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INDIANAPOLIS THEATRE ASSOCIATION, INC. INDIANA STATE FAIR GROUNDS INDIANAPOLIS cat^
INDIANAPOLIS THEATRE ASSOCIATION, INC. CLAYPOOL HOTEL • TELEPHONE RILEY 5417 INDIANAPOLIS, IND.
OFFICERS Summer, 1951 MELVIN T. ROSS President and Gen. Manager Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public HENRY HOLT Anyplace, Indiana 1st Vice-President H. T. PRITCHARD Dear Mr. and Mrs. Public: 2nd Vice-President CHARLES HEDLEY This is in answer to your letters of last season—the thousands of letters which expressed your Vice-Pres. and Producer L. G. GORDNER enjoyment of the entertainment you saw here at the Fair Grounds. Recording Secretary WILLIAM J. SCHUMACHER Any innovation in the entertainment business, especially if it involves a series of attractions, Corresponding Secretary takes thought, perseverance, time and money to become sufficiently well-established to bring the J. S. ROGAN Treasurer attractions which you, the public, deserve.
DIRECTORS This is our most ambitious season to date. We believe that in our series this year we have chosen the cream of the crop as far as musical attractions are concerned. And the widened scope Fred Ayres Donald R. Barneclo of our plans has been made possible by your increased enthusiasm and patronage — for which we Noble Biddinger thank you. •J. M. Bloch William H. Book Almost every city our size in the middle west has a series of summer attractions which has Cecil M. Byrne lived, and grown, because the public wanted it. We, too, shall continue to grow and prosper by Joseph E. Cain giving you the type and calibre of entertainment which has kept you coming back year after year. Monsignor Henry F. Dugan John Goll A brief resume of summer entertainment in Indianapolis—which has also been designed Mrs. J. A. Goodman Morris Goodman to bring pleasure to the entire state—may prove of some interest to you. L. G. Gordner •Charles Hedley A comparatively small group of civic-minded men and women in Indianapolis has been work *Mrs. Karolyn Holloway ing for years to stabilize summer theatre here. Henry Holt John I. Kautz Beginning in 1944, when Charles Hedley produced Gilbert and Sullivan operettas in Gar *Claude Koontz field Park, shows of this type have been presented every summer. Mr. Hedley, Producer of Starlight •George A. Kuhn Musicals, has been one of the prime motivators of this movement from its very inception. Gustav F. Lohss W..I. Longsworth "Off season" entertainment went from Garfield Park to the more commodious quarters of Charles J. Lynn the Fair Grounds, then spread to two seasons in Butler Bowl (in 1947 and 1948) and returned here Murray H. Morris E. B. Newill to the Fair Grounds in 1949. Kurt Pantzer *H. T. Pritchard During the seasons of 1949 and 1950, and again this year, an almost unbelievable spirit of J. S. Rogan co-operation was manifested among local Craft Unions, Performers, Management and Businessmen, •Melvin T. Ross who joined forces on a co-operative basis to insure summer entertainment. William J. Schumacher Charles Stadfeldt The continuance of this magnificent attitude, coupled with the annual growth of attendance Harry V. Wade at these shows, makes the outlook for success brighter than it has ever been before. Guy A. Wainwright A. E. Wilhoite Mrs. Herman C. Wolff We pledge you our best efforts, now and in the future, to present the highest calibre of entertainment in every Starlight Musicals series. * Executive Committee Sincerely yours,
MELVIN T. ROSS
President, Indianapolis Theatre Association, Inc. General Manager, Starlight Musicals THE STORY OF a ANNIE GET YOUR GUN"
Back in the 1890*s, the greatest attraction of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show was Frank Butler, champion sharpshooter. In Cincinnati, however, he unexpectedly meets his Waterloo in the person of Annie Oakley, a backwoods girl from Darke County, whose shooting prowess is incredible, even though hitherto she has used it only to shoot wild game to feed her family or to sell to strangers. In a contest with Frank, staged on the grounds of a summer hotel, she beats him when he misses one shot but at the same time falls hopelessly in love with him. To be near him, she accepts a job as Frank's assistant in Buffalo Bill's show and as time goes on, Frank is won by Annie's devotion and decides to make her his partner. While playing in Saint Paul, Buffalo Bill finds that he is going broke, and to make matters worse, his rival, Pawnee Bill, is playing in Min neapolis. To counteract Pawnee's rumored signing of the famous Indian warrior, Sitting Bull, as a special attraction, Buffalo Bill, together with his manager, Charlie Davenport, persuades Annie to present a sensational bicycle act in which she speeds in a great circle around a central pole from which swing huge rein deer with illuminated spots, shooting these out one by one, always faster and faster. This completely overshadows Frank's act, and furious, he calls off their romance, leaves Buffalo Bill's show and joins forces with Pawnee Bill. Annie's heart is broken, but Sitting Bull is so intrigued with Annie and her act that he adopts her into the tribe as his daughter and also furnishes the necessary funds for the show to go on a tour of Europe. The performances before the European crowned heads are a personal triumph for Annie but the show returns to America broke again and Buffalo Bill decides to effect a merger with Pawnee Bill. This reunites Annie and Frank at a big party given at New York's Hotel Brevoort. Frank falls in love all over again with this new Annie and to prove his love, presents her with his most prized possessions, his three medals inscribed to "the greatest sharpshooter in the world". However, Annie with her own $100,000 collection of medals displayed on her chest, won't admit Frank's superiority and again there is a rift. She challenges him to another shooting match to decide the cham pionship, but enroute to the contest, held on Governor's Island, Sitting Bull and Charlie, romanticists at heart, twist the sights on Annie's guns so that she will lose. At first Annie is miserable when she misses her shots, but when Sitting Bull hints at the reason, she finally sees the light and becomes perfectly willing to lose her title and win her love. She joyfully shoots and misses again and again, and so Annie and Frank become partners in the show as well as in romance. Harold Patrick
Harold Patrick has played in the nation's operetta centers includ ing Detroit, Dallas, Hyannis, Louisville and Miami. During the war years he was occupied with a tour of Japan in a USO production of "The Chocolate Soldier" and later appeared on Broadway in "Robin Hood." He has given two concerts in New York's Town Hall and has toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada in solo work. Mr. Patrick, who is no stranger to Indianapolis (he has appeared here in previous summer seasons) will sing the rewarding role of Frank Butler in "Annie Get Your Gun."
