TEXAN SAVES INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN MUSICAL

Scratch a Texan and find a benefactor. Wherever else Miles Kreuger thought of searching for financial succor to save his Institute of the American Musical from eviction, Texas wasn’t on the list. Fortunately for Kreuger, Texas came looking for him.

A “substantial donation” (amount undisclosed) supplemented by a guaranteed bank loan from the Judge Roy and Dene Hofheinz Trust of Houston has assured the institute’s future.

“It’s a miracle,” said the 51-year-old Kreuger, president of this virtual one-man operation who had to find a way to buy the institute’s home in a residential section of Los Angeles in order to avoid a costly and potentially ruinous move.

“It meant raising $310,000 in a very short time,” Kreuger said, something he claims he managed with the help of “a lot of luck.”

The modesty may be excessive.

The institute’s track record played a significant role in catching the eye of Dene Hofheinz Anton, daughter of the late colorful and controversial Judge Roy Hofheinz, a former mayor of Houston, father of its Astrodome and sometime owner of the Astros and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. Anton, who lives in Los Angeles and administers the family foundation, reached out to rescue the institute, she said, because her parents dearly loved the musical theater.

Her gesture followed an earlier, crucial gift of $45,000 by a Pasadena donor (who wishes to remain anonymous) that had enabled Kreuger to open escrow in July.

So what have these life-saving donations done for the American public? Virtually secured some of the nation’s most complete collections of sheet music from American stage and film musicals; musical comedy recordings going back to the 1890s, including every Broadway original cast album; dramatic recordings that include the voices of Ellen Terry and Julia Marlowe; songs from films, including silent movie theme songs; hundreds of wax cylinders of popular and show music; Broadway playbills and record catalogues dating back to the 1880s; piano vocal scores that reach back to 1836; more than 200,000 movie stills, beginning in 1914, and 175 of Ray Knight’s 16-millimeter silent films taken during performances of Broadway musicals (1931-1973).

Now that there is a future, “My first project,” Kreuger said, “is to put on a new roof, paint the house, expand upstairs and properly catalogue and shelve the collection (available by appointment).”

Down the road, “I want to start a newsletter next year and a friends support group,” Kreuger said. He also hopes to acquire an assistant, expand the institute’s community outreach, organize fund raising and other income-producing events (there’s that bank loan to pay off) and acquire a computer.

Add to the list another phone line. Getting through to the institute by phone isn’t always easy. Anyone wishing to try may call (213) 934-1221 or write to P.O. Box 480144, Los Angeles 90048.

CALLBOARD: Hugo Leckey’s “Immaculate Heart,” a play touching on the argument that, a few years ago, divided the Sisters of the Order of the Immaculate Heart and the cardinal of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, will open at Theatre/Theater Oct. 5.

--”Wrestlers” at the Cast Theatre now runs through Oct. 20.

--The Bilingual Foundation for the Arts begins a 14-city California Arts Council tour of Lorca’s “Blood Wedding” beginning Oct. 5 in Bakersfield. Carmen Zapata and Irene DeBari are featured.

BENEFITS, FUTURE AND PAST: Some tickets are still left for the Second Annual Southland Theatre Artists’ Goodwill Event (S.T.A.G.E.). Curtain will go up Oct. 7, 8 p.m., on Carole Cook, Penny Fuller, Laurence Guittard, Bill Hutton, Lu Leonard, Pamela Myers, among others. The $15.50 admission will benefit the AIDS Project/L.A., (213) 851-3771.

Meanwhile, the Tao House benefit in Danville, Calif., Sept. 8 started out to honor Eugene O’Neill but, in fact, honored actress Helen Hayes who presided. President Reagan sent congratulations, as did Lillian Gish, Jack Lemmon, Charlton Heston and Philip Langner.

The Eugene O’Neill Foundation, Tao House, grossed $20,000, but expenses have yet to be tallied. Better yet, producers of “The Iceman Cometh,” opening Sunday at Broadway’s Lunt-Fontanne, will donate proceeds from the Nov. 19 performance to the foundation.

CHILD ABUSE: “Hey kids. Why not surprise your parents for Christmas and become a Broadway star!” So starts the announcement of nationwide auditions for “Only in America,” a child musical that will be checking out the local preteen talent (only 5- to 11-year-olds need apply) Friday (girls 3 to 5 p.m., boys 5 to 7 p.m.) and Saturday (all genders noon to 3 p.m.) at the Debbie Reynolds Studios, 6514 Lankershim in North Hollywood.

Philip Osterman is producing and Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller have written this rock ‘n’ roll musical “about a whole bunch of kids who try to save a theater from being torn down and replaced by a hotel.” Where did they ever get that idea? But wait--there’s more:

“They get lots of their friends; put on a show; save the theater and sing and dance.” (Judy and Mickey, where are you when we need you?)

This musical threatens to open Dec. 17 at New York’s Perry Street Theatre, on its way to Broadway, which is in enough trouble already.