The herald., 1898-11-06
CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK

That there has been a considerable change
in the patronage Of theatrical amusements
during the past year, and even longer, can
not be successfully denied. Whether it is
because of hard times or the better apprecia-
tlon OF monetary values, it is fact that the
old California prodigal spirit has died out.
The dollar is no longer the minimum when
amusements are concerned. Time was when
the patrons of the theater never reckoned
the cost, but paid all chat was asked. Today
the economical eastern spirit pervades the
land and people think twice before deciding
to so to the theater.
The most important factors in bringing
about this change of front have been the
managers themselves. Competition has
evolved, first, the vaudeville idea; second,
the revival of the stock company system.
The vaudeville houses having for their
beginning the strictly variety element which
included clog dancers, aerobats, niger meo-
dies and knock-about comedians" so-called,
have now become places of entertainment
where, with but rare exceptions, the acts
are of refined kind. The constant acces-
sion of people from the Legitimate" ranks
to the list of vaudevllians is proof enough
of the popularity of this class of entertain
msgt.
small inroads on the preserves of the COM
binaton houses, and-the stock companies ap-
pear to have come to stay.
The farseeing manager who has been en-
deavoring to keep his house select, in the
sense that nothing was to be seen in it for
less than dollar in the best seats, should
therefore take what is called tumble"
to the new situation.
For instance, why should Messrs Wood
and Wyatt insist upon refusing bookings to
companies that may wish to play for less
than maximum dollar admission? Other
theaters in the large cities of the country
a oH i-b ottrl
house will lose none of its prestige, none of
its patrons, if it should decide to charge
maximum admission of so cents when the
.'show" is worth not exceeding that amount.
People will the more readily believe in the
management under such circumstances when
higher admission is charged for some other
attraction This change of front seems to
be demanded by the exigencies of the times
and would assuredly be popular if adopted.
o o o
Why is it that Los Angeles audiences are
infested by class of people which is seized
with an insane desire to rush out of the
theater the moment that premonitory symp
toms of the fall of the curtain are apparent?
The hall or three-quarters of a moment thus
saved cannot be of real Importance in q
lifetime, and if 5 per cent of an audience thus
rudely and boorishly spoils the enjoyment of
the remaining 95 per cent, and insults the
stage people in addition, it is high time that
III.
hats are, if not abolished, at least sub
jected, and the male and female Doors who
t1ample at the same time on the corns and
on the tender feelings of their neighbors
should be made an example of. ] expect to
see some man or woman with sufficient will
to decline to rise at such a moment to allow
egress to these impatient fiends. A few such
lessons might have a salutary influence.
o O O
The oyaroua oJ,,onoa aoopt x,bo %r,r,Jc
as the forerunner of theatrical company
is too often trial to the patience Of the
local press agent, not to mention that of the
dramatic editor, whose fate it is to revise
the half column or whole column of gush
which is handed in as the advance an
nouncement of the "show" The advance
man usually carries valise loaded with
readymade typewriter notices, puffs, anec-
dotes and items relating to his attraction,
ard he causes them to be fired in to the
editorial rooms OF the different papers every
day for number of days in advance of
the opening of his attraction. Very often
these advance notices are cleverly written,
spicy, grammatical and worth printing and
too often they are the very reverse of all
this. AS rule | have found it in my ex-
perience that the poorest pieces have the
most famboyant and at the same time IL
literate advance notices. These remarks are
prompted by the receips VI an unique speci-
given here this week. The writer is enumer-
ating the people who are to take part and
he checks them off as follows:
'Mattie L Lockette, the challange cham
pion of dancing soubrettes; the European
Sisters Lane, importers of terpschorean
acrabatics; JAS. Bradbury, from Chas.
Wyndoms London Gaiety company; Tony
and Mark Hart, talanted off-sprongs of the
lamented original Tony, genius of the
famous Harrigan and Hart productions;
Nettie DeSoursey, Partisan beauty and
singer; ALI Holt, French mimque and
dozen minor fun-makers. The costumery is
said to be revelation and the scenic equip
ment will be recalled as the most beautiful
and elaborate ever given to musical farce"
O o O
The New York Dramatic Mirror has just
completed it's publication of the theatrical
roster for the season of lS98-99 1t is most
interesting compilation and must have cost
world of pains and trouble in the getting
together. 1t also furnishes the following
comparison of the roster of this season with
that of last season:
Companies 1918 1889