The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-01-01
ABOUT VAUDEVILLE STAGE.
KeIth's Press Representative Chats
enisTtaInIngIy.
Why People Become Regular Patrons Of
This Form Of Amusement.

Il was reading an article the other
day said the press representative at
heiths new theatre. In which some
newspaper writer rallied yehemently at
the YauJeYiile managers because not
ali the acts presented in their programs
are such as one looks for from Rose
Coghlan, or Cora Tanner OF others II
like standing. Think you that II such
were the case, the vaudeville theatres
would. as is now the case. enjoy the
IArg s3t and most profitable patronage
| 5Nen 10 amy form Of theatrical enter
! talnptnt?
The fact hat they do may be ac-
! cepted as = sufficient answer 10 such
! cdipinS ana Anlcal critics. one of the
! distingu shins characteristics of vaude-
! VINE Is that AZ appeals 10 such wide
! variety OF tastes, and. indeed. 10 this
! Idct much OF les popularity is due. lt
! oilers equal a, fractions TO those who
| appreciate thc higher class Of acung
| and tine bc.er order OF dramatic wIqt-
| ins, 10 the lovers OF high class music
| and To those to whom the coon song
| IS emnently satisfying 10 those who
-r1v-r--tTrr aTTtTCS OF Il
'hOrse-piay comedian and to those
who prefer the more refined style Of
/ John &. Rice or Sidney Drew, TO those
the magician or the agility and skill OF
/ The trained acrobat and gymnast: TO
those VINO appreciate art .L every form
ana "a every grade and especially to
those who go to the theatre 10 be ANUS
Cd. 60 find rest and recreation and re-
Ief from the more serious atmosphere
OF business or home cares
\ 1T needs but little observation. how
ever. 90 realize that those who patron
ize uhe vaudeville theatres OF the best
class-and they constitute by far the
larger portion OF the more intelligent
theatre goers- consider rather the ac-
tors themselves and their individual ef-
forts than the comedicttas. or sketches.
or 'skits' which serve as the vehicles
for the exercise OF their abilities: and
yet il is equally true that upon the
character Of these vehicles, upon their
literary and dramatic merit, depends
largely the success OF the performers.
II would be n very tame entertainment
however. in which all the acts were on
a lJterary and dramatic plane with
those of the sO-csiled legitimate stars
who have made successes in vaudeville:
and yet this is what the critics referred
to would have.
Few OF the patrons Of the su-oalled
Legitimate or combination thea tres
atrend their favOrite every week. and
vet these same persons are found reeu-
larry every week ~ the vaudeville the
atres. They go 70 the combination
house when g. offers "A play that at
tracts them and only then. They go
10 the vaudeville house every week.
Why? Can there be any other ans
wcr than that modern high class vau-
devil,e is so comprehensive in it's scope
that each weeks entertainments offers
something TO please and 10 interest and
TO attract them Nowhere Is this fact
better illustrated than right here In
Providence s,SEd, mind YOU. ] have
not discussed the matter from the point |
~ the difference in prices: and yet 1t
IS worth noting that The average dra-
matte attraction presents a star and |
perhans three well known actors and |
ten others of inferlur grade i'm support !
In an entertainment lasting two hours |
and half, az from 81 To 81 80 per seat, |
while the vaudeville program usually |
presents half dozen stars and eight |
or ten other acts introducing actors 4
at least as capable as those of the /
average dramatic travelling combina- |
ton, In an entertainment lasting four |
hours, which costs in the aggregate
twice as much as the travelling combi-
nation, and for % cents per seat
"Dn YaudeYllle marlgars exneriencn
difficulty i'm securing performers? Yes.
hut the answer should be explained.
The rapid -. v'th i'm popularity OF vau-
deville withil the past few years has
oUtrun the accesslons TO the lists OF
performers. cspecially as regards those
who are considered worthy OF engage
ment in the high class vaudeville
h uses; hut a much greater difficulty |
often is encountered I'm securing for a |
given week just such acts as shall |
when combined i'm one program, secure J
the desired results Rare skill and long
experience are required 10 put together |
a well balanced program i'm which there !
shall be no prepNnderance ~ any Civ
en- class of act; and yet this skill must
often Weld 10 necessi'-' for times do
occur when - is simply Impossible 10
secure for a given week an ideal va
riety OF acts
Nor are the managers troubles ~
which this is but suggestion, the only
ones io be considered. for the perform
'rs have their trials. too. In the the
ltilcal profession there are indolent.. |
Indifferent and ignorant people. Just
as there are i'm all other vOCations: but. |
rs elsewhere, The race is 10 the swift |
ana the principle OF the survival Of the |
ittest rules. The intelligent. ambitious
vaudeville performer is not satisfied to
stand Still but realiZes that he must |
,ither advance or retrograde: and he |
'e2liZcs that he cannot succeed unless
lC pre2arlts S4--l-- = A---t--i
attractive. To secure this however |
md 20 secure a. I'm such form as shall |
prove acceptnhlc 10 the public Is DIM
'ut indeed. II is moro difficult 10
rritc a really meritorious vaudeville
ketoh in many respects than 10 write
,lav for practically all tho strength ~
play must bc condensed into a half
iOur not I'm which the dialogue must
20 short, crisp ana bright. the action
u.ck and the business snappy and
resh.
II know a very clever vaudeville ac- !
ress who has tried no less than six
ifrcnt sketches. written by some OF !
he beat vaudeville drama'ists. without Z
nding one shat mot the requirements. ,
nj has 'had 10 f0ll back Uuon her old
kotch urit her Quest at last shall he
ucccssful ami she Is but one - many.
very ono of these read we'll: but when
reduced before an audience every one
z thcm fen fat I'm spite Of hc hardest
nd most intelligent york of the popu-
lr player.
"rhe mere rcadinr W q sketch can I
= cn fsfv h. trffrfg1 a affnr1 fdno | .