The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-08

MANY TIME AND OFT ON THE RIALTO.
1T was the panic of '73 which indirectly
led to a complete revolution of things the
atrlcal. Theaters are always the first bust
ness places to feel the effects of general
financial depression and when the cold
wave swept across the continent, theater
after theater was closed, managers were
forced to the wall and actors by the hun
dred were thrown out of employment
up to this time the stock system had
prevailed and such stars as travelled gener-
ally did so accompanied merely by man
ager and relied upon the local companies
Tor support. Most of these stock compan-
les were of course disbanded. This rend-
cred it necessary for travelling stars in
many instances to engage their own COM
paules, and this was the first step toward
the combination system. But II was a
small one for tho stars at that time were
comparatively few When business showed
Signs OF reviving the next step was taken.
90 much capital is required for the proper
establishment of stock theater that man
ayers were slow to risk their money while
the financial affairs of the country were still
Unsettled and few far-sighted men
grasped at the situation and profited by it.
Ihey found on the one hand, any number
OF actors willing to work for small salaries
ana plenty of vacant theaters that could be
hired for small amounts They organized
companies on an economical basis, laid out
routes and began travelling from one city
70 another. The public Ill many sections
mad long been deprived of amusement and
were hungry for it. Hence, the new plan
was successful from the start and the orig
inators made financial hit.
One of the shrewdest of these was a man
VINO few years ago died practically penni-
1855 IN Bellevue hospital He perceived
what fine future there was for the new
4 1.
OUT the plan which is most closely followed
Today. He secuRed the out-of-town rights
70 Augustin Days successes and played
SneHl with his own company in other cities.
TOT astlne he simply coined money, but his
success and that of other pioneers in the
new movement led to competition which
grew brlslter with the lapse of time.
Iheaters which had long been closed, ex-
cept Tor occasional performances, soon were
leopened permanently. but as combination
houses where a new travelling company APP
peared every week instead of stock thea
teis The general public took kindly to
nioue OF management which presented n
cuange OF people as well as of bill, and the
Sstock theaters gradually fell into the new
line.
New York was about the last city to
SSnouBn the first combination house IN
uotham was started early enough in the
movement Among several theaters which
nau long been unused or only occupied by ex-
pefhhentaliSts occasionally was the Grand
opera house, now said to be the most valu-
que p combination property in the city.
ioole 81 Donnelly, who were both expert
snced managers, but whose capital was eX-
uenlely limited at that time, thought they
Jouiu make money at the Grand opera un-
usf the new regime. They secured lease
-, vi mo theater at low rental and on easy
Az FIRST the struggle was a hard one.
80 difficult was il, indeed, 60 make both
t' go meet that tho managers at times &C.
'Na!V walked from Eighth avenue and