New-York tribune., 1906-04-29
illustrated with 2T5 views taken by Mr.. Nc
Intosh during the expedition

illustrated with 275 views taken by Mr. Nc
Intosh during the expedition.
If man had a shop which did a regular
weekly business of $4,000 he would feel on
the high road to independence. BY the same
token when he hears of theatrical productions
playing to average OF that amount every
seven days he wonders why managers do not
have cabs every time they cross the street and
peacocks' tongues for breakfast. AS a matter
of fact, the cost of running such an attraction
as The Social Whirl" is so great that it admits
Of comparatively little profit. If the piece is
a failure the impressaro loses the large amount
which represents the original expense for seen.
cry and costumes. IF 1t is success he makes
only the small difference between expenses and
receipts. It is this which has taken small in
vestors from the field of musical comedy pres
entation and left only few big business firms
like the Shuberts, Klaw & Erlanger and Henry
W. Savage.
The initial investment in The Social WhirI"
taking that piece as a fair example-was
about $4,000. This would not be too large
sum for setting up a shop, but there is this dis
unction between the shop and the theatre: in
case Of failure a stock of boots and shoes or
drygoods may be sold for at least 30 per cent
OF It's value, whereas a theatrical production, in
such an event would bring almost nothing
Even in case Of success possibilities nowadays
are not bright At the time when The Mikado'
was produced at a total cost of S60O-When
cheesecloth was more common the stage than
sllk-musical comedy very different thing
Then well known comedians drew $50 week
and there was no such thing as a musicians
union AT the present time the management OF
The Social Whirl' may count on paying at
least 5000 week for the maintenance OF the
casino Theatre This amount goes for rent,
which on Broadway is very high, for lisAdng
heating, stage hands, orchestra, ushers etc The
salaries Of company like that presenting THE
Social Whirl," which includes Adele Ritchie
Joseph Coyne, Mabel Fenton Charles J. Ross
Frederick Bond, Ada Lewis and Blanche Deyo
and the chorus of one hundred cannot be a cent
under $500 When The Social Whirl" plays
TO $1,000 week the author gets $500 and the
cost or billing and newspaper advertising is
rarely under $3.50. Add TO this $500 for photo
graphs and other incidentals OF the press de-
partment. including the salary of press agent
and $1,000 toward paying the cost of production
and one has total of $3.50 a week. This leaves
a possibility Of profit to the extent of about
Sl'l0O. While, as must be perfectly obvious, the
loss may be ten times that amount
The new Sousa opera, The Free Lance" with
Joseph Cawthorn as Siegmund Lump, begins it's
third week al the New Amsterdam Theatre
Tomorrow evening. Nella Bergen's song in the
second act, THE Carrier Pigeon" and Mr. Cav
thorns 1T Is the Hair" attract special attention
strength Of the Weak" continues at the Liberty
Theatre.
sam Bernard in The Rollicking Girl" with
Hattie Williams, the comedienne, and a large
company Of singing and dancing entertainers.
!" begins MS third week at the New York Theatre
Tomorrow evening.