ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, May 4, 1996 TAG: 9605070030
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KEVIN KITTREDGE STAFF WRITER
Uh! oh.
"Oh! Calcutta," touring version of the long-running Broadway musical in which people frequently take their clothing off, won't be coming to Roanoke next week after all.
Even with alleged one-time Bill Clinton paramour Gennifer Flowers getting top billing, the show apparently was having difficulty selling seats.
Flowers, however, walked off the "Oh! Calcutta" set in Dayton, Ohio, earlier this week in a contract dispute.
Her part in the two-act revue apparently did not involve disrobing in any event.
For whatever reason, Roanokers were making plans to stay away in droves.
"Pure and simple, our ticket sales had been soft and we just decided discretion was the better part of valor," said Barry Singer of Singer Entertainment in New Jersey, which had booked the show into the Roanoke Civic Center for Monday night. "Maybe Gennifer was the reason. I don't know."
He said Civic Center Manager Bob Chapman called him Wednesday to say that sales were slender, and advised him to think it over.
"Oh! Calcutta" has been to Roanoke three times before, with dwindling returns. The sex spoof opened in New York in 1969, and ran on Broadway off and on for two decades. When it first came to Roanoke in a touring version in 1978, it sold out the 2,475 seat Civic Center auditorium.
It attracted far fewer people four years later, despite a cast that included a former Playboy model and Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. "Oh! Calcutta" came to Roanoke again in 1991.
Asked if Roanoke might simply be surfeited on performances of "Oh! Calcutta," Singer said, "Maybe that and the fact that Gennifer - they don't take her all that seriously."
He said they had only sold about 250 seats for the single performance - roughly a quarter of what is needed to break even.
Ticket refunds for "Oh! Calcutta" may be obtained from the place of purchase, including Ticketmaster.
Anyone with questions may call the Roanoke Civic Center, at 981-1201.
LENGTH: Short : 45 linesby CNB