Evening star., 1954-12-19
Subs
Lilo
CunCon'
BY Elsni

One Of New York's musicals
that continues to draw top
crowds Is Can Can"
When Rita Dimitri. formerly
Of washington, who is the
understudy for Lilo In the
show, says 1t. her continent
tai pronunciation makes the
shows title come out "Con
Con-"
The Athenian-born brunei
Is married to District Lawyer
Andrew D. Vozeolas. and when
she first came over from
Athens she played q long en-
gagement at. the Old New
Orleans restaurant here.
For the last six months she
has been in Can Can" ap-
pearing In Lilo's role each
Monday night. and has also
replaced Lilo in an emergency
appearance.
One New York audience had
the rare opportunity to COM
pare star and understudy in
the same evening. Lilo. who
plays la Nome Pistache" IN
the musical, got an attack Of
laryngitis during the perform
ance and the call went out for
Rita to take over in the sec.
ond act, which she did.
so Nervous
'I was so nervous because
Of everything. The costume
was too small. Lilo had o 80
bustline, I have 81. ! didn't
know whether the audience
would like having the stars
part switched over to the un-
derstudy, and ell sorts Of other
things you worry about when
you get the chance you've been
sitting. waiting and praying
for each night" said Rita
when we talked with her In
New York.
AFTER singing 7 Love Paris
and hearing the applause and
seeing even the orchestra rise
to applaud me. I just about
cried. the emotion was so
great" she added.
American show people are
wonderful, she thinks. adding
that every one is always happy
for you when you are a sue
cess. Though she says that
sometimes one record, one TV
appearance, or one movie can
make overnight success" she
agrees with q little sign she
once saw in a producers office.
It read: "It takes many, many
days of hard work to produce
an overnight success"
Loueh Infectious
Rita's infectious laugh fol-
lows about everything she says
to people. Right now In New
York, she related, there is q
big demand for voice and
dramatic coaches to teach for
eign dialects. Il come with five
built-in accents, Greek, Eng
Ilsh. French, Italian, and
Turkish" Rita noted.
Right now she Is being con-
sidered for q part In a new
Broadway musical. Seventh
Heaven" starring Gloria de
Haven.
Being an understudy Is
something Of q reverse role for
this brunei with personality
plus an appealing voice. She
previously starred In many
musicals in Athens, Paris, Is
tanbul, and other European
cities.
She has not discovered too
many differences between the
American and European the
ater. Talent, temperament,
heart. and humor are a part
Of stage people throughout the
world, says Can Cans" glam-
our girl.
She has found out that a
star in Europe has a lot more
to say about the show she's In
than she does here In America.
When she appeared on Max
Lebman's Spectacular" a
couple Of Sundays ago she
noticed that Jimmy Durante
wanted something done diff
ferently on the show. The pro-
ducer didn't think so. Result2
No change.
Loves Broadway
Rita loves being in q Broad
way production. Her under
study role may be q little
strange after all the top bill
ing she's been used to, but she's
emphatic about saying that
nowhere in the world is talent
more rewarded than here in
the States.
Every actress In Europe
would love TO see her name up
In lights-on Broadway best
Of all" says the charming
Greek beauty.