Robert Eektes
Robert Eckles, leading comic in the first four Starlight Musicals shows this summer, started his career along an entirely different path. Born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, he was a concert pianist—a child prodigy—and a pupil of the great Olga Samaroff-Stokowski. He attended the Episcopal Academy in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music, Harvard University and the Juilliard School of Music. He is reticent about what caused the change in his career, leaving us to suppose that concertizing wasn't funny enough, but whatever the reason, symphonic music's loss was the stage's gain. Mr. Eckles has had ten years experience on Broadway, on the road and in summer stock, in musicals and in straight drama. He was for many years a leading light in the Gilbert and Sullivan Repertory, playing on Broadway and in four successive coast-to-coast tours, two of which included Indianapolis. He played in "My Romance" with Anne Jeffries and in "Cyrano de Bergerac" with Jose Ferrer, both in New York and on tour. His work in summer stock has included the Paper Mill Playhouse, Louisville, Toronto, Chicago, Newport, Matunuck, Great Neck, Mont- clair and innumerable others. In short, Mr. Eckles has played leading roles in more than forty revivals and original performances of dramatic and musical shows.
. AYPrtfil 3*#'» w ^iMirwUL nui CL Patti Browne
Patti Browne's career is proof of the fact that a person with genu ine talent and perseverance need not journey far afield for the kind of musical and dramatic training—and the kind of opportunity—that will lead to the top. They're all available right here at home. A graduate of the Jordan College of Music, Miss Browne's first important role—"Luane" in Victor Herbert's "Sweethearts"—brought her sharply into the focus of public attention in the Starlight Musicals series of 1949. Last season she more than lived up to her earlier promise by sing ing (and singing beautifully) the roles of "Princess Margaret" in "The Student Prince" and "Countess Olga" in "The Great Waltz." In all these she proved to have, in addition to a top-calibre voice, a beguiling personality and a well-developed sense of humor. But Miss. Browne had made a name for herself in radio before she ever stepped foot upon a stage in professional roles: she was chosen by tenor James Melton to sing with him on International Harvester's "Harvest of Stars" program. She has made a number of stage and radio appearances during this past winter.
DOIN* WHAT COMES NATUR'LLY WHO DO YOU LOVE, I HOPE? Folks are dumb where I come from, they ain't had • • it Who do you love, I hope? Who would you kiss, I any learning, r-&. hope? Still they're nappy as can be, doin' what comes " "&" Who is it going to be? I hope, I hope, I hope it's me. natur'lly; Who do you want, I hope? Who do you need, I hope? Folks like us could never fuss with schools and books Who is it going to be? I hope, I hope, I hope it's me! and learnin', Is it the baker who gave you the cake? I saw that Still we've gone from "A" to "Z", doin' what comes look in his eye— natur'lly; Is it the butcher who gave you a steak? Say that it is Doin' what comes natur'lly! and I'll die! You don't have to know how to read or write when Who do you love, I hope? Who would you kiss, I you're out with a fellow in the pale moonlight. hope? You don't have to look in a book to find what he Who is it going to be? I hope, I hope, I hope it's me! thinks of the moon and what is on his mind. That comes natur'lly! That comes natur'lly! My uncle out in Texas can't even write his name, He signs his checks with "X-s", but they cash them just the same— If you saw my paw and maw you'd know they had I COT LOST IN illS ARMS no learnin', I got lost in his arms and I had to stay, Still they raised a family, doin' what comes natur'lly; It was dark in his arms and I lost my way, Doin' what comes natur'lly! Doin' what comes From the dark came a voice, and it seemed to say, natur'lly! "There you go—there you go—" How I felt as I fell I just can't recall, But his arms-held me fast and it broke the fall, THEY SAY IT'S WONDERFUL And I said to my heart as it foolishly kept jumping They say that falling in love is wonderful, all around, It's wonderful, so they say, I got lost but look what I found. And with a moon up above, it's wonderful, It's wonderful, so they tell me, I can't recall who said it, I know I never read it, I only know they tell me that love is grand, and, The thing that's'known as romance is wonderful, wonderful, In ev'ry way, so they say. •*: sum
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TICKETS NOW-ALL PERFORMANCES - ROSS-BABCOCK TRAVEL AGENCY - CLAYPOOL HOTEL- Rl. 5417 Atice Smith
The part of Winnie Tate is Alice Smith's biggest (and first pro fessional) role to date. This is not surprising when you know that she just graduated from Shortridge High School this month. Born in Indianapolis, Miss Smith started dancing at the age of three, and hopes to continue dancing all her life! She appeared in the Teen-Age shows given at the Fair Grounds in 1949 (Chalet) and 1950 (Heavens to Betsy), in the latter of which she was charged with the responsibility of directing all the dance numbers.
