The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-02-10
AMERICAN ADJUSTMENTS.
The Immense Amount OF Money
Spent IN Theaters.


says the Washington Post. This in
cludes everything that can be con-
sidered strictly professional companies,
to say nothing Of the countless amateur
organizations. OF the strictly theatri-
cal organizations it is safe to presume
that the average receipts per night for
the 1000 companies are $500 each. At
seven performances per week for each
company the weekly average, as will
be seen, would be $500. The average
theatrical season is forty weeks. The
entire 1000 companies with an average
nightly receipt of $40O would produce
weekly receipts at seven performances
per week amounting to 81, 800, 900. This
multiplied by forty, the number of
weeks in . season, would yield gross
receipts amounting to $112, 900, 900.
From the above estimates some idea
can be formed of what the American
people spend annually for amusements
by companies which are known as
strictly professional. Thousands OF
dollars are also spent with amateur
theatrical organizations and lecture
bureaus.
Itwould appear from the above state
ment that a great deal Of money is made
by theatrical people. The expenses In
cident to earning $l12, ,00o, 900 are very
large. It is reasonable to say that
one third, or ss9, 200. 900. of the total
S112, ,0O0, 900, is spent with railroads.
Another very large item is expended
for printing. Great fortunes have been
amassed by printing houses in the
production of theatrical printing alone.
Hundreds of thousands eff dollars are
also spent for advertising in news
papers. It is safe TO say that 40 per
cent. of the correspondence between
theatrical managers is carried on by
telegraph, which amounts to great
deal In years time.
The travelling companies, however,
are not the sole possessors of the
grand total, e112, ,0OO, 900. This is d.
vided between the travelling companies
and the owners Of the houses where the
companies play. The net receipts de-
rived by the companies would perhaps
be in the neighborhood of 05 per cent. or
70 per cent, making an average net re-
suit of between $75. .0o0, 900 and $50, ,000,-
O0O Out Of this, of course, comes all Of
the expenditure for railroad transpor-
tation, and over one-half Of the total
amount paid for newspaper advertis-
ing. Out OF this also Is paid fully IS
per cent. Of the amount paid to print
Ing houses.
The 1000 travelling companies will
average fifteen people to company,
making q total of Is. 900 theatrical peo-
pie travelling over the country forty
weeks out Of the fifty-two. This, Of
course, does not include the number
of people employed at thesters. Upon
the estimate made as to the number of
companies there must of necessity be
the same or more number of theaters,
rs two companies cannot play at the
same theater on the same night. There
are at least on an average fifteen peo-
pie employed at every theater, which
would be $1,000. This added to the
of people travelling would
make = total of $4,000 people. It is
said that there 5000 actors and sct-
resses now out Of employment. There
are 1T least engaged in the theatrical
business directly or indirectly-those
who make q living from it-6o, 900.
Some actors make . great deal Of
money; some do not. Those who make
the most are generally those who say
the least about it. Those who make
the least on annual tours areas class
those who do the most talking sbout
having done the greatest business. A
great many managers and stars hold
TO the old-fashioned idea that they
must always talk about the enormous
business they are doing, the people
they are turning away from their
houses. and how many times = week
the standing Room Only" sign Is out.
They do this for the express purpose Of
to deceive the public. The
best evidence that . travelling theatri-
cal attraction is . good one il tho fact
hat large audiences attend 1t.