The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1908-12-17

ers hike Southwark, leaving the pol
iticians TO fight their battle among
themselves, knowing full well that
torchlight professions and political
meetings will preclude the possibility
of any extended theater going on the
part OF the public There are, how
ever, exceptions to all rules, and this
year has proven an exception. While
a few good shows have crossed the
Mason and Dixon line, the number
has not been as great as usual, and
the attractions that have come South
ward, with a few notable exceptions,
have Jared none too we'll On ac-
count of the low price of cotton, mon
ey has been very scarce in the South,
and companies with a daily expense
account running well into the hum
dreds have on numerous occasions
played to less than fifty dollar houses.
Time always brings changes, and
the past ten years have perhaps wit
messed more changes in both the
management and booking of shows
than in any other business. 1t is
only within the past decade that any
system has been followed in the book
formerly done his own booking. but
now practically all the frst-class at
fractions as well as many of the the
aters in all parts of the country are
or hU a hOOE-
ing is all done at the general offices
of the octopus in New York. Trusts
are always more or less baneful, and
the theatrical trust can hardly be said
TO have done he fair thing by the
small companies and small theaters
which form its tentacles. The man
in charge of the booking department
of the New York Office is in complete
control of all bookings, and selects
the towns to be played by each and
every company which he syndicate
controls. 1t seems more than passing
strange that one man in a small Office
in New York should say just what
shows shall play in Columbus, Miss,
or Manistee, Mich, or any other town
where the local theater is controlled
by the trust, but under the present
system this is the case, and If the
trust happens to get sore on town
the theater goers suffer.
Up to little more than year ago
the trust seemed kindly disposed to-
xu~rd Columbus ouS traa{ad tho 10
cal theater fairly well, but you can
never count on consistent treatment
by a trust, and for some reason the
man in New York appears to have
turned against US. IT'S true that he
has sent US few hrst-class attrac-
tions this season. but we ought to
have had more of them, for Colnua-
bians patronize good shows literally,
10 Is eyinced by the fact that notwith
standing the scarcity of money all the
good shows that have Appeared here
have been greeted by large audiences.
Manager Newly is in no way to blame
for not having played more Of the
attractions, for he has paid
the New York agents a larger book
ing fee than was ever exacted from
\ former manager and has done every
hing in his power to induce them
10 send him the best attractions on
he road. but the trust was arbitrary,
Ind it was only by persistent effort
IN his part that even limited num-
Der OF the big city shows were Sc
,ured.
One advantage derived by theater |
soers in small towns as a result OF |
he organization OF the trust is that |
hey are afforded opportunity TO see
he New York successes sooner than |
Inder the old regime Up to the |
ime the trust was organized people |
n small towns seldom saw plays until
our or Ave years after the New York
but now as soon as
receives the stamp OF APP
roval by theater goers OF tho Empire
sfty several road companies are Or
anized. and the one-night stands fre-
.uentiy get the plays long before
lC 4NCW oEA run A0o G00C0~ OA
curse. the people in the companies
ent on the road are not as good as
hose In the New York cast, but they
re- generally up to the standard road
while the scenery Is fre-
uently identical with that used in
he original production.
Another innovation that recent
ears have brought Is the astounding
udacity of repertoire companies In
reducing copyright plays. Nearly
II the successes of the current sea-
on are being produced by repertoire
'ull, and THE Wolff having been
iven by a stock company that re-