The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-19

Managers of theatres all over the
land are just now driven to the ne
cessity of exercising their wits as never
before in their experience; particularly
is this the case in places removed some
distance from the big dramatic centers.
The reason is that from a variety of
causes there will be less travelling by
the bigger class of attractions during
the coming season than for long time
past; hard times, low salaries, the ten
dency toward vaudeville, and, lately,
the very pronounced return to the old
stock company system in the big cities,
have all lad a demOraliZing influence
Oh the combination plan. Everywhere
stock companies are springing up, and
many are meeting with the same de-
gree of success as that which greeted
and still 2reetS the FrawleyS in San
Francisco. In New York, Chicago,
EostOn, st. Louis, Philadelphia, Balti-
more, Cleveland, San Francisco and
other places, stock companies playing
the standard pieces at popular prices,
with change of bill weekly, will be
fixed Institutions for the season of
'SS-'99; in Los Angeles "a stock COM
pany hes been formed on the lines OF
The old Deseret Dramatic association Of
Salt Lake, the members preparing
themselves in certain plays requiring
q star to delineate the leading role, and
then importing the star and supporting
her. ModJeska is now playing there
under these conditions, and we notice
that the papers in other parts of the
country are calling on their local man
ayers to organize stock companies on
the same lines. 1t would not be at all
surprising if the next two or three
years saw a complete return to the
system of early days, and that in place
of expensive organizations travelling
about the country, as they have done
for 20 years past, We shall see DaVen-
pert, Warde, James, Nat Goodwin, Sol
Smith Russell and the other stars send
ing the manuscripts of their plays
ahead to the local managers, having
them cast and rehearsed in advance by
the local company, and arriving them
selves, possibly accompanied by a lead
ing man or woman, giving the HniSn-
ing touches to the preparations and
then playing from a week to month
in each stand.
1t is hard to say how towns like Salt
Lake win fare in the general shaking
up process that now seems to be go
ing on in the dramatic world. We are
hardly large enough to maintain a
stock company through the whole sea-
son. ard we are too large TO content
with ANYTHING below the first grade
of attractions. The consequence VIII
probably be that the theatre VIII De
opened a fewer number of nights each
season. but that good attractions will
dc an increased business. There is not
much likelihood of any home dramatic
company springing up soon that will
take the place of the old Home ORA
mates, who aided in keeping the the
atre doors open p or 30 nights IN the
year when they would otherwise have
been closed. The nearest approach to
it will be the local opera company,
which seems to be something of re-
incarnation of the old Dramatic club.
The theatre owners are lending all pos
sible encoura cement to the opera or
SANITATION, which, in the short time 1t
has been before the public, has been
extended a greeting almost equal to
that given the Dramatic club which
pr eceded it. But opera is different, ex-
pcnsive and generally non-remunera- /
tive on account of the cOStum1ng nee !
essary, and the members who have TO |
be employed, 50, in the very nature OF
things, nothing of a very permanent |
character can be relied on from the |
clever musical amateurs.
At the Grand the policy must, per-
force, DE a repetition of what it was
last year. 4 first-class stock company
is a hopeless venture, and second !
class one. has left scars on Manager Nc
CARVE such as he will not-soon forget.
So the cheaper grade of travelling
shows, the vaudeVilles, the real dar-
lies. the Under the DOmes," the Boy
Wanted" and THE Hired Girls" viii
be relied on to fill out the season. which
will be made up of alternately good and
bad weeks, the average probably SUI
fering to pay rent, running expenses
and the managers salary, but doing
very little more.
F'rawley's new company, with not a
member of the old organization includ-
ed. except Tim himself, made its bid
for public favor before San Francisco
theatre goers last Monday night. The
riay was Days Number Nine" and
the impression made by both play and
players seems to have been thoroughly
delightful, though it viii take some
time to wean San Francisco from its
to Blanche Bates and Frank
Worthing. Madeline Bouton is the
new leading woman, and Z. NJ. Bell the
head man, Theodore Roberts being sec
ora. The Call says:
A splendid house, that overflSITed
into the foyer, scores Of people turned
away, and a genuine ovation that last
ad several moments after his first en-
trance, was the reception accorded I.
Daniel Frawley upon his rea DDearance
with his new company at the Columbia
asst night. 1t certainly repaid Mr..
Frawley for all the enterprise, hard :
york and talent he has devoted to the
of the people of this
.ity. The first nighters were there in {
uli force. and were appreciative enough
q satisfy the most exacting manage
lre-t- |
From present indications, the week
# next October conference will be the i
iveliest in musical circles, witnessed in [
his city for many years past. Not only {
VII the big Eisteddfod be running at !
he Tabernacle day and night, but the '
salt Lake Opera company will pro {
luce a new opera at the theatre, and 1
soId has just been received that the s