MARCH 9, 1978, THE TIMES,, ,11 material, aside from Star show business circles. Wars and Close Encounters, The Act's book by George Meco has no recognizable Feurth reads like a story out material, leaving the audience of True Confessions. Story with a mere 50 minute con- line follows thusly: cert, most of that time being Spunky girl meets producer. monopolized by a 15 minute Girl gets a role. Star Wars production num- Girl and producer fall in ber that bordered on boring. love. Speaking with Carmine Wedding bells. Giovanazzo (keyboard player Divorce. for Meco) I found out that Girl fights to make it on the band's name comes from her own. producer Meco Monardo, Girl and producer get back After seeing the film, Star together. Wars, Meco was so impressed Happy ending. that he contacted Millenium The show's action takes records with the idea of a place on Michelle Craig's disco version of John (Liza Minnelli) opening night Williams' score. The record and premiere of her Las company bought the idea and Vegas nightclub act. Through Meco called in the band flashbacks we follow her "Lemon Tree" to assist in bumpy show biz past. the recording. The characters in Craig's A scene from The Act, a new musical starring Liza Minnelli On October 28 of last year, life are perfect stereotypes: the and also slurring Barry Nelson, Directed by Martin Scorsese, Meco's Cantina Band began fast talking "1*11 make you a The Act has a book by George Furth, music by John Kander, star" producer; Dan Con- The Meco Cantina Band; (clockwise) Tony Abruzzo (bass), their worldwide tour. lyrics by Fted Ebb and choreography by Ron Lewis. Presen- Utilizing the costumer of nors, played by Barry Nelson ted by the Shubert Organization, the new musical is a Feuer & Tommy Rocco (leadguitar), Tony Gcrace (lead vocal), Stan and Craig's homosexual Martin production. Its cast features: Arnold Soboloff, Mark Glogocheski (drums), and Carmine Glovanazzo (keyboards). the rock band, Kiss, the Meco band's costumes are a composer, arranger, Nat Goddard,<;aylc Crofoot, Roger Minami, Christopher Barrett, cross between Flash Gordon Schreiber (Arnold Soboloff). Laurie Dawn Skinner, Albert Stephenson, Brad Witsger, and the creature from Star Although Craig is having a Claudie Anbury, Wayne Cilenlo, Carol Estey, Michael Leeds. Wars bar scene. The concert rough go at a comeback, The scenwy is by Tony Walton, lighting design by Tharon AN EVENING OF CLOSE ENCOUNTERS was aided by some special ef- Schreiber assures Michelle Musser, costumes by Halston and sound design by Abe Jacob. fects which weren't all that that she can make it on her Previews began Oct. 22,1977, Opened at the Majestic Theatre Last Sunday, Craig Heard Kind, and Star Wars. special. own, and then dies on his Saturday evening, Oct. 29,1977. Martha Swop* Productions in association Following the Symphony's Meco has some fine piano. with the South Mountain somewhat pretentious medley, arrangements on their hands, Musically, the score by Arena presented an evening the Meco Cantina Band en- but it would appear that their John Kander and Fred Ebb And speaking of dancing, ching her vocals. Judging the of Close Encounters, tertained the crowds with success will come through is not near the quality of past Ron Lewis' choreography is show on its entertainment featuring the new recording their hit singles, Star Wars their recordings, not their collaborations for Caberet or electric and intricate, qualities, she would have group, Meco, Unfortunately, and Close Encounters. Un- concerts. Next assignment? Chicago, Although I did en- although "Turning" (which been better off just perfor- the evening was just (as the fortunately, Meco is more of Well, it's still in the makings, joy the numbers, "Arthur in is about exactly what the ming that "act", instead title suggests) a close encoun- a studio band than a live but Carmine assured me it the Afternoon", a look at song's title tells us It's about) of wading through the tear- ter at an entertaining concert. band, Meco uses a full sym- will be Super Man. noon-time rendezvous, belongs more in a circus. jerker script. Her numbers Opening the evening was phony in their recordings and cleverly danced by Minnelli are that magical, the New Jersey Pop, Jazz on stage they are limited to a THE ACT and Roger Minami, "City 1 was pleasantly surprised The Act is geared strictly Symphony, The Symphony conventional rock band (lead Liza Mlnnelli stars in this Lights": a love song to the to see what a good dancer for fans of Minnelli, I per- presented a musical collage, and bass guitar, moog and soap opera tale of the rough city, and "Little Do They Liza Minnelli is. She gives an sonally was let down