El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-10-24

important in the history of the Amer
lean stage. The recent developments
in the internecine strife between the
so-called theatrical syndicate and the
independents have neceSSitated un-
usual activities on the part of produc
/ ing managers. in order to supply the
theatres with attractions which Will
keep the local managers loyal to the
interests of one side or the other. AS
result, the present season probably Will
see a new record established for the
number of new plays produced. This
will be in striking contrast to last
years record, when the smallest num-
Der of new plays in five years was
placed before the public.
Last Season Successful.
This does not mean, however, that
| last year was a season of disaster for
the theatrical business. On the con-
trary there were more phenomenally
successful plays produced last year
| than in any previous year, il spite OF
| the comparatively small number tried
out. There were As plays which ran
for more than so nights in the metrop-
oils, while the best previous record
was in 1866, when there were A that
achieved this distinction. Seven plays
last year ran for more than 200 nights.
in New York, with the best previous
each had five plays to reach the two
century mark.
There are approximately 1000 thea
tiers in America, exclusive of the NOV
ing picture houses. To furnish enter
tainment for the patrons of these play
, houses enilStS the services OF more
than 200, 900 people. The theater, view
ed from a business standpoint, is one or
the most profitable and at the same
time one of the most precarious OF
modern enterprises. A single success
often means a fortune to producer,
playwright and actor, whereas dozens
of fortunes may be swallowed up in the
futile quest for play which sat1sf1es
the demand of the public. what the
public wants is an unknown and un-
practicable quantity until the play is
produced. Paul Armstrong, one or the
most successful of the younger Amerl-
can playwrights, in recent statement
declared that one success in six is
liberal estimate of the ODDS against
producer and playwright. And yet each
of the failures represents as large an
initial outlay on the -nfrt o. the mana
ger, as much labor and as many brain
throhs foy playwright apd actor as the
-ole success.
Cost of Production.
A drama or farce comedy will cost
anywhere from $4,000 to SSV'OOo oeIoIe
the first trial performance IN recent
wears the public has become very eA
acting in the matter of stage settings
The canvas door, the 9uIhiny mn u >
the bookcases painted on the Oa1A
drop" are no longer tolerated III ene
first class theaters ara the plop
ties" for the most uhpreCen'Aous u
plays mount into a tpouSanu VI W.
dollars In the matter VI Gus
~ o,,-,s worn nv the women in
- g, = - ,ao-Asent a small for
tune to the producer.
In storehouSeS in Ne" iolh die
- ,,-o,,or+iee for many plays that
have failed to please the pooito. 80
of these are absolutely new Aot Ines
a failure has not las'eo Iioie enNAA
days From these storenouSeo
- e. ~1ore aNout which a pro-
80 =, - oD+in,istic In such cases,
+be cost of production is
aooraase.d. There was a case
nc 5 1os+ season where a young
or ,,Tbo nossessed great energy
60 oo,,4rs1 1-ass able to try out
new play at a cost OF soVV'
Cost of Mukical Comedies.
z,,o;,r ,,iusical comedies the
same general principles Apply tne 80
difference being = larger expense inc
most unpretenti0us or musical come
dies costs the producer from SIo''oo
to $4,000, while the mo- 80
80 renresent ari expenditure of $780,
go IT. axnarise of maintaining a
80, 80 o-,enony and transporting 1T over
iei &c :; also much heavier, so
nc. nc 49, rrofits gained in this field OF
nc - a,,daAvor are seldom as large
" s.oroatdc success. In answer TO
as ~ - ino,uiry why all producers
inc I..a +Heir efforts toward dra-
w ~. od,,o+iAns. it may be said that
mo ~ p, hdy failure or "flivver
q 80, ba1DI@ss 1t can be made over,
$500 reya fnped, the jokes culled
, new musical numbers
s anu Comedians changed and
- 5ances added. Any, or all
- f;rsl aids may be applied and
% -.;roI5 hopeless disaster turned
q lit money maker. Several
il.o 80 y musical comedy called "A
yt;e,t Cor Day" was produced on
49,, tar,i was one of the big sue
. - ile season 1t was the same
1891 comedy which had failed three
80. obviously under different titles.
uI:th trae drama and the comedy the
10 different In these, plot and
st+,,o+i1n are vital and as they are the
sounda.tion of the entertainment the
obonges which can be made are usual
" of o. superficial character, so that the
tasIr of regenerating an unsuccessful
nlav is generally a hopeless PROPOSE
PAfore a theatrical entertainment can
nroke a profitable venture in the small
or cities of the country it must have
bod a New York hearing and must bear
the stamp broadway success. Plays
hitch visit cities adjacent to New
work before their metropolitan run are
5isregarded The same plays return
ing to these cities after six months
engagement on Broadway, do land OIL |
flee business 1t is essential TO the |
manager, therefore, that his play I
should go into New York under the
most favorable auspices Hence the
custom of trying it on the dog =
that is, giving a few trial performan-
ces in the smaller communities so that |
author and stage manager may see
what points may be strengthened, |
what lines eliminated, what actors re- |
placed. Weeks before the opening on |
Broadway the bill boards and the |
newspapers of New York announce |
the coming attraction. Anywhere |
ic ADVERTISING a