The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-10-05
What it Costs in New York to Manage u
First Glass Theatre.

wills Point Local Chronicle.
What it Costs in New York to Manage IA
First-Class Theatre.
Fiye-sixths of the receipts of the most sue
cessftll New York theatre go to pay the nee
essary expenses. Let us look at the matter
mathematically The first item of man
ager's outlay, and often the most impor-
tant is his rent. This varies, of course, ac-
cording to the location, size and deslrabillty
of the house, and runs anywhere from S3oO
to 500 week. A manager does not ex-
pect, unless he is of particularly sanguine
or self.sacriicing disposition, to keep his
house open all the year round; Forty
weeks is fair average. Divide the total
rent by forty and your have the charge as it
appears on his books. 1t is probably fair
estimate to put it, for illustration, at $500.
The second item is advertising. This
costs $500 week more. The newspapers
get from $3.50 to $3.50 of this--generaliy
about $500. The Herald alone for an ordi-
nary advertisement costs $40 week. There
are seven other morning papers and SIX al
ternoon journals. The mid.week and sun,
day papers bring up the total to little short
of $500. Every bill board you see costs the
manager IS cents 500 costs 800. Bills and
programmes hung in public places are so
much extra. Autographs are furnished by
the company playing at the theaters, put
tribution. He gives tickets, with
each. The printing posting and dis
tributiug'i of a New York theatre is never
less than 500 q week. This, added to the
$500 for newspaper advertising, brings up
the whole amount. Then there are extras
bills in the street cars, posting in Brook
lyn Harlem, Jersey City, and other subur-
ban points. Hundreds of hand-bills are
often spread about broadcast. Picture
frames are placed in windows, advertise
ments inserted in out-of-town papers. These
items may mean 500 week more. Say
$50. This brings rent and advertising &C.
counts to $3.50 a week.
THE STAFF OF A THEATRE.
business manager, treasurer, ushers, as
sistant treasurer, ETC., is $3.50 more. The
orchestra costs, generally, $3.50. theatre
cal license is $500 year or $40 week.
Stage hands, scene carpenters and the door
keeper (who is very often the lanitor as
welD cost, make the average for the whole
season, 500 more. Stationery, coupon
tickets, etc., are to be paid for. All you
said, that is all, surely.
No; it is not. The manager cannot give
his performance in darkness. Gas is n i'm
portant and unyielding ITEM Daily does
without it, but he is an exception. A
well-lighted house is very important
thing. The scenery must be painted for
each new play, and repairs are needed con-
cumulating, ratings falling apart and glass
being shattered. The nimble hand of the
female scrubber is needed at least once
a day, and windows unwashed have
q habit of keeping out the light.
Estimating all these things-yet not troub-
ling you with the details-the total of hard
pan, bedrock, expenses in the running OF
a first-class New York house-comes to
81 900. There are luxuries and etceteras,
but these do not count.
Let us say that a good company is APP
pearing at the house. IL is performing
some attractive play. The house is popu-
lar. The weather is propitious. COMPETE
ton is not too strong.
On Monday night the theater, which may
hold l 500, is two-thirds full
GOOD HOUSE.
There are ], 600 persons present. One hun
bred and fifty have "bill-boards;" 100 more
are members of the press, the dramatic or
musical profession. are fellow-managers,
bill-posters, friends, etc. Seven hundred
persons pay. The receipts from these are
$500. The manager of the combination
fakes $3.50. The theatre manager applies
his $3.50 to the part settlement OF his ex-
penss. This brings him down to 81 $50.
On Tuesday there were fewer compliment
taries. The receipts are the same. The
manager is down to 81, 100.
on Wednesday night the house jumps up
TO SOU. line tUcAlTe lldIlhBtI tdhes F-NVs
He has still $500 to pay of.
Thursday night IL rains. The weather is
inclement The house falls TO 500. The
manager takes 500. He has two nights OF
the week left and 5000 to pay.
Friday is usually a good night. The re-
ceipts reach 5000. He takes 500, which
paws lust half Of his remaining expentes.
1fthe Saturday matinee occurs on lair
dav. he takes in $500. lift Is inclement Il
NAV be only $50. Put It Of $500.
He has now reached Saturday night. Ills
expenses for the week have been 81 tS0.
His share OF the receipts is Sl,4J0. lie Is
still $50 behind. Saturday Is, therefore,
the night which Is to determine. II he has
fair luck be takes in 500. Two hundred
and fifty dollars goes TO him. What be
takes in after $50 is profit. He is 500
ahead. on business Of - 800 and expenses
Of 81 500. II on Saturday night be strikes
a BOOM 10 quote the theatrical phrase,
his receipts are $500. This puts him $50
ahead on the week