Charles Dosch There is a kind of solid, suave, dependable talent that belongs to Charles Dosch and to the very few others who are like him. It is a talent that gained him recognition in New York when he was only twenty years old (the lead in "On Call"), and that won him a perma nent place in the great Stuart Walker stock company, both in Cincin nati and Indianapolis. It is the kind of reliable performing that made him a pillar of the Indianapolis Civic Theatre, and that makes him one of the indispensable standbys of all theatrical activities in Indian apolis. For Mr. Dosch does more than play his roles with artistry and intelligence; he is an important part in the fundamental seriousness which underlies these attempts to build one of the nation's outstanding summer seasons in Indianapolis. Last season Mr. Dosch took over some of the all-important sup porting roles without which no production can hang together. He was the-dictatorial "Von Mark" in "The Student Prince," the worldly-wise "Vicomte Ribaud" in "The New Moon," the harried "Burgomaster" in "The Red Mill" and the sophisticated Impresario of the Peterhof Gardens in "The Great Waltz."
Vernon Roth
Vernon Roth refers to his considerable stage experience as his hobby; the concensus is that he could have made a successful profes sional career of it. A native of Indianapolis, he is familiar to most local theatre-goers from his long association with the Indianapolis Civic Theatre and the various summer seasons here. Seen in the Starlight Musicals 1950 productions of "The New Moon" (as "M. Beaunoir"), "The Red Mill" (as "Willem" the Inn keeper) and "The Great Waltz" (as "Dreschler" the concertmaster).
>OL HOTEi Melvin Ross
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...••. An old saying goes "If you want something to be done, ask a busy man to do it". :.:.••• ' " •
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• ... •• • . . :. : ; ... • :Vf.:v;i ".: • • • • • Melvin T. Ross, newly-elected president of the Indianapolis Theatre Association, Inc., and General
..•..:• Manager of Starlight Musicals, is the already-busy man who assumes, and carries out, full responsibility for
•••::. -:.•. ' • all business details of the series—before it starts, while it is going on, and after it has ended.
: Mr. Ross started his theatrical-managerial career many years ago, in Boston, and was subsequently :': 'U i road manager for some of the country's leading attractions; he was also personal manager for various famed theatrical figures.
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• He was manager of the Indianapolis Centennial Series in 1947, and has been a dominant figure in the development of summer musical activities here. He is manager of "Theatre Productions, Inc."—holder of the Indianapolis franchise of the United Booking Office, which brings all "legit" attractions to the Murat Theatre. He is also president of the Ross-Babcock Travel Agency.
He is never too-busy to try one thing more, if he thinks it is for the good of Indianapolis; he believes
••..•.. that summer musical entertainment is a necessity for any city worthy of the name. He believes that Hoosiers
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TICKETS NOW- ALL PERFORMANCES - ROSS-BABCOCK TRAVEL AGENCY - CLAYPOOL HOTEL - Rl. 5417 Charles Hedleg
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Charles Hedley's most cherished ambition for many years has been to establish outdoor summer enter tainment on a permanent basis in Indianapolis. He started his work toward this end as far back as 1944. Mr. Hedley is as brilliantly qualified to take the lead in the practical side of outdoor shows, as he was to conceive and inaugurate them. He starts this year his third season as producer of Starlight Musicals, blending with consummate skill all the elements of the light-opera stage. Before he entered the production end of theatrework, Mr. Hedley was for several years principal tenor of the American Opera Company—under the batons of Eugene Goossens, Albert Coates and others—and played leading roles in a number of Broadway light operas. Mary Garden once called him "the best singing actor in America". He was trained under Vladimir Rosing and Ruben Mamoulian in the tradition of the Moscow Art Theatre. Indianapolis' initial success with operetta was based on Mr. Hedley's staging and conducting of al fresco operettas, first in Garfield Park in 1944 and later here at the Fair Grounds. He was Operetta Music Director and Conductor for the "Stars Under the Stars" series in 1947 and 1948, and has been Producer of Starlight Musicals since 1949.
PERFORMANCES-ROSS-BABCOCK TRAVEL AGENCY Malcolm Beggs
Malcolm Lee Beggs, top-flight character actor of Broadway, and for the past five years Director of the summer theatre of East Orange, New Jersey, joins the staff of Starlight Musicals this year as Stage Director.
