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Theater in the round offers its own unique problems for the orchestra and the dancers and choreographer. For the orchestra and the conductor, the "pit" at the Music Circus was small and confining, yet they were able to produce a full orchestra sound. With the only access being from above, the orchestra members had to enter the pit, before the house opened. For its production of "Wish You Were Here", the orchestra pit was waterproofed and filled with water for the swimming pool scene. On the other hand, the choreographer and the dancers had to contend with a small stage that had an edge to fall from in every direction. The rehearsal schedule was grueling—a new show every 7 days. (Of course, sometimes a popular show would be scheduled for a two week run which took a little pressure off.) The Actors' Equity Association's union rules had to be followed, which governed length of work days, days off, and time between shows and rehearsals. View a typical rehearsal week schedule. Edward Hunt Musical Director, 1950 Sylvan Levin Musical Director, 1953 Musical Director for the World Premier production of "To Hell with Orpheus" at the Music Circus. 
Oscar KosarinMusical Director, 1951-1955 A recognized musician, he has written the ballet music for the revival of "Pal Joey," "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" and "Hazel Flagg" on Broadway, and he has written, arranged and conducted for such well known performers as Ray Bolger, Peter Lind Hayes and Mary Healy, Hildegarde, and Ethel Smith. In 1953 he was the conductor for "Hazel Flagg" in New York. Internet Broadway Database 
Donald PippinAssistant Conductor and Choral Director, 1955 Musical Director, 1956-1957 Don wrote: I have the fondest memories of Lamberville. As I recall, I came to the Music Circus in 1955 as an assistant to Oscar Kosarin (Wonderfully talented man). He trained me and pushed me quickly into conducting the matinees. The next year I became the musical director. My first show on the Podium was the last show of the 1955 Season, "Kismet". I gave Robert Goulet his first theatre job in this show. He was one of my baritones in the chorus and I made him the understudy to the male leading role. He almost went on. The fabulous Ron Field was the dance director straight from the B'way production of that show and his years of being a Jack Cole dancer. Ron became the successful director of B'way's "Applause" (starring Lauren Bacall). He hired me as Musical Director because of our working relationship on "Kismet" at Lamberville. Yes, that many years later. I conducted John Kander's Broadway show, "Woman of the Year"---again with Lauren Bacall. Yes, I have survived two musicals with the great lady. Amazingly, "On The Town" was made into an ice skaking show for the famous Dick Button. He was the star, of course. He sang and acted. I have a remote recording of that show. I re-orchestrated the entire show for two pianos (I played one of them with Tony Cristofaro on the other) plus our small other 8 piece orchestra. I scored in my singers for all of the ballet music--it sounded rather amazing for a summer stock theatre production. Many years later I played a bit of the recording for Maestro Leonard Bernstein. He was quite pleased! Perhaps only polite, but he was very warm with his praise. I conducted Joyce Randolph in "Plain and Fancy" at the Circus in 1956. We are dear friends and both belong to the Lambs Club. Lambertville played a most important place in my career. I really trained there and gathered the skills to launch a successful Broadway career. I am honored to be a part of this important bit of history that The Lamberville Circus represents. Three years ago I visited New Hope and Lamberville. It was so sad to see the old site without the tent. (For more about Donald Pippin's renowned career, please visit ParkerArtists and the Internet Broadway Database.) 