by the featuring the theme music drums). life of a big time Hollywood Know": a dancer's lament, exhiliaratini performance show. The Act is playing at from 2001, Star Trek, Close Another oitfall to Meeo's star, trying to find happiness enthusiastically performed by during her "act" scenes, the Majestic Theatre on 44th Encounters of The Third touring success is their lack of and peace of mind in cruel /he Act's terrific dancers. providing she isn't lip syn- St. in New York. Mother Seton presents play Pastor cast in Harvard play YES solves spring Mother Seton Regional residents and attend Roselle Frank M. Pastor, a fresh- supervised by Eric Knight. High School, Valley Road, Catholic High School. Steven man at Harvard University, Rehearsals for the show are Clark, will present My Fair Frost of Rahway High School has been cast in Hasty Pud- intense, running eight hours a cleaning problems Lady on Thursday, Friday, will appear as Freddy Eyn- ding Theatrical's 130th day, six days a week for three and Saturday evenings, Mar- sford-Hill and the part of his production, A Thousand weeks. ch 16,17, and 18, at 8 pm in mother will be played by Lisa Clones. The cast of eighteen The weatherman tells us hostess helpers, and the school auditorium. This Kowals of Union. Glen was chosen after rigorous that winter will be with us for housework is another chore A Thousand Clones, a a few more weeks but the delightful romantic comedy Albright of Seton Hall auditions open to all male science fiction musical set in a they can handle successfully. was adapted by Alan Jay University will be featured as undergraduates. calendar steadily approaches future where sex is obsolete, the tim« Grandma called Lerner from George Bernard Eliza's father, Alfred P. opens in Cambridge February Businessmen have also Shaw's Pygmalion, and has Doolittle, The Hasty Pudding "Spring House Cleaning", a hired Youth Employment 22nd and plays 7 shows a time of serious scrubbing and been hailed by critics as one The production is under musical, a long-standing and week until March 23rd. From Service boys and girls as part- of the best musicals of the the direction of Reverend famous Harvard, tradition, cleaning, and refurbishing time office help and they there the production goes to the home. century It is the story of an Anthony J. Kulig with Sister dates back to 1844. There is New York City for a have also been hired to work English professor who tran- Thomas Mary Salerno as an annual competition for weekend, followed by a in warehouses and In retail sforms a Cockney flower girl musical director and Sister scripts, followed by a com- week-long engagement in To help you make your business shops. Businessmen into an elegant lady by Theo Furniss as coordinator. petition for the music. Bermuda. house even more beautiful, come back to us each year to teaching her to act and speak Tickets for reserved seats Although the play is student Frank, who has been Youth Employment Service hire YES boys and they tell us correctly, are S3 each and may be pur- written and produced, it is a named to the Dean's List for has in its files the names of they are very satisfied with Lori Richardson of Clark chased from Mother Seton professional production in all the first semester, plans to many young people, 14-18 their job performance. Call has the role of the high- students or directly from the respects, having a budget of major in biology or bio- years old who are skilled in 889-8333 to get the help you spirited Eliza Doolittle. school by calling Sister Mary over $80,000. anthropology and aspire to a home maintenance chores need. Professor Henry Higgins will Catherine Brennan at 382- Directing the career in medicine. He is the (cleaning basements, attics, be played by Richard Samiec 1952. Tickets will also be show will be professional son of Andy and Joyce cleaning and painting patio Students wishing to register and Joseph Caporaso will available at the door before Judith Haskell, while the Pastor of 1100 Cooper Road, furniture, taking down storm with YES may come to Room portray Colonel Pickering. each performance. music is being arranged and Scotch Plains. windows, washing windows, 109, Scotch Plains-Fanwood Both young men are Hillside etc) High School for their per- Th«y also handle garden mission slips and registration Opera comes and lawn work proficiently. cards. Permission slips are Our young women serve em- signed by either parent or to 'Shack' ployers by working as baby guardian and are returned to YES. A performance of sitters. They also do work as Mozart's The Magic Flute, Plans are being finalized by this Saturday, March sung In English, was presen- for the Scotch Plains- 11th.