New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-12-26
were also oil the places or amusemens There WIG 'efy
little drunkenness and few arrests.
EVILS OF TILE DRAMA.
A TALK WITH MANAGER McvICKER.

CLEAN PLAYS AND GOOD STOCK COMPANIES.
J. II. McVcker, who has successfully man
aged his own theatre and made 1t the leading place Oh
amusement in Chicago the last twenty years. was nj
the Gilsey House recently. To TRIBUNE reporter ho
gave sOme interesting opinions and "reminiscences I'D IT,
gard TO the profession Of which he has been 20 long
member Mr. Mcvcker Is OF the few active MANAGERS
who have grown up the profession and nave ATTAINED
an equal success In the box-Oriee and on the stage
Though he has crown gray in work. he Is still hale
and hearty but rather despoDdeut tho deterioa
ton OF the stage When asked regarding the evils VI
recent growth in theatrical profession lie SAID:
II do not feel like saying much about It because re-
gard the evil tendencies that have lowered the saasro
OF the drama OF late years past redemption, at least
In my time. Reform will be Of slow growth, ana ha'e
little faith in tho newspapers bringing 1t about though
agitation is no doubt the proper way The newspapers
with few exceptions, are managed very mnch as inc
theatres arrthey give space and attention 10 that "oh
pays best Az rule they give the same prominence W
variety theatre that advertses well tat they DO the
highest class drama The public taste Ia To oame'
suppose, newspapers largely create 'hat aso'
Whatever il the cause 1t that what was once an
art or pro essOn has come TO he merely traae OF DUST
ness The legitimate drama has almost ceased 10 DO
POPULAR and variety theatres and spectacular plays
have grown up in recent years to enormous propor
TONS
=" l. not the variety business on the decline i
Variety performances diverse that u Is nara
TO define Ibem hut no doubt general way, variety Is
on the decline, and men ard women whose only merit
consists dancing jug PLAYING tromhones are going
back digging potatoes But this Is not the decline the
drama has suffered Tue poor never economic; tbey
did there would be 10 poor In this country. at least.
They attend the slightly diminished NUMBERS
owing to hard times Everything goes by fashion with
the wealthy class and within the last three years II has
come 10 be fast ionaDle 10 ecOnOmze and the better
class OF theatres have had TO suffer In consequencenot
so much because OF necessity, hut owing TO fashion,
"To what do you attribute the popularity OF the
French school and the decline In good old plays WIN
high mora toneP
at Is an evil that has followed the and The de-
terorat!on OF public taste, resulting from the flush
tines which bred extravaganza and reckessness 1t IL
also partly due q NewYOrk firm that has Impaired
these plays, and mounting them eIravaganty has got
the newspapers to write them into public favor. In"
managers in NewYork look abroad for their plays and
pattern after London and Paris just Chicago Phila
delphia and other American cities initiate Ncw-fork
What il successful abroad brought here and what
is successful here brought out elsewhere in the coun
try, 80 that about much dependent on Paris
for our plays as we Worth for our styles in mil
uuery"
"why do not managers better encourage American
dramatic authors :"
"There are really no American dramatic nuthors A
good play is produced and then by men following
other business profession; but there are no
dramatic authors here make play writng busl-
ness as France and there Is to-day little real
dramatic criticism the American people. have
grown gray almost reading original plays; but when
lind "a good one, II wish bring II out, have to
all the risk. The author Immediately wants much
night start The play will perhaps cost 81 900
to mount and besides the authors royalty other large
expenses must be incurred by the manager IL unsuc-
cessfu-and there Is telling what will be successful
the loss falls wholly the manager. Under these cir
cumstances IL IL only natural that manager should
prefer play that has the prestige Of foreign
success and for which he 10 pay nothing five had
an international copyright this might he remedled.
TIE attempt now being made 10 give New-iork firm
exclusive rights foreign plays they bring here Is
entirely wrong An American author can get no such
protection abroad, and there asOn why foreign
authors VINO steal from else. should DO
corded rights reciprocal and do not believe the
Supreme Court would uphold such claim"
care the members OF tho profession as carefully
trained formcrlyf
"No, because they have not the opportunities for
merry given. The fasn Tunes after tho war made the
amusement business like all othef.. exceedingly pros.
porous little In the country had It's thea
ire or opera house. This created great demand Tor
ACTORS and thousands rushed Aourshed stars,
who had little training. There are perhaps
many good actors formerly but they
tended mucn Wider territory. Managers. with
rev & % sn m b ho nicr ~ Tor sprc1afiy I'M
poses. Formerly desiring t0 on the stage
regular stock company where they were cart
fully trained BY skliiu managers. and nom vide er-
peronce III playing varrd parts they became thorough
actUs. In Ihls way we're developed our really great
acIors men Uke Forrest Jefferson Booth Waiiack and
otuers com etent 10 take many parts Now persons
learn play part and then they begin as stars,
shine Tor IA brief period and are heard Wne
nearly all theatres wont 10 have their
companies, there only six cities In the country
where regular stock COMPANIES are SUPPORTED. There
are only two regular stock COMPANIES Ia New-YurL-
walIack's anu Hen0ersons-whcro persons desrihg to
enter the pOcssun may OBTAIN careful lr inIng Othrr
theatres, ike the Union square Keep COMPANIES regu
lry employed, but they atrrnite between New-fork
aud the rest OF the Unlted states. In TINS
way has grown up what OF late Is known
~ the combination system, ana that, mere tnan any
other one tlug running the profession. what
was profession. Ii ucstrO,s that care and
Oug which perform rs would b. obliged 10 brsrow
they LIVING III one city lhcS are III one iHco toy
and "a lOTg of to-morOw. and they care lltc what
Is thought OF them Ia town a. they not relying
It's support Besides roy NE IKE ths enge dcrs bad
ha1s. There are several combinations travelling over
country for Instance each called Tue Unon square
Company from New-York.' Shook & Palm.r nave q few
performers pe hups, not empOycd III the ay they may
be running at the me These they furnish 10 an de
manager furnishes the rest OF the company, which he
furnished by the New-York managers, who get large
OF the receipts. nc calls the Union Square Com
tuton They t. Chicago. Tor instance. and play Mt
some theatre which they can get cheap. Being
little expense mounting they advertise literally and
generously treated by the newspapers They remain
short time and 40 good business McVicker's ID
company. When put On pay nave TO 90 10 large
expense IN mounting IT. You can readily see the di,ad
ton ~ stem. In thai way ne ars all the stock comps
MES the have been broken up, and may he
only a OF time when the, Remaining once
viii follow New York sends OF fifty com
Dinai ions IN srasOn, aud with tue reckless manner In
winch travel IL wonder they are
dragging the business down into the lowest
depIns The Union Square Company playing in
Chicago gives the SAM performance SUNDAY nisht as
on any other night. have been standing ont against
Sunday performances. I could not get TINS COMPANY
10 play IN my theatre because would not allow sun
day performances Sunday performances might be
partially excused with low actors who driven II
us "A means OF livelihood, but When VI the ATHEIST
maDagers drags some Of the best actors u thousand
miles, To give sunday performances for the of a
few dollars GAIN Mr.. Palmer has done, think IL
most degrading performance
- l. mis- sunaay performance A general thing I'm