The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1910-05-11
PAPER|NC THE HOUSE
When a Weak Play Appears In
a New York Theater.
PROPPED BY FREE TICKETS.
The Judicious Distribution Of Com
plimentