians and even sev-
Groups at ( eral of the better jazz pieces. They
groups in ;maintain that jazz represents the most
groups, rad- vivacious type of music that is being
Iand yellow ; written today and while they do not
s. Yellow go as far as to say that it is all that
efly imagin- may be expected from the music of
of martyr- the future, they are more than willing
Diluted Bo- to give it a chance.
ffectation of: To return to the more immediate

another of iiis own rude pieasantries, .


Charming

Distinctive features of bobs from the
Arcade Barber Shop always attract the
most particular Michigan women. They
are sure of reliable service that will please.

U

ii

nowleage q scene esign ;iu a e
work attracted much attention, for
he was shortly called East by Otto H.4
Kahn to design a set for "Shanewis"
which the Metropolitan Opera con-
lany was to present that season. His
set was a success but the production
was not. But he remained in the East
and picked up jobs as they came. Un-
like his contemporarlss Robert Ed-
mund Jones, and Lee Simonson, and
others he had no organization which
would give him backing.'
But idleness meant nothing to
Geddes. When he was not engogedI
in doing work for actual productionI
he designed things for his own amuse-1
ment and experimentation. During,
this period he designed more than a
score of projects for theatres, and
numbered them as a composer does
his scores-opus 1; opus 2 etc. It is
interesting to note that quite recent-
ly, when the Theatre Guild planned
to build its own playhouse Geddes'
designs were consulted and many of
the features which he had suggested
were incorporated into their new
plant. He also established his school,
in New York at this time. This was
an ingenious way to establish himself.
more firmly. HIe offered to the se-
lected group of beginning designers
an opportunity to get actual experi-
ence in that field and also to aid him
in the details of his work. Each one
of his sets is modeled to scale and
completely worked out by his staff,
whether it is actually to be used or
not. When I visited his studio they
were at work on his set for the Play-
ers' Club revival of "The Rivals".
Later I saw the actual set, which was
one of the most beautiful ones that
he has ever designed. During the
busy days before "The Miracle" open-
ed its doors to the public at the re-
built Century theatre, these assistants
were invaluable in helping to design
the countless costumes and details of
scenery which were involved in that
Production.

