The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-09-13

Salt Lake by Nov. l. if the terms of the
contracts under which the work upon
the playhouses is now being done are
fulfilled. The cost of these theatres.
when completed and equipped will be
about $3.50. 900. without considering the
value of the building sites A third
house of amusement to cost 5000 000 is
projected by Samuel. Newhouse and
Martin Beck, the New York theatrical
manager.
AS Salt Lake now has three theatres
at which plays or vaudeville attrac-
tons are presented. the work now I'M
der way means that the city will. with
in short time, have five playhouses.
with the definite prospect of a sixth.
These, with the nine electric theatres.
will make a total of fifteen places of
amusement.
Theatrical managers are watching
the situation with deep interest and
wondering how the future patronage OF
Salt Lakes playgoers will be distrib-
uted.
Salt Lake has always been looked
upon as a good amusement town. and
the theatres here have prospered in the
past, but now the managers are begin
lining to shake their heads dolorOusly
and intimate that the places at which
men and women pay out their cash for
the privilege of shedding tears or
laughing are getting too numerous for
JOY factories or woe factories to look
forward 10 the usual thriving business.
PeIton Asks a Question.
How can Salt Lake support so many
! theatres?" said A. r. Pelton of the In
I termountain Theatrical circuit. which
controls the Grand theatre. Mr.. Pelton
is now in Salt Lake making study of
the tastes of Salt Lake playgoers. to.
be more explicit. the tastes of Grand
theatre aud u ices. In the past the
| Grand has been the home of melo-
dramatic real Peruvian doughnut
kind. where the heroes almost" get
killed in each act and the heroines shed
buckets OF tears until the last act,
when they ripple forth merry laughter
and tell the heroes that they can go
down to the city and county building
| for marriage licenses. But some one
whispered to Mr. Pelton and his as
sociates that something else than melo-
| drama would add to the prosperity or
the Grand, and the present stock COM
pany was introduced. The results have
been such that Mr.. Pelton is doing a
lot of hard thinking, and the indica-
lions are that the Grand Will, within
short time. become once more the tenn
I
pie of 'mellerdrammer," pure and I'M
| alleged.
How can Salt Lake support so many
theatres?" repeated Mr.. Peiton. Let
us say that the present population is
100 coo.
Capacity viii Be Doubled.
salt Lake now has three theatres,
the three new theatres will make
total of six The Salt Lake theatre VIII
book the standard attractions, and
some of the plays which formerly went
to that house will probably go to the
| Colonial The Grand will have its
stock company, or. more probably. re-
turn to melodrama. The Lyceum will
present melodramas or vaudeville. The
Orpheum vaudeville attractions will go
| to the new Orpheum theatre. and the
present Orpheum theatre will be used
! for the presentation of musical come
dies. All of these theatres Will be open
through the amusement season. The
average seating capacity of the the
aires will be about 1,5o0. but we will
/ Continued on Page 2.