Willmar tribune., 1909-09-01

puritanically inclined farmer with head dead
set against the theaters, is often, though he
may not know it, 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 are made,
bringing profit to the lumber yards, then to
the mill, and finally back to the lumberman or
farmer who owned the standing timber. Hun
dreds of thousands of square yards of canvas
and linen are 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 are
also used, with the resultant profit 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 an entirely
new 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 was imported formerly.
but most of it Is now manufactured in this
country. Last, but by no means least, over
1000 costumes are used in ben Hur'' alone.
The lowest estimate of a good one-night
stand house is $4OO a 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 men will quail
fy 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
small show consists of six fly and gallery men,
two property men, two electricians, two car
penters and six grips. The carpenters and elec-
tricians get from $25 to $50 week, the grips
get from $500 to $3.50 night. This is only
for a small show. In large spectacle like
Little Nemo," 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 IS stage hands, 21 clearers IA elec-
tricians, extra wardrobe women, and enlarged
orchestra. The regular acting staff was sup
plemented, moreover by 120 men supers and
SO or more women supers. These people get
an average of 50 cents a night, and as there
are numerous shows on 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 an 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 are making ready for the
season. If armor is required, it is imported.
In season In New York there are en-
ployed in the various theaters and depart
ments about 200 wig makers, 800 ushers, 1000
bill posters, 1000 stage hands, 200 property