JULY 1976

WHO CAN?

(The theatre-musical, Anyone Can Whistle, is playing Thursdays thru Sundays, 8:30 p.m. until July 24 at Cain Park's Alma Theatre, Superior and Lee in Cleveland Hts. Directed by Fran Soeder, featured in March's High Gear, the production is comprised of three acts and runs about two hours and fortyfive minutes. Admission is $2.00 for adults.)

The place: A not too distant town. The time: Now. The cast: A handful of corrupt politicians, a crusading nurse, a Dennis Foley doctor charmer, cookies, deputies, townspeople. The ingredients: A dab of Dali, a smattering of a King of Hearts scenario, imaginative choreography and set design, and superb direction in the vein of the Theatre of the Absurd. The result: A well-placed, top-quality slice of entertainment at a bargain price.

Authored by Steven Sondheim in 1964, Anyone Can Whistle has, unfortunately, had its share of historical problems. Considered one of Broadway's unluckiest shows, the production lasted only nine nights on the Big Apple. First, it ran out of money. Then there were two deaths in the cast, one on opening night when a musician was killed as a result of a dancer falling into the orchestra pit. Although the show was beset with misfortune, the critics lauded it as "way ahead of its time."

The story evolves around a mayoress of a corrupt town that is going bankrupt. In a desperate attempt to save their own skins, the town council manufactures a miracle of water flowing from a rock; tourists flock to see this eighth world wonder. Everything goes well until the townspeople get mixed up with the people from the town's mental institution (the Cookie Jar), and no one can successfully distinguish who is who. (Interestingly, the "cookies" have names like

F

HIGH GEAR

THE BOYS Calvin Levels, John Roccosalva, Steve Snyder, Jerry Saunders in the Cleveland Premiere of Stephen Sondheim's "Anyone Can Whistle" which began a four week run on July 2nd at Cain Park's Alma Theatre. Curtain Time is 8:30 p.m. For reservations, call 371-3000. The production is directed by Fran Soeder.

Variety spices the production. There is a 20 minute ballet scene, a brilliant segment called "The Interrogation" where attempts are made to separate the sane from the insane, a thoughtprovoking bedroom scene, and countless verbal subtleties in the script.

Galileo, Kirkegard, Thoreau, Flooccasionally graces the Shaker rence, etc.). Club stage as Lotta Goodbody. Though there were some kinks yet to be worked out on opening night, (erratic vocal acoustics due to the outdoor setting, occasionally uncoordinated dance ensembles, and bad timing on some lines), Anyone Can Whistle proves nonetheless to be one of the finest theatre productions to appear in Cleveland for some time.

Although Anyone Can Whistle is a message play, its politics never obstruct the light-hearted Gay people, who are often acentertainment. Joyce Heyburn is cused of being "sick" by reacexcellent as the vain, self-indultionaries, especially will enjoy gent mayoress and Michael this musical as traditionally hisSugarman and Christopher Rittoric values and mores are chie are particularly delightful thrown into question and guideas council idiots Chief Magruder lines for "sanity" or "insanity" (no kidding!) and Treasurer become irrelevant. Run, don't: Cooley. Gays will also recognize walk, to see Anyone Can "Cookie" Chuck Simonetti who Whistle. It is an evening, you are! guaranteed to find enjoyable.

HAPPY COOKIES Patty Johnson, John Roccosalva, Scarlett Schroeder, Jerry Saunders and Chuck Simonetti in the Cleveland Premiere of Stephen Sondheim's "Anyone Can Whistle" which began a four week run on July 2nd at Cain Park's Alma Theatre. Curtain time is 8:30 p.m. For reservations, call 371-3000. The production is directed by Fran Soeder.

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