The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-02-09
AMERICAN ADJUSTMENTS.
The Immense Amount of Money
Spent in Theaters.
Kept Busy-Eortunes Annually
Spent In Travelling on the
Railroads.

1t is estimated that there are per
haps as many as 1000 travelling theatri-
cal companies in the United States
says the Washington Post. This in
cludes everything that can be con
sidered strictly professional companies,
to say nothing fthe countless amateur
organizations. OF tha strictly theatri-
cal organizations il is safe To- presume
that the average receipts per night for
the 1000 companies are SiOO each. At
seven performances per week for each
company the weekly average, as will
he seen. would be $500. The average
theatrical season is forty weeks. The
entire 1000 companies with an average
nightly receipt of S400 would produce
weekly receipts at seven performances
per week amounting To 81, 500, 900. This
multiplied by forty, the number ,of
weeks in season, would yield gross
receipts amounting To SIZE, 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.
1t would appear from the above state
ment that great deal of money is made
by theatrical people. The expenses in
cident to earning SIZE, 600, 900 are very
large. 1t is reasonable to say that
one third, or S39, 900, 900, of the total
Sll2, 900, 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. 1t is safe to say that 4G 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, s112, 100000. This is di-
vided between the travelling companies
and the owners of the houses where the
companies play. The net receipts de-
rived by the companies would perhap.
be in the neighborhood of is per cent. or
40 per cent, making an average net re-
suit of between S75, ,OOO, 900 and Ss0. .OOO,-
900. Out of this, of course, comes all of
tation, and over one-half of the total
amount paid for newspaper advertis-
ing. Out of this also is paid fully 95
per cent. of the amount paid to print
ing houses.
The 1000 travelling companies will
average fifteen people to company,
making total of 5000 theatrical peo-
pie travelling over the country forty
90 ha
course, does not include the number
OF people employed AT uneauers. 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 theatcr, which
would be $1,000. This added to the
number of people travelling would
make total of 10000 people. 1t is
said that there 5000 actors and act
resses now out of employment. There
are at least engaged in the theatrical
business directly or indirectly-those
who make n living from ito, 900.
Some actors make a great deal of
money; some do not. Those who make
bht ihcSb dit liloSc " no SdN
the least about it. Those who make
the least on annual tours are as n class
those who do the most talking about
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 a week |
the standing Room Only sign is out |
They do this for the express purpose of |
To deceive the public. The |
best evidence that Il travelling theatri- |
cal attraction is n good one is the fact |
that large audiences attend it.