The New York herald., 1878-08-18
Scenes In and Around
Union Square.
HOW ENGAGEMENTS ARE MADE.
Busy Hours in the Life OF
Manager.
DRAMATIC ENTERPRISES.

q
than to the managers Of theatrical companies and
business agents whose work must bs done with the
thermometer AZ the nineties
rne regular theatrical season Is closed from the
middle Of May 10 the middle OF juno Most companies
except the "summer snaps, rest and rccuperate dur
ing the months beginning again about the last OF
August and the FIRST to the middle Of September
The managers however, have no rest No sooner do
they close with set OF people than they must
straghtway set about securing another company ana
make up their route for the coming campaign.
In the theatrical profession, "a in other business
eternal vigilance is the price OF success
The SYSTEM
In Iormer years. before the present ssiar system be-
ran the OF booking for the forthcoming season
was easily arranged. Each theatre manager, In
quiet, leisursIy way, corresponded directly with the
individual stars, and contracted ior the usual week
to tnrso weeks Of time, adding TO these the sup
port Of his regular stock company and filing the
open dates with his best stock plays. In this way
was an easy matter to fix terms and dates without
much risk OF competition Meanwhils the pubic
waited In mild expectancy until tho programme for
the season Was announced.
But a change has come. Each star must have his
or her own company. Each light must be reflected
by his or particular satellites, and the bus-
moss OF arranging for the successive appearance OF
these numerous companies at the several places with
out interference ia dates with loss Of route
and with as little expense possible in travelling,
has become q complicated, perpIexing yet most i'm
portant feature Of The business.
THg AGENCIES
The isolated theatrical ma nager could no longer
keep run OF various companies aud conflicting
dates. He was driven to seek tho aid oil an agent
who had positive Information as 10 open time
OF combinations and the means Of SO control
ling their movements to MAKO binding contracts
fnto OF q O. q
man, who should on the one hand possess the conf
dence OF theatrical managers, hall proprietors
agents, SC, and have In his hands their open dates
with power to fill them, and Tho other hand be In
close connection with the various companies ana
combination be the field. that NO time might
be lost In placing them Tor their mutual benefit 10
90 successful man in this position requires par
lcular and peculiar TEN perament and nno combina-
ton Of talent and business experience. He must be
an embodied gazetteer and encyclopaedia Knowingly
instinct population aud character OF the people
such place, the location, capacity, rent Of
zach principal theatre, class OF attractions
most popular thore, its local inaaence and
reputation, together with tho peculiar idiosyn-
crasies OF each proprietor He must aiso tell In
fash best railroad that leads thereto, with
Its schedule time ana tarin the best hotels and Inc
prospects Of for each particular attraction
offered As his advice Is sought by both parties he
must have q comprehensive aud critical knowledge OF
the material IN The different companies and even Of
particular actors, and bs able TO nicely discriminate
in the ADAPTATION OF ceTtain combinations 10 particular
localities. Hc must be man OF tact and address.
since he must have tho full confidence OF all. and
often DO arbitrator in disputes And above all must
have energy and frmness deal With class
ously keen and shrcwd in bargains.
There but lew this diflcuit business, and Of
these not all succeed.
Passing through Union square any pleasant day be-
tween ten ana two o'clock there always be Q
large number OF gentlemen standing about in little
knots conversng earnestly and enforcing their points
by emphatic aourishes OF their csnes which nearly
ali carry. They are . good d-numored, good-Iooking
well dressed company, well known to each other and
drawn together by common interest They repre-
seIt In their many phases nearly the whole range OF
theatrical life boIore and behind the curtain, Tor they
are all ,ors, managers Of companies or theatres
or business agents. Now York 10 the great
the organizaiIon OF companies and the point from
which nine-snlhs OF these companies start Hero all
business details are settled ana here tho who
control the amusement business oil the country
Among these centres of attraction to the fraternity
are those OF Mr. Horace Wal, Mr. Morris Simmons,
Brown & Co. ana Mr.. COR Gardner. Each has It's
clientele, aud each plays small part the OF
supplying the people who make the musement OF the
theatre going world IL may net be amiss to give an
nsght into the assocations surroundings aud plodus
opcrdndi OF dramatic agency. for In busy season Il
~ full oil interest Take tor an Illustration Inc o1lcc
OF the gentleman last named.
AN IssiDk yikw-soxs Personal SKETCHES.
II Is a large, well lighted room, Win chars and
lounges scattered about tue carpot.d door, lined
desks around tie walls and hung with line paintings,
engravings and attractive pictures The great Rche-
heu, Va the person Of Irving painted Ia oil lite size,
looks from wall, on tho other side
Prank Mayo, Maggie Mitchell Montague and host
eager busy cooking gentlemen, who writing talk
ing whispering cont isntaily aud in hundred di-
Nrent ways transacting the business OF the day
In the ut tue pr ncipai desk, which Is covered
with papers sIts the presiding genius, u middle
Agcd man, whose face wears the strong lines OF lie
sll OF experience He is evidently person who
aot use Two words whore one viii succ. and who, with
upon tue lever, knows how to manage his machine,
brings to boar certain amount or sagaciiy and
energy
ln the chair at his sido SITS a woi shaveu. trim
looking man Of about thirty EIGHT years OF ags-Mr
JohG Havery. VINO during the coming season Is to be
The manager OF the Dannes continuation, two musical
organizations and his own theatre IN Chicayo-a man
who las made his mark aud u popular In the profess
sion.
ln tho corner by The window IN great easy chair
sts IN ponderous rcpose mr. David Bdweii, the man
ngcr OF tile Academy OF Music, New Orcaus. by
mon consent ne Is csilcd the "Governor," and with
hs iadicial gravity aud Wise Nay OF measuring and
deciding the business questions he bears the title like
one VINO Is bora to enjoy IT,
In strong contrast IS his neahbor, a small. thin
laced man, with never absent cigar aud the general
appearance oil "a granger strayed away IRON hts
polds The souch hat ne wears, however covers
tho steady head and wise brain OF one oil the best
known and Oldest veterans OF the theatrical world
John Eislcr, OF Cicveland--who manages i've large
theatres aud travelling company with as lnte appi-
rent exertion MA most men display with single
panv Economical with his words, prompt aud accu-
rate IN his business relstoDs the profession
is more widely respected or more honorcd tbsn be
That vivaeious, nervous individual yonder. who Is
busy dasbing down oates and terms, settling IN a
breath weeks Tor Detroit, lndsnapons Nashville aud
Memphis, Is Ion Davey, vi Detroit, who manages the
leading theatres III each vi these places. IL seems 70
be passion with some managers 10 controi M many
theatres ~ possible No sooner do they capture Their
city than thcy Sigh or other worlds to conquer,
aud straightway invade foreign territory. Such
Tom Davcy. Mr.. Davcy leads powerful army Tor,
leaving his theatres 10 charge OF Ms iieutenant Jos
Brooks, be boists tue banner oil Lawrence Barrett,
tnd with tbis star he makes a campaign, followed by
que with Jonn Mccullough and John 4 owens.
The Duriy, broad laced. genial looking msn who
strides hastily n grecied all sides with hearty 'goOd
mornings" Is barney Macaulcy, from Loasv,lls.
But Barney is vexed tbis morning. aud the reason
trans pires as he proceeds TO read TO the company
from slip Oi paper hts own oUituary notice recitng
that yesterday iei dead In the streets oi Brooklyn.
Ac.