Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-09

- AON compared 10
n which the Theatrical trust was
NA a note in the overture has Just
@@4 been completed in New York.
31U II merely embraces everything
@ in the line Of ADJUSTMENTS Of
fered in halls and theaters, with the posi-
BILE exception OF lectures and concerts by
companies that may appear In churches.
Frankly. the new combination is to govern
affairs Of the amusement world in North
America. 1t MAJ extend It's sphere Of in
fluence later TO embrace other sections Of
the LORDS vineyard. but for the present
season u VIII be content with the United
states. Canada and Mexico. First of all,
II Is to control the theaters-not only those
mat exist. but those that may exist. It's
earliest and most persistent effort will be
to discourage the building Of theaters. This
Is a lesson from experience. The recent
revolt of the 'sShubertsT ard the noble
purpose that animated the promoters Of
that scheme for putting down the * &
e." combination largely took on the form
OF new theaters in towns that already had
enough II not actually too many. The
"Shuberts' were Industrious builders, and
several cities now boast OF beautiful thea
ters that would not have existed had not
Sam and Lee conceived the notion tina the
tail could wag the dog II it could only get
the proper purchase. The scheme went
along beautifully. even after 1t struck the
downhill side of the road, where every
thing was found TO be creased. As soon
as the Shuberts were out of the way 'R.
q F." took a notion to do a little revolt
ing OF their own, and burst into the vaude-
Vile game with a tremendous whoop and
salary lists that made the old timers sit
up and take notice. Well, what happened
to TX. g. E." in vaudeville has never yet
been all told, but It was enough to hold
then. and It also sufficed for Martin Beck,
B. F. Keith and one or two others who
were on the opposite side. Out of all this
came a desire to get back some of the
mazuma that had disappeared in the course
of three seasons Of bitter and expensive
warfare. so the representatives Of every
class Of theatrical amusement from the
highest to the lowest have met in New
York, adopted preliminary agreements. and
named a COMMITTEES to perfect the perma-
nent organization
No more theaters are to be built, 50 long
as those now existing are serviceable. This,
of course, subject to approval of the high
and mighty powers who will sit in New
York and control. II any man be foolish
enough TO build a theater, he may, but he'll
have a merry time to get any company to
play in It. KIaw & ErlangeF, Stair &
Havlin. Keith & Proctor, Kohl & Castle
the Orpheum circuit, Percy @. williams-dc
you want any more They're all in itD?-
have agreed that companies that play In
tieir houses shall play in no others. Thai
s-mp y settles it. The working details viii
be devised lat r, and ii is as certain as car
Be trat the combination will be made air
tiSh,s Anot,i = meeting will be held soon
and I cH III actual plans of the combina
tion may be given to the public by thu
coma e.s.
All ~ Wltch SOUNDS mighty formidable
bus &. sr't so bad as it might be, for tn
Esw combination is only bringing togethe
y n who have generally worked close to
Gc,he!. except for the q~uarrels of the las
tlree years. Keith & Proctor and tn
|. urpheum people have stood side by sid
H. the vaudeville business. and Kiaw 4
Lrlanger and Stair & Havin have had
Working agreement for many years, O
which the 'Shuberts" have been a par
since early in the spring of 1907. An
even during the vaudeville furry last fal
the general terms of this agreement wer
NJ violated. II was strictly a famil
fight. and at no time did either side man
fest the least desire to negotiate with tn
independents" Colopel Harrison Gre
Fiske and David Belasco. with a few oth'
misguided persons. who evidently DO nj
know what is good for them, will continU
in outer darkness the same as before, n
mention is made in the list OF componeI
parts Of the new octupus of Sullivan
Considine. who stil have a considerab
string OF theaters throughout the countr
The Orpheum circuit has gobbled up Sc,
eral Sullivan g. Considine houses in Il
northwest, but has not yet obliterated Il
circuit. II this firm is left out Of Il
new trust, it will be of service TO Oman
for II viii leave the Burwood theater ope
as now. to the uses OF Mrs. F1ske, Dav
warfield, Bertha Kalich and others OF II
independents" The Boyd is booked /
Klaw e Erlanger and the Krug by sta
& Havlin. OF course the Orpheum W
continue as always. under the general q
rection OF Martin Beck. About the on
really sad thing about the whole situate
is that II will deprive the toiling builde
of the local yellow journals of their whit
amusement Of erecting theaters all ov
Omaha.
1t wont be so long after all-the time wit
out something doing at the theaters
Omaha. Next Sunday the Krug will bic
' in, and the report is that II will have
very busy season, with a lot Of attractio
better than usual. In another fortnig
the Burwood follows, and then I
orpheum a week later. The Boyd "
open a couple of days earlier than I
Burwood, so that in the three weeks {
local theaters will all be running as usu
- - IN 49,. - ..-g
20 make selection from in the matter
amusement. Manager Johnson this we
announces the names Of his company
the season at the Burwood. and NAL
promise Of a list OF plays that will attr'
the public, He says, in connection W
his selection. that stock Is no longer
novelty in Omaha, and that to make
venture pay he must have something
attract tie people to his theater. T