Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-01

| notable by reason Ol a manifest ulspoSltloi
on the part of locairaanagers to recognize
the necessity of regulating their scale OF
prices to suit the pockets of the proverty
stricken people, and the merits Of the at
fractions presentede Roth houses have Of
fered cheap matinees, which have been 8,
well attended in spite of the insufficient ad
vertising, that at least one Of the theaters has
announced its intention of continuing that
line so far as 1t Is able to do so. 1t will
be remembered that the Farnam Street
theater in its latter days. was particularly
beloved on account of the matinees, which
prince and pauper might attend for the not
exorbitant sum OF a quarter Of dollar. The
same policy, adhered to after the fire had
swept away more substantial things, tided the
| Fifteenth Street theater over many an en-
gagement which would not. and should not
have prospered at high prices; and when
second burning brought about the opening
| OF the Creighton; the cheap matinee and the
general price called popular were features
! OF the new enterprise. Then success enlarged
the horizon of the managers, and the average
| tone of their list of attraction became so
| high for time that they forsook their
| formerly effective plan, and proclaimed an
era Of prices uniformly high This plan in
view Of the innexibly hard times has been
| found to be impracticabe, and the old
scheme with certain necessary notifications.
10 to come in again.
The Creighton theater now announces its
policy as including a sliding scale of prices.
prcportoned. 80 far as may be, to the value Of
the entertainment provided Now and then
| attractions are booked. because of cancella
! ticns or other disasters which are not
| worth frst-class prices. do not expect them
| and cannot get them. A house which extorts
Sl.50 from its patrons for Shows of this
| character finds that very few will pay that
| sum. The people who can spare as much
| as that for a single seat are not the oneo
| who want that kind of thing: whereas the
| honest citizens who can devote a quarter
now and then to theatrical amusement. might
| turn out in large number If their quarter
would admit them Aware of this condition
of affairs, Paxton & Burgess will henceforth
offer, far as they can do so, the in
ducement Of moderate prices. This is not
to say that they will play Richard Mans
field or the Tavary Opera company at twenty
FIVE cents. Some things are impossible, even
to theater managers with the best intentions.
But they will not ask tsay) Mansfield prices
for (say) "Fatted Calf attraction. There
are men who would not get quarters worth
of pleasure out of Mr.. Mansield's most
powerful work: and such may find twice as
much value in "a Fstted Calf" Since. by
the experience of Omaha's geographical sit
uation. and the stage OF development to
which the city has come 1t is necessary in
OTueT UHdI TWO tnedIeTS may De 'ODeH
through the season, to include In their list
Of bookings attractions for all sorts and con-
ditions of men, so 1t has been found necessary
to scale the prices accordingly: For first
class entertainment In word, frst-class
prices will be chargedAaud popular prices
for Shows" while cheap matinees will
adorn the engagements OF such attractions
as well consent to them This step will be
generally conceded to be not only sensible
one from the. managers standpoint but
boon from every point of view of the public.
Aside from this partial return to popular
prices last week was uninteresting enc at
the theaters. In considering it one is con-
scious chat II is more profitable to forget the
things which are behind. There Is better
entertainment to be had in future. Another
emanaton frcm the brain of the airy and
delicate Mr. Hoyt-said to be the latest. but
mot the LAST sfromssthat@ fsrtileD Dsapree-will
hold the boards at Boyd's Tor short en-
gagement, and Mr.. Mansfield will appear at
the Creighton the last two nights of the
week It is to besregfelted that this eminent /,
artist will mot play a matinee. here. as al
first announced and that he will adhere to
old and we'll known plays during his Omaha
engagement instead of giving our people an
opportunity Of seeing him in some or his
less familiar roles.
Agreeable anticipation Is caused by the ar !
rouncement Of the approach OF John Phiiip |
Sousa and the fine band Of which he is ne |
head Sousa who has appropriated the
march as his especial province of musical |
composition in the same way as the Strausses
have made the waltz peculiarly their own,
has got together and held practically intact
for several seasons body OF instrumentailsts
which for perfection of organization is not
excelled by the most famous bands OF Europe,
and his coming is ever a source OF pleasure
to all classes of music lovers The engage
ment will include two concerts, OF whlch
the programms are not yet given out DOUBT
less however, there will be among the
heavier and lighter music which goes to
make up popular band concert, liberal
sprnkling of the always welcome compost
tions of the leader. 1t is said that Mr.. Sousa
has some great new marches which he VIII
give Omaha a chance to hear, and there are
many inhabitants who cherish warm af-
lection for the Liberty Bell" and the High
School Cadets" and the Washington Post"
who would be glad to hear the stirring
strains of them again. ..-..-
Coming Events.
Charles A. HOyts "A Milk White Flag
will be seen for the first time in Omaha on
this Sunday and tomorrow evenings. 1t
is said to be fortified by strength of cast
and a completeness of scenic equipment,
beauty Of costuming. etc, which should in
sure for it instantaneous acceptance at the
hands of local play -goers. 1t has certainly
|
been produced, having run at Hoyt's theater
New York, for almost year. and filling long
engagements in Chicago, Boston and unm-
ber Of the other leading cities
The basis of "A Milk White Flag Is
rivalry for funeral honors between two milit-
iry organizations, the members of which, says
the author, are ''battle-scarred warriors from
the fields Of Mars and the court of Venus"
They start their fun-making with corpse,
which at one time an Objectionable
feature of the performance, but Mr.. Hoyt
has fixed all that. 1t is said that what was
ndelicate has been made amusing which is
important, IL true" The old favorites in
the cast are Charles Stanley, John S. Marble,
George Beane, Lloyd Wilson and Frank Law
ton. The new members OF the company are
Agnew, Sally Maddern, Afie War
ner e. S. wentworth and Charles l.. Warren.
Numerous pretty girls. Especial scenery and
an excellent band are among the salient
features of "A MIX White Flag" 1t 10 an
nounced that nothing in the Hoyt line has
heretofore come wlhfh haling distance OF
his play In the way Of magnifcence OF
and stage setting. the private
quarters of the offarg of "The Ransome
Guards" the reception loom at the house OF
'iggot Luce, and the grand hall OF the armory
being all beautiful pieces of the scenic
PAINTERS art. '