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wwmmmmm SUPER'SPECTACLE By FRITZ BLOCKI ?╟≤ a backdrop, with ribbons o A brilliant new facet of sum-searchlight beams sweepin Gardena, Valley News (Cir. 17,450} JUW 11 1959 imer, outdoor theatrical enter- Itainment was given a sparkling land exciting debut last night at IMar ineland,. located on the ocean [front in the Palos Verdes area. I This is. correctly labelled a ?╟úStar- Jlight Spectacular,?╟Ñ and it is.ex- gactly that, a beautiful musical j stage extravaganza played be- I fore a huge glistening pool of 1 water in which mermaids often cavort, while the night sky, I twinkling With stars, serves as i tickets at box office, So. CAIIF. MUSIC CO., All MUTUAL AGENCIES m MARINELAND?╟╓S _ STARLIGHT SPECTACULAR (All Seats' $S44) Frank Sennes?╟╓ deal with Marine- land veepee William F. Monahan to stage an aqua show^mderDonn Arden?╟╓s direction at Bfle fish em- porium has all the ingredients three-ring-circus plus the added ap- peal of mermaids. The aqua show looks to shape up as one of Southern California?╟╓s biggest out- door tourist attractions. For this outing under the sky, Sennes and Monahan have con- structed a large -oval pool that fronts the stage in an amphithea- tre that looks to accommodate 3 000 persons. Similar to the Rouge stage layout, several runners have been extended from the stage to the pool so the show gals and dancers can stream by while show- ing off their wares. The_ orchestra is pitted to the right of the aud- ience and in the left P?.c ^ . ve^ stage, visible enough to all, bu not in view to distract the crowd. As for the show, Arden has pulled two of his Moulin Rouge production numbers?╟÷?╟úAmericana _ rd ?╟ ^ricana?╟╓?╟╓-and peppered them with two new Mj Lar nival?╟Ñ, and ?╟úCircus Time ?╟÷and voila a lavish, spectacular that draws oohs and ahs throughout.^ The big top effect unfolds during intervals wherein clowns, trapeze artists and ^ts of beautify ffirls run a gamut of climbing ders and fall into the waj#V danc- ing and singing, tp the musical batoning of Bryan Parnum. Especially impressive are tne Aqua-Belles, who, under the direc- Sonof Jane fM Xggf swim-manship with all the P,5|| and grace of a ballet troupe, costumes are brilliant and a cred mMhmbbi theoriginal music and lyrics by the big a bite for good entertain ment. through and the lights of an air plahe cutting the night horizo. now and then. There is nothing like this in the southland, and both regular residents and tourists should make this a ?╟úmust?╟Ñ on their agenda. Marlineland, v^hich has a fabulous aquarian exhibit and, piscatorial circus during the day time, used to close when the sun went down. Now with the [arrival of this stage and aqua ispectacle, presented by Frank jsennes/impressario of the Mou llin Rouge, and William Mona- fhari, manager of Mariqeland: Ithe place will be open every! Inight, except Mondays, so while Ithe finny denizens are snoozing,! jjthis new group of human deni ;ens will be cavorting. Usual Sennes Qualify The show is as brilliant and spectacular as the shows which have made Sennes famous at| the Moulin Rouge. This aqu 9 'spectacular was staged and di reeled by Donn Arden, who har gained fame similarly at th Moulin Rouge. Original music1 and lyrics are by Lenny Adel- son and Lynn Murray, Pony Sheriff and Phil Moody, with or- chestra conducted by Bryan Far-! num. . The type of entertainment of- fered ranges from colorful West- ern numbers, to bizarre African voodoo rituals, a Carnival of Venice providing musical gaiety on the Grand Canal, these in- terlarded with several specialty acts of a high order, leading to a Circus Time finale, the entire lopped by a brief display of fire- works. Thus the show literally /inds up in a big bang, and it |should be a similar big hit. Staging Is Superb The colorful musical numbers chores superbly. The final segment, C i r c u si Time, is highlighted by an aerial! act, called The Sky Devils who perform acrobatics from the top; of a rig which stretches into the I night sky for a distance of 1201 feet. The slightest error would? mean death. There are also the Iff. Dilly Daffies, a comedy swim- ming act plus a baby elephant. Appeal for Everyone This ?╟úStarlight Spectacular?╟Ñ is me -------- well named . . . it is exactly that! are beautifully Staged with fbe.] ^ offers over two hours en-fa s Kxr finA cinor- tertainment, in a beautiful noc- turnal .setting which can bef found nowhere else in this area. This will appeal to every age bracket, f r om, youngsters to I vocalizing handled by fine sing- lers, both male arid female, in- I eluding Betty Ancona, Maria ?