Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-10-31

hpltVAtHihANlf 10 lNtlNMNt
Monday night .........n....,sg.i 00
Tuesday night ....., .,,..,... 2.li0
wednesday matinee D, o,.u~ l,500
Wednesday night 49,. .,...,. 2.lS0
Thursday matinee 49,, .,,,..,, 1850
Thursday night = :. .,n..ur 2,4n0
Friday Hght .,',,,,,''r,,." $50
Total 49,. 80. 49,. ..... .sl4, $40
This record Keeps closely abreast OF
that Of the metropolitan cities. in
Denver, IA performances were given,
but the nightly average was about the
same as In Salt Lakp. 'fhe company
left last night for San Francisco, where
they open Monday. AS they play IN the
Grand Opera House. which has seat
ms capacity Of 800, or double the Salt
Lake and Denver houses they expect
to break even the New York records OF
the wonderful play
Manager Pyper heayed a prodIgioua
Sigh of relief MS tho curtain fell on
last nights performance, The task Of
handling seven such audiences as those
which assembled to see Ben Hur" TO
say nothing Of the work OF disposing
OF the tickets has been a Leylathan
one. and one that nothing in the pre-
vious history OF the house has ever
duplicated. While II Is a matter OF
pride for the house TO have played
Ben Hur' the management does not
feel like il would care for many SINH
lar events during the season.
From the financial standpoint The
net profits OF the house are less on
mammoth engagement Of this sort than
when playing an attraction Of great
~ inferior grade. The great porcent-
age OF the receipts must be given up.
10 induce such heavy concern to WIS.,
u US at all, and the small portion Of
the receipts retained by the house is
seriously cut into by the enormous
number OF extra attaches required
around the stage orchestra, and the
front Of the house, while the mental
wear and tear caused by the complaints
OF those patrons who do not receive the
treatment they think they are entitled
to, are all enough to bring unlimited
crows feet 70 the face Of any manager.
III was great experience said Man
ager Pyper, especially when you've got
II behind you"
Another reason why the local man
ager Views the coming of attractions
OF the mammoth sort, with feelings not
unmingled with dread is the demor-
alizipg effect they have on companiea
which preoede and those which follow
them. The Ben Hur' visit cut seri-
ously into the business OF Warde n
James, and Mr. Piper Is congratulate ting
himself that there is nothing booked at
the house for another week. and that
there is the excitement of an election
Intervening Otherwise. he does not
know what might happen to the COM
Ing attractions.
The costumes OF "Ben Uur" seen
from the front, forming as they do a
part OF harmonious whole, do not
show the patient research that was
necessary TO properly costume this
famous religo-historical play. The play
IMPLYING as Il does the early Roman,
Egyptian and Jewish, presented prob
lem OF unusual proportions to the de-
signer Months were spent In the varl-
Gus libraries of the world, every known
authority was consulted and then the
real work OF the designer began. Ii
was his task to compile the general
Information accumulated by his many
assistants, and to reconcile the many
Inaccuracies that confronted him ON
comparisons OF the different authorities.
Tor IN costumelng play like ben
Hur,' II Is necessary TO be absolutely
correct even to the proper tying OF n
knot and as II is very seldom that any
two authorities agree, even upon sub
Jects OF more paramount Importance
than the proper shade of color or the
hanging of belt, II can readily be
seen that the task set the designer was
or no mean proportions, and that he
has acquitted himself so well Is mat
Ter OF congratuation, not only TO him
selt' but to the projectors OF this gi-
gantic undertaking.
After the designer had finished his
work the drawings were turned over TO
the costume maker, whose duty Is was
TO follow the designs furnished, 20 the
most minute detail, Only those who
have seen Ben Hur" have any Idea OF
the variety and number of costumes
that are worn In the different scenes,
To get right down TO statistics. there
0re 500 sets OF costumes used I'm the
production, and these are In charge of
the master of the wardrobe. He has
the assistance of ~ sewing women who
travel with the organization. In addi-
ton TO their regular duties, these young
cipals during the performance. The
amount of work that falls TO the master
OF the wardrobe Is something tremen-
dous Think OF doing the family wash
ing and mending when II constitutes
500 costumes. These require constant
watching and must be looked over daV
ana night and kept IN the best Of repair.
The costumes are carried IN large ham,
pers that are unpacked as soon as the
production reaches the theater. They
are then hung In the rooms OF those
assigned to wear them. Every morn
Ing the master Of the wardrobe and MS
assistants 20 over this assortment look
ing for tears and rips Then, too. the
costumes have to be kept clean. ana
some Idea OF this expense can be gain
ca from the fact that the cleaning bill
each week amounts to over 5000.
The house now rests for several
nights, but when the doors omen again
there will be another heavy rush that
VIII test the pockets OF our theater go-
ers Friday and Saturday comes the
farce comedy Are You MasonY'
from Monday to Wednesday we are te
greet our old friend Robert Edcson in
MS new play Soldiers OF Fortune"
which has been one OF the big eastern
successes for two seasons past Thurs
DAY and Friday comes the perennial
ODD Kentucky" Saturday we are to
have our one taste Of DeWolf Hopper
IN his play entitled MIR plolSwick."
Mr.. Piper sent kilograms unnumbered
trying TO have this engagement extend
ed but was unable to do 30, The fol-
lowing Monday King Dodo' comes
pack Tor two nights, ana this old fav.
ORIG or.,e vii, pc assured Of hearty vel
masterpiece, viii be not less handsop,e.
~ welcomed. Some heavyweignvs in
the comic opera school are to be seen
IN the cast Hopper himself appearing
hs llckwlck while the immortal names
OF sam Weller, Tony Weller, Jingle,