The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-08-28

LOSE MONEY"
stand and perhaps the paper for couple
of weeks ahead paid for. Inside of q week
usually trouble begins. Tho astuto man
ayers figures were slightly ont of plumb,
1t seems. He had cXplntncd to his friends
especially the one from whom no had Dor
rowed tho money with which to start out
how there would be profit under every
conceivable condition. why" said he
suppose we should play 10 500 night
OF course business cunt possibly fall as
low rs TINT with our attraction, but sup
pose it should, with u strong emphasis
on tho should, why, even then we
would make good money!
really saw company start out few
days ago with just such an alluring pros
pect and Just such u corner on tho-intcl-
ligencc-of-the world manager. letter
from friend who was one of the mis-
guided dupes of tho confidence operator
who looked after the interests of the CHI
terpriso contains the following: I'VE open
ell here last night. We wero to have play
ed Thursday, Friday and Saturday even
ings and Saturday matinee. Our receipts
surprised the proprietor of tho opera house,
as we had predicted. They also surprised
us. They were 49, 90. AS the advance salo
for the three other performances is exactly
rs cents we have been notified that wo
cannot have the use of the thoatcr unless
we pay tho rent in advance, and this H.,
our manager, seems unable 80 do. When
called his attention to tho fact that his
minimum of 500 a night had been dis
tanccd at the second stand of our to-be-
great tour, he said that 1t proved nothing
except that the people of the town aro
jays and don't know Il good thing when
they see it, The leading lady and will
return to New York this evening and the
other members of the company will follow
as soon rs they can raise tho money" And
thus cndcth the story of the attraction
which couldn't lose money!
This is not an exceptional case by any
means. Many "a company is organized,
advance royalties paid, especial" scenery
and stock paper bought, route booked
and a company started out on ST. 00G or
less. or course there is no margin to cover
week or two of bad business, and tho
first setback strands the company and
leaves the members without funds in
strange town, their trunks practically in
pawn at the hotel and the railroad charg-
Ing regular ratcs-payment In advance
for passage back to Now York. Shake
spcarc made Puck say, What fools these
mortals be-" Some of thcm-in fact,
most OIL thcm-arc, but there are e=ccp-
tions. If the bard of Avon had said, What
fools these actors bel" he would have
enumerated u much more frequent truism
There seems to bc absolutely no hope for
most of them. They are Us devoid of bust
ness sense rs sailors. They are dupcd
right and left by sharpcrs, and even when
they have Il streak of good luck spend
their money freely without any thought
of the long period of idloncss which is cor
tain to follow. OF course this applies only
to tho small fry of the professionals
people whose necessities perhaps obligo
them to accept any terms which may DO
offered without reference to the response
bility OF tho management The secret of
1t all Is that amateurs, graduates of dra-
matte schools whose instructors would he
unable to earn $50 week each rs actors,
Divorces, real and flake" bank burglars,
breach of promise plaintiffs and heavy
jowled and ignorant bruiscrs arc crowd
ing the stage to such an extent that there
Is little room left for tho reputable people
in the humber walks Of tho drama. These
theatrical oXcrcscnceS do attract some of
the public's money which would other.
wise drift into its legitimate channels.
The theatrical season in New York city
has begun in earnest, and, while it opened
in rather commonplace fashion, unless
oil signs fail, it will be brilliant beyond
any Of it's recent predecessors. AT Daly's
ga Night or is the inaugural attroc.
ton, with tho -burlesQue star, Henry f.
Dixey, in an important comedy role. On
Sept. II at the same theator George Ed
wardcs' company from the Prince OF Wales
theater, London, will present musica,
comedy, entitled "A Gaioty Girl" which
has been making our English cousins
laugh for many moons. The engagement
Is for six weeks, and Immediately after
Its close Mr.. Days superb stock company
will begin the regular season, during
which 1t is expected that several promis-
ing original plays as we'll % some adapta-