√ß Caruso, Lee Green, Les James, ?√ß Barbara Loren and Brice Yar- Inell. In the Corral Hoedown, spe- cial acts include the four Hiawa | tha Liberty Ponies,", Paul and_______ I Paulette, a fine trampoline act, ^ke it and Irwiri Harvey, a tuxedo 1 clown who winds Up in the pool in hilarious fashion. The Afri- I cana series is spectacular in all I respects, with fire dancers and l a human sacrifice, plus the Los [Gatos Trio, a tumbling act |jWhich is tops, and Jack Wallace. The latter is a superb come- dian who does costume panto- mimes of a satirical nature of such personalities as Elvis Pres I ley, an opera prima donna and I others. He is so uproarious he almost had the porpoises and I seals, which were sleeping iri J their own tanks at each side of [the stage, laughing out loud. Top Notch Variety Acts .. The Carnival of Venice fea- tures superb high diving by fa- mous swim stars, plus Mack | Brown and Willie Ferrell, Jane Aull and eight Aquabelles, which means swimming chorus girls, and the Wazzan Troupe, a breath taking tumbling act. Val *Inman, Russ' Saunders, and p a u 1 a Del handle the vocal MM............... ^ONFETTI adults. For something ;beautiful,BgjS \ exciting, and different, don?╟╓tpf^ Continued from Page 2 miss ?╟úStarlight sPectacM^aJ ,^high wigs, spangles and plumes Marineland. There s no lu g; 1nv # # . But the part I enjoyed mmf wfs the Marionettes, a dozen gregarious gray mice and a seductive, shocking-pink caterpillar (feather boa with great, jeweled vamp eyes), wbo. lures a snail out of his shell. A whimsical sequence, delicately handled, delightfully French . . t Costum- ing is unsurpassed. I still gasp at the pageantry of ?╟úMadama Butterfly.?╟Ñ The trick revolving stage, with its elevated levels, becomes a Japanese temple garden ?╟÷pagodas, blossoming' cherry trees, bridges all in creamy ivory. The oriental figurines in magnificent tapestry obis, masks,,, fans and ornate lacquered wigs are like exquisitely carved ivory goddesses sur- rounding a graceful ice-skating ?╟úMadama Butter- fly/' The elaborate trappings for this number alone cost $50,000 . . . Royal Ladies of the Court of Ver- sailles in white wigs and red velvet hooped ball gowns (minus the dickies) were oo-la-la ... So Were the druids arid water nymphs bathing in the spray and mist of a magic forest... However, pagan beauties were forgotten when our own local boy wonder from Hollywood's Left Bank, director Donn ?╟╓Arden, turned on the waterfall. The thunderous W1* cader"Tr mountain of water from floor to ceiling; surged forward in such a wild torrent for a minute I thought Norman Siegel (Photoplay) and Billy Wil- kerson (Reporter) were going to Scurry for higher ground. But then i guess they decided drowning wouldn't be so bad after all. Confetti Postscript Almost sunup when we floated smoothly back into the earth's atmosphere. Bill Ferree said sheepishly to girl reporter Susan Aven,:<<My wife will be happy to, know that little brunet in the front row has lous/ muscle tone.?╟Ñ Marinelpifd Programs Aqi/atic Show More than 40 of the : gedui, ,<>i. ?╟?i, tasiMs, plus 20 ", .!<' rj. ]-h,. ;a,-,,, , , lined ><;* tod#f on |he%tagetend ' if tegt pool at Mafineland?╟╓S Sea?╟╓ Arena for the first on-loeation rehearsal of Frank Sennes?╟╓ ?╟úStarlight, Spectacular Stage and Aqua Show.?╟Ñ wM The high kickers and high div- , ers, led by lovely Cecile Rogers, < Miss Starlight?╟Ñ of the star- studded troupe, ran through four production numbers, three acts and a water ballet which fea- tured the ?╟úSennes Synchro- nettes.?╟Ñ The Synchronettes are nine shapely young ladies who were selected after months of tryouts for the precision swimming and diving routines with which they; will chum up the. 500,000-gal loir' pool in the big Sea Arena. Their aquatic director is blond, slen- I, der Jane Aull, 24, former swim I teacher at the Los Angeles Ath- I k letic Club. , I POLISHED DIRECTOR j?╜ The entire company polished j Its performance under the ! watchful eye of director Bonn L ! Arden, who has staged-*t!Te | many successful shows at : Sennes' Moulin Rouge theater- ! restaurant in Hollywood. Arden | just returned from Paris, i where he put together another ; show for the renowned tm- presario. The world premier of ?╟úStar- light Spectacular?╟Ñ will fee held at 9 p.m., June 9, with hundreds of newsmen, show business stars and civic dignitaries in attend- ance at the 3000-seat Sea Arena. The two-hour show will run nightly, * except Mondays, all through the summer at the scen- ic spot beside the ocean, 'midway between Redondo Beach and San Pedro. Seats are priced at $3 and $4 for the $200,000 produc- tion.