The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-07-21

Tie present inactivity in theatrical
affairs would be appalling if it were
not seasonable. Possibly, some people
think that with the box Offices closed
against the nightly contributions of the
amusement-loving people, a drain has
, been stopped upon the public purse,
and that 50 much more money re-
Ainains in circulation. This theory is
largely falIacious. But little of the
money that is spent in going to the
atrical entertainments, ever leaves the
territory. Once in a while it is pro-
Grained that a certain great artist
must have a great deposit of golden
doubloOnS put into his wallet as an
anducement for him to appear. and the
public is called upon to contribute this
sum n order to have the pleasure of
seeing him, or hearing him, as the case
may be. AS a matter of fact, these ar
fists rarely receive so large a sum as
the advance agents and the news
paper men lead the public to believe.
1t often happens, in the dramatic pro-
1eSslon, as in other spheres of action,
that If person cannot get what he
wants he viii take what he can get;
ana II still oftener happens that travel
ing stars and companies spend
quite as much in coming here, and
being here as toe net amount re-
ceiVed by them from the management.
Consequently the coming of an attrac-
ton does not commit drain upon our
finances, but simply puts more or less
money into active circulation.
Few realize how many different &C
Invites are aroused by the opening of
our local theatres. But a glance into
the managers cash book wuld shed
conSiderab bic light upon this subject.
To open the doors of the Salt Lake
ne IN oT.Iir
for instance, means the employment
OF a little army of people, and the
feeding OF many mouths directly and
Indirectly. The treasurer, the stage
carpenter, the scene shifter, the prop
erty man, the bill poster and a score
of others and their families receive
some benefit; the passenger depart
ments of the railways, the transfer
companies the livery stables. the fuel
Jkroviders. the scene painters. the
1ectric light company. the printing
companies, the newspapers, each have
a bill to present, a dozen or so mTsi-
clans have something contributed TO-
wards their support, While the deal
ers in incidentais invariably find that
\ hey have sold something or other
whenever travelling company comes
10 town These are the direct out !
laws. most of which the manager Of the (
theatre has to face. TO say nothing OF /
the tribute paid into the city corpora /
eion By way of a license, and other
rraiIls that stand between him and a /
dividend; but there are still greater
Of indirect outlays incidental /
TO a theatrical performance that are
none OF his concern. Hotel bills borne /
by the companies are not to be sneezed /
at. but it must be remembered that |
travelling companies are usually free /
in their expenditures and no limit can |
be set upon the amount they spend in 1
the city. partly for necessities and |
largely for fun. Then comes the re- /
Quirements Of the audience new bon /
nets from the milliner, opera cloaks, /
gloves, fans. dainty handkerchiefs (
iaces. and heaven knows what all; new
ties and gloves for the escortes. bout. IL
Aeres, carriages. soda water, ice cream
Ead late suppers. according to style
singing from private boxes to upper
galleries. The human intellect IS
hardly capable of following this sub
ject out to its extreme possibilities, but
has been said to prove that
while Salt Lake continues to be "a
good show town." it will never be a
slow town.