Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-10-02
WHAT 1T COSTS TO SUPPLY THE
NEW YORK PoPULAcE WITH
ADJUSTMENTS.
FINEST THEATERS IN WORLD
Risk Taken by Producing Managers
Is Something Like Five Per
Cent
SUCCESS MEANS BIG FORTUNE

nothing new to say that from Union
square TO Times square expressed the
shift that the dramatic center has taken
in New York city, says the New York
Times. The old days when the Union
Square theater, the Star theater and
the Academy of Music were the produc-
ing houses and the focus for theater-
goerS have passed away, ana with them
their theaters, or at least the spirit of
the theaters; for of the surviving ones
the Academy of Music is now u house
used for return engagements almost eN-
elusively, and the Union Square theater
scene of Mansfield first triumph, has
come from a vaudeville theater to be
devoted TO the fortunes of moving pie
lures. With the recent death of Tony
Pastor the last flicker of theatrical in
teresr leaves this vicinity, especially
when it is remembered that I've had to
give up his famous Fourteenth street
house because the neighborliood wasn't
what it used 10 De,"
Nowadays it is felt among theatrical
managers that a theater like the Garden
Is too far removed from the Rialto prop
er to be a good paying concern, but that
this feeling is premature is eyinced by
the attendance at '"rhe Devil" which Is
now being presented there. For several
years to come the public Will not begin
to feel it is likely. that the theatefs on
the lower fringe are too far away 10
90 to when good plays are being per-
formed there. Neither is it altogether
unlikely that another decade will see
their vogue diminished. Tile location OF
the Majestic and Circle theaters and the
fact that the directors of the new the
alter have chosen site very near them
indicate tendency on the part of man
ayers to meet the gradual residential
uptown movement. These theaters, how
ever. do not threaten the theatrical SUI
premacy of Times square. They are
simply outpusts to the north.
Finest in the Country.
The theaters at present situated in the
| Times square belt are certainly the I'M
est to be found in the United States
Their comparative newnesS and the TACT
that they were constructed under the
most modern methods in theater build
ing, in which things are done on large
scale with more regard TO final ethcleney
than the cost involved, are responsible
for this. Several of them combine me
theater. which is the expression OF the
last word in theatrical designing, with
complete plant, where everything that
comes before the actual stage production
of play can be done. This means office
accommodation for a large stan OF eX-
ecutiye and business representatives, u
nresS department. besides room for the
activities Of the many branches OF the
| force which does the actual staging of
the piece.
Ii is impossible to arrive at anything
like definite idea of the capital in
vested in the theatrical production OF a
| city like New York Even could an APP
praisal OF the value of the real estate
represented by the theaters owned by
| the various interests be made, the NH
lions involved would not he the large Il
! part of the actual capital invested.
When it is realized that an average first
class production can scarcely be made
| for less than $4,000, which means the
cost involved before the play is ever
| put on stage, and that most OF the
| firms Eaa<e from six to ten such prouuc-
| tions every year, an idea Of the initial
cost is gained This takes no account
! of the weekly expenses of a play and
theater. which one firm estimated at
| 1885,. 900 a week for all its productions.
| The advertising agent for one OF the
/ largest producers in the field said that
| his entire advertising account for the
season in New York last year had cost
more than 100000. No one not very
close to the inner circles of some the
| atrical firm can get clear insight into
the amount of money involved during a
! theatrical season, except to say that il
the public can do is to get an inkling of
the large sums involved and get II hint
of the Napoleonic movements that come
! from the carefully guarded Offices
marked Private" in the big firms build
| ings.
What the Public Pays.
1t is perhaps n hihe easier to make a
rough estimate Of what the public pays
for its amusement in a city like New
| York if the speculation Is confined 10
the regions of the producing houses on
| Broadway and we eliminate the opera.
vaudeville, the combination houses, and
| the legion of ''nickelodeOns." 1t must
| be remembered that what is eliminated
at one fell swOop in this way makes q
/ field fully as large as the one taken in.
One vaudeville house. for instance is re-
garded among theatrical folk as mint
which brings in its operator anywhere
| from $4,000 to $4,000 weekly.
| The question was asked Of several men
| who occupied cohSdential positions in the
offices of some Of the largest producers
/ as to what the gross receipts Of New
York thcater were with play that had
| an average successful run. neither q
/ great big hit nor yet a play that had
/ to be helped along with passes 20 that IL
could be advertised on the road as hav-
/ ing had "a run of 50 many nights in
| New York" The average deduced from
their answers was to the effect that the
gross weekly takings Of the average play
amounted TO 5000. With season Of
1 thirty weeks tine average gross receipts
at each theater would amount to about
S250.0OO This would mean that the
ltheatergoing public Of New York expends
something ike S62J0,0O on Broadway
! during au average season
Except in the case Of a big success
when the earnings are far more than in
Dictated above. it is accepted az an axiom
bv the managers that more money il
made on the road 10y an attraction thar
Is made In New York. This opinion 4,
summed MP when they say New Y0rh
for the reputation that makes the money
on the road
II Is interesting 50 observe that the risi
taken by producing managers Of obtain
ing something like 3 per cent Of their
enormous investment If a play fails /,
not present in the case Of the theater,
themselves. which are practically guaran
feed against loss. The general rule Il
sfifty-ffty'-that is, 80 per cent. Of til,
gross receipts for the theater and y
for the production. And the theate