Until recently, Mr. Beggs has been one of the only four characters (the Father) in this season's Broad way hit "The Moon is Blue". Others of his many Broadway roles include that of "Teddy Brewster" in "Arsenic and Old Lace" and "Boss Tweed" in "Up in Central Park". He played the Murat in both these attractions on tour.
Mr. Beggs inherited his love of, and talent for, the stage. His father was Lee Beggs, one of the pioneer motion picture directors; his mother was a noted comedienne, Doris Singleton. He made his first stage appearance at the age of five, in "Davy Crocket", and has spent most of his time on stages ever since.
In addition to his all-important work as Stage Director this summer, Mr. Beggs will take character roles in each of the productions.
He will be seen as "Pisoni" in "Song of Norway" (June 26-July 1), "Major Gordon Lillie" ("Pawnee Bill") in "Annie Get Your Gun" (July 3-8), in "The Firefly" (July 10-15), "Louis XIII" (King of France) in "The Three Musketeers" (July 17-22), and "Captain Andy Hawkes" in "Showboat" (July 31-Aug. 5).
TICKETS NOW - ALL PERFORMANCES - ROSS-BABCOCK TRAVEL AGENCY - CLAYPOOL HOTEL - Rl. 5417 Marguerite De Anguera
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Now at the head of the flourishing Indianapolis Academy of Theatre Arts, Marguerite De Anguera is a full-fledged Hoosier. With the intense seriousness of her Latin nature (she was born in Montivideo, Uruguay) she insists that her long stage career in New York and throughout the country was only building toward this: . that she settle down in a progressive midwestern city and work with and for its people on behalf of all the arts connected with the theatre. Miss De Anguera has lived in the United States since she entered Barnard College, from which she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a determination to follow professionally the career of dancing at which she had been working since childhood. In the course of an unusually short time, as dancing careers go, she had made her mark in the New York theatre world. She was a member of the Hanya Holm concert group for four years; she was also a member of the great Joos Ballet. She has toured extensively with the Edwin Strawbridge Ballet Company, and for three years was assistant to—and solo dancer for—Agnes De Mille. Her teachers included such ballet-magic names as Michael Mordkin, Ella Daganova, Tatiana Chamie, Anatol Vilzak and others. She has had leading Broadway dramatic roles in such productions as "The Eternal Road", "Music in the Air", "Dark of the Moon" and others, and has also played leads in a number of operettas —among them "The Desert Song", "The Vagabond King", "The Merry Widow". She first came to Indianapolis as choreographer for the 1948 "Stars Under the Stars" series. At the end of that season she returned to New York for a year—and came back to Indianapolis, in 1949, to stay.
NOW - ALL PERFORMANCES - ROSS-BABCOCK TRAVEL AGENCY - CLAYPOOL HOTEL - Rl. 5417 I Edwin Riltcliffe
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•/ . :".'. ' • , . ... . Under Edwin Biltcliffe's capable direction, the choruses for Starlight Musicals have performed with distinction since the series opened in 1949. . .. "... Mr. Biltcliffe has a solid foundation of American training received in Boston and New York. ••• •••:• .•:..:: ••?• '...:. : .... In addition to his career as piano-soloist with major orchestras, recitalist, and accompanist for such Metropolitan Opera stars as Eleanor Steber, Jan Peerce and others, he has been a distinguished choral director
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• ••• .'. .: • He began his work in training choruses and coaching operas as assistant to Fabien Sevitzky in Boston. At that time he was also assistant conductor and accompanist for the noteworthy St. Cecilia Society of Boston, preparing the choral works to be sung with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In 1942 he came to Indiana, at Dr. Sevitzky's invitation, as Dean of the Faculty and Choral Director of the Limberlost Music Camps. He joined the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in the autumn of that year as its official pianist, a position he still holds. Mr. Biltcliffe has been Choral Director of the Scottish Rite Men's Chorus for the past four years; he is assistant conductor of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and is Organist and Music Director of the Second Presbyterian Church of Indianapolis.
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TICKETS NOW-ALL PERFOl ICES - ROSS-BABCOCK TRAVEL CLAYPOOL HOTEL-RL 5417 ••••••..••.
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• '• • • ' ' ' '' • ..:..:. Renato WS».™^1i3':':j: Pacini
Renato Pacini, Starlight Musical's orchestra conductor for this season, is appearing on the Fair Grounds podium for the first time. But since he came to Indianapolis from Boston in 1938, he has become an indis pensable part of this city's musical life.
Immediately before he came here he was assistant concertmaster of the State Symphony Orchestra in Boston, and before that had been assistant concertmaster of the Boston Peoples Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Fabien Sevitzky.
Mr. Pacini is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston; he completed his studies in Rome. A native of Utica, New York, Mr. Pacini has conducted summer orchestras throughout New England.
