The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-20
NEW YORK THEATRE PRICES.
MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE
COST OF SEATS.

Relations OF the Managers and the Hotel
SpeculatOrs--The BOX Onlce Rates
and what the Public Has to Payne
Change for the Better Now in Sight
New York theatre prices are not likely
to get any higher, in spite Of the occasional
threats Of managers to raise them to $50
for the hest seats in the high priced theatres.
There are some managers who remember
the difficulty they had in making the IN
crease to 81 from 81 so, and they are uncsf-
tain as to the wisdom Of that change.
1t is significant that two theatres recently
opened in New York have returned to tho
old rate Of 81 80 for an orchestra seat. Less
than a decade ago that rate prevailed IN all
Of the best New York theatres. ..-
The increase to 81 meant for the general
public $3.50 Most managers-some poo
pie say all managers--when a play lisa
success, put all the desirable seats in tho
hands Of hotel spectators. The latter
make $3.50 the price for the public. UNI
officially but none the less positively.
Recently the spectators have bssn
selling tickets for first nights at 50. Juss
at this season the audiences at the theatro
arc greater than at any other.
New York ia full OF strangers returning
homeward from Eastern resorts, or hero
on business, and as their evenings are UNI
occupied they naturally turn to the theatres.
So the hotel spectators are just now COLI
Ing their theatre tickets to the tranatens
public that the managers talk 80 much
about when they explain why they give
bo hako lutN
The success of new theatre opened THE
year has set managers pondering on the
question Of s.. so az the standard price for
seats. This theatre has presented tho
same play for more than six months and
is uniformly crowded. The price Of tho
best seat in the theatre is $3.50. or coursa
the play was powe rful attraction. i.
One often hears tho theatregoer COM
plain Of high prices.
why. saw little farce the other night
one will say, with only one good actor
in it, and q company supporting him thai
certainly could have cost very little. Yet
! had to pay the same price for eoas
that is charged in theatres that give elaoo-
rate productions. That doesn't seem TO
me fair game, even though the house was
crowded."
One theatrical manager answered thi.
story with an argument from commercial
life.
Il have a friend he said. who makes
an ink bottle that costs him "a cents; but
he sells it for SIPS, because most persons
consider it the most convenient ink bottle
In the world.
.Now he could make a good profit by
selling the bottle for one-third It's present
price. But why should he take less money
when all those who want his ink bottle
RI, nd
without it? He has a monopoly OF that
invention, and nobody can infringe on it.
-The theatrical manager with a SUCCESSFUL
farce that persons want to see Is IN exactly
| the same position. He has a monopoly
on something that the public wants, and
| has the right to charge what he can get
for it. Nobody else can supply the demand
/ for this play.
1t is on this principle that managers
| raise their pI ices and keep them up, even
though profits might in the long run be
larger with lower rates. They know that
the public will pay the price asked to SEQ
what It wants.
The question Of ticket speculation which
has recently been revived always interests
the public People are continually asking
why they should always have to pay for
seats more than the regular box Office price
il they want to get anywhere near the stage
| The answer, Il course, is that the best
l
large signs displayed at the theatres pro-
ella m that tickets purchased from specu-'
| lators are worthless.
aYou must remen ber," one Of the man.
ayers said to SUN reporter, that there are
two kinds OF spectators. Those favored
| by the theatres have their headquarters IN
the hotels and restaurants.
'They receive from every theatre which
is offering a successful play all the best
seats-practically back to M. It Is said
| that only seventy Of these seats are given
to the hotel spectators. That may be the
number when the play Is failure or only
| a moderate success.
when it Is q notable SUCCESS the entire
theatre is handed over to these hotel specu-
lators, who get whatever they want.
you ask what advantage this Is to tho
theatre managers. It merely increases
their receipts about 8 per cent.
For every ticket that costs at tho box
Office 81 these favored spectators pay ?2.2S.
The theatre guarantees to take back at
this price all tickets not sold by 8o'clock
on the night of the performance. II you
doubt this, 70 to q theatre between $40
and $50, and see how much more likely
you are to get good seats than if you went
at 2 In the afternoon.
All these hysterical warnings against
spectators are meant to protect, not the
public nor the patrons Of the theatres, but
the spectators who are willing to pay
this premium on the tickets.
| Il don't see how the evil is to be ahated
so long as the public is willing to paw the
extra hotel price without a protest, These
agencies exist in al countries and the rich
are willing to pay the additional cost rather
thu take the trouble q going to the theatre.
"Us ,ally il is only the rich that are
affected, although when Henry Irving OF
Sarah Bernl ardt plays n successful engage
ment here the managers turn over the