Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-03-12
MODERN
PLAYBILLS.
An Interesting Study OF the
Methods of the PROBES.
siOnal Programmer.

|
made tremendous strides in the last
| few years. its progress keeping pace
with other branches OF commerce and
trade. a few years ago badly made up,
badly printed, totally without design or
artistic finish, today these programmes
| have become an important factor in
the detail Of a successful thenter. They
are no longer flung under the seats aft
| er glance at the names of players,
| title of the play and MONS de theatre Of
the stars Instead they furnish amuse-
ment for the deserted fair between the
| acts, field for budding genius to dis
port and an opportunity for the adj
vertislng agent. to say nothing of the
material for that mysterious scrapbook
of the matinee girl where every item OF
Information concerning the idols Is care
fully preserved. Well known artists and
| illustrators furnish the designs for the
covers of the programmes. Writers for
humorous publications, like Judge.
Puck, Truth, etc, are well paid for
their contributions. One of the best
known programme publishers in the
| country. who controls the market for As
theaters in New York. Chicago, Phila-
| delphia and other cities. gave some in
| teresting facts in reference to their
theatrical make up.
Among the principal features are the
| promptness and dispatch with which
the work is accomplished. AS n change
| of cast may take place at the last mo-
ment. sudden cold, u misunderstand-
| ing or an unfortunate understanding
with manager. necessltatlng with
| drawal of star. message may be
sent MS late as o'clock to have the
programmes changed. This means that
in an hours time they must be reprint
ed, refolded and ready for the delivery.
II sometimes happens that the work is
| done so hurriedly that the ink does not
have time to dry. frequently coming off
on the light gloves of the ladies' at the
| play, who complain at the apparent
negligence. which is really no fault of
| publisher or printer. The quickest
printers in the world are engaged on
this work. In the establishment re-
ferred to 100 men are employed, 20 light
ming presses, which can print 10000 an
hour. and lightning folders. folding $500
an hour, making 16 folds. The cost of
getting up the programme varies with
the quality OF paper, cost of design and
llthographing, but an average Is from
81 or IS per 1000 to as high as $50 or S25.
There Is certain individuality about
them. Any old theater goer can tell at
q glance before he sees the name of the
theater by the general style of printing
and design where to locate each pro-
gramme, MS he learns to place certain
| plays and certain players at respective
| houses.
1t is a common occurrence for a man.
ager to be more particular about the
programme offered his patrons than the
/! play 1t introduces. The reason for this
| Is that he realizes the Importance of 1t
as an advertisement-the opportunity
of furthering his next venture by judi
cious references and the power of the
| symbol to emphasize the result The
enormous circulation of the theater pro-
| gramme is clearly proved when 1t IL
remembered that each theater averages
eight performances week and that the
seating capacity is from 500 to 1000
In each-a golden chance for the vender
| of chocolate bonbons and ice cream
| soda, for IL all other printed matter
falls the theater programme is sure to
be studied by the feminine contingent.
| The law of the state of New York and
many other states as well requires that
the owner or manager of each theater
shall cause TO be phced in the hands
of each and every person entering It's
door printed diagram or plan of the
| theater, showing the exits to fire es-
oapes and other information relative
thereto. This diagram is placed only
in the theater programme, and ms the
law of the state requires that every per-
son who attends the play shall have a
diagram the theater programme, with
| its Jokes, Its artistic posters or graceful
| designs. its advertisements, etc, has an
enormous circulation.
One well known Brooklyn manager
has even elided corset advertisements
for fear the bloom of the matinee girl
may receive a slight rub at meeting
such obtrusive and suggestive realism,
tribute to her girlish charm and in
| nocence.
Programmes are usually prepared two
or three days in advance. sometimes a
week when stock company Is p,aying
| and the repertory selected, 'yut always
| liable to change at NONE nt's notice.
the risk and loss being taken by the
programme publisher who has bought
the privilege and assumes responsible
~ considerable one when. as often
| happens, he has thousands of useless
programmes left on his hands through
| the caprice OF an opera singer or slight
| illness OF n leading lady. In the case of
large cast like that employed at the
| American theater in New York city
during this winter with n change Of