The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-17
AN OUTSIDERS VIEW.
How the Theatrical situation Looks
TO a Disinterested Observer.

20 a Disinterested Observer.
To a disinterested observer. the atti-
tude Of the so-ealIed theatrical syndicate,
with regard to the managers and owners
OF theaters, seems 20 be unreasonable, TO
say the least.
For example. Mr. Smith owns a theater
in Sandusky, Ohio, or in any one OF
dozens OF other cities OF the same size,
and so on down to those OF lesser theat-
Real Importance.
According TO the syndicate. Mr. Smith
must either offer exclusively syndicate
attractions or exclusively independent at
fractions. The syndicate will not allow
any OF its attractions TO be booked in
theaters where the independents are al
lowed to play. this Notwithstanding the
fact that Mr. Smith. the manager. is not
able 10 procure a sufficient number Of
first-class syndicate attractions TO supply
his house for the fun season. At such
times as he is unable to play the syndi-
cate attractions he must keep his thea
ter dark.
The independents, on the other hand,
in order to help Mr. Smith TO keep his
house open all the time. and at the same
time procure an opening for their own
attractions. take the very proper stand
that Mr.. Smith should be allowed 10 Of
fer his patrons the best shows lac can
procure. regardless Of who gets he bis
end of the receipts.
The dog in the manger was an open
handed philanthropist in comparison With
those who foster the exclusion idea. In
on attempt to crush out all opposition
and coerce producing managers into the
pavment of fees for syndicate bookings.
the combination apparently destroys
half the local managers opportunities 10
make money.
II either concern could furnish SUM-
Gent attractions TO keep all OF the thea
ters open throughout the season, perhaps
the position of the syndicate might be
tenable. but it is unable to fill all the
hrst-class theaters all OF the time. and so
are the independents. All the latter
claim is the right of the owner of
playhouse to procure the best the market
affords.
| If Mr.. Smiths theater should be locat-
ed in a town, say, where there Is no other
| hrst-class playhouse, it can be readily
seen that he is between Scylla and
Charybdis. II he books independent at
fractions the syndicate will have none
OF him. If he contracts with the syndi-
cate. he must first agree TO exclude the
| Independent attractions from his house.
| OF course in q large city. where both par
| ties have theaters and, like Washington,
the distance from the head and center OF
the theatrical world is not great, there
is little difficulty in keeping a theater
well supplied with the attractions OF
either affiliation.
AS between the attractions offered by
the syndicate and the independents there
is very little difference from the stand
point of artistic excellence, But the whole
nature Of the competition has an un-
wholesome effect on the stage For IN
stance, last season the syndicate was
obliged to put a lot of shows OF the
canber of the A. II. Woods productions
into frst-class theaters. This was q de-
cided black eye to the artistic ambitions
the syndicate wishes to preserve The
independents. on the other hand. sus.
| tanned a great many failures through theil
eagerness to give the managers who were
loyal to the "open door" movement some.
thing in return for that loyalty Failures
| were many on both sides. The keen com.
petition led to lessening of the caution
that must be used in the managerial
game
It seems inevitable. however. that this
war must go on. Just what the produc-
ing managers who allow themselves tc
be dominated By the syndicate have &c
gain, is not clear. They certainly can
not be any worse off by booking through
the independents. and they might possibly
be instrumental in bringing about a re.
form that is very much needed.
OF course. the syndicate controls the
bookings of a great many high-gradt
houses. scattered all over the country
| Naturally, the big producing managers
like to play their attractions in these
houses That the local manager has &c
! I'll in the time between the visits OF
| these big attractions with inferior plays
and WORKOUT successes does not appear
10 bother them in the least They have
one big week; let the house manager
starve the rest of the season.
If ali the producing managers took Mr.
Savage's view of the matter, there would
be satisfaction in three quarters. TIE
producers would get good theaters and
good dates, the local managers would
have their houses filled with first-elasI