The herald., 1898-08-14

the management OF the Burbank tneater,
and If the negotiations now pending are
satisfactorily closed, the house will pass on
September first into the hands of Messrs.
Clark A. Shaw and Joseph Petrich. pre-
mature announcement that this arrange
ment had actually been concluded and
some imaginative statements as to the
plans of the new management are thus
disposed OF.
The Burbank has had a somewhat check
cred career during the few years of its ex-
istence. With the exception of a few weeks
during the Modjeska engagement it has
been the home of cheap-priced amusements.
and the quality of the attractions has al
ways been up to, and frequently above the
price of admission charged.
The plays given have ranged from
Shakespearean tragedy down to the veriest
drivel Of farce comedy and the trashiest of
cheap melodrama. Between these two ex-
tremes large number of excellent and In
teresthg productions have been made, and
the prevailing tone of the amusements fur
nished has generally been of distinctly
optimistic tendency; virtue has triumphed
and vice, after a brief struggle, has had to
go scowling from the stage, or else to die In
agonies under the pale cacum's glare and
to the descriptive pizzicatos of the first
violin.
In fact 1t may be said that every kind of
drama known to the stage has been tried
by succession of managers, each anxious
to discover the secret of making the house
paying venture. Temporary success has
often been achieved and instances have oc-
Cured when hundreds of people have
turned away unable to get In, and when.
also, two matinees In a single day have
been given, which is the nearest approach
to continuous performance that has oc-
Cured here.
But, with all their efforts, no manager
has yet found out how to make the house
paying investment In the long run. The
Los Angeles public as a theater supporter
has always been the despair of managers,
who have learned by this time never 10 VEN
ture a prediction of success. Fickleness
seems to be Its chief characteristic, and it
very rarely betrays decent appreciation
of home enterprise, as was shown in a very
recent instance at the Los Angeles theater.
The problem for the manager OF a cheap
priced house is how to keep up supply of
we'll acted, attractive plays. The stock
system as the least expensive, has mostly
been favored. the members of the company
being once got together and living In the
city for months at a time, the great bug
bear of heavy transportation expense is
done away with. The travelling company
with Its one play. or It's limited repertory,
has to pay just as much to the railroads
whether it plays at theaters charg-
ing fifty cents or one dollar and a
half. and this item Of travelling ex-
pense is most serious on this coast, where
the distances are so great and the playing
opportunities comparatively few.
Manager John c. Fisher of San Diego. the
latest manager of the Burbank, went into
his new venture some months ago with
considerable enthusiasm. He made a
great many improvements in the house for
the comfort of his patrons, and with the
assistance of Fred Belasco he put on lot
Of first-class attractions. Then he secured
Modieska and had very profitable sea-
son by her help Counting Modieska out,
I doubt whether the results of the business
would show much, if any, gain Therefore
Mr.. Fisher may not be sorry for the oppor-
tunity of letting go, and devoting himself
entirely to managing his tour with Mod
jeska.
The Bacon company will play only two
weeks longer, and then. If everything is
satisfactorily arranged, Petrich and Shaw
will take hold. They expect to open up on
September 18th, and Mr.. Petrich is now alb
sent negotiating for attractions. Mr.. Shaw
cannot give any definite information al 10
their plans simply because they have not |
yet had time to formulate them. AS to what
attractions they will have he will know
better when contracts are signed, and in |
these matters premature publication of ne |,
gotiations in progress sometimes defeats |
the end in view. such is the keen rivalry of
management.
The Frawey company is expected to
come. and Mr. Shaws plan of campaign |
evidently involves getting the best of every
thing available. This will give the public |
plenty of good amusement for its money, if |
II will support the managers enterprise !
This is Just where the doubt comes in, and |
the new managers may find it better to
build up their own stock company, engage
ing only stars from a distance
Mr.. Petrich is well known here from his
former managerial connection with the Or
pheum and Mr.. Shaw is also we'll known
IN business circles here as a gentleman Of |
means, with energy and business tact such
as should ensure capable management
o O o
The last weeks Of the Frank Bacon COM
pany at the Burbank will be additionally
enlivened by the presence Of Edith Lem
inert. who will be remembered here as
local celebrity on the platform and stage
a few years ago. Miss Lemmert has since
had the advantage of considerable eastern
training and experience and her work has
been highly spoken of in the daily papers
of large eastern cities. AS Juliet and as
Desdemora she has won the warmest en-
comiums and her ability in emotional roles
has been the subject of high praise. Her
present short engagement at the Burbank
affords the only opportunity for seeing her
before her departure for the east 1t is
perhaps to be regretted that she will not
have a chance to display her real talent
tomorrow night. the role entrusted to her
being but one of light comedy. However.
the occasion will be one of the company's
last chances for exciting the risible facul-