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[[bold]] Dear Playbill... [[/bold]]

Dear PLAYBILL: The revival of Noël Coward's [[italics]] Present Laughter [[/italics]] at the Circle in the Square has involved me in an argument. I say that Clifton Webb played the lead in the Broadway production many years ago, but my husband insists that it was Noël Coward. Who's right?
――Franka Rista
  New York, N.Y.
[[italics]] You're both right. Clifton Webb originated the role of Garry Essendine in [[/italics]] Present Laughter [[italics]] on Broadway in 1946; Noël Coward played the part with Eva Gabor for six performances at the Belasco Theatre in 1958, alternating the play with another Coward comedy, [[/italics]] Nude With Violin.
                         
[[image: black and white photograph of Eva Gabor and Noël Coward]]
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Dear PLAYBILL: In the May "Dear PLAYBILL," playwright Jo Swerling's name was incorrectly spelled "Swirling."
――Alan Hewitt
  New York, N.Y.
[[italics]] You're right and we regret the error. [[/italics]]
                         *     *     *
Dear PLAYBILL: Has a drama critic ever had the nerve to appear on the Broadway stage?
――N. J. Colston
Albertson, N.Y.
[[italics]] Yes, Alexander Woollcott, Robert Benchley, Heywood Broun and George S. Kaufman among others appeared on the Broadway stage, some with success. [[/italics]]
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Dear PLAYBILL: Can you tell me why the theatre district in New York City――and in other cities――is sometimes referred to as "the Rialto?"
――Joan Huston
Hanover, Penna.
[[italics]] The word Rialto to describe a theatrical district stems from a line in [[/italics]] The Merchant of Venice: [[italics]] "What news on the Rialto?: (referring to a district in Venice). In the early years of this century, [[/italics]] The New York Times [[italics]]
featured a theatrical column called "What News on the Rialto?" and later, "Along the Rialto," which is credited as having labeled the Broadway theatre sector as "the Rialto."
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Dear PLAYBILL: You can help me win a bet if you agree with me that Liza Minnelli never appeared on Broadway in [[italics]] Cabaret. [[/italics]]
――Elliot Gordon
Central Islip, N.Y.
[[italics]] You win the bet. The part of Sally Bowles in the musical was played on Broadway by the following actresses: Jill Haworth, Penny Fuller, Anita Gillette, Tandy Cronyn and Melissa Hart. Although Ms. Minnelli played the role in the film version, she never played it on Broadway. [[/italics]]
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Dear PLAYBILL: What is the origin of the expression, "Break a leg"?
――Barbara Simon
Housatonic, Ma.
[italics] The expression originated in Germany ("Hals und beinbruch"). It is one of several bad luck phrases used to wish good luck to performers on an opening night.
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[[italics]] Have a question about the theatre? Write to [[/italics]]
PLAYBILL, [[italics]] Dept. D.P. 100 Avenue of the Americas, New York, N.Y. 10013 [[/italics]]
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