The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-01-12
In New York
BY GEORGE ROSS

New York, Jan. 12 - The Stage: If you've perused the Broadway news this year, you must have heard great deal about Orson Welles and the Mercury Theater. It was earlier this season that the Mercury set up revival of Julius Caesar" on a shoestring bankroll and made it the most important theatrical event of the year. Then the Mercury put on Marc Blitzstein's fiery operetta, "The Cradle Will Rock" and it became the largest sensation since Waiting for Lefty" by Clifford Odets.
 Now the Mercury, rich and self assured, has staged another hit. And this time it is Thomas Dekker's 17th Century comedy, "The Shoemaker's Holiday" This is merry, ribald farce that speaks out on matters amorous. No punches pulled; the ac- tors assume that the audience has been taught the facts of life.
 Prosperity Was Mercurial
 As usual the Mercury has gone about its business inexpensively, let ting simple array of slatting serve for effective scenery. And the acting is the best to be seen anywhere around the current Rialto. Mean while, the Mercury had to go out and find Broadway accommodati tions for "The Cradle Will Rock" which now neStleS at the Windsor and shows a profit. And so from an as- piring, youthful group with a treas ury of about hundred dollars, the Mercury has grown up, is now one of the most powerful and affluent stage organizations.
 | Its success was celebrated at a backstage party the other night. The leading libation was champagne and the buffet looked like a Waldorf Astoria banquet. The host at this festivity was the guiding genius Of the movement; young MT. Welles at the age of p now stands as the most striking figure in the show bus mess. MT. Welles has done fairly well by himself, too; for he now gets around in a liveried limousine, is the squire of a rustic mansion at Snee- den's Landing and is directly re- sponsible for the jobs of couple of hundred people.
 $150,00O Yawn
 Alice Alexander who, they say, used to be Ziegfeld show girl, is the producer of musical show called Right This Way" which rep resents an investment, they added, of $150,000. The Great Glorif1er himself would have considered that formidable sum of money. Not that Right This Way" looks as if it cost that much, for goodly parcel of the money was spent in transport ing the show to repair shops around the country.
 During its travels, you may recall, Right This Way" was the object of some front page publicity. There was the occasion when Brad Greene the sailor who wrote the songs, ap- pealed to the White House for a re- prieve from his enlistment term in the navy. Or his sweetheart did. Not that the quality of his songs is worthy of executive clemency. But they are pleasant enough, as popu- lar songs go. s.t
 From various amusement places comedy Alice Alexander has as- sembled a number of amiable peo- pie to entertain, including Tam ara, the glarnorous Moscovite who once achieved fame hereabouts when she sang song entitled Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" Joe Lewis, the night club clown, is in it and so is Blanche Ring. whose anthem, Rings on Your Fingers" was the favorite tune of your el- ders in their youth. But, on the whole, Right This Way" isn't $150,O00 worth of anybody's money. ziegfeld would have been the first to conflde as much to his pretty pro-