Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-04-27
A MANAGERS WOES.
No Fly Girls at Present-Cancellation Of
the Recent Lease and Failure to
Adjust New One.

All last week the Academy OF Music, or
shay's Theatre, was packed from ceiling to
dome, the attraction being the gay girls OF
the Siddons Company; all this week the
hall has been dark as Erebus, and no one
seemed to know why. Il was generally
SUPPOSED the next attraction had missed
connection, bat to learn the real reason,
REGISTER reporter tackled Mr.. Shay and en-
quirtd:
What was the reasoa Tor dosing the
Tbeatre?'
Welt, / have no objection for the public
TO know the entire history vi the Case, Tor
it is no ieult OF mine. haze done ali IL
NY power 10 entertain the citizens OF
Wheeling giving them first'ciass per
fOrHsuce for very small ADMISSION
fee. have not made cent
since | have started the Theatre, Int
if the Board of Directors OF the Washing
tor Hall Association had lee me run /
would have kept the place open for at
least twelve more months. have run houses
in all the principal Eastern cities, and |
must say this is the only city | have not
made any money in
What hopes had you il YOU kept II
open for twelve more months? asked the
reporter.
1T is lust this that theatre has been run
in the ground: i'll other words 1t has bad
reputation, and it takes long aud steady
run of first. class combination to rectity
that evil and give the establishment GOOD
name, so that good combinations will be
willing TO accept engagements. AS the
house stood when FIRST opened, you could
not book good companies for the simple
reason the name OF the house would natur-
IL, 49, antty fnr InS
matter how poor combination IS, IL
they are booked for the Opera House
in this city, the elite will patronize it,
whereas. when first opened the Wash
ingtOn Hall, g company OF the first artists
of the world would not have drawn any OF
that class OF citizens. The bad name OF the
house WAS the only drawback. l did not
expect to make any great money up 10 the
lst of next June, but my hopes were that
by that time would be able to establish
good name FOR the house under the title OF
"Shay'S Theatre" and when the hall had
been thoroughly renovated this coming
summer aud opened up next September,
the house would draw respectable and
large audience But judging from the
! way things lOCk at present, Will not De
! able 10 open up at all.
| What is the trouble between you and
! the Board of Directors OF the Washington
: Hall Association TO give the readers a
Z slight history of the leasing and sub.lettlnG
/ OF the hall, he statcI the following;
! MIR. Lucas leased the hail from the As
/ ISOLATION for 800 per annum. Mr.. Shay
subleased from Mr.. Lucas al fi0a weak,
Mr.. Lucas furnishing the license. " hich
| amounts to $50 year. The first iat.ma-
/ ton that Mr. Shay mad Of there being any
/ trouble, was Il notice from Mr.. Rodgers
! tone OF the Directors, THURSDAY. April ~
. stating that. the board would hold Shay
! responsible for The rent OF the hall
: for the last half of the week. Before re
caiy;ag tits notice Shay had paid 20 Lucas
/ the iull rent iUr the week In controversy.
/ Mr.. Dobhine. the assignee Ut the lncaS
prOrer;Y, was approached by Shay and the
/ case stated. That gentleman advised Shay
3 TO yav the i:ragd the hall weeks rent and
/ he would pay il back 10 him, which p)r-
ton OF the agrCemcnt was tilted by SHAY.
/ The combination that had been engaged
: for this week failed To- appear and notified
! Shay on Friday, the 10Th Ut April, but as
! Shay was III doubt as 10 what the Board
/ would do about the rent his lease with
J IUca> becoming void when the assign
mtut was made he would not engage an
other troupe. Last Monday tho Board
OF Directors 0f the Washington Hall Asso'
citation held meeting and invited Mr..
Shay ~ b" present. \, this meeting Shay
informed them wha' price he had paid
IuCas, and about the license. and then
stated he wa willing 20 lease IN" hall and
pav every cent il wa worth. but as he had
already expended over $500 nu Improve
nenr, 10 the hall. aud as it still Vas badly
. in need ui ceptjrS. Ia. NIutei the 6Jati -
make the repairs at their own expense.
ami # they wuu'd 10 50 he would pay
, theu >lUu d Iu"nth .or In" bGilding which
was il round numbers ! - mIre m1nth