Evening star., 1961-05-15

ALlOSd SOngSCreSS on q WaShlnl
opportunity that doesn't knoc
The land is not exactly overrur
In fact, the only one know
the United States these nights
is the one coming here, Her
name is Miriam Makeba and
she will be featured artist
the first he's ever taken on tour
with Harry Belafonte when
he opens the Carter Barron
Amphitheater season June Is
through July 2.
Miss Makeba was born some
20 years ago in Prospect Town.
ship, johannesburg. South
Africa. and grew up there amid
the indignities of apartheid. In
due course she became a house.
maid, then escaped that career
by way of recordings. Her
biggest fame in her native land
came as the star of an African
musical, King Kong" (about
an African prizefighter, not
that big ape of the movies.
This became a smashing hit
in spite of apartheid and Miss
Makeba made her United States
debut in late November, 1859.
Appearing at New York's Blue
Angel and Village Vanguard,
she Immediately won a host of
admirers, none more enthusi-
astic than Mr. Belafonte. He
has called her "one of the most
original and expressive song
stresses about"
Miss Makeba sings not only
in the XhoSa language of her
native tribe dts pronounced
Kosa, by the way, but in Yid-
dish and English as well. She
also could sing in Afrikaans,
but she isn't likely to do So.
She told an interviewer once,
When they (the Afrikaans
enforcers of apartheid) sing in
my language. I'll sing in theirs"
Tickets for this amphitheater
opener went on sale today at
the Super Music City box
office, 1850 F street NV. Which
should be sufficient warning to
all who know what happens
when tickets for a Belafonte
appearance go on sale. They
sell fast. that's what happens.
AFTER DARK-Latest of the
movie types to seek the cabaret
loot is blonde Mamie Van
Doren. She's at the Lotus and
her presence should have all
students Of feminine architec-
ture flocking there during her
stay. 1t is an obviously expen-
SiVe act that has been put
together as a showcase for her
singing and dancing and it has
the Hollywood stamp of one
production number in at least /
questionable taste. In this one
Miss Van Doren sings "A Good
Man Is Hard to Find" while her
dancing aides. wearing amaz-
ingly lifelike masks. parade as
the good men she's found.
Churchill, Presley. Sinatra and
President Kennedy. Through il
all Miss Van Doren performs
with determination, in the man
ner of the understudy suddenly
lofted into the starring role.
She has the show memorized
perfectly. sings without forget
ting the lyrics and dances with !
out falling over her feet. But
she gives off few sparks. Maybe
when she gets over the tense
ness of a new effort in a new
field she will relax and some of
the likable off stage Van Doren
personality will come through
on stage. She may even yet
prove that. in the words of the
immortal Milton Berle, she has
talent she hasn't even used yet.
Other items: If you don't
think Charlie Byrd is way out,
man, you ought to see the post
card just arrived from his wife,
on tour with him in South
America. It's a picture of an
Indian herding llamas on a.
lofty Andean peak in Colombia.
That may not be as far out as
Charlie can get with a guitar.
but it's far enough. Anyhow, the
report is that the natives in
South America dig jazz the
most, in spite of which the
ByrdS will be back at the Show
Boat on June S. . It's too late
to do anything about it now,
but don't miss either Phyllis
Diller or Harry Snow the next
time either of them is in town.
They Joined forces at the Shore
ham Blue Room last week, for
as entertaining a supper club
show as has been seen in a
long time. Miss Diller is the
funniest gal to come along in
years, with material that's orig
inal and sense of timing that
is a delight. Mr.. Snow Is a
personable and robust singer
with a range that takes in
both baritone and tenor, who
can whisper a ballad or rattle
the rafters with Granada" and
he ought to be made to appear
here at least twice a year. :.
Opening tomorrow night at the
Blue Room, Comic Frank Fon-
taine. Opening tonight at
the Embassy room in the Stat
Ter Hilton Hotel, for a return
engagement, Sandu Scott.
OFF Observation-Disclosures
summer project to be awaited
with anticipation here is the
importation of a series of Off
Broadway plays by the WASH
ington Theater Club. There will
be five of these in all, staged
in the clubs playhouse at 1882
o street NV, beginning with
Cry Of the Raindrop" on June
6. Robert Paschell, who staged
the Lonny Chapman play to