The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-12-28
NEW HAVEN IS CRITICAL.

Why the Big Theatrical Managers
 BElng Their Productions to the lily
 perion for First Presentations.
 The selection of New Haven for the initial presentation of John Philip Sousas new opera "The Bride Elect" |" again invites attention to the fact that this particular kind of a compliment is shown this city perhaps more frequently than any other place in the country.
 In former years this was an unenvi- able distinction for any community to acquire, the epithet of dog town" be- ing the customary appellation bestowed upon such cities as were chosen by theatrical managers on which to "try out'' their wares, but in these advanced days when theatrical attractions are staged under competent direction with adequate rehearsal, first nights have lost their terrors, and smooth, finished performances are given from the start.
 'The selection of first-night town is largely a matter of sentiment, if not of superstition among theatrical man. agers," remarked A. L. Erlanger, of "The Bride Elect management, at the dress rehearsal last night. "The most of us have a fondness or partiality for some particular town based sometimes on fancy but generally on practical grounds. All the Klaw & Erlanger pro- auctions are given their original per formanCe in New Haven, and E. E. Rice would never thing of offering a new show In New York city without first having secured your verdict upon it's merits Now Madeleine Lucette By ley, the dramatist, stipulates that all her new comedies shall first see light at Wilkesbarre, Pa, and William Gill lette evinces a like partiality for Roch- ester, N. Y. Charles brings out all his
 John Drew and Maude Adams plays first in Washington, and Lillian Russell insists that her new operas shall be tried at Scranton, Pa. Ben D. Stevens, who is our partner in The Bride Elect, has always brought out his new operas with DeWolf Hopper in Boston, and he desired to follow the same policy with this new opera of Sousa's. As we are committed to New Haven this almost precipitated a contention at the very | threshold of the career of The Bride I Elect, but the selection of a first night | town was left to the choice of MT | Sousa. The composer decided in favor | of New Haven from sentiment. Wher l Sousa made his first concert tour witt | the United States Marine band the very first concerts he played were under l the management of George B. Bunnel | in Bridgeport and New Haven, ant | therefore he chose Bunnells playhouse | in this instance.
 | But aside from the sentiment, tht | practical features that commend New | Haven to us are many. In the frs
 place we secure in the Hyperion a thor | oughly equipped theater with stag, | large enough for the proper presenta
 tion of any production, no matter hoy | extensive, and that is an essential con sideration when you have a heav!
 show In the second place New Haver | gives us the best kind of an audience tt | judge of the merits of our attraction refined, intelligent and critical. Al
 audience whose judgment is reall!
 worth something, whose verdict on ou show is conclusive I never knew
 show that won favor in New Haven t'
 fail in New York, and that is why WI
 bring The Bride Elect to you, for af
 ter the first performance here you vii
 teach us just what we may expect else | where"