The Detroit times., 1910-10-28
The Theatrical Season

| storehouses frequently come second
hand stage settings for plays about
which a producer 10 not optimistic.
In such cases, Of course, the cost OF
production Is materially decreased.
There was a case on record last sea-
son where a young manager, who
possessed great energy and no capital.
was able TO try out a new play at .
cost of $500.
In producing musical comedies the
same general principles apply, the
chief difference being q larger ex-
pense. The most unpretentious of
musical comedies costs the producer
from $4,000 TO $4,000. while the
more elaborate ones represent an ex-
pendlture of 100000 The expense of
maintaining q large company and
transporting II over the country Is
also much heavier, so that the profits
gained in this field of theatrical en-
deavor are seldom az large as in a
dramatic SUCCESS. In answer to the
natural inquiry why all producers do
matte productions, II may be said
yhat q musical comedy failure or
"Htyver" IL seldom hopeless. II can
be made over, doctored. revamped,
the Jokes culled and rewritten. new
musical numbers interpolated, come
dams changed and attractive dances
added. Any. or all Of these first aids
, may be applied and q seemingly hope
less disaster turned into q great
money-maker. Several years ago q
musical comedy called "A knight for
Day" was produced on Broadway
and was one of the big successes Of
the season. II was the same musical
comedy which had failed three times
previously under different titles. With
the drama and the comedy the case 10.
different In these, plot and situae
ton are vital, and as they are the
foundation Of the entertainment the
changes which can be made are
usually Of q superficial character, 90
that the task Of regenerating an un-
successful play II generally q hope
less proposition.
Before q theatrical entertainment
can prove a profitable venture In the
smaller cities Of the country II must
have had q New York hearing and
must bear the stamp broadway sue
cess" Plays which visit cities ad-
jacent TO New York before their
metropolitan run are disregarded- The
same plays returning TO these cities
after q six months engagement on
Broadway, do . land-ofice business.
II IL essential 70 the manager, there
fore, that his play should 60 into New
York under the most favorable aus
pices. Hence the custom of trying
II on the dog'-that IL. giving a few
trial performances In the smaller com
munities 20 that author and stage
manager may see what points may
be strengthened, what lines elimin-
ated, what actors replaced Weeks
before the opening on Broadway the
oiIboards and the newspapers of New
York announce the coming attraction.
Anywhere from $1,000 to $4,000 "a
spent on advertising a play before
Its first performance In New York.
After the first night, II the material
seems promising and the need for an
initial impetus 10 discovered. a man
ager VIII spend as much as 81, 900 for
page writeup in q single New York
newspaper
In the preparation of q dramatic Of
Iering, from two to three weeks re-
hearsal is required For the musical
shows the period Of preparation runs
from ak 10 ten weeks, the latter re-
curing more time on account of the
intricacies of groupings, of ensemble
dances and Of mastering scores as
Well as lines. During these periods
OF rehearsal neither the stars nor sup
porting players receive any salary.
only the stage manager and the
musicians receive money for the
preparatory labors, and, of course. the
stage hands. As a rule the rehear.
sails are conducted in halls and over
stores, and there are no stage hands
to be paid until the final DAYS of work
In the theater Until a short time
ago producer could engage men and
women for his musical show and have
tnem rehearse up to the very day of
the nrst performance, and then dis
miss them with the explanation that
they were not suited for the parts.
Recently. however, this condition OF
affairs has been improved for the
actors. Now producer or his stage
manager must decide after four re-
hearsals whether he considers a man
or a woman desirable. After the
fourth rehearsal the star OF the com.
pany or the most humble "broiler"