A list of his Indianapolis musical activities includes his positions as assistant conductor and assistant concertmaster of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra; he is conductor of the Teen Sinfonietta, the Indian apolis Alumni Orchestra and the Indianapolis Sinfonietta, which consists of members of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
TICKETS NOW-ALL PERFORMANCES-ROSS-BABCOCK TRAVEL AGENCY - CL A YPOOL HOTEL- Rl. 5417 Town Rate
Tom Bate, this season's Stage Manager, is an accomplished actor who will also appear in the summer's shows. His extensive theatrical background has included musical come dies, dramas and operettas. A Chicagoan by birth, he made his debut with the late Philip Merivale in "Death Takes a Holiday", and his active career has spanned many a production up to the recent musical "My Romance." Mr. Bate's favorite role was that of "Father Shaughnessy" in "The White Steed"; other noteworthy Broadway appearances have included "The Lady Has a Heart," "Love's Old Sweet Song," "And Now Good bye," "The Gay Divorcee" and "Too Many Girls." He directed the Spring Lake, New Jersey, Stock Company for three seasons; the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera Company utilized his expert services as assistant director and as stage manager for two other sea sons. During 1948-49 he toured the country in the Schubert production of "The Merry Widow," and last season was general stage manager at the famous Paper Mill Playhouse in Milburn, New Jersey. Numerous television shows have added lustre to his name.
Doris Patston
A good comedienne, who can sing as well as be funny, is hard to find. But Doris Patston fills the bill in every particular. She was a permanent member of the Starlight Musicals company last year—as she will be this season—and the performances she turned in for 1950 audiences will be equalled in quality, and exceeded in quantity, for the audiences of 1951. Our repeat patrons will remember her from last season as the "Grand Duchess Anastasia" in "The Student Prince," as "Clothiide" in "The New Moon," as "Bertha" the Burgomaster's sister in "The Red Mill" and as "Greta" in "The Great Waltz." This season she is slated for the roles of "Mother Grieg" in "Song of Norway" (June 26-July 1), "Annie Oakley" in "Annie Get Your Gun" (July 3-8), "Mrs. Van Dare" in "The Firefly" (July 10-15), "Lady de Winter" in "The Three Musketeers" (July 17-22) and "Parthy Ann Hawkes" in "Showboat" (July 31-Aug. 5). Born in England, Miss Patston started out to be a concert pianist, but the late great Flo Ziegfeld changed all that. Recognizing her his trionic ability, he imported her to this country, and under his aegis she advanced to fame in musicals—much more rapidly, perhaps, than she might have advanced to musical fame had she stayed in the serious concert business. Miss Patston has played leads in the St. Louis "Muny" opera for fifteen years. A partial list of the Broadway productions in which she has taken leading roles includes "Sadie Thompson," "Therese," "A Kiss for Cinderella," "All the King's Horses," "Lovely Lady" etc. etc.— and on the road she has starred in, among many others, "The Student Prince," "Bittersweet" and "Rose Marie." She is rated a pioneer in television, and has sung on most of the great radio programs.
HOTEL- RI. 5417 Charles Aschwnann
Charles Aschmann is one of those people who can always be de pended upon to make the most of his part, bringing to it professional competence, intelligence of interpretation and understanding of the all-important nuances which can make or break a part. He first appeared in the Starlight Musicals series in 1949, and last season portrayed successively—and successfully—the roles of "Ruder" the Innkeeper in "The Student Prince," "Besac" a boatswain in "The New Moon," "Franz" the sheriff in "The Red Mill" and "Karl Hirsch" the fireworks expert in "The Great Waltz." Since last season Mr. Aschmann has continued his work as a member of the faculty of DePauw University (the Department of Speech), and his vocal studies at the University. He will be seen this year as "Father Nordraak" in "Song of Nor way" (June 26-July 1), "Charlie Davenport" in "Annie Get Your Gun" (July 3-8), "Herr Franz" in "The Firefly" (July 10-15), the "Count de Rochefort" in "The Three Musketeers" (July 17-22) and "Jake Greene" in "Showboat" (July 31-Aug. 5).
Charles Julian
Charles Julian has played varied musical comedy, operetta, vaude ville and night club roles. He has been seen in "Hellzapoppin' " and in "Count Me In" on Broadway and in variety of operetta roles with the Main Line Company in Berwyn, Pennsylvania. A native of New York, he was actually born on the R.M.S. Carmania between the United States and England. A dancer who does equally well as a lyric baritone, he studied music and voice at Columbia University. During three years in the Army Air Force he did shows throughout northern Europe and the United Kingdom, appearing with Burl Ives among other stars. Mr. Julian will appear as "Einar" in "Song of Norway" (June 26- July 1), "Tommy Keeler" in "Annie Get Your Gun" (July 3-8), "Pietro" Mr. Thurston's valet in "The Firefly" (July 10-15 ), "Aramis" the third musketeer in "The Three Musketeers" (July 17-22) and "Frank" in "Showboat" (July 31-August 5).
