, 1879-01-05
THE STAGE.
THE DRAMA.

t1pu- The Mayor VI Philadelphia has just put
on;etns upon them in that citr, in obedience T.
sn art OF the Assembly. aud, with the e1ceptc:
OF SACRED couccrts> Sunday entertainments
are tiohbited in New York. In Cincinnati, st
Louis, and generally in the larger cities o
the South and West, dramatic performance
have become a recognized feature Of Sun
day recreation. The pulpit, which occa
6iona.iy Eliminates q general dcnunciatiol
against the drama and the theatre a
cesil-bpru institution, has been silent on tn'
-ncrcaclment on the DAY OF rest; and the eri
iii j: is one)i is creeping gradually upon us, ant
compelling one manager after another to dro,
into custom which, but 4 few years ago, va;
universally regarded as more honored in tl,e
breach than the observance
Chicago GAS come to tolerate Sunday per:
foraisuce6: and It does not seem at all likely
that any effort will be made to put them dpHu.
They crept into our midst i,nperceptibly, and 1t
IS not improbable that in time csesy theatre will
open It's doors on Sunday evening. They began
with charity benefits against which, Of course,
no ulur1nu1 could very well De raised, and SO,
through sacred concerts and the like, slipped
gradually into regular business.
As to the morality OF the case, we propose to
leave that to the preachers. or any who choose
to tackle the question There remains qucs-
tiop Of policy which will doubtless appeal more
directly to the managers and the working mem
bcrs Of the dramatic profession. The subject is
Immediately suggested hy the following para
graph which xpnears in the last uumber OF the
Dramatic Aears:
..p-hen Nr afcvicrer .sserts II said Mr.. Pal
mer, "that ! did not take the Union Square
COMPANY to his theatre in Chicago because |
insisted on e1'1n@ SUNDAY performances, ne le11s
~ ~ h.oo,,aa hoi,,va 1hcra - an,th;na
wrong ia tacm. out Tor the reason tna: the
plays present appeal generally to the better
class OF society, and slSe way 10 thelr pFeln-
o'ces. se'era' a1tists u tne eu'npan. oo!tesed
olnostnJ ~ ,he;r srT1,ules thinl. thn theatrical
business is better, from every point Of Fiew, for
taking Que days rest in seVen."
In response to the above Mr. J. Fl. McVickes
in1itcs the following brlei Telolnder:
Mr. Palmer OF the Union Square Theatre, or
fome one paees nssd ~ a,a ~
ears " McS;ckpr ..tel1s Uii1ful lie II 1xor,d
,.sye been more nent.emaulr in ME:p to first
learn if Mr. Mcvicker did say so and So" alr,
T.. should pracrtce what be prcaehes; 4 he don't
ac!eFe IN Snnoa3 performances ne snoa!d not gre
]hen.
In the course Of conversation on this matter
Mr.. McEicker said he regarded the opening OF
rhea*res on Sunday as DEGRADATION tn the
s~.-.~ ..<o,,re .;nca +te ,..e+ l,,r. of n.a.,a
o:aa''' oeeause, go ~. oss. e'-se VI peoo'e
In tie community were asefse 70 tncfa, or had
not yet been educated ''up" to the point
Of to1erating them, the performances given
ro,1d neccss,r:,v he AZ = rn1e Of tjnn that
...-ae. ~, t,~ ,o,.ov o1en,a,. ~ rho aon,,1,.;a
al1'aeIeo 'es !o"e4 e'~NeA' ~ Sae popo'at'on+
There would De no use IN attempting to give
the higher order of dramatic performance, be-
cause the class Of people VINO would ep1oy them
o,,;ect ia attend theatres on Sunday. .Ye, IL
49,. :, ..;a +. Z. 49,. .
much ne may dislike IT, ne managers may
sooner Or later have all to open our shops for
sai, On Sunoay EVENING".
W;+h -af.ranre to .fr po1,nar,s .esr,,.;,,
w. upA'oA
that ne Is opposed 10 SUNDAY performances,
NcF;cker asks why, It be knew, as be must have
known, that the Union Square Company were
coming fere m r}ay in a theatre where S,,n,1av
se-fa~r,aaooe wsra -on,,,ar fan+n,a 1890 49,,
oe''o' 'Aaueeo "s'e uA"A 1e1'oe' ano
engagement with that particular shop for gain,
and engage, as he undoubtedly could have done,
with q manager who old not open Oh Sunday.
This is question for the manager IN question
TO answer or not as hecho0sts. 1t is not, proU-
efly speaking, one for the public to interest
themselves anout-
Actors, as q rule, will he found to OPPOSE the
growth OF this new feature of their work. aud
p:ooan3 .us ulanaSeiS tooh Il pn'losol'uica!
~ -. - naI; c,s ILL., o1sSotst 49, eua4
"as ~ teats ~ eo'u Sau. H., us oupuas
s da ~ ~ . hsrt eus BUSINESS
~ 80. 1a.u a ~ y. ] ~ 80 - eAteut: ~
supposiug all the theatres competing for the
SUNDAY patronagc,-it is not likely that the De-
cunary advantage will offset the lack OF rest re-
Qt1ircd By artists who pretend to make their
calling what it should be. TIE actors are at tue
mercy Of the manager in this matter, as was
Square Company here. Miss Ids Vernon posi-
1,rely refused to piay On Sunday and yas ey-
elseu. :. Mts. Nl1klns also oolectea, but mildly:
So9 ~ .odaeeo ~ s'!a5, auu sv M!tu ~l1sS O'etz
;.o1 ,. -a.ss ana3 -noiau., ooa Saaatn husseh
ass Io"ee.eo1toas es'"p'es' anu refuses 70
appeas W ounuat, a,lu many OF 1he
ss 1870. S,oS.s' a1o ua"se5s uechae 70 y1o
s"sn outs uas ;,l ~ ~ .. au'' Us M1 NY
innea ".s al Ma'I sNe ~ tneir
..Is,.haa ~ 81, ~ ;na1 "as1 a;.;e 10 so.s.5 oe.ng
1,lratrical shop for gai,, ~ lourisbes. The
people must he educated up to the pronrr
Standard Of propriety in this matter. and ncr-
laps tie preachers :nay take hand in it and
make it lively for tie managers before the noinf
Ut morality involved is settled.
LOCAL NOTES.
Mr.. Will g. Vree'and> at ono time an amateur
in this city, is DOW trayeing with the Sims CON-
5nation company 10 Northern Illinois. The
- ~" 80 ''0*1ea
The Sherwood sisters, whose entertainments
At Eannio's Theatre last week hare been very
much admired, opes. in Boston in few DAYS.
They are Chicago girls. and exceedingly clever
cues, TOO.