Telegram-herald., 1891-12-20
AWAITING THU PLAY
nERNI BILLS FOR CHRIsTYis VEEK
p~sks<aasr's Miast<sls 90 gsvsrs'-Hsi-
ses gsnlig "a ksansaa's--A Srtss
es Gsaryss Nasss s1d Pretty Girls
~ ksnsfA's-csasrA al stage astss.

1uIl ~ the thea.er- Many mznagsls OF
lxassiiax companies Ia tact gss their
ketors . weeks vacation about tnis
nms OF Ghs year. Is vas nolcssoly
dali at al of shs local the2ssrs the past
wesk--with the exception Of Geary's
museum, where that jumbo Of human
isy. Eliza, attracted the multitude from
every direction How quickly anything
In this world outs.ds of tns ordinary
W.!l arouse the sense OF the curlous
which dwslls IN humanity. To speak
generally and 70 strike an average tia
theatrical business aas been very bad
ever siace tns opsnlnz OF tee season.
sud Grand Rapids IS araoug tns very
flrst cities waich : oa ths sroas side OF
bosn the local ans travelling manageFs'
books. "A tar as shs city . concerned.
some fszsca for th.s safe OF
affairs 10 saxiensly soughs, par
k.eaizriy on the paFI ot man.
axsfs. Who sometimes assp2as thas
they are right and tnzL Tie public a AL
wronE. TIE puolls - as Ackls and
hayward - tae Silaiest ~ Z g.s- You
think Yoa have IS AVof aud conndeace
<-4ad the cODF.etiaa - 10 more than
ExeI, whcE with 1lsaIAy ahd Vsxation
you turn and Ind t5at<Ela completely
fnFszkep you. However. Win q lheAter.
kGpaiar, IL u pre.ty ErilAbie. Sucn must
be sonIewi ilas tne feelings OF tie man.
seement ~ the lNo leading loc4. play
houses. They ask. what Is tne mAtLers
Have tae people II Grand Rapids tired
OF gae .asaters How 40 they amuse
thenlselvSsy tt<s there 40. been u
aflenai1 Lue u attractions, especially
- Powers Cral4t
The aasNel % she last question must
"a in tue affirmative. With possibly
three exce ptons the combinations whsen
have appeared at tnis house, should
have beea sustained II liberal man
uer. As tbe record stands only few
show a profitable return o the manage
men.. No. the people OF Grand Rap
ids have not tired of the theater. and 10
i bslieved that the management here
stands well IN their favor. One fact IS
certain, and no great distance need be
travelled IN order 90 ind 10 nunIerously
eorroboFated, and that u, that Powers
theater - very unpopular With the
class of patrons who are expected to
support il. This IS stated without pre-
JUDGE. A thousand tongues have with
n the hearing OF the writer condemned
this ungssniy lll-arTanged and shabbny
equipped play-ho1se. The prince OF
good fellows who might be an ideal
Bely,dere could not make Il popular IN
its present condition. The proprietor
receives handsome rental. and should
~ a matter OF business slgacity and
tforethoGgnt, IS well as u matter OF
local pride, reconstruct aud adorn th;s
II a. a
be spared the shame OF having their lead
ing tnearer compaiei unfayorably with
thoee OF Kalamazoo, Saginaw, Benton
Harbor, Lansing, Bay City, and other
cliies IN Michigan. The home of tue
play must be bright. cheerful and IN
vitlDg. Worthy and interesting dramas.
with capable players, have been offered
here, but their place OF abode was not
attractive. and It Is positively known
that for this reason only. have admirers
OF the theater become indifferent.
THIS state OF affairs IS discouraging to
Q manager. This Individual IS as rule
often misunderstood aud unjustly criu-
eised. His purposr IN running thea
ter is the same - any other business.
20 make money. To succecd, he must
first possess the confidence OF the pub
lie. Il muss be his ann not TO break
faith with his supporters. How absurd
then on these premises for the pur-
vey0r of amusement to contract with
inferior companies. But he must get
. bad bargain occasionally like men in
other trades. This 10 due 70 the system
or rather 10 the time Of booking. Com
panles ara booked in the summer,
when the actors ara a. rest. OF
course every manager from every
town OF Importance IN the states IL after
the successes. No one city can expect
90 have only established fayorltes. A
good many plays, which have not vet
been presented must be accepted in or
der 30 keep the theater open. As q
rule q is these untried productions
which prove prosislsss and unsatisfsc-
/, tory. Enough has been said TO show
that 10 - Unreasonable To sup
pose that cheap and worthless
l companies would be accepted by
sny sensible manager with
purpose of deceiving hrs patrons. This
would be suicidal policy. There is
not sufficient reason for conds mnation
on these grounds as far a. Powers the
atsr ls concerned. The condition OF
the theater - the reason, which can
most largely BE substsntlated, for the
insttenron gwen plays aud players
who appear there. Brighten IL up.
make L eczy. comfortable. Give u
the glow and color OF Thcspisn tenn
pie. Decorate it so il will - an at
trsution Of itself. And first. above all,
put N mcdern opera chars SO that ths
far ladies' may have no fears ABOUT sp-
pesrlng ia tlre best thsir wardrobe at
ferrs. aud elderly gentlemen may see
~ a.rt,s
hacks. IN word. nlodsrniEe e. See
ID tie result vii not he large and fash
sonanie audiences. The attractions for
Christnass week are as follows
psw~rss- -rsekstsses's ufsstrsrs
fsw Docksssder wtA appear At Pow
erS nsxt Thursday and Friday even
lugs. wssh Christmas matinee, st tlis
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