TICKETS NOW-ALL PERFORMANCES - ROSS-BABCOCK TRAVEL AGENCY - CLAYPOOL HOTEL - Rl. 5417 a *
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To serve the purposes of musical comedy, Butler and Annie were married a year later. Herbert and Dorothy Fields, authors of the book As a wedding present he gave her a partnership of "Annie Get Your Gun," have made a liberal in the show and her superior marksmanship soon ^p^ adaptation of the Annie Oakley legend but they was so evident that he retired from competition , are not guilty of exaggeration so far as her ability as a sharpshooter is concerned. Miss Oak' to devote himself to managing her business. ley's prowess was nothing short of fabulous, Sitting Bull's adoption of Annie also is at' and her feats have never been equalled. She tested to by the records. It was after this that could hit twcKinch flying balls by taking sight she was invited to join Buffalo Bill's Wild West *: in the shiny surface of a bowie blade; she shot cigarettes from her husband's mouth with a .22 Show, an association which made her an inter' and shot a dime from between his thumb and national celebrity. forefinger at thirty paces. With the same calibre Royalty payed homage to Annie on the Euro- & weapon she shot at 1,000 flying balls in succes' pean tour of the Buffalo Bill Show in 1887. sion and hit 943 of them, and, using three Twice Queen Victoria commanded private per' doublcbarreled guns, she punctured in mid'air formances; Edward, Prince of Wales, squired six balls sprung simultaneously from as many her about among the crowned heads of the con traps. tinent and arranged a match in which she beat Russia's Grand Duke Michael. In Germany Miss Oakley was born on an impoverished Annie shot a cigarette from the mouth of Wil' farm in Darke County, Ohio, in 1866. Her life % helm Hohenzollern. Years later, during World # story is a typical ragS'tO'riches saga such as War I, she wrote the Kaiser that she was sorry Horatio Alger would have been proud to dream she had been so accurate, and asked for another up. Her step'father, the support of her family, chance. rrose to death when she was four and she was but a few years older when she fired her first Annie announced her farewell performance shot from an old 40'inch Kentucky cap'and'ball in 1901. After it was over the show train, head' ing South for winter quarters, collided head'on rifle. The recoil broke her nose, but she kept on with another train. Frank Butler pulled the un' shooting and soon was supplying her family conscious Annie from the wreckage. In 17 hours f with game. M her chestnut hair had turned pure white. Doc The story of the show parallels fact when it tors said she would never move again, much less portrays Annie as selling fowl to Cincinnati shoot, but in five years she. was shooting better hotel keepers; it fails to mention that the real than ever. Annie was trying to pay off a mortgage on her Annie quit showbusiness entirely in 1916, family's farm. It is also a fact that Annie met taught marksmanship at Pinehurst, Nv C, and Frank Butler, the leading marksman of his day, at 56 could still do her six'ball, threcgun trick. TICKETS NOW-ALL PERFORMANCES - ROSS- BABCOCK TRAVEL AGENCY - CLAYPOOL HOTEL-Rl. 5417 STARLIGHT MUSICALS Presents Annic Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin Book by Dorothy and Herbert Fields Produced by and Staged under the Supervision of CHARLES HEDLEY Stage Direction by MALCOLM LEE BEGGS General Manager MELVIN T. ROSS RENATO PACINI, Conductor MARGUERITE DE ANGUERA, Choreographer EDWIN BILTCLIFFE, Chorus Director ARCO B. CONRAD, Settings WALTER BOHME, Master Scenic Artist CAST OF CHARACTERS (In the order of their appearance) Charlie Davenport Charles Aschmann Mac (property man) Donald Thiele Foster Wilson Edward Green Dolly Tate Emily Lemcke Winnie Tate Alice Smith Tommy Keeler Charles Julian Frank Butler Harold Patrick Annie Oakley Doris Patston Little Jake (her brother) Myron Koerhing Minnie Sally Sommer Jessie (her sisters) Penny Hebberd Nellie Anne Kinney Col. Wm. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) Charles Dosch Conductor Russell White Maj. Gordon Lillie (Pawnee Bill) Malcolm Beggs Chief Sitting Bull Robert Eckles The Young Brave (Ceremonial Dancer) Mary Ann Wilkinson Pawnee's Messenger Edward Green Major Domo Tom Wadelton Sylvia Sue Staton THE SINGING ENSEMBLE Ladies: Shirley Armstrong, Mary Cavanaugh, Carolyn Cravens, Charla Dockins, Ann Gamier, Marsha Garvin, Josephine Haboush, Janice McClain, Jacqueline Mead, Barbara Owings, Laure Ray, Helena Riegel, Molly Ann Robinson, Virginia Sferruzzi, Violet Shanklin, Sue Staton, Beverly Weevie, Carolyn Welch, Patty Wilson. Gentlemen: Frank Branigan, John Clark, Bert Coval, Brian Davies, Dean Duvall, Eli Gmil, Jr., Robert Howard, Robert Jacks, John Malloy, Richard Buerkle, Rodger Meyer, James Pelance, Eugene Poston, Donald Thiele, Russell White, Jerry Williamson, Richard Winternheimer, Louis Zook. THE CORPS DE BALLET Sally