The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-04-21
HOW "CHEAP SHOWS ARE PAID FOR

WHY A VARIETY THEATRE CAN BE RUN 50
Observation-Disclosures SALARIES OF TEN
YEARS AGO AND OF THE PRESENT-wHAT
SPECIAL STARS GET A WEEK.
In speaking of the greater economy
with which variety" theatre can bs
"run" compared with one of standard char
acter, and of the present salaries of special
lists, the New York Times says: In the first
place, the manager is never bored about new
pieces and authors royalties. The performer
supplies his piece or sketches for the salary.
Then the scenic sdjuncts are not necessarily
expensive, because few variety performers
need more than an ordinary "interior' or
"exterior" set as the framework of his or
her picture Wardrobe costs the manager
little, Is most of the artists, being specialists
have their own gear. Machinists, stage help
and supernumeraries are also fewer az the
Olympic or Comique, under the present re-
gime, than they are in any other kind of
theatre. The only expenses on the manage
ment of moment are the performers salaries,
the orchestra, general help around tho
house, and advertising. Take, for ex-
ample, the Metropolitan Theatre and
we find that the orchestra, at $40
a week for each piece, and $50 for the leader,
costs about 500 week. The help, includ-
.ushers, draw salaries amounting in the ag-
gregate to $500. The performers salaries
the heaviest part of the expenses. A
comparative statement of what these get
will probably be the best indication of The
increasing popularity and importance of va
rieties. To begin, then, song and dance
men twelve years ago received from eight to
ten dollars week; now they range as high
as seventy five dollars a week. Comic
lsingers OF every class did not receive more
than twenty dollarsa week at that time, and,
indeed, Tony Pastor, who was very great
attraction during the war, thought be was
doing well when he received twenty-five
dollars a week. Now, Miss Jennie Hughes
and Nully Pieris get 500 a week. aad Annie
Adams, two years ago, $3.50.
IRISH AND NEGRO DELINEAToRs
Never got more than SIS in the good old
time of go and 63. Even the famous "Billy
O,NeiIl," esteemed the best Iri.h low come
dian in the business, only commanded SIS a
week. This season Sam Hickey gets Sl25 a
week at the Metropolitan, John Hart. the
negro comedian, Sl5O. Add Ryman received
S4O.a week fosr or five years ago ;now he gets
$40, and all those great favorites OF the local
politicians, Dsn Shelby, Hughey Dougherty,
Sloeum, and other renowned stump speak
ers, said their ssmartest and wittiest things
for $40 week. They would not "black up''
Seymour and Eph Horn, the veterans, who
talk plantation dialect nightly for $85 n
week; and the Mulligan Guards, Hart and
Harrigan, marek across the stage for fifteen
or twenty minutes nightly tor sL50 week.
Master Barney dances or plays an Irish
washerwoman's part for the moderate
sum of SIPS week, while Johnny
Wild, the Easr-siders' "pet,- daslaes
about the stage for something less than one
hundred and fifty dollars week. Yet he,
in 1860 was proud TO earn 81 30 a week at
the Art 5nion," Ne. 4S9 Broadway. Leav-
ing the delineators, we come 10 the utility
men. These never drew more than ten d. >
lars week in former days. Now they get
$50. Light Comedians, too, VINO are really
good actors, get $50, as1a earn more money
and reputation than they could in more pre-
tentiOus establishments. The acrobats and
trapezist draw very large salaries. For OK
ample, Icons Dare and ber husband get $3.50
week in Nev York. and 500 out side OF it;
the Jackley family, $3.50; Lulu. 81 600; Ala,
$3.50; the Wilson's, $50, and the Matthew's
family, $3.50. At least, the last named were
engaged in England three years ago by Mr..
Butler for Sl90 a week, and after they made
their appearance here he let them out to
other managers at $500, making by tho
transaction over two hundred dollars week
himself. The Berger family Of bell-ringers
get about eight hundred dollars q week, and
other specialists receive all the way from
one hundred TO FIVE hundred dollars weekly.