Summer Session Kansan
Page 6
Friday. June 30, 1961
Vagabond King' Rusty, But Stars Take Bows
Just as one is about to argue that it is time to retire "The Vagabond King" he recalls Earl Wrightson stepping forward and waking up cast and audience with his rousing call to go out and fight the soldiers of Burgundy. Or he remembers Jean Fenn standing on a balcony and singing the ever-lovely "Some Day."
With lesser talents, and lesser songs, the current attraction at the Starlight Theater of Kansas City would have gone begging years ago. For how it creaks! We have been spoiled by "Oklahoma!" "South Pacific," and "My Fair Lady." We have come to expect dancing, and humor.
One might argue that the current "Vagabond King" has both. Well, maybe. The comic relief is about as tedious as anything this reviewer has seen since he heard Frank Fay throw away his best lines in a road show of "Harvey" in 1949. A number called "Trio" which brings together the three funny people is a number almost embarrassingly bad.
But there are Wrightson and Miss Fenn. And the songs—"Only a Rose." "Give Me One Hour," "Hugette's Waltz," "Love Me Tonight." And from somewhere (now maybe I'm wrong, but I thought the song was from some other show) the producers have pulled in "L'Amour, Toujours L'Amour." As if this weren't enough, Francis Villon strides to the center of the stage near the end of Act III and belts out "Invictus."
That's right. "Invictus." "Out of the night that covers me/Black as the pit from pole to pole." I thought of Hume Cronyn burlesquing the
famous poem in "Sunrise at Campbello." And after "Invictus" I thought perhaps Mr. Wrightson would do us the honor of rendering (as they used to say back home at church socials) "The Lord's Prayer." "Trees," and "On the Rond to Mandalay."
There was another surprise in Act III. We got a ballet, a lovely one, too, with Edward Villela of the New York City Center Ballet. A magnificent dancer, dancing to very un-Frimlish music. My 10-year-old daughter and I have gone through out ballet records in vain; we can't find the identity of this one. But I don't think Friml had anything to do with it.
We must be grateful to the Starlight management for giving us Earl Wrightson. I say this remembering that frequently I have snarled that the Starlight thinks all it has to do is bring in big names — Liberace, Tony Bennett, Dick Shawn (come to think of it, maybe these aren't big names). Without a big name "The Vagabond King" would never have made it through the night.
-CMP
What is even a wise book but a blast from the lungs made visible to the eyes?—Conrad Aiken
Don Cornell and Cathryn Damon will star in "Redhead," the Starlight Theater's next production. July 3-9.
'Redhead' Slated For Starlight
"Redhead," a combination musical comedy and murder mystery that ran up a score of 453 performances on Broadway in 1959 and 1960, tells the story of a romance-avid spinster in a London waxworks museum in the 1890's.
The show is a framework for a series of electrifying dance numbers, and for a full dozen now-familiar song-hits, including the spinster's wistful solo, "The Right Finger of My Left Hand," her duct with her heart's desire, "Look Who's in Love." and "My Girl's Just Enough Woman for Me." Some of the shows famous pro-
Some of the shows famous production numbers are the "Uncle Sam Rag," "Erbie Fitch's Twitch," and the "Pickpocket Tango," a show-stoper danced in a jail.
"Redhead" was written by Herbert and Dorothy Fields, authors of such musicals as "Annie Get Your Gun," "Up in Central Park" and "Mexican Hayride." along with Sidney Sheldon and David Shaw, film and TV writers. Music is by Albert Hague, and lyrics by Dorothy Fields.
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Kennedys Off for Cape Cod For Fourth of July Weekend
Kennedy, his wife and their two children plan to fly by jet, taking off from Andrews Air Force Base and landing one hour later at Oir Air Force Base.
WASHINGTON — (UPI)—President Kennedy and his family will fly to Cape Cod today for a long Fourth of July weekend at their home in Hyannis Port, Mass., the White House announces.
The air base is near Falmouth about 18 miles from the Kennedy summer home. The family may travel by helicopter between Otis Field and Hyannis.
Press Secretary Pierre Salinger said Kennedy would return to Washington next Wednesday morning. He did not know whether Mrs. Kennedy and the children would remain on the Cape.
Pi Lambda Theta Plans Told Summer school students who are members of Pi Lambda Theta, the education sorority, can sign up for the organization's summer activities in the Dean of Women's office, 220 Strong.
I can resist everything except temptation.—Oscar Wilde
Walt Disney "Ten Who Dared" and "Wizard of Baghdad"
Starting Sunday Lana Turner in
"By Love Possessed" Matinee daily 2 p.m. Relax in Cool Comfort
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