Babcock, Janet Sue Bassett, Luan Buckhorn, Lynn Cetterton, Mavie La Rue, Jean Perry, Mary Ruth Siebe, Alice Jane Smith, Joanne Soeurt, Mary Ann Wilkinson. TICKETS NOW-ALL PERFORMANCES - ROSS-BABCOCK TRAVEL AGENCY - CLAYPOOL HOTEL-Rl. 5417 SYNOPSIS OF SCENES ACT I SCENE 1: The Wilson House. A summer hotel on the outskirts of Cincinnati, Ohio. July. SCENE 2: A pullman parlor in an overland steam train. Six weeks later. SCENE 3: The Fair Grounds at Minneapolis, Minn. A few days later. SCENE 3A: The arena of the Big Tent. SCENE 4: A dressing-room tent. The same day. SCENE 5: The arena of the Big Tent. Later. ACT II SCENE 1: The deck of a cattle boat. Eight months later. SCENE 2: The ballroom of the Hotel Brevoort, New York City. The next night. SCENE 3: The Governor's Island ferry. Next morning. SCENE 4: Governor's Island. Near the Fort. Immediately following. MUSICAL NUMBERS ACT I Buffalo Bill Charlie and Chorus I'm a Bad, Bad Man Frank, Girls' Chorus and Ballet Doin' What Comes Naturally Annie, Children and Wilson The Girl That I Marry Frank You Can't Get a Man with a Gun Annie Show Business Annie, Frank, Buffalo Bill and Charlie They Say It's Wonderful Annie and Frank Moonshine Lullaby Annie, Trio and Children I'll Share it All with You Winnie and Tommy Circus Dance to Wild West Company Reprise: Show Business Annie My Defenses are Down Frank and Men's Chorus Indian Dance Corps de Ballet I'm An Indian Too Annie Adoption Dance Annie and Ballet Reprise: You Can't Get a Man with a Gun Annie ACT II Lost in His Arms Annie Who Do You Love Winnie, Tommy and Chorus I Got Sun in the Morning Annie and Chorus Reprise: They Say It's Wonderful Annie and Frank Reprise: The Girl That I Mary Frank Anything You Can Do Annie and Frank Reprise: Show Business Chorus Finale: They Say it's Wonderful Company MUSICAL NUMBERS STAGED BY MISS DE ANGUERA STAFF Tom Bate, Stage Manager; William Schumacher, Orchestra Manager; Robert Long, Publicity Director; Claude Koontz, Chief Technician; Arco B. Conrad, Master Carpenter; Martin Lamer, Master of Properties; William Webb, Sound Technician; Kenneth Lemons, Make-Up; Beatrice Fink, Assistant Publicity; Earl Gordon and Robert Burford, Pianists and Assistants to the Chorus Director. CREDITS Costumes by HOOKER-HOWE COSTUME CO., Haverhill, Mass. Lighting by DUWICO of New York Pianos for Starlight Musicals exclusively from the WILKING MUSIC COMPANY, 120 N. Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis ALL '•:%>...... living ^entut F there were such a title as "composer laureate," The best-known, most prolific and successful of it should be bestowed upon Irving Berlin, whc American song writers, Mr. Berlin is an extremely I has richly deserved it by contributing more of modest, shy, sentimental and somewhat nervous his work for the benefit of his country than any person. He abhors crowds, and speech-making writer of music in history. In the first World War, frightens him to such an extent that once, when he wrote "Yip, Yip, Yaphank" and in the second he was suddenly called upon to give a talk, he "This Is The Army," both of them complete and composed a song on the spot and sang it instead. vasdy successful musical revues; for the Treasury He doesn't consider inspiration an important Department he wrote "Any Bonds Today" factor in creative work. "Inspiration," he says, and "I Paid My Income Tax Today;" he did "seems to mean a special mood a person has to get "Arms For the Love of America" for Army Ordi' himsdf into to do what is, after all, just a job. nance and "I Threw A Kiss Into the Ocean" for Most of my songs have been written deliberately, Navy Relief. In addition, he wrote 'The Presi a little sulkily, while my business associates stood dent's Birthday Ball" in aid of the late President around me in a circle, assuring me that if I didn't Roosevdt's Infantile Paralysis Fund and allocated come through with a hit soon, our publishing busi the proceeds of "God Bless America" to several ness would go on the rocks." youth organizations. Some years ago, in London, some newspapermen deplored the fact that a writer of ragtime was Writing the songs for "Annie"—there are fif' earning more money than the Prime Minister, and teen of them—was work, says Mr. Berlin, but it also scoffed at Mr. Berlin's claim that he could was also fun. It was work because it was different write a song at will. One evening, he invited a from what he had been doing in the past few years and a good deal more difficult. And it was group of them to come to his hotel suite and asked fun, he adds, because everyone connected with the them for a title to which he would write words production is an expert in his or her line. and music while they waited. One of the carping critics, none too subtly, suggested "The Humbug In fact, he has found the experience so satisfy Rag." In exactly twenty-nine minutes, Mr. Berlin ing that he hopes to remain in the theatre instead played and sang the words and music of a catchy, of devoting a