Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-08


WORLDS ....Curios1ties. ETC.
DAVIS MUSEUM. .Curiosities. Etc.
The above are the theatrical attract
for this week.
The close of the dramatic season of 1912 is
so near at hand that it is possible already to
make an estimate of the results. As far as
the public of Pittsburg is concerned, think
beyond doubt that the past season has
given them better line of attractions at
the theaters than they ever had before. The
opening of the Alvin Theater last fall MAJ de
it possible for nearly every first-class com.
pany in the country TO get a date in Pitts.
burg a tn ing which had never existed here
before. Each year a certain number OF
first-class plays and companies have been
excluded from the city for the simple rea-
son that dates at the existing theaters could
not be had. 1t is not certain fact as some
people would have us believe, that Pittsburg
cannot support four so-called f1rst-class
theaters in addition to number of second
class houses, but ii is to be feared that for a
will suffer from the close competition, and
none OF them will make a great deal Of
money. But there is great long distance
between ma king a barrel and bankruptcy
and most of the theaters will continue to get
fair returns upon their investment.
Most of the travelling companies complain
that the past season has been anything but
profitable. In New York, which is COM
monty taken as criterion for the rest of
the country, the theaters, with but two or
three exceptions have not made money or
the season. 1t is rather unfortunate that
better fortune has not attended the theaters
during the past nine months, for next fall
with its Presidential election will make the
atrical shedding harder than ever.
The Duquesne Theater closed its doors for
fl,n las irhf Nv haa han N
busiy engaged circulating report that
David Henderson intended to relinQuish the
DuQuesne Theater next season. The popu-
lar manager was in the city during the past
week. and had word to say on the subject
that was emphatic and directly to the point.
81 have no doubt" he said, ''that great
many cheap people who manage cheap
houses, and other houses in a cheap manner.
would rejoice very much if 1 should lease
my house to someone else. The truth of the
matter is, that the Duquesne Theater hav-
ing played nearly all of the leading attrac-
tions of the country in the season just clos
ing, will have even a stronger list next year.
! promised the people of Pittsburg that l
would make our theater the leading amuse-
ment resort of the city. did not intend this
as an idle boast, and as to whether have
made my claim good, leave the public to
Judge. Certain it is that the Duquesne The
ater has produced the finest line con-
tinuously of attractions ever known in
the amusement history of the city. The
patronage during the season just closing has
been 81 per cent better than the correspond
ing weeks of the year before. The house to-
day itself is admittedly in advance of all
other theaters. 1t has a strong hold on popu-
lar favor, and for the coming season has a
list of attractions contracted that are even
greater than those of the present year.
There is not the slightest danger of my re-
linquishing the house which built and paid
for, and when you hear anyone say that in
tend doing so, you may wager that it is the
fellow who woIld like to see me do it."
Among the attractions that will appear at
the Duquesne Theater during the coming
season are: Mrs. Bernard Beers, the cele.
brated English actress; Modjeska. Fanny
Davenport Stuart Bobson, W. ii. Crane, the
Bostonians, all of Hoyts successes: Russell's
Comedians. Wilson Barrett, Neil Burgess,
Francis Wilson Opera Company; De Wolf
Hopper Opera Company, Margaret Mather,
Nat Goodwin, the Isle OF Champagne Opera
Company. Digby Bell, In "Jupiter;" the
Pitou stock Company, E. S. Willard and
Agnes Huntington.
The statement telegraphed to New York
from this city that Modjeska opened to 500,
while Sullivan's first nights receipts were
81 200 WAS not true but so far as the proper
tion of the figures was concerned it was not
so much out of the way. The New York
papers have commented on it as an instance
of the Philistinism of Pittsburg, but, good
reading as these squibs made, it is not fair
TO TINS city to say that there are not as large
q proportion of theater-goers here who
would so to see "Modieska," or any other le
gitimate attraction in preference to a prize
ring melOdTama as there are in any other
city Of the same size in the country. Mod
je>Ha'' could not expect to play a very sue
cessful engagement so late in the season
here, but her audience grew nightly and the
latter part OF the week she played to q very
good business. The performances given by
ModiesRa and her company were very artis-
tic, without exception. HEPBURN JOINS.