Memo from Eddie Jaffe Associates (New York, New York) to Harold Minsky (Las Vegas, Nev.), March 9, 1967

Eddie Jcxffe Associates, Inc. 156 West 48th Street New York 36, New York, U.S.A. Phone: Clrcle 5-7355 March 9, 1967 MEMO TO: Mr. Harold Minsky I believe that with the show in Chicago fo r 4 weeks that the time can be used to prepare a d ifferen t version of the show for a summer tour. I believe that you require fo r the summer tents a name, not necessarily a burlesque name. Merely to get you started thinking of th is, any one of the follow ing would do: 1 . ) Van Johnson, who started in burlesque with Minsky? s and oould talk about what it was like in the old days. 2 . ) Any younger personality, singer or comedian, who can both talk about what should be saved from burlesque and who can also handle the introductions which would serve to tie the show together. I f a comedian, he could use gag routines about the Minsky g ir ls , etc. to introduce the various numbers, e tc. I w ill try to get from Norman Weiss, a complete rundown of the criticism the summer tent people had of the show as they saw it and try to do the show with these elements removed and make it a stronger attrac?tion. I think that the emphasis should be on the differences between this and the Corio show. Nothing should be used which would lead them to say, "Oh, we saw that in the Corio Show." I f we can find the right elements to make the show unique and d iffe re n t, we should consider bringing the show into New York fo r several weeks - even in an off-Broadway theatre, so that we could take ad?vantage of the New York publicity to help the summer tents. The ideas I have are far less expensive than the production numbers which were in the Burlesque F o llie s. The important elements of the show are: a . ) The Minsky name. b . ) The name of the performer selected to be the m.c. of the show. c . ) The comedians and the scenes. d . ) The strippers. (I believe that the show requires a strip number, possibly that of a specialty nature, a la Carrie F in ell, or what?ever else could be found. Possibly even a 4th couldn't hurt.) e . ) The show-girls with their pasties and the production numbers. I believe that pace may be something they missed. Ann Corio had the authority to pick up the show, make it move faster and to get the comics to cut lines arid bits of business. I believe that the success of the show depends a great deal on tempo and how sw iftly it moves. 2 . * * *