large share of his time and energy thoroughly acceptable ballad. The cheers were for to motion pictures. Mr. Berlin and the drinks on the boys. • //• *.. •<" < :m-WiM:M wmmmmmBmmm THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS THE CIRL THAT I MARRY There's no business like show business, like no The girl that I marry will have to be business I know, i As soft and as pink as a nursery. Ev'rything about it is appealing, ev'rything the traffic The girl I call my own will allow, Will wear satins and laces and smell of cologne; Nowhere could you get that happy feeling, when you Her nails will be polished and in her hair are stealing that extra bow. She'll wear a gardenia and I'll be there There's no people like show people, they smile when 'Stead of flittin' I'll be sittin' they are low, Next to her and she'll purr like a kitten, Yesterday they told you you would not go far, A doll I can carry the girl that I marry must be. That night you open and there you are, Next day on your dressing room they've hung a star, Let's go—on with the show! YOU CANT CET A MAN WITH A CUN I'm quick on the trigger, with targets not much I COT THE SUN IN THE MORNINC bigger than a pinpoim I'm number one, But my score with a feller is lower than a cellar, Cot no diamond, got no pearl, still I think I'm a Oh, you can't get a man with a gun. lucky girl, When I'm with a pistol, I sparkle like a crystal, < I got The sun in the morning and the moon at night. Yes, I shine like the morning sun, Cot no mansion, got no yacht, still I'm happy with But I lose all my luster when with a bronco buster, what I've got, Oh, you can't get a man with a gun. with a gun, I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night. With a gun, no, you can't get a man with a gun. Sunshine gives me a lovely day, moonlight gives rrie If I went to battle with someone's herd of cattle, the Milky Way, You'd have steak when the job was done, Cot no check-books, got no banks, still I'd like to But if I shot the herder they'd holler bloody murder, express my thanks, And you can't get a hug from a mug with a slug, I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night. Oh, you can't get a man with a gun. And with the sun in the morning and the moon in the evening I'm all right! MY DEFENSES ARE DOWN My defenses are down, she's broken my resistance, ANYTHINC YOU CAN DO And I don't know where I am, Anything you can do, I can do better, I went into the fight like a lion, but I came out I can do anything better than you, like a lamb, No you can't! Yes, I can! No, you can't! Yes, I can! My defenses are down, she's got me where sne wants No, you can't! Yes, I can! Yes, I can! me, Anything you can be, I can be greater, And I can't escape no-how. Sooner or later I'm greater than you, I could speak to my heart when it weakened, but No, you're not! Yes, I am! No, you're not! Yes, I am! my heart won't listen now. No, you're not! Yes, I am! Yes, I am! Like a toothless, clawless tiger, like an organ grinder's I can shoot a partridge with a single cartridge, bear, I can get a sparrow with a bow and arrow, ^.ike a knight without his armor, like Samson without I can live on bread and cheese; his hair, Arjd only on that? So can a rat! My defenses are down, I might as well surrender, An> note you can reach, I can go higher, hor the battle can't be won, I can sing anything higher than you, but I must confess that I like it, so there's nothing No, you can't! Yes, I can! No, you can't! Yes, I can! to be done, No, you can't! Yes, I can! No, you can't! Yes, I can! $ * Yes, I must confess that I like it, being mis'rable is No, you can't! Yes, I can! No, you can't! Yes, I can! gonna be fun. Coming! GLORIOUS PRODUCTIONS * * THE FIREFLY (July 10-15) • With PEGGY ENGEL-FRANK MELTON-MELTON MOORE PATTI BROWNE-ROBERT ECKLES and CHARLES ASCHMANN Hit Tunes: Giannina Mia—When a Maid Comes Knocking at Your Heart, etc. * * • THE THREE MUSKETEERS (July 17-22) With HAROLD PATRICK-BETTY ANN BUSCH-WILLIAM COOK DORIS PATSTON-ROBERT ECKLES-CHARLES DOSCH-VERNON ROTH Hit Tunes: Queen of My Heart—All for One and One for All, etc. • • * • RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN MUSIC FESTIVAL (July 24-29) With GAIL MANNERS-PATTI BROWNE-FRANK PARRISH MELTON MOORE—DORIS PATSTON-CHARLES JULIAN Hit Tunes from South Pacific: Carousel—Allegro—Oklahoma—State Fair * • • * • » SHOW BOAT I ^ (July 31-Aug. 5) ^ With GAIL MANNERS-MELTON MOORE-MALCOLM BEGGS-RUTH WEBB DORIS PATSTON-CHARLES JULIAN-ALICE SMITH Hit Tunes: OV Man River-Bill—Can't Help Lovin' That Man, etc. COMPLETE CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA-CORPS DE BALLET ' RESPLENDENT COSTUMES • GORGEOUS SCENERY TICKETS NOW!!! ALL ATTRACTIONS PRICES (Tax fncfj: Res. Seats: $3, $2.40, $1.80, $1.20 • Gen'l Adm.: 90c Q BOX OFFICES: Daily, 10-5:30 «^> J Ross-Babcock Travel Agency, Claypool Hotel, Ri. 5417 TJ) SHOW NIGHTS: Fair Grounds from 6:30 p.m. -^ Published by PROGRAM PUBLISHING COMPANY 1472 Broadway • New York 18, N. Y.