namewasBele, ~naso m arwtns I...__- . ~" ° ; arty cravats. Surreptitious indul- subject,. Mr. Gabrilowvitschi has arrang-
were signed Norman-Bel Geddes. The protests it is a powerful and truthful grycravts. Surepitiosuecli-u ject, r. atr tsch hagra ng-
i k play, nttocheflperhaps, btgence i h lswiesupercilious-i ed a eyatatv rga hc
name stuck and all his woirk is signedyiuty, not too cheerful phsbut y rin t bae w a er thetPeer Gynt wich
Norman-Bel Geddes. certainly stimulating. Then there is r a t - s
the orgy of smut into which Belasco when faced with facts..............Grieg, which is as familiar as it is
A few years ago one could say t has launched himself, clerical collar As I talk on, pointing out this and beautiful in its exotic way, and Bee-
hhad a great future ahead of him. a anhdhmef ceia olr g{
St e "hea re" i sem and all. His two fall productions, that which might be profitably chosen thoven's Seventh Symphony, in A
But since aThe Miracle it seems that "The Harem" and "Ladies of the Eve- with a view to the picturesque in the major. It is so rarely that Ann Arbor
e hsremain there it wlmean tt ning" are both pointlessly immoral- abortive naissance, and an undercur- hears a good
if ie remains there it willmean almost inexcuseably void of anything rent of flagellating truth. The canon- that when it is favored by one it seems
he will have to do a calibre of wort but pure sex appeal. So they continue ization scene grows bleary. Eaton safe to assume that a majority of
which will make him a Rembrant to draw large houses nightly, which has merged with others, and cavorts j music lovers will appreciate this' clas-
Samon hsnis esThat :he Is like a spun top on his left ear, while sic. Many people have commented to
will. do this. is 'entirely possible, for I insccesionapperDeber__lak,_
his imagination is ever active and the giving him at least that much credit. in succession appear Delbert Clark,
variety of his work is almost unbe- The Theatre Guild has presented Dorothngy eltz, Ruthelitner.tMaxG. D.Eaton, Personally
nieyohiwokialotue the two outstanding successes of the inle idilk , others, thrs
lieveable. His latest work for example hngsothers. Lew Stoneman gurgling in (Continued from Page Nine)
is the scenery for "I ady Be Good!" a season however. "The Guardsman a
musical comedy which is outstanding revived Molnar comedy with Alfred Caballesfue. and Niedzielski in a jar-
in New York at present What his Lunt and Lynn Fonntaine, and "They gon composed of French, Russian and But is must be apparent that no
Nex rktiprbe isenknoWh;s but Knew What They Wanted" by Sidney the Hawaiian dialect of a truncated dutifully sympathetic observer could
netpoet ilb s nnwbt nwWa Te atd"b inysaxophone. have written "Backfurrow." The ,at-
it is safe to assume that he is plan- I Howard, with Pauline Lard, Richard
ning a number of things which will Bennett, and Glenn Anders in the Jim House sits on the convex neck pages . of this novel is palpably not
bring new and striking beauty into company. of a pickaniny-shaped ash tray, gaz- the result of determined humanism
the American theatre The Guild has taken a long lease ing through the stem of the wine 16r of social conviction. It is rather
glass, caricaturing Mussolini, Menck- the embodiment of an intuitional ui-
I n heK~w hetr, hee Thyen and an animated mica obe which lie drtnig, for the description of
Next: George Pierce Baker, by Knew What They Wanted" is now n antsanranmtsm i hi chhwdrhavego adesuatetwards.
Robert Henderson. playing. They already own the Gar- insists represents me faithfully. which we have no adequate words.
rick, a tiny house down in the thirties. On the periphery, others of the cog- It goes below logic and reason. It is
which has served them as their head- noscenti, names forgotten, names too at once irrational and intelligent. It
h b?~ h sacred to be used, names worthless, is cloaked with the symbols of sight;
Rea t'quanar~ers since they began. The newbuitfesurhrhateeycn
Read the,, a W ant A ds!Guildtheatre will be ready veyhrt- appear and spell out idiosyncracies but it eels further than the eye can
-ly and promises to be a unique and at-and futile postures. The mob howls see. Backfurrow" is rational enough
Iand one wonders whether it is Bravo in appearance, but the attitude that
or Damn. . . . . . underlies its reasonableness can't be
It is three o'clock in the morning, rationally explained.
It i thee oclok inthemornng, At this point, it, is proper for the
when the editorial room of the news- reader to inark, with an appropriate
paper which will be 'read hurriedly on dsigh:r "Al, the kid's a mystic-"
crowded subways gapes with the And the word will serve to conceal
St s y V meaninglessness of a jazz band that the truth-whatever it is-as well as
lost its trap drummer. Eighteen
stories below, Broad street had ridden any other.
itself--for the moment-of faces, Io
sounds and gestures. I hae on occasion sat with Eaton
sn a gteover the coffee and cigarettes from
A mangled typewriter ribbon dang- dark to dawn, exchanging with him
les in dejection, out of tune with the tireless broadsides, but I regret to
TTE Soplished framework. The' raucous say that there has been always some
TTkeysIlet1flyFwords, sentences, reamsi miserable circumstance in the way of
LU N CHR O O M )Iof ibberish."'9 myseeing him at his sociablebest.
Broad street is ready for another When he is properly illuminated, my
338 Maynard Thursday, unburdened of reminis- friends tell me, he sings feelingly,
Sense. even tearfully, such grand old hymns

I



I


' ,

I

Hotels
Must convey an atmosphere of comfort
and cheerfulness. At the new Lincoln
Hotel one receives such an impression.
Everything is new--furnishings, fix-
tures, tiled showers and baths--all tend-
ing to impart a feeling that everyone
can appreciate.
Lincoln Hotel
"I low% _

i 1


0

I