The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1910-05-12
S0OTH WILL SEE
BIG THEATRICAL
WAR THIS YEAR
MANAGERS MAY DECIDE TIC
LEAVE THE kLAW & ENLAN-
GER TRUST.
Some Definite Action Will Likely Be
Taken at Meeting in Atlanta To-
Day-Means More Attractions For
Southern Cities.

Great interest is being manifested
in the meeting to be held in Atlanta
deday by southern theatrical managers,
as it may be that these managers
Will decide to come from under the
claws cf Klaw & Erlanger and make
their houses independent ones, show
ing attractions booked by any book
ing concern. While Manager Finney,
of the Grand, is member of the or
ganization, it will be impossible tor
him to attend the meeting today.
There is something in the air, the
atrlcally, and it is more than likely
that Immediately following the meet
ing OF the theater men in Atlanta the
people of the south will hear consid-
cradle news anent the theatrical sit
1lation. Whatever the managers do in
Atlanta will be of great interest to
tie theatergcers of this city, as Bruns-
wick is involved in the war" which is
Low a. its hottest between the syn
dictate and ''open door" factions.
AS the majority of the thearter 60
ers of this city know, Klaw & Erlang-
er, New York theatrical firm, have
been booking the souths attractions
scr many seasons past. This firm
has practically controlled the theatri-
cal situation throughout the south and
west, and any company that did not
book through them was barred from
playing the houses on their circuit
Last summer the Southern Associa-
tion of Theater Managers, 100 strong,
and composed of the leading house
managers of the southern states, met
in Atlanta to discuss the outlook for
the season recently closed.
The Shuberts, fighters of the so-call-
Atlanta meeting and they guaranteed
no less than thirty of their largest at
fractions if the Southern managers
would consent TO book their attrac
lions, as we'll as those of the Klaw &
Erlanger forces. The Shuberts were
looking for none the best of things,
but wanted to place their attractions
before the theatregoers of the south.
A committee from the association
was named to go to New York to con-
fer with Klaw & Erlanger. At this
time the majority of the members of
the association were in favor of de-
claring for the "open door" and the
committee that visited New York car
ried that information to the so-called
trust interests.
When the committee approached
Klaw & Erlanger, that firm, accord
ing to Mr.. Finney, who has kept thor
oughly posted on the situation, prom
ised that the theatrical interests of the
south would suffer no longer for want
of attractions, and many productions
were promied for the season just fin
ished. Wishing to stick by the klaw
& Erlanger forces, the committee re
turned to the south, and the Southern
Association decided to try one more
season of the of the Klaw & Erlanger
bookings The same conditions that
existed in the south existed in the
west.
Theatrical men from the south,
west and middle west met in New YORK
Saturday, and after various contabs,
with the leading theatrical men of that
city. John Cort one of the vests great
est theatrical men, withdrew his house
from the KlaW & Erlanger bookings.
This was a great victory in favor OF
the "open door" policy as Mr.. Cort
has long since ranged as one OF Amer
ica's leading theatrical men. he
owns a chain of 14S theatres, extend
ing from Bismark, n. d., in the East
to San Francisco in the west ana
from Vancouver, B. c., an the north
to Bisbee, Ariz., in the south. An
association of Southern and western
theatrical men was formed, and ONO
es were Immediately opened In the
Knickertocker theater building, New
York.
Present in New York was JAKE
Wells the well known theatrical man
of the south. who has gradually bullt
q chain of theatres almost throughout
tho entire south. Following the Ne"
Work. proceedings Mr.. Wells retirn-
cd south and Immediately called d
,oeo+ino of the Southern Association
Of Theatre Managers, of which ne Is
president