New-York tribune., 1903-04-26

- his remark always greeted with an ap-
os.a+f,e c., chuckle. The fact remains none the
~ mat the number Of new theatres in Manhat-
~ --,ich are rising or about TO rise not on
80 but on concrete foundations. is assuming
-, alarming proportions. And the alarm is not
s-ed TO the critical chaingang' or the theat-
- reporters who nightly make their inquisltive
.,,-nd seeking what news they may devour. The
80 worked theatTegoer who is driven by an in
,7goah HE but Irresistible desire to see every
L'rr " may well pat his purse and take stock Of
- 1a+teuce And the habitual diner out to whom
. working acquaintance with current theatrical
.+-ac.ions is essential staple Of conversation
- well be sore afraid. For TO keep up with the
me he viii simply have TO read the newspaper
.r1sws Of new productions. he reads the
.,vieus Of new books, since Of the making of
,bea-res too there is no end. One man there
ts 70 be sure. who will rejoice. and his is
s--suss and he prints programmes
And what are these concrete theatres as distin-
,sbed from the abstract? First OF all, there is
ne new Majestic. at present the northern outpost
- the Broadway battalion. already in operation
-s established OF the successful amuse-
lent houses Of the city. Most OF the other
bouses row going up are on side streets around
- Fislro: compared 10 them. the Ma ajestic is
',-e1v pioneer. They hUddle close TO the present
+sestre district. like their owners and managers.
.,td grega-ioas. afraid Of standing alone. In
west Forty-second-st. there viii be opened next
eel the new Lyric Theatre, next to Belascos- 1t
-in be managed by the Shuberts. and there Rich
s-5 Mansfield viii play. and there De Koven's new
-,nsioal comedies viii be produced Directly op-
,,,sire Is the new Amsterdam Theatre, a Klaw &
F-lsneer house. where the Rogers Brothers will
vea-y operate their boiler factory called, by cour-
-esv g musical show. In West Forty-fourth-st
: NJ Harris's Hudson Theatre, between
E-ssdvav and Six1h-ave This will be opened
rsxt year by E. H Sothern- In West Forty-hfth-
81 In an analogous position, is rising Mr.. Daniel
F-ohuaau's new Lyceum Theatre Just north of
his a Broadway and Forty-seventh-st, MIR. Dn-
rughau Is manage new house, the Comedy
Theatre with Metropolitan -Opera-House Latham
IS stage director Nearly opposite the stage en-
trance Of the Casino, in Thirty ninth-st, plot Of
land is now held by managers who will build
theatre there in the near future. and even on the
Rialto itself, al the northeast corner Of Broadway
and Thirty -seventh-st theatre IS being planned,
Nv whora is not Yet disclosed In addition to these
oscar Hannerstein IS building the great Drury
Lane-perish these English names!-In Seventh
ave at Thi-ty-fifth-st Here Belasco Will produce
an extra vaganza, with the intenIion-so those who
know him hint-of showing Klaw & Erlanger he
can outdo them IN extravaganzas, as well as IN
japanese plays. And there may be others Mean
while. alas, IL is not reported that any OF the
pressrt theatres are 10 be torn down.
The feelings Of the judicious onlOoker even If
Re be uot e diner-out. an habitual theatregoer.
member Of the critical chain gang, or chron-
icle- of dramatic events. must be something Ike
those Of the cid gentleman who contemplated, in
prospect, a world where all the seas were ink. II
certainly is enough 10 make an old man scratch
his head and think. Il would probably cause the
theatrical managers do the same thing, II tllik-
trg were Ia bit Of theirs Sometimes. indeed they
90 make instructive gestures toward their soaps
with fingers crooked as Il to scratch, but sud
denly the news comes in that fellow manager is
70 build q new theatre or produce child play. and
down comes the hand and they rush out 10 DO like
wise
Bur the philosophic onlooker viii stroke his
head gently for awhile and reflect Of the present
theatres for instance there is the Princess Whlch
has not done z great business this year Inere IS
.te Madison Square where. with the exception OF
The Earl OF Pawtucket' and a Fool and HIS
Money" failures have been the rule. There is
The Garden. where only few extremely popular
Stars can succeed There is Days, where, save
fo- The Country Girl" not single show up TO
r2-oa dv-av standards has been exhibited this win
-e- There IS the Savoy. which has rot been turn
ing people away many nights this season 1here
Is the Broadway. desirable for long runs, out re-
curing an entertainment Of great popular appeal
10 make these successful TIE Lyceun1 VIII
-ale Annie Russell from the Garrick, the HUDSON
viii take Southern from the Garden, the Arnster-
dam viii take The Rogers Brothers from the hIlck-
e-bocke~ the comedy theatre VIII take Miss Mar
lowe from the Criterion. the Lyric VIII take MI
Mansfield from the Herald Square, and on. In
su the old theatres these gaps in the season VIII
have 70 be stopped up IN all the new theatres
new shows VIII have 10 be provided 20 Ill up the
balance q the season. Where the shows 10
come from Who is provide this filler, ana
what vii be lis Quality2 M Fitch, like Alex
arder's dust. acted in such capacity for no less
than four Broadway theatres this winter In three
q them the result aside from artistic standpoints.
was not a financial triumph And NJ Fitch is. by
General consent the most prolific playwright In
ne business except Theodore Krener- Is II pos
eife NJ Krerner VIII be called in TO the rescue?
This season Broadway saw thirteen musical com
edies at full blast at and the same time Most
q them were less than mediocre, and were not
largely attended hence not financially successIui-
n keen the managerial point OF view. On the other
hand the legitimate dramatic attractions or the
season have not been crowded with successes.
and the overflow from present theatres al no
time would have filled quarter Of the number OF
rev theatres. OF course, il may be urged lhat
there are plenty OF stay-at-homes who would
emerge 70 see good plays. But where are the adoeo
number OF good plays TO come froTnF we are
seeing new stars swim into the theatrical hfIna-
r7er+ every DAY so that no longer know the
SIMON nrre sensation experienced by Keatss astron-
oraer But how many OF these stars maintain the
radiance their passionate press agents sometimes
succeed IN casting about their hrst appearance!
And how many Of them eventually Tumble pelo"
the horizon or 20 10 join the great host OF ndls-
t.rgulshable light pricks that make up the Milky
Evav2 Wen Il nay be the good shows will appear
-he audiences viii come forth. and IN the poA
Offices Of all the new theatres the chnk OF com
wi gladden. the hearts OF managers ana 'HSH
tie rbflosonhical onIooker-which IS another name
<r r,-fr = Won will have 1t So hopeful reader!-
VII remove his hand from his vexed hair. dIVe
!rto his pocket and pay the price Of an orchestra
chair for the enjoyment Of noble Art But for me
present please, permit gentle rubblng.
r.. -el--- - The week will be furnished at the
Fourteenth Street Theatre tomorrow night, when
TIE -Four Cohans viii appear in their ne" IhuslcaI
piece written and composed by George conan
called Running for Office" The scenes OF all three
acts of this drama are laid in rural Vermont sug-
gestng that the BY gosh drama has spilled over
into musical comedy. There VIII be a footoah
game in The first act with rushline Of girls from