Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-07-30

managers in their efforts to secure and
maintain all that is proper and right, to
avoid unseemly and destructive oppOsl-
ton, to foster ESPECIALLY stock perform
ances, and to increase their excellence
80 as to realize in the near future that,
with theatrical management as with
other pursuits, union means sirerg
and prosperity.
This circu ar was signed by David
Bowel, Of New Orleans and Mobile;
r E. J. Miles, Of Cincinnati; II Greer
wald, OF Galveston; J. B. Dickson, CT
Indianapolis and Toronto; NJ. w. Can
ming, of Piltsburg; John A. Ellsles, OF
Pittsburg; Thomas W. Dsvey, Of De-
troit, Memphis and Nashvilie; Ben De-
Bar. of St. Louis; J. w. AlhaUgh, OF
Albany; Charles E Kurdish, OF FdTbish's
Fifth Avenue continuation; j. n GOtt-
hold, of Pittsburg; Abbey & Sohotfel, Of
Buffalo; viii Steven, Of New Orleans;
and John T. Ford, Of Baltimore and
Washington. Att meeting held in New
York on Tuesday last the association was
duly organized, under the name Of the
Theatrical Managers association Of
America, by the election OF the follow
ing officers aud directors: John I, Ford,
president; David Bidwell, vice presi-
dent; Thomas W. Davey, secretary;
John Ellsler, of Pittsburg and Cleve-
land, treasurer. d rectOrs-JOnn I.
Ford, R. E J. Miles, J. Newton GOtt-
hold, H. E. Abbey and Ben DeBar. AT
ter the election of officers the president
delivered the following address:
GENTLEMEN-We havs associated
ourselves together for the protection and
inn movement OF dramatic interests in
this country; the necessity for combined
seton from various causes are 50 app8-
rent, and the many advantages that will
result from thorough organization so
evident, that / congratulate you on the
uuanimitY of jld gment and earnestnEss
! of purpose with which you have entered
| upon the duty Of what may be pr psTly
| styled dramatic reform. The manager
| Of legitimate theatre is much emOsr-
lassed by two duties, often sntsgODisLic.
| The first, and most pleasant Of these, in
| an artistic sense, is to produce Shakes
| pearean and other classic, as well IS de-
| serving modern plays, with a well-bsl-
| anced company snd proper surround
! ings. The other, and most imperative,
| in q business sense, is to secure that eX-
| tent Of patronage as Will enable him TO
meet the pecuuiaTy obligations he in
| ours. The insatiate demands by the
| public for novelty and exceptional
features, at tins fOr sensation and
| spectacle, too often render cur hest
| laid scheme" abOrtive, because that
class Of enter tainment usuallyp2ys batter
| than plays OF the highest intellectual
| and dramatic value, and their sensuOus
decorations prove Of more business
worth than the culturC d excellence Of a
company. We frequently therefore find
profit in yielding TO this Ia te OF the
public when it drifts into the illegiti-
mate, and generally find loss in enGeav-
oring to meet the desire for the speCla-
cular by Incorporating il with tle legiti.
mate. These troubles exist every where,
save where q government subsidies the
theaters to protect the manager in the
productions OF the works Of the best au-
thOTs. Too many theRteT-gOers symi a.
thiZs with many newspaper readers in a
craving for sensational, and thereby
compel catering to q morbid appetite for
continuous excitement and Unceasing
display. So much may be said in our
defense as against adverse criticism; fOr
we have, to a certain extent, no remedy
we can only strive TO go IS high as we
dare, in catering to the taste Of those
who, as lovers of amusement, have par
TALLY, at least, suppianted the lovers OF
the drama. But for other embarrsss-
ments, we can find protection IN joint
action. 1t is simple business PROPOSE
7 ton that no star is worth, or should
command, half the receipts of au en-
gagement unless he or sEe can attract
more than twice the expense
and no other star should
receive more than his or her expense
until he expenses Of the theater as they
appear within sre Secured TO its mana
ger. Next, we have too many IheatezG
to follow the star system alone. Stars
have greatly increased in number, but
! these sure OF public favor are few, and
their engagement is usually far between.
Some have given up the control Of their
time to middle-meD, who exact terms
never before asked or tolerated in the
| profession. Fifty.five, sixty and seventy
per cent. of the gross receipts have been
demanded and paid for attractiOn-the
atar receiving from forty to fifty, the
middle-men or speculatOr from twenty
to thirty, and the manager from thirty
to foIty-tive Ger cent. Of the entire re-
ceipts to compensate him for company,
theater, scenery, OTchestrs, printing, aJ-
Vertising, and all the other exp ans es q
his business, as well as his own services.
How these terms compel the mans ger
to reduce the cost and quality CT his
company, orchestra, and other parts OF
his business so as to TealiZs enough to
meet expenses, must be apparent to any
thoughtful mind that gives the sCbjsc
consideration. 1t is just here our gress-
est danger exists and where change e
most needed. We must be our own
middls-men, if stars are to be engaged
for an entire season. We can, by cOnbinss
tiOn-in our own country and abroad
secure staIs and plays for a proper com.
pensatiOn. We can maintain pay, and
make an attraction OF stock companies
with proper performances by uTitet
effort. The present condition Of stfairs
forebOde destruction of ali that ia desir-
able in management, snd the demand
of self-preservati0n cOmpels the char o..
we propose to make. 1t is not our mn
pose, or our wish, to pay less ',s5 #.
value FIR any star altTsctio" q. ON IN,
other hand, it is our inter5s' ~ fri n
every reasonable OppOy funitv hat W,
must insist that SOM coraiieretIo,, !,
due 70 the stock sctr : and the maTa5er
that the income o. the thrafer shOuId h,
equitably distJ' .Duted, 81 rs TO fos;s
young genl'Ss talent, and enterprise, aHI
to make tDCs stage, as it sh,uIi Ee s
school foL the stars OF the future; not
mere Fame or background to higdteI
In1 eject of a single figure, buj = har
MOI ious picture, pleasing, compensate
aDd satisfactory III its entire manipuIa
ZION. AS q natural sequsnce of N or
; ganiZed effort to improve cur prospects
we must endeayOr to secure all th8 rev
and attractive plays of the ElgI 81
French, German and American stsge Il
make our dramatic companies strOl
and attractive, the scenery q decideC
feature, and pay every attention q
stsge decoration. Locally, We mus
transmute opposition among ourselves
to competitor, grade our terms to stsn
nationally, according to our advantages
and expenses, and justify ourselves be
fore the people by fair and generOu:
development OF the stage, so that it viii
be made perpetual source Of the mos
noble and useful entertainments, and, tC
use the words of that veteran and great.
est Of managers, COlley Cibber, writing
of the golden era of the stage, that FOL.
lowed similar combination in London
during the early part Of the last century
"This, then, will be the happy period
when both actors and managers are in
the highest enjoyment Of general con-
tent and prosperity. The polite world,
too, by their general attention, their
sensible taste, and their generous en-
| cOuF6Hamant to Authors and aof0rs viii