The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-01-18
EARNINGS OF STARS.
Those on Vaudeville Stage Do Not
Get a Big Margin Of Profit.
Though Salaries May Be High incidental
Expenses Are High Also.

IN i'm IL. 1t is common TO read that So
and 80 gets 800 or 5000 or $500 per
week; and from personal experience /
know that many newspaper readers
jump at the conclusion that these per-
formers are getting rich mile min
ute.
Now. let's Just look at it a minute.
Get out your pencil and see what your
arithmetic shows you. Let's strike
fair average and take a double team,
man and a. woman, who receive, say,
$3.50 week. In the first place, they
must have wardrobe varying in cost
according To the nature and require
ments OF their act, but very likely re-
quirlng several changes of dresses for
the lady and perhaps two or three for
the man, especially ~ they do not play
the same act all the time Here is an
outlay at the very start which must be
taken into consideration, for they can
not very we'll get out of II for less than
anywhere from $500 Ia SiO0, for, you
know. am act must be well and appro-
priately dressed IL il is 10 go in the
best vaudeville theatres, such az Mr.
keiths.
Now. well start out. our first jump
wen say Is made by train at night
and the fares. with sleeping berths, tips
for the porters, etc. as well as the con-
payment of excess Of baggage, etc,
may safely be said To- knock out "A
twenty-dollar bill. We arrive In ProVi-
dence wen say, i'm the morning, ana
HE ourselves 10 first class hotel, Tor
IL Is not TO be gainsaid that the actor
who carries the matter of economy IN
hotel accommodations too tar loses pro-
fessional standing by il, 20 cay nothing
of the fact that he meets with sufficient
annoyances and fatigue In his business
TO make the best hotel comforts none
too good, even IN he does not consider
the matter of fondness for bodily COM
forts His engagement Is for week,
and his hotel bill may be set down at
S24 for the two persons, with iiNe-
dollar bill considerably demoralized by
tips for porters. bell-boys ana other
extras. Then, he has TWO trunks To be
conveyed To the hotel ana two to the
theatre: and this paraiyzes another
dollar bill. Al the theatre his wife EN-
ploys one OF the women employed about
the house as "A maid to assist her IN
dressing for the stage-an absolute ne
cessity if she has 10 make quick
changes of costume. Their act may re-
quire perishable props. which IN all
theatres they have To furnish at their
own expense; and here Is another three
dollars. let us say. we'll the prop
boy and his assistant and perhaps
some others. have often to be employed
To help out as dummies i'm the act, To
say nothing of it's being highly de-
sirable To have their ready co-operation
I'm setting your act Satisfactorily ana
YOU can easily get rid Of 81, which they
well earn. i'm this way.
Now. il he doesn't happen TO have
his time all filled ahead. the actor must
be throwing out his lines i'm all direc-
tions: and for this purpose the tele-
graph wire must be used freely. always
for paid messages. while the numer-
Gus replies from managers and dra-
matte agents are, of course, sent 10 MN
collect Messages of this kind are by
no means confined 10 the customary 10
words but often run far beyond that'
and it's just about the easiest thing in
the world To spend "a ten-dollar note in
this way, especially If you include an
ordinary item for postage. Now, the
actor can't go on with soiled linen any
more than you can attend ball III
such condition. Every performance ~
ball for him. Then. there is the ordi-
nary amount of laundry work which
any one under the most favorable con
ditions must have; and the lady. espe-
cialy If she wears costumes that re-
uuire "A good many white skirts that
are displayed i'm the act. has an enor-
nous amount of laundry work. FOR
there is no place where linen of all
soiIed SO quickly and So badly as on
a stage floor and I'm dressing rooms.
even i'm theatres SO Immediately clean
| as Mr. Keth's. Well. you may safely
nut down. under such circumstances,
| IS for laundry bills.
Lets see: how much have YOU got
down now? What $40? My. Wen have
| 10 look out or we won't have anything
| left for the poor actor Wen have Ia
| ecnnomiZe somewhere We mustn't for-
| get however. that Mr.. Actor and Mrs.
| Actor not unlikely have a couple of
| children who are at school, and VINO, al
J the best require something occasional
| w for their support. which must be
! sent home weekly. Just put il down at
/ S15. that's not extravagant Not un-
likely Mr.. Actor vs. unfortunate enough
! 10 he a smoker. while possibly Mrs
! Actor likes a little candy, or even
! chewing r-tfff, once I'm while, ana they
may not be begrudged some other little
| delicucies, or comforts, and occasional
/ ly luxuries. such as other ordinary
nortals enjoy. Let's say that it takes
! about fver 10 cover that item. Then
/ of course. their clothes viii wear out
: and faster than YOU would think. ' can
| assure YOU. i'm this business; ana re-
/ pairs cost something. 10 say nothing oi
! renewals. Suppose we average IT no m
| s. per week for that: and you might
I ada anOtntf u0llNf 1tf 'NIi''NStiH' VI
| photographs and newspaper cuts whict
must be- sent ahead to the >house where
we play next week. Then there rs an
| other dollar for conveyance OF toul
| trunks TO the depot when We depart
| Now. you've cot how muchY Jus'
| an even hundred? Whew' Why w'
| haven't figured the original cost OF
| these photographs. to say nothing OF
! the expense OF frequent renewals, De
cause. try as hard as YOU may, yot
are bound to lose some about eNerS
| week / guess you'd better add nm
! other dollar for that: and there are {
| hundred and one little things that on'
| can't think OF 10 enumcrate onhnut
! this way. and which will eat up.say. a
| couple OF dollars more Now, it this en-
! gagement was secured for ~ bv dra
/ matte agent there is a commission q
| $3.50 Co come out Of the $50 received on
| Saturday night before leaving town
| and SO Mr. Actor actually carries ava,
| only $50 80 for the work Of two people
| Wei. I suppose an actor may be con
| ceded to- really earn something, an'
| probably some will admit that he ha
| a right even 10 indulge an ambition 4
| Law by something for rainy day.. an'
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