The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-04-12

I Glanced to meet a couple of theatrical
men yesterday and i'm the conversation that
followed one OF them was bemoaning tho
discouraging reports agents Of other com.
pauies had given them of the patronage in
some of the towns in this region. He could
not understand why the shows lall of which
he vouched for as good ones failed to draw
good houses. At the same time the speaker
said that he intended giving production on
two days notice. He was asked why he was
making such a sudden appearance and ex.
planned that the advance man of his company
had been taken i'll and he was obliged to
leave the company and move ahead to do the
"%billing' and make other arrangements.
The man who wondered at the failure Of
companies to draw unconsciously furnished
the explanation. The people have not yet
become SO enthusiastic over theatricals that
they can be drawn into the theatres on ten
minutes notice. The first thought. the first
cost in a theatrical venture is advertising,
and it must be timely and abundant The
people must first be informed of the proposed
coming Of "a theatrical company, the merits
and reputation of the play and company
must be placed before them, and then they
must have time to reflect and assure them
selves that the representations are b0nu Ji3e
and they are not being buncoed by some barn
s%torming combination. Advertising is in
valuable in all classes of business, and
especially in theatrical circles. The majority
Of managers appreciate this, but there are O
number who do not. Barnum, Forepaugh
and like men admitted time and again that
their successes did not hinge solely upon the
merits of their shows, but were brought
about principally, and in many instances
wholly, by the printed matter ON the bill
boards and the advertisements i'm the news.
papers and the theatrical man of to-day
who thinks he is smarter in his line Of
business than Barnum or Forepaugh were is
playing hide-and-seek with his w common
sense. The manager who hides his light
under a bushel and springs his greatest
show on earth" at the eleventh hour must
not blame the people if he fails to pull in the
shekels. This rule also applies to merchants.
It has been remarked that it is a rule
Wneu one man OF a group puts out MS Watch
to note the hour all others present do like
wise, sometimes inyoluntarily, and the time
indicated ON the dials is found so different
that even two watches of a number do not
correspond. The rule is not iufallible,
although l will admit that l discovered it for
the first time the other evening. While I
was sitting in a barber shop one of the five
Others present pulled out his watch.
Twenty minutes of eleven said he
Another looked at his watch and said.
That's it, exactly" The other four, in-
Guiding myself, pulled out their chrouometers
and great was the surprise when they shouted
in chorus, 'Tha is the time by my watch, %
Quite a discussion followed the incident
during which the barber was coaxed to open
"a box Of cigars under the representation that
the discovery Of an exception to the ancient
rule would bring luck to his place. The
barber will open a box after Cleveland
satisfies the office seek rs.
ODE.