Al EvansMusical Director, 1958 The youngest of 10 musical children, Al Evans was already studying piano at age of five. Not too long after, he was conducting his own orchestras in London, Paris, and Monte Carlo. Mr. Evans has bandied the arranging and musical direction for such varied organizations as the Fred Waring and Ben Bernie bands, London Films, Ltd., and the Shubert Musicals. For the latter group he conducted such shows as “Rose Marie”, “Blossom Time”, and "The Student Prince”. His tent experience includes stints with the Allentown Melody Circle, the Detroit Music Circus, and Mr. Terrell’s own Neptune Music Ciicus. The talented Mr. Evans is at present engaged in composing original music for both a television series and a sacred oratorio. See footnote 1 
Phil IngallsMusical Director, 1958 Phil Ingalls divided his time between the musical comedy stage and television. In 1951-53 he served as musical director for the Broadway and touring companies of "Call Me Madam", and the national company of "South Pacific" shortly thereafter. He was also musical director for "Pajama Game", on Broadway during its two year run, and "Cranks". In the interim, Mr. Ingalls conducted for a number of large scale television shows including Phiko Playhouse, the Colgate Comedy Hour, and the Packard Motor Show. This gifted Bostonian is also a composer and organist of note. See footnote 1 
Hal BeckettMusical Director, 1958 Hal Beckett was the assistant conductor and choral director at the Music Circus for three years prior to 1958. He has conducted road productions of "Brigadoon", "Annie Get Your Gun", and "Vagabond King", and was also associated with the national company of "Paint Your Wagon". Mr. Beckett, who started his career as a vaudeville conductor, was solo organist at New York’s Roxy Theatre for eighteen years. See footnote 1 David Buttolph Musical Director, 1961 
Arthur FrankMusical Director, 1961-1967 Arthur Frank taught for 7 years as Fine Arts Department Head at Rider University. He then taught 27 years at Temple University in Philadelphia (where he earned his doctorate) retiring as professor emeritus in 1997. In his career at Temple U. he was responsible for the developement of more than 1000 music educators. For many happy years, Frank was the musical director at the famed Lambertville Music Circus and served in the same capacity at the Bucks County Playhouse, Burlington's Foundation Theatre, McCarter Theatre, and Trenton's Theatre-In-The-Park. He was a member of the Trenton Symphony Orchestra and the Princeton Symphony Orchestra. He has appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and performed in 37 states and on four continents. In 1964 his Rider College Theatre '59 was chosen to tour Europe for ten weeks, entertaining troups with "Bye, Bye Birdie". In '66 their show "Li'l Abner" won the award again. After his stint at the Music Circus, on top of playing with the Trenton Symphony Orchestra, Art did over 100 local equity musicals, moonlighted at Bucks County Community College, taught summer workshops in musical theatre at Westminster and Temple, had a commercial "wedding" band (that included Dick Averre and Bob Reikosky), and also played a lot of dixieland jazz with his own ensemble of top players. Mr. Frank is married to Roberta, a fabulous elementary school teacher and mother, and has three sons, Mitchell (who is a very fine music educator in the Council Rock school system), Bruce, and Gregory; all married and have given Art and Roberta 9 terrific grandchildren. Source: Art Frank Read some of Art's memories. Article from The Trenton Times, Friday, October 26, 2001 Rex Cooper Choreographer, 1953 Choreographer for the World Premier production of "To Hell with Orpheus" at the Music Circus. 
Zachary SolovChoreographer, 1950-1951? Mr. Solov was known as a dancer of both excellent technique and lyrical expression, as well as for his ever-present smile that said there was nothing else he would rather be doing. Born to deaf parents in Philadelphia, Mr. Solov started as a childhood tap dancer near the grand old movie houses of Market Street, where he performed with a young Honi Coles. Early training at the Dauphin School of Arts led to vaudeville appearances and to a regular starring spot on the Horn and Hardart Children's Hour, hosted by Stan Lee Broza. In 1950, Mr. Solov starred with Jackie Gleason and Viola Essen in the Broadway show Along Fifth Avenue. He made regular appearances as a dancer on television shows including Your Show of Shows, and the Fred Allen Show. That year he was also the first choreographer in The Music Circus theater in the round in Lambertville, New Jersey. The critical acclaim and attention he received from New York City's dance critics came to the attention of Rudolf Bing, newly installed as the director of the Metropolitan Opera. Mr. Solov made history in his debut at the Met by hiring Janet Collins, an African American, to be his first prima ballerina. She was the first African-American to star at the house. The production was the new production of Aida on November 13, 1951. Of Mr. Solov's debut as choreographer of the opera, Miles Kastendieck of the New York Journal American wrote: "The dancing suggested that perhaps the problem of the opera ballet is about to be solved." Mr. Solov died of complications arising from heart failure in 2004. He was 81 years old. Source: http://www.capeziodance.com/about/foundation/award/recipients/1952.jsp 
Duncan NobleChoreographer, 1955 A former dancer with Ballet Theatre Duncan Noble has danced in "One Touch of Venus" 1943 to 1945, "Something for the Boys" 1943 to 1944 and was a lead dancer in "On The Town," 1944 to 1946, "Annie Get Your Gun" 1946 to 1949, and "Pal Joey" on Broadway. For five years he and Valerie Bettis danced as partners on the concert circuit. He became a leading soloist with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and danced with such leading ballerinas as Danilova, Slavenska, Chauvire, Novak and Krassovaka. More recently on tele- vision he has been featured with Zorina and Katherine Lee. Noble, who had a long and successful dance career in this country, Canada and abroad, was instrumental in the development of the West Virginia Dance Festival and served as its honorary chairman for many years. He was a member of the dance panel of the National Endowment for the Arts and had served as a consultant to the West Virginia Commission on the Arts and other state arts councils, including Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Massachusetts. He also was a founding faculty member of the North Carolina School of the Arts School of Dance. Noble’s influence on the dance community in West Virginia will be greatly missed. Duncan Noble died on August 5, 2002 at 80 years old in Winston-Salem, NC, following a brief illness. Read More. Don Farnworth Choreographer, 1956 
Arthur PartingtonChoreographer, 1958 A former student of Agnes De Mille’s, Arthur Partington had his first dancing job at the age of 16 in "Bloomer Girl". He has since been the leading dancer in an impressive array of Broadway musicals including “High Button Shoes” "Arms and the Girl", "Call Me Madam", "Can Can", and "Most Happy Fella" for which he was also assistant choreographer. Television audiences have seen him on "The Toast of the Town", "The Perry Como Show", and the "U. S. Royal Showcase". See footnote 1 
Frank WestbrookChoreographer, 1958 Frank Westbrook began his career dancing in such Broadway hits as "On The Town", "Allegro", and "One Touch of Venus". For three years, he was choreographer for the concert ballet group, Theatre Dance, Inc. He has consistently won reviewers’ praise for his work on television spectaculars including "The Paul Whiteman Revue", "The Buick Music Circus", "The Martha Wright Show", and "Voice of Firestone". See footnote 1 
Edward EarleChoreographer 1960-1964 Edward Earle, resident choreographer of ' the Music Circus from 1960 to 1964, will be remembered for his starring roles here last year in "Bye Bye Birdie" and "West Side Story," and he was also in "Wish You Were Here" and many others. His professional credits include "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs" on Broadway and many off-Broadway, television and movie performances for over 30 years—the first at the tender age of three in "Babes in Toyland." Off-Broadway, Mr Earle composed and choreographed "The Decameron". In the Lambertville area, he choreographed productions at Rider College, and directed at the McCarter Theater in Princeton. He also produced and staged the Spring Swing Spectacular for the Trenton Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1963. Mr. Earle founded the Trenton Studio of Perfoming Arts—School of Drama and Dance, in which he also teaches. During his years at the Music Circus, he not only choreographed most of the shows, but also brought his talents to playing supporting and leading roles. After his years at the Music Circus he went on to understudy Anthony Newley on Broadway in "Stop the World, I Want to Get Off". "Brigadoon" 1963 (Charlie Dalrymple) "Irma La Douce" 1963 (Frangipane) Footnote 1 In 1958, St. John Terrell was operating three Music Circuses, in Lambertville, NJ; Neptune, NJ; and the Brandywine Music Circus in Concordville, PA. These three venues formed his "theater circuit". Each theater would mount a production and then after performing for a week or two, would move on to another theater in the circuit. For that reason, there was more than one musical director, choreographer, and perhaps other personnel for that season. |
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