Theatre: One Big Union

Although it was midsummer, Frank Bacon was playing Lightnin' to jammed houses, Fay Bainter was filling standing room in East Is West, something called Nightie Night was opening that very evening at the Princess, and eleven other shows were doing adequate hot-weather box office. At 8:20 p.m. word was flashed along Broadway, with Broadway's customary flair for the spectacular, that "Lightnin' has struck!" Then, one after another, in the Shubert, Playhouse, Lyric, Astor, Knickerbocker—in all but one of Broadway's showhouses—lights were dimmed and the customers were told to go home. There...

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