, 1874-12-27
Advantages Of Renting Seats for
the Season.
How to Stop Drinking Be-
tween Acts.
announcements for the WeeE---Clara
Morris at the Academy.
Tho Musical World---S. G.. Pratt's
Concert.

ineuess to adopt improvements undlsputed,
md ou, readiness as community to give every
oex discovery fair trial before rejecting it,
,hare are still several things in and out OF the
linz Of amusements which might be introduced
;to the CITY, and possess the additional merit OF
ooEe1tv, Possessing. We do, the hnnd8onest
tbeatres in tho country, and for city OF our
sire N abundance unequaled anywhere else, it
istime our managers ayai1ed themselves of
metropolitan custom Which does much to secure
The cooperation Of tho wealthier members of
The community in the support Of the drama.
f)ne of the inevitable remarks Of q foreigner
rpou our thcatres. is the absence Of boxes from
the auditorium. BY boxes, tho unsatisfactory
,nerfure at the edge OF the stage, known as q
,rosceuium-box. il not exclusively intended. No.
itdr cares for this seat for any other purpose
than TO be seen, aud that, too, under crcu!nstau-
~, which give certain cclat to tho exhibition
RI boxes, something is meant similar to those
.hich formerly filed the upper and nost FASH
ion.b!e circle Of Crosby's Opera-House before
TIE FIRE.
THE ADVANTAGES OF BoI
ire obvious for parties they are Indispensable.
md in many ways they give the occupant al iu-,
depeudopce aud freedom from the anuoyances Of
the ill-bred not to be ignored. The man who
aids in filing the theatre With the pungcnt odor
of fusel oil cannot deliberately walk up to tho
box and blow in his contribution. Ho cannot
perch himself behind the box ana e1-
ercise his femoral muscles By kick
ine staccato accompaniment to the
orchcst1s OF the acting- It is protection to the
public, and comfort also A box does not neces-
sitate full dress. br any means, but box is the
only place in theatre where full dress is at all
becoming, and during the opera season, at all
events the opera toilets should bo confined to
The boxes. Good taste. however, would regulate
this, Is it does other things. Tie absence Of
these boxes from the best part OF the house has
already been commented upon ~ general way
in these columns AZ offering no inducement to
the
OCCUPANCY OF The SECOND TIER,
While the lower floor is crowded. What theat-
neal mana gers really should do to popu1ar;Ze
This, tie best part of the house, is to make it
te.liy fashionable, and this can be doue by ILL
ns at least the centre Of the second circle with
boxes There are many peoEle of taste and re-
fnement who remnin away frbm the theatre be-
e4use. in our heterogeneous sort OF equal
ity, they dislike to place their wives or
daughters in tho seat adjoining
feeklrg rum barrel. or couple OF nice people
xhoee conversation is at least not edifyipg. Two
theatres on the South Side at any rata should
make this
CONCESSION TO THE TASTES OF THE PUEBLO.
And, however much the majority may derlde the
e1clualveneEs Of such people, the managers will
do well to consult their own interests aud those
of the public by making an effort of this kind.
Those who can afford the luxury OF uniEter-
1urted pleasure in q box should be allowed it.
There ia
ANOTHER FEATURE
about the box which should commend it to the
public, and that is the renting Of it for season
as pews are rented in church by the church TT
tendant. This is IN old p,acticc, which has OBJ
tained for many years, aid has become popular
in every country. The sale of d box for sea-
ton insures an attendance of paid-for seats, no
matter how slender the house, aud represents a
regular sum- It is singular that the practice
las never become popular. It is owing,
probably, to the managers not having
nken sufficient interest in the matter.
The possession OF box at tha theatre gives tho
mssessoz an opportunity of social entertainment
which can be had in no other way. 10 present
ones 1ady-lore with Christmas present Of a
box is to ensure at least two devoted patrons of
The drama for one season, Wlile it gives the
manager
RECEIPTS IN ADVANCE
Hherewith to carry him through the season.
Il is not to be expected that managers will
thnk Of putting boxes into their second tiers
just now, for to do SO would necessitate the
cloEng Of the theatre for time, md that would
not be thought Of. An experiment could b7
made next summer either by Mr. Hooley or
H. MoVioker. whose theatres would be most
Appropriate for the change. Meanwhile why
not rent ont the best. or some Of the
best, seats in the house for the sea-
son, just rs though they we're boxes? There are
surely enough theatrical habtues to make euch
- arrangement profitable on both sides. And
i the theatre is what it is represented
to BE- it shnnld be rs regularly attended
Is the church, and though it's primary
lin is to make money for;ts proprietor, its in
fuence must be good, if it is properly con-
ducsed. To give number of cultivated people
sort Of proprietary interest in it is to Insure
u conduct in sympathy with their elevated
tsste, and is, moreover. to guarantee their sup
port Of what Ia really Of value on the stage.