The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-08-14
ReheaTSalS Are On
Everything in the Nature of
a Hall Is in Use Around
New York City.

What somebody has called the busy
hum Of preparation" is about all that IS .
in evidence in New York amusement |
matters for the current week. There |
are no fresh productions while the old /
ones in theaters and on roof gardens F.
are running along at a peaceful jog, /
some drawing larger audiences than !
others and all having settled down to
remain as they are until the general /
shutting up at the beginning Of the /
real theatrical term, which is still some
weeks OFF. But it is already evident /
that when the starters flag is once
dropped. so 10 speak, there will be /
plenty from which To choose in the mat /
ter of stage offerings. Every theater, /
hall, or other large apartment avail /
able for rehearsal purposes in all New /
York is being utilized at this moment /
and there is. quite an overflow OF COM |
panies spreading into Brooklyn, Jersey 4
City, Hoboken and as far away as
Newark Persons who a few months /
ago were gloomily predicting, in the /
face of alleged overbuilding of theaters, |
that there were not enough attractions /
to I'll those lighthouses already com
pleted. need not waste their time upon
further speculation. Desirable dates in
all parts of the United States are as
scarce now as at any period in the coun-
try's history, and the only question that
remains TO be settled has reference to
the support of the public at large dur
ing the coming season as compared
with that of past years. 1t may be
frankly said that most amusement
managers having their headquarters
here are not as sanguine as usual.
year ago they were almost unanimously
impressed with the idea that they were
on the eve Of gathering in greater
profits than in any period Of similar
duration. But most Of them were very
rudely awakened, and profit-taking
upon a considerable scale was confined
10 very few individuals That expe-
rience served 10 lead up TO the present
depression of feeling, which is supple
mented somewhat by the approach Of
what promises 10 be an uncommonly
active and stubbOrnly contested national
canvass. Moreover, those managers who
take pains TO inform themselves regard
ing the state of the country, comment
that they can detect no change IN eX-
isting conditions upon which TO base
hopes for an immediate Improvement
But. as the men in this business are
VIGOROUSLY bad guessers in such mat
tiers. II may be that there is a surprise
IN store for them this fall and winter
that will be quite as sweeping and
much more gratifying than the one they
encountered last autumn.
It is an odd feature of the year that
there are in New York at the present
moment vastly fewer visitors from other
cities than at any previous time in Au
gust within my recollection. or that of
the amusement purveyors and hotel men.
It is during this month. under ordinary
circumstances. that the great throng OF
recreation seekers from the South and
West come 70 New York, filling up its
hostelries and packing its roof gardens
and other resorts. They are not herr
just now. Perhaps they have been
switched of 70 St. Louis, and perhaps
they haven't started at all. At any rate.
as the grating colored citizen in The
County Chairman observes. when he
catches up with an intended victim who
is lodging him: I'VE miss your pres
ence.' The condition Of the hotel busi
ness on Manhattan Island is illustrated
in the experience of a wealthy Cincin-
NATHAN. who, with his family, has been
occupying a suite of FOUR rooms and
bath in one of the very best, II not
absolutely the best OF New York hotels,
al the rate of SO a Week-European
plan. Of course The keepers Of these es-
adjustments appear TO be very glad
this summer 10 have their apartments
occupied at any price. This topic you
will say isn't strictly within the scope
OF these letters. which are supposed 10
cover amusement matters alone. But
when the hotels suffer. stage amuse-
ments invariably dwindle, and so the
Id 1g
ing hand in hand.
It seems more than merely probable
that the immortal and international Ted
j. Marks is 10 be the general manager
OF the new and enormous hippOdrome
now in course Of construction on Sixth
Avenue at Forty-third and Forty-fourth
Streets. A letter from London brings
the information that Frederic ThOmp-
son, Of the firm of Thompson & Dundy,
the promoters OF this enterprise. met
Marks in the British metropolis the
other day and closed a deal with him
10 the effect already described The
Messrs. Thompson and Marks immcdi-
ateIy started upon a continental tour
IN pursuit OF novel and otherwise inter
esting attractions for the hippodrome,
which will be in some respects winter
annex 10 Luna Park. COney Island. The
turnstlles at the park show no cessa-
ton Of clicking from morning until
night, week In and week out The
month OF August, barring mishaps.
will show a greater registry OF patron
age than any other month during the
season. which. considering the fact that
June outstripped all last years figures,
and July went far ahead Of June, Is a
sufficiently clear indication Of busy times
down by the sea.
i is "A notably strong cast that George
". Lederer IS engaging for the produc-
ton Of The Spellbinder," the new po-
IiticaI comedy by Charles Dickson and
Herbert Hall Nyinslow. Mr.. Dickson
himself will have a prominent role, al
though he will not be featured as a
star. Ralph Delmore, George Ober, and
a number OF equally prominent players
wifi be in the bill. THE Spellbinder,"
opening IN Hartford September l, is %
finish the week I'm New Haven and will
come thence 20 the Herald Square Thea
ter September 3.
F. C. Whitney has engaged r. r. era
ham TO assume the role IN PHI. Pan.
Pouf." until recently played at the
Casino by Thomas Q. Seabrooke. Since
Mr.. Seabrooke's departure from the cast
the part has been held BY Fred Mace,