The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-20
EMPLOYED IN THEArERS.
How New York Compares With Reports
From London In This Particular.

How New York Compares With Reports
From London In This Particular.
From the New York Sun.
Some figures were recently compiled in
London to show the number of persons
employed directly or indirectly in the the
aters and music halls of that city. and the
total was found to be nearly 100, 900. There
are So theaters in London and more than
400 music halls, of various grades and
character, and it is estimated that the
| theaters and music halls of London are
| visited on, an average by 1926, 900 persons of
an evening, or a total in a year of 100000, :
| 600. If the estimate of the number of en-
! pioyes is correct at 100000. although there
| is good reason to doubt it, the number of
patrons in attendance bears the relation
of nearly one to three. 1t is presumed
that these figures have been obtained by
including in the number of theater and
music hall employees the walters and at
| taches, and perhaps many others not di-
rectly connected with such establish
ments, for in London many of the music
halls and occasionally some of the the
aters. find their licenses in dispute, and
the reason for charging the record of
employees is therefore evident.
In New York under the provisions of the
present charter the licensing of music
halls, or concert saloons, as they are
called here. devolve upon the police de-
partment, and no reason exists for an ex-
aggeration of the number of employees,
which Is considerably less than the total
claimed for London. There are in New
York So theaters, and the number of en-
pIoyes in each can be counted without
much difficulty. In the front of the
house." as that part of the theater to the
outside entrance rail to the auditorium is
called. there is the manager, and usually
frno md ls-
sistant treasurer, a ticket seller for the
gallery entrance, a doorkeeper for the
main and another for the gallery entrance
and an advertising agent ana about four
assistants, or OILERS" a total for this
branch of the establishment of II, proba-
bly, 10. Putting at 10 more the average
orchestra. and at eight the number of
ushers, total in front of the footlights of
IS is secured, and to this are to be added
four cleaners, for theaters, like many 9TH
ec establishments, need constant cleaning.
and the lack of it is very quickly observed
by discriminating New York audiences.
These figures are, of course, approXi-
mate. In a continuous performance house
| the orchestra consists Of two or three
| persons. while in the Metropolitan Opera
| house the average is CO. Taking all the
| theaters through, however, an average of
| Is as the complement of the orchestra is
probably not very Tar from the lact,
| though it may be misleading in some
cases. Putting at u the number of stage
hands and stage employes-the gas man.
| the property man, the stage doorkeeper.
| the call boy (where there is one), and
the stage representatives the total to
| 54 and there must further be added the
| janitor, the engineer, the scenic artist
| (where there is one) and sometimes an
observation-disclosures two-and the total
is about 60, exclusive of the performers
and the supernumeraries.
The average number of performers at
New York theater playing speaking
characters is about 20 and the number of
| supernumeraries is about the same. In
opera performances. where there is a
| chorus, or in stage plays like 1.-The Chris
| tian,' where there are ''mobs,' the num-
Der is far in excess of this, but in other
| theaters the number is much less, and
| therefore 20 may do for an average. This
would bring up the total number of per
sons employed in theaters' In New York
to about 1OO not counting the landlord,
and a very liberal estimate, therefore. for
the whole city would be 1000 exclusive OF
the minor music halls and concert saloons
at which no regular stage entertainments
are given. BY literally adding 1000 for
these. a total of 5000 for all places OF
amusement is obtained.