The Chicago whip. (Chicago, Ill.) 1919-19??, 1928-06-23
Rang Tang Rings With Dancing And
Foresome Singing At Woods Theatre

Edward Daley's Rang Tang" opened
at Woods theatre last Sunday eve.
with a combination of jazzy songs,
dance and comedy that in some re-
spects renewed the loop districts inter
est in colored shows. Especially the
comedy and dancing. l have an idea
that the length of "Rang Tangs stay in
Chicago will be determined more or less
on just how long it will take the first
warders to get glimpse Of the male
quartette and the dancing of four boys,
Alta Blake. Eddie Whitefield, Blake
Morris and Newly and the comedy.
The balance you will like because you
think Alberta Prime pretty, Mimic Cato
possessed with a charming voice and
Lena Wilson competent Of singing
blues as you like to hear them sung.
That she doesn't prove it in her several
appearances at the Woods is due to
an apparent desire to show that she
can aid Lillian Westmoreland in dish
MS O44C llal4 4lOuL VI oSdAlAoA oA4N a
poor selection of blues songs. As wit
messed evidence of the latter it was
quite difficult to refrain from sream-
ing out loud: turn her aloose".
Quartette Scream
The big hit of the performance is the
singing of the PAN American -Four.
AS they cut aloose with Mary Ann"
song we had considered Noble Sissle
copyright, I simply could not resist
giving vent to my emotions. This
later, when they came back with a
spiritual number, I was affected even
more, and there was evidence of the
assembled patrons feeling the same
way about them their songs and their
success on a program that appeared
slightly spasmodic with outright
class.
There is enough dancing and general
cutting up in Rang Tang" to supply
another good show and yet you like 1t
You like it, the dancing I mean, for the
reason that it is all good, and offers no
moments of monotony.
There is no particular plot to "Rang
Tang" 1t is more like vaudeville bill
with some splendid acts and others that
take up time. But the good ones. tho
far between are of sufficient induce
ment to make your trip to the Woods
worthwhile. Especially if you are early
enough to hear the Pan-American four
and see Blake and Whitfield dance.
| have always felt that Miller and |
Lyle made mistake in not carrying
out their original plans to bring |
Rang Tang to the middle-west /
when the production first opened /
more than one year ago, on New
York's famous Broadway. Last Sun
day night my contention was sub
stantiated by packed house that |
5aJg tbs enepl9g at the. .nieese. under.
the direction of Edward Daley at the
Woods theatre.
Miss Cato Sings
The principals in the show include,
Higgins and Byrd the comedians, Miss
Alberta Pryne picture in beauty, face
and form. Miss Cato, their queen in
voice, Lillian Westmoreland another
singer with a sweet voice and that new
er to be forgotten quartette. But they
do not 'lbunch" their hits, ian I'M
pardonable sin" in competition as the
baseball writer's say.
In many respects "Rang Tang" is
the equal of "Shuffle Along" espe-
cially the comedy and dancing and
after all comedy is supposed to be
the big hit of the sterling demonstra-
ton of dance and song now running
at the Woods theatre.
Again, not even Charlie Davis or
Tommy Woods tipped the light fan
tastc as artistically as did Rang
Tang's Alta Blake and Whitfield.
1t has become a habit to Judge loop
attraction with colored performers by
Shuttle Along" so suppose we hop on
the wagon. But that isn't fair for the
reason that there has been but one
Shuttle Along" And yet there are a
few things about Rang Tang" that
rank we'll with the great Shuttle Not
musically however, for Rang Tang"
offers no particular boast in it's pit or
on its stage except a trio entitled
you Made Me Love You by Misses
Westmoreland, Cato and Pryme and
the aforementioned quartette.-A.M.