The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-24

ticket box
Good heavens" returned Cullen, u
can't give you py shirt
60 No" returned the urbane ticket taker,
but can do this and whipping out
ms pocketknife he proceeded to deliber-
ateiy to cut out that portion of Cullen's
shirt upon which the pass was written
and dropped IL in the ticket box, while
the theatrical manager stood stupened
with amaZement
As this particular contest lasted only
two rounds and was stigmatized b. the
entire sporting world as "A fake az the
baldest kind. Cullen has since been won
dering whether II was worth the price of
admission, plus new dress shirt. But
he saw the fight.
The discussion anent the reduction CT
theatrical prices continues to excite a
good deal of interest among not only those
whose interests are centred in the dramatic
profession, but laymen who pay for stage
entertainment and who have fully as much
at stake as anyone. There is little doubt
but that the lead of Manager Jacob Lift.
of the Broadway Theatre. New York. in
cutting his prices from 81 for orchestra
chairs to 81 for all the seats on the or
che stra floor with the exception of Il few
front rows, win by next season be fol-
lowed by almost every manager along
Broadway.
Locally the managers profess to the be
lief that the next few years will witness
an era of much cheaper entertainments-
cheaper in only so far as regards the
prices The merit of the different produce
tons viii not be diminished in the least,
out travelling managers VIII be content
with crowded houses at lower prices
That Westinghouse are taking much
interest in this matter of cheaper stage
performances was amply evidenced last
week when Mr.. Mansfield found it i'm
possible to crowd the National Theatre at
" 1or the entire orchestra floor. And, Ii
should be remarked. Mr.. Mansfield is the
only native actor whose expense account
warrants charge of 81 for a seat. In
most cases, when star happens along
with phenomenal success. as In the case
of Mr.. Crane with his ''Harum," the pub
lie will readily pay the extra tariff, but
in the case of ordinary attractions 1t is
very doubtful whether the amiable citizen
viii not refuse to pay the increased
charge and take advantage of his prisi-
lege and remain away.
In this connection the following re-
marks of Manager Lift concerning cheap
er prices will be found interesting:
Il reason this way: To begin with. |
am sick and tired of seeing row after row
OF empty seats in my theatre and be-
sides, don't believe there was ever a
play put on the stage that was worth 81
a seat have wanted to make a reduc-
ton IN my, prices for some time, but |
dldn think il was a good policy TO
change them until / had some big attrac-
ton of my own in my theatre Whatever
the success or failure of The Price of
quite confident that every spectator VIII
admit that he has received his moneys
worth in scenic attractions at least.
Every detail of this production has been
brought over direct from London. and the
play will he produced exactly as it was at
Drury Lane. with the exception that |
nave engaged the best actors procurable
for the cast.
The experiences OF the past few sea-
sons have proved conclusively that :. is
impossible to run play in New York.
no matter how great it's hit may be, as
long as one could when the best seats
in the house were sold for $50 The 81
tariff, with its speculator annex has been
the deathknell to very long runs Down
az the Academy, Manager Brady has tried
the experiment of producing an old, old
play with big star cast at popular
prices. The result of his experiment with
Uncle Toms Cabin has been a series
Of crowded houses such as few managers
can draw for any length of time now
adays. Well, now. If Mr. Brady can do
that at a downtown theatre like the
Academy, believe that I can draw Just
as well. If not better, at a big. centrally
situated theatre like the Broadway-pro- I
vided, of course, that l present equally I
rs good an attraction. The population of
New York has not decreased in the last
few years; on the contrary, it has in /
creased immensely, and the crowded
houses which the pOpular-priced houses I
always draw when they have a good at /
conyinces me that the public is
was.
AT all events I am going to try the
experiment. AS long as it remains I'M I
Ter my management there will he no !
more 81 seats at the Broadway"
Once more have those very agreeable
players, Effie Shannon and Herbert KEEL (
,ey. endeavored to secure a play suited .
o their talents, and once more have their
,fforts proved futile, if the unanimous
opinion OF the press of Gotham NAV be
accepted Seldom has piece received
uch severe Stating as that accorded to
lie dramattzation of "Manon Lescaut'' As
prepared for the Shannon Kelcey com
'any by Theodore Burt Sayre, who occl1-
)ies the position of plav-reader in tbe
'ftice of Mr. Charles Frohman.
The most charitable notice the new pIav
'eceiVed, perhaps was given in the
Evening Sun, and was, in part. as fol-
Another Gagged dramatist has been
leard from with even more than the
isdal disastrous effect. At Wallack's last I
ileht another noVel-a classic this time
lone less than the Able Prevost's Ma !
ION Lescaut'-was butchered in cold
blood. stripped of its simplicity and
'athos in order to make room for mushv
eminent ana claptrap denouements.
while Its poor plot was torn limb from
imb in order that its executioner. Mr.. |
Theodore Burt Sayre, might demonstrate /
low bad a play may be written with the
latchet. We doubt if Mrs. Nation at the
enith of her smashing powers could have
made a greater wreck of this famous
lasslc. Not only is the play bad as a
lramatized novel. but in his efforts to
vhitewash Manon he has made his play
naudlin and dreary and has dragged in
~ the heels series of climaXes which
would not he accepted seriously at the
tar. 1t was only the genuine respect in
which the audience held Mr.. KeIcey and
Hiss Shannon that prevented those filters
when ran round the house more than
nee from breaking into outright laugh
err And both these artists deserve all
he sympathy which they will receive to-
lay. If Miss Shannon had searched
ound no character less suited to her
weet and plaintiVe personality than
Ianon Lescaut. Anthony Comstock
Night as well attempt to star as Don
uan or Mrs. Grundy as Camille Bad rs
My Lady Dainty was as a play. il al
east gave Miss Shannon a role which
bowed her art to fine advantage. But as
lanon she never for an instant suggest
d the part. and when Mr.. Sayre began
0 pile melodramatic climaxes which mad
othing to do with the case upon her
oor Miss Shannon collapsed histrioni-
ally, after the manner of the cameIs
ack when 1t encountered the last straw"
Miss Phoebe Davis. SO long connected
18th the role Of Anna Moore. in WAY
'own East" will be presented by VIII ,
I'm A. Brady. in Philadelphia, next
lonth, in a new play by II. a du Sou
hot, in which the principal part will be
stsy Ross, who made the first American |
ag. Mr.. du Souchet's fame as "A dramat |
t has heretofore been chiefly Connected !
18th My Friend From India and The
Ian From Mexico. and his kind friends |
ere even good enough at the time 10 |
that he did not write these him
IF.
The role OF George Washington in the
nw play Will be interpreted by Joseph /
olland, whose engagement recalls the ,
let that he was "A considerably Younger y