The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-05-14
KEITH SYNDICATE
ENTERS THE FIELD
Will Open a Vaudeville House
In Richmond the CON-
ing Season.
AMUSEME MENTS GALORE,
INDICATIONS POINT TO A FEAST
OF GOOD THINGS IN AMUSE-
MENT LINE NEXT SEASON.
MURRAY TO STAY IN RICHMOND

The past winter there was only a fair
line of theatrical attractions offered
the Richmond public, but it appears
that the coming winter the amusement
loving people of this city will be gorg
ed with theatrical offerings. Today
it was announced that the Keith vaude-
Vile syndicate, will operate vaude-
vile house in this city the coming
winter. o. G.. Murray, of the Murray
Sun vaudeville syndicate, states that
he will erect d new vaudeville house
at Tenth and Main streets, while Mrs.
Ira Swisher, manager of the Gennett
theater, refutes the report that the
Cohen and Harris syndicate will Sc
cure the Gennett this year at the ex-
piration Of the lease her husband
holds on that popular play house. Mrs.
Swisher admits that she has closed
contract with the Cohen and Harris
people to do the booking for the Gen
nett the coming winter. She states
by this arrangement the people of this
city will see the best class of produc-
tiOns that have ever been booked to
appear in this city.
Mr. Murray was out of the city today
but his local representative positive
ly stated that he would continue to Op
crate a vaudeville house in this city.
Neither this representative nor Mrs.
Swisher knew anything Of the report
that the Keith syndicate would break
into the local field. The statement
that a Keith vaudeville house will be
located here is made on the strength
of letter received today by the Palla-
dunn from the publicity agent of the
Keith syndicate. This letter in part,
reads as follows:
Il am handing you herewith the first
announcement of Mr.. B. F.. Keith's lat
est plan in the development of vau-
deville.
plans have already been completed
to enter nearly three score towns. Sites
have been secured and theaters will be
thrown open to the public early in the
fall. With Columbus, Cleveland and
Toledo as centers, splendid companies
new circuits, giving the same high
class and refined entertainments
which have made the name Keith a
household word in every city that he
has ever entered. The name Keith is
and has always been a guarantee Of
the best and cleanest to be had in the
way of amusement and entertainment
Among the places where sites for
theaters have already been secured
are Springfield, Dayton, Portsmouth,
Huntington, w. Va, Marietta, Zanes-
vile, Wheeling, w. Va, Steubenville,
Monessen, Pa, Canton, Mansfield, Ma
rion, Newark, Niles, Sandusky, FIRE.
mont, Findlay. Lima, Sidney. Rich
mond and Muncie. Ind. Options are
held on sites in the following towns
and all of them are expected to be
closed within a short time Hamilton,
Chillicothe, IrOntOn, Cambridge,
Lorraine, Akron Gallon, Shelby, Mt.
Vernon. Coshocton, Warren, Erie. Pa,
Greenville and PiQua, Ohio. There
are still number of other towns in
Ohio and nearby points in Indiana,
Kentucky West Virginia and Penn
sylvania, where negotiations are pend
ing looking to the securing of loca-
tions.
Judging from this statement the
Keith syndicate has already secured a
site for it's local house, but where this
site is located no one appears to know.
Mrs. Swisher states in regards to
the plans for the Gennett theater that
the owners of the building have given
her an option on releasing the thea
ter.
Last years Mrs. Swisher refused to
dictate to the terms of the theatrical
trust and as a result Richmond expe-
rienced the displeasure of this mighty
organization. The Cohen and Harris
branch of the trust desired to purchase
the lease the Swishers held on the Gen
nett. but on their refusal to dispose of
it Richmond was practically cut off
from all standard productions. This
year Mrs. Swisher states that she will
pay the booking terms demanded by
the trust and that nearly all the pro-
ductions which will appear here will
be booked by Cohen and Harris.
When asked if Mr.. Swisher would re-
lease the Gennett at the expiration of
the present lease Mrs. Swisher stated
that no decision on this matter had
yet been made. Vaudeville will be
the offering until the first Of Septem-
ber.