The Elbert County tribune., 1909-08-26

puritanically inclined farmer with a head dead
set against the theaters Is often, though he
may not know 1t, under obligations to the the
atrfcal producer for the profits that enable him
to lift the mortgage from the old place. For
the scenery there is required lumber, from
which the frames to hold the canvas made,
bringing a profit to the lumber yards, then to
the mill and finally back to the lumberman
farmer who owned the standing timber. Hun
dreds of thousands of square yards Of canvas
and linen used to cover these frames, and
here the returns first to the dealer. event
ually reach the manufacturer who sold him the
material, and ultimately get to the men who
grew the cotton and fax-the farmer once
again Immense quantities of hardware
also used, with the resultant prost to the deal
er. the manufacturer and the miner, and from
many sources the wage Garner. had he the
mind to do so, might ultimately trace his earn
ings to the door of the theater.
In Klaw & Erlanger's production of Ben
Hur," for instance, one of the largest of all
theatrical organizations, for which entirely
now equipment is being made this season,
over five miles of rope are used for hoisting
and lowering the scenery, and another class of
people derive their various benefits from this
need of the producer. There are used also
thousands Of yards of invisible netting and
gauzes. All of this imported formerly,
but most of 1t is now manufactured in this
country. Last, but by means least.
1000 costumes used in Ben Hur' alone.
The lowest estimate of a good one-nigtt
stand house is $400 week, and this is pos
sible only when the local manager can get
free labor for the running of the stage as in
towns where boys and young will quail
fly as grips in order to have the privilege of
seeing the shows. In such cases they charge
nothing for their services
The regular stage staff of a theater for a
small show consists OF six fly and gallery men,
two property men, two electricians, two
penters and six grips. The carpenters and cleo
tricians get from $25 to $50 a week. the grips
get from $1.00 to s1.50 night. This is only
for a small show. In large spectacle like
Little Memo" for instance, 40 property boys
alone were required. The Sins of Society,""
large spectacular melodrama which Klaw &
Erlanger produced in Chicago In the spring,
required 3s stage hands, 81 clearers, IA cleo
tricians extra wardrobe women. and enlarged
orchestra The regular acting stan was sup
plemented, moreover by 120 men supers and
so women supers. These people get
numerous shows the road which re-
quire from ten to fifty extra people" another
large sum OF money is expended in items not
covering the actual acting cast
Before the curtain line for the average at
traction an orchestra leader and orchestra
of ten men are required. The leader gets $50,
and the others $25 a week.
Five hundred tailors, seamstresses, dress.
makers, buttonhole Makers and bootmakers
draw revenue from this department alone,
which must still depend upon occasional out
side concerns In times of special pressure.
when many shows making ready for the
season If armor is required. It is imported.
In a season in New York there are en-
ployed in the various theaters and depart
ments about 200 wig makers, 800 ushers 900
bill posters. 1000 stage hands. 200 property