The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-01
Theatrical Gossip

heard can never be forgotten, so it is
| said by managers.
Instance after instance is known IN
the theatrical profession where the
wisest men in its ranks have passed up
/ with scorn play after play, only to
have the same manuscript bring to its
/ author and producer a year or perhaps
/ five years later a real fortune. When
| one reads of the accidents, the lucky
or unlucky chances which have made
or lost fortunes in the theatrical BUSH
ness the tale seems like one of those
| from the Arabian Nights and it is
/ this uncertainty with the chances of
/ such prodigiouS rewards that gives the
game its fascination and holds its fol-
| lowers TO it, for game It is-this pro-
duction of theatrical entertainments
| as there is no man in the world who
| can tell from manuscript, from rehear-
| sal. from anything, indeed. but the act
ual verdict of the first night audience
what is going to be the fate of his
play. And even then, sometimes, the
tide will turn in a single night from the
and jump the receipts from a couple
of hundred to a couple Of thousand dol
lars per night.
The Three of Us" the delightful.
sympathetic. four-act drama, full of
human interest, of love, of originality
and telling a story OF every day peo-
pie 50 naturally yet forcefully that it
gets a grip on ones heart that can not
magic of theatrical fortune. They play
was produced last September by Wal
ter n. Lawrence, theatrical manager
whose productions rumber The Man
on the Box" The Prince Chap.
Mrs Temples Telegram THE Great
er Love" and others and who relies
absolutely and entirely upon his own
judgment in both his selection Of plays
and actors.
since its production THE Three of
Us has been playing continuously at
ETr. I-awTeEce's Madison Square thea
ter. New York and its receipts have
never fallen lower than an average of
81 600 performance They would
have been double that amount for
weeks and months had the house been
larger but 81 900 is pretty nearly all
the money that it is possible to crowd
in there at one performance There
were 227 performances given, which
means thai Mr.. Lawrence's profit has
already exceeded $100. COO and in the next
two years with the merit of this plays
New York reputation and the larger
theaters of the country in which $2,OO0
or even more can be obtained at one
performance, il is safe to say. that
his profits will reach way over $780, 900.
Yet this overwhelming and instan-
taneous success was refused by every
either manager in New York city Ra-
chel CrOtherS. its author, unknown ana
friendIess. tramFed from one end OF
Broadway to the other offering this
play. Generally it was read through
the force of Miss Crothers personality,
then returned with polite or lndinerent |
words of encouragement, according to |
the feeling of the manager who is |
dealing her the death blow. The day |
Three of U.s. Miss Crothers received |
over a dozen offers, sight unseen. for |
manuscripts she might have or any
thing she might write, from the very |
same managers who had so scornfully /
declined The Three of Us"
Maude Adams to Have Theater Car.
The latter part Of next month there
will have been finished the construction
of special theater car for Maude
Adams When finished it will be the
only vehicle of its sort in existence Its
invention will, to a great extent, relieve
transcontinental travelling and one night
stands of much of their traditional
horror. /
The car is to be a combination of hv-
ing apartments and a completely equip
ped theater. Everything upon the stage
will be exactly the equipment or any
first class theater, except that each fix
ture is to be built in miniature
There will be the usual border 1ghts, |
above the stage and below, set OF foot
lights fastened inside a coverable gut
ter, along the edge OF the stage Inc
calcium and spot lights will be managed
rom the front end of the theater, where
there will also be a set of lockers Tor
,ostumers. There will be two extra sets
IF lockers at the rear or the stage Ior
he property and carpentry department
Steps will lead from the stage to the
foor of the theater. which will be with ,
tut stationary chairs II
The living portion Of the car Will con-
list of the conventional private car ar
except that its equipment
will be sufficient to relieve Miss Adams |
entirely from the necessity Of using no.
els 1t will be a suite Of three rooms
lining room, private room with station |
Try bed and bath, servants room,
zitchen and dining room 1t viii be
lighted by electricity and viii De the
lnIv portion OF the car fitted with OBJ '
ervation windows !
The theater car is entirely OF Miss f
Adams own design and will be her per
onal property when delivered from the
Pullman yards