The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-17
TRYING / On THE DOG
How the Quality of a New
Play Is Tested.
PUBLIC MAKES OR MARS
What Sort of Public Is Fit to
Act as Dog.

York There is one theatrical capacity
however, in which the city seldom or
never figures. II is never, or very rare
ly, theatrical dog" Indeed, there are
probably a great many regular and re-
spectacle playgoers who have no appre-
citation Of what this precular animal is,
and to whome the phrase trying it on
the dog" is meaningless Nevertheless
thu dog is an important and indispen-
sable part Of the American drama of the
present time. It is many-headed and
occasionally a vicious beast, and upon
its condesending or repeIling temper
hangs the fate Of more than one ambit-
ious play.
From the nature Of the case, the city
OF New York can seldom be the dog"
The dog" is usually a provincial town,
not too small to discount its
value as a theatrical critic, and not too
large to make its judgement final. Ger
tain New England cities of the first class
are in high fovor at the present time.
New Haven, Conn, for example, is an
ideal dog" 1t is so near to New York
that 1t is an easy matter for a metro
poutan company to slip down and hold
a dress rehearsal under the guise of an
initial performance, so far that the de-
mandatory cries of the gallery gods, in
case of failure, do not readily penetrate to
upper Broadway. From all of which the
uninitiated will have grasped the idea
OF what the dog is, and what the piqu-
ant phrase trying it on the dog sig
miles. The dog" Is a small town with
good theatrical facilities and some tho
ugh not acute theatrical taste, which the
manager selects for the trial performan-
ce of new play. 1t is the first and fire.
quently last judge of the forthcoming
drama 1t is the historic Rhadamanthus,
before whom the leading managers and
actors of the day do abjact reverence A
play that has not unanimously approved
may be still successful staged in the me-
trpolis, but in the main the dog settles
the matter. 1t is essentially the devour-
er Of bad plays.
The first presentation OF play in a
dog" town is great opportunity for
that resourceful person, the press agent
1t is indeed the highest test of his talents
1t is his duty to rouse the eXptations of
the CAME public weeks before the play ap-
pears: and no circus is more literally ad
vertised. He is faced with difficulties
from the outset One of his hardest tasks
is for, for example, to conceal from the
dog the fact that he is a dog 1t is
something he must never know, at least
officially. All the city is told is that a
performance of the so-and-so drama or
the such-and-such extravaganza is to be
at the leading theatre on a specified date.
In case of burlesque or comic opera the
engagement will frequently be for week
with two or three matniees. This usual
ly gives the secret away, and the dog"
accustomed as he is to one nights stands
at once recognizes the part he ia to play
He is not altogether displeased however
at once recognizes tho part he is to play.
tude Of free tickets and other numerous
managerial favors in the air.
The press agent is the first to arrive. He
strikes the town a month or six weeks
before the rest of the show. He at once
visits all of the newspapers, establishes
friendly relations with all Of the editors
and reporters, and begins the campaign
by signing number Of advertising con-
tracts. He leaves behind variety Of ty-
pewritten illusions, each marked with the
date Of the intended appearance. and
each rehearsing in detail the artistic
and spectacular charms of the forthcom-
ing play. These slips are very campre-
hensive in their Information; the readers
of the daily press are given details of
everything, from an outline of the plot,
a description OF the scenery and costum-
es, the biographical sketches of the chief
-
their private and professional lives. The
authors of the play and the energetic
manager under whose auspices it is to be
produced are done to a turn. The press
agent IS so impartial that he does not
even overlook himself, and occasional pa
ragraph concerning Jack Levey, the
popular representative Of the Madame
Kiki' Company, which will play at the
Bon-Ton Theatre week Of April 10. was
in town again to-day, etc, will insist on
intruding themselves in the public prints.
frequently accompanied by pictures OF
that gentleman,
Mr.. Levey leaves behind him after his
first visit, an immense quantity of mott
ces' and Illustrations Of this sort. He
keeps the papers supplied by mail with
additional facts as they deyelOpe; and
a week or two before the company is to
sweep into the town he appears again,
This time 10 make things hum" He
doubles his advertising space in the daily
papers; and about the same time, for
some mysterious reason, his lucubratio
in the theatrical columns double in length
The readers are informed of the vast
quantities OF scenery, specially prepared
for the play. of the immense value Of the
diamonds which the leading lady viii
wear in the grand finale; and illustrations
Of the crucial points in the extravaganza
are given without stint Mr.. Levey leav-
es no stone Unturned. He seeks the per-
sonaI acquaintance Of al the men about
town whose influences is likely to be worth
cultivating, and gives them royol enter
tainment- He carries an 3nexaustabls
supply OF cigars and distributes cock
tails without regard to expense. The
greatest fayors are reserved. however. for
the influential men on the newspapers
lie IS = perennial and jovizl figure a. the
newspaper Offices. and frequently enter
tains the city editor at champagne din
ners. After this last to1chlng attention
his notices are s.Id0-n "cut" but appear
day by day. in ali their lengthey splen-
dor.
The company always appears in town
two Ct three days IN advance Of re sehe-
dul time, ard IS distributed, wiki an eye
20 economy, throughout tire GiEerAnt 10
tells They have hardly arrived wher tie
press agent makes his appearance az tie
newspaper cf1ces- Mss LzmoureUx, who
Is 20 play the atle role 81 Madame
XIX he taf1rEnes the city editor. :
stepping a. ne leading hotel and
urnI,II no. rh4sc- ., hes-g f-lfn-lrie .rses