The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-03-01
A Big Syndicate Organized In
New York
To Control the Amusement
Business Of the Country.
CONTROLS so HOUSES.
Five Per Cent of Gross Receipts
Exacted for Booking.
Many Leading Companies Have
Already Surrendered.

New York. March 1.-The World, IN
It's Sunday issue, lays bare the work
dngs of the theatrical trust, citing
number of recent secret purchases OF
theaters, including the Coates of Kan
sas City. It says:
'@The theatrical trust, or syndicate,
or whatever else it may be called, is
composed at present of the following
members:
"Al Hayman Charles Frohman, Dan
Tel Frohman (nominally), Rich & Har-
ris of Boston, Nixon & zimmerman OF
philadelphia and Klaw & Erlanger of
New York
sfWithin a year they have secured
control OF of almost so theaters, all but
a few of which are what may be termed
first class houses, that is to say, houses
in which the prices range from % cents
to 81 So Within the past three days the
syndicate has obtained control of Hyde
& Behmans Grand Opera House in
Brooklyn, the Gaiety of Williamsburg,
and Miners Newark Theater, which
have been known as popular price
houses. Although the announcement of
acceSsiOnS to the list of syndicate thea
renee recently, the fact of the taking in
of these popular price houses has stir
red the theatrical world more deeply
than any other announcement.
Here is a partial list of the theaters
that have fallen into line during the
short period in which this unincorpor-
ated trust has been in existence:
New York, the KnickerbOcker, Gar
Broad Street, Chestnut Street Opera
House, Chestnut Street Theater, Peo-
pies and Walnut Street Theater; Bos-
ton, Hollis Street Theater, Boston Mu-
scum; Brooklyn, Columbia Theater,
Grand Opera House, Gaiety, Sims Mon
tauk Theater; Baltimore, Academy of
Music, Lyceum Theater, Washington,
Lafayette Square Theater, Columbia
Theater, National Theater and Acade-
my of Music; Pittsburg, Alvin Theater;
Cleveland, Euclid Avenue Opera House;
Olympic Theater; Chicago, Columbia
Theater, McVicker's, Haymarket and
Hooley's Theater; Milwaukee, David
sons Theater; Detroit, Detroit Opera
House; Toronto, Grand Opera House,
Princess Theater;B Buffalo, Star Theater;
Cincinnati Grand Opera House, Walnut
Street Theater; Kansas City, Coates
Opera House; Denver, Tabor Grand
opera House; salt Lake city, Salt Lake
Theater; San Francisco, Baldwin Thea
ter, California Theater; New Orleans.
Academy of Music, ST Charles Theater;
Louisville. Macauley's. s q
1T is claimed that the syndicate, be-
sides debating to the travelling mana
gers where and when they shall appear,
demand a percentage of the gross re-
ceipts as a fee for booking the attrac-
tiOnS. Rumor has it that this fee is 5
per cent of the gross receipts, although,
of course, in the cases of the very high
est Grass companies AAldI rate may AlOl
be adhered to.
"A theatrical manager who is well
known throughout the country, figuring
yesterday the probable receipts of the
syndicate from this source, reasoned
thus:
q There at least so companies that
have succumbed to the syndicate. A
modest average of their gross receipts
per week each is 81, 900, or $500, 900 for
the so shows; 5 per cent of this gross
means $4,000 per week, and granted
only a season of 35 weeks. there must
be at least an income of $3.50, 900 a sea-
son for the syndicate for the booking
privilege alone. Heretofore it has cost
a company, acting through some regu-
Ear booking agencies about 81, 900 to ar
range its plans for the season.. That
would be 900 for the so companies.
This leaves an excess of $500, 900 in the
expenses of these so organiza lions. I
am taking only the most modest figures
and speaking only of the present. What
the future may bring forth with added
power on the part of the syndicate.
goodness only knows "