The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-10-02
LAYING OUT ROUTES
FOR THE VARIOUS THEATRICAL CON-
BINATIONS OF THE COUNTRY.
How the Thing Is Done systematically
The Agents Long BOOk'-Adver-
:. tising the AttractiOns-Arrange-
ments with the Manager.
[New York sun IntervIew.I

@Of late, one of the best-known theat-
rical agents in this city said recently,
factors have far less trouble in arranging
for dates out Of town than formerly. In
fact, may say that the system of rout-
ing and booking has undergone a com
plete change No longer than seven
years ago the old system prevailed. I'm
der it hardly any so called combinations
went on the road / can say, without
being in the least immodest, that ! was
the first agent to adopt the present sys-
tenn. ] based it on that pursued by a
New York theatre, which sent many
companies on the road. From the family
which managed the establishment ! got
the fundamental principles of the present
system. have it down to such a fine
point that if ] am asked to book and
route company l can tell in few min
utes what dates and places are open for
it.
@How do you manage that2" we
asked
81 will explain. Through my acquaint-
ance with managers, l have the sole
agency for about hundred theatres. To
carry out ing system it was necessary that
/ should be sole agent for them here.
Otherwise it would be impossible for me
TO lay out routes by glance at my books
To begin with, have theatre in each Of
the large cities in the country. In some
sections there are circuits, as for instance,
the Vermont the Texas, the California
circuit, and am in close relation with the
representatives of these. I by no means,
however, always include such circuits in
the routes / lay out Besides theatres in
large cities, / have good show towns be-
tween them. For instance, l have on
my list ten New York cities the same
number in Ohio, seven in Indiana, six in
Pennsylvania and so on. Let me give you
an illustration as to how quickly can
route combination or star. The first
time had dealings with one of my stars
she came up to me and said: My route
for next season isn't well laid out 1 want
you to lay out a new route for me.
leave for California to morrow. What
are your termsY
" I will lay out route for YOU re-
piled, If you will leave everything in my
hands. When you come back from Cali
fornia will show you the route, and you
will find my terms reasonable.
Before she left that afternoon for Cali
fornia had her route laid out, and she
was booked for all the theatres on the
route. How do l manage it? I'll show
you. In this book, opening long book,
have on every page every date in the
year, with blank space after each date.
Every page belongs to theatre, the thea
tres being arranged according to states
can tell by glance at each page how
many dates are open for the theatre repre-
sented by that page. Here is Cleveland
filled you see, from Aug. "a,
1885, to June 81, 1886. Now,
suppose | want to book an attrac-
ton for some date later than June 81,
1886, in Cleveland. / telegraph to the
manager the name of the attraction, the
time, and terms There is possibility
that we may differ on terms and have to
adjust them by wire. But l know what
ideas the different managers have in re-
= Il
tive answer to my first telegram. In adj
dition to my book, in which each page is
devoted to a theatre, have tables con-
sis ting of a page like those in the book,
pasted on cardboard. Each of these
tables is devoted to star or combination.
I have sixteen all told. Now. look at this
table On it you will find the route of a
star actress mapped out AS a rule |
start my attraction in New York and
wind up in New York.
"But If you have to make routes for
sixteen attractions, said the reporter. 81
should think the late corners would be
hard to satisfy"
"There are no late Corners among my
regular sixteen attractions, because book
them all in December for the next year.
Besides the routes differ in character.
Here, for instance, is a route for a play ia
which well-known actor starred up to
last season. He takes another play this
season, so his old play goes on the road
without him. That route doesn't take in
8 single large city 1t is confined to towns
which are one or two night stands OF
course, some managers come to me too
late. They have to take what they can
get, They are obliged to jump all over
the country, and are put to great outlay
for transportation. Then again it may
happen that some combination goes to
pieces In that event these late-comers
NAV Oat C0O6 r0l1fa after all -
How do you manage the advertising
for your attractions while en- route7"
THAT is all provided for in the con-
tract. have printed form which, when
filed out, is q contract between my at
fractions as party of the first part and the
theatre as party of the second part. The
attraction agrees to furnish the acting
company, advance printing, and stage
performance for USUALLY 20 per cent. of
the gross receipts The manager agrees
to furnish the theatre, well lighted,
warmed, and cleansed, with scenery and
equipments according to plots furnished,
stage hands, usheTs, property-meD, and
assistants, ianitors, ticket-sellers, supers,
ballet, calcium lights, programmes. bill.
boards, frst-class orchestra, or, if i'm
possible to secure an orchestra, first
class piano and pianist; door keepers,
licenses. advertising. stage furniture, and
properties
Il SuODOSC you COuS4OCIs III AllttniuS up
your routes, how the attractions did the
previous season."
. Yes, have book of the receipts of
every performance
Are not some sections of the country
better to show in than others2"
Maine and New Hampshire are poor
states. and in Vermont there are only
three good show towns. OF course the
country is thickly populated in this Sec
ton, and here there are no long jumps
But the west and south are equally
anusement-loving, and if there were as
uafy4sities and towns in these sections as
IN this they would lie as good from
theatrical point of view. But let me tell
you one thing. The west and south will
stand only first-class attractions. You
can't palm off anything second-class on
them. Anybody who tries it will be
truly routed.
The Secret of Long Life.