The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-06-15
THEATRICAL PROSPECTS
THE OUTLOOK FOR NEXTsEAsOyI At
THE TWO PLAY-HOUs USES.
Both Houses Of ThespIs Tiled Up In Court,
and 1t Will be Many Days Before Mat
tcrs are Definitely Settled.

NAN'+"A
Richmond Theatre or Mozart Academy
Of Music. Both Of these play-houses are
now tiled up in court" and there seems
to be a lack OF effort by those interested
In having the matters at Issue settled.
as speedily as possible Within ten days
the theatre property Will be again offered
for auction, and it will then be decided
who will pay the most, Colonel John
Murphy or Mr. William II. zimmerman.
That is. practically, all that will be
| found out, yet it will be Of interest, for
| IL will show how much competition eX-
| lists between the two gentlemen, and how
much such enterprise will rebound TO The
] interest Of the mortgage holders and cred
/ itors OF the theatre property.
il is an open secret that there is
| $4,000 mortgage on the property, secured
| by n deed OF trust and about 5000 cf
debts not secured. Then there are law
| yers fees. auctioneer commissions md
other necessary expenses, and the bid Of
| $3s,j00 is not enough to cover the entire
amount.
After Colonel Murphy and Mr.. Zim-
hermann have nodded and Auctioneer
Brown has smiled, the property will
again be back into court" By a report
from Colonel 10 Lane Stern, the execu-
tor.
Hon. James c. Lamb will then take the
matter into consideration and II the bid
Is high enough. IL the morteage-holders
are satisfied and there is nothing further
to be heard on the subject he will hand
down a decree confirming the sale Of
J the property
Not until then will II be definitely set
tied beyond dispute whether or not
| Richmonders Will enjoy opera and trag-
edy, drama and comedy in the playhouse
at Seventh and Broad.
BE IL said 10 the credit OF Mr.. Thomas
G.. Leath. who has been conducting the
theatre for three seasons. that he has
been booking right along as though
the property were his. and should be
BE- lessee Of the theatre during the season
OF a3-4 he will give this citys play-goe IS
a better class Of attractions than has
been seen i'm Richmond for several sea
sons, with the exceptions, Of course, OF
the many superb companies brought here
last winter by MIR. I'd. Hamilton Cahill
lessee OF the Mozart. Better class OF
attractions" do not mean attractions
which play only IN Chicago, New York,
San Francisco, Philadelphia, 81. Louis
and other metropolitan cities. for II was
clearly demonstrated to all intelligent
people I'm Richmond last winter that no
manager Of a theatre can afford 20 play
such companies in this city. Mr.. Cahill
attempted TO do so. and failed. Failed
because the regular uteatre-goers Of
Richmond are so few in number and
possess such whimsical tastes that no
dependence can be placed on them, and
failed because the fashionable set here
will attend one attraction, wear their
dress suits and evening toilettes, and
have box parties, and the next week an
equally good attraction VIII be allowed
by them 20 be played 20 empty benches.
Failed because II an attraction plays
here and is not Of that excellence which
characterizes the same production IN
New York the would-be critics and the
men who go TO New York twice a year
declare I'm their classical English that
the play is mo good and never for
moment stop to think that Richmond IS
country town compared with New
York, and that a piece of paper, cent |
lead pencil and a little common sense |
will tell them that out Of a population |
of 10000 people here there Is but a small |
company that can be considered regular /
theatre-goers: that the occasional theatre /
gOers will increase the company 10 a |
battalion and n regiment Of people al |
play is so unusual that II is a matter Of |
surprise to even the newspaper reporter, |
and is commented upon In the daily press. /
That is Just the reason why companies |
who play IN New York and other large /
cities stay in just such places, and refuse
to come South. and a little more common
sense will soon convince the an with
the paper and pencil that If people can
earn all the money they have any reason
to expect In cities where there are every
comfort and attraction for them, there
is little use for them playing a circuit /
like the one IN which Richmond is In
cluded and h. forced 20 put up with
'three-night stands" more or less disa-
grecable hotel accommodations. and slow
railway service as compared with that
accorded them by circuits more densely
populated.
No class Of people on this footstool
lives up more evenly with the philosoph-
zeal statement, Eat drink and be merry.
for tomorrow we die" than actors and
actresses. and II is all bosh to think that
those people are coming to Richmond for
silver dollars. when they can receiva
gold pieces con their native heath"
Human nature is the same. even I'm Chi
,ago.
Yet. at the same time. there IS no
reason in the world for Mr.. Leath OF
Mr. Cahnl or Mr.. Anybodyese. giving
Richmond people attractions that I'm
arSer cities play 10 popular prices such
rs twenty-five and fifty cents Those
ire not the attractions the Richmond |
heatre-goers want, and they certainly
10 not wish them at the prices usually
harged at either the Theatre or Acade-
ny. For several seasons past such COM
,anles have been allowed TO play In Rich
nond, and the playhouse patrons have
zen allowed by the management 10 pay
ifty cents and a dollar for tickets. II is
Unjust. and should not be countenanced. Z
Mr.. Leath says II will never occur again. 7
lie states that he has remedied the evil.
.et us all hope that he has. Not "ac-
ording 10 their desert should he treat i
is patrons. but better. Thus he tells
ne that his bookings" are better than
Or several seasons past. and there is q
very reason TO believe that such is the T,
ase. lie naturally and rightly declines ,
D make his bookings" public at this
me- for he would hardly make a good +
lowing, telling a newspaper man his
fractions for next season before he gets
theatre 10 place them In.
When one comes 10 deal with the Acad- r
my question, the subject becomes diff !
ait, for the simple fact that there are
any intricacies with which to deal One
rs 10 remember that the bondholders.
= in other words, the people who hold !
lie mortgages upon the property. became
satisfied with the ever-present fact
at their money was tied up i'm that
vestment. and they were receiving no >
turns. Then took place the proceed u
rs in court, I'm which Mr. Cahill the n
ssee, was the central figure After
ose proceedings Mr.. Cahili states that =,
is not the lessee of the Academy. y
ID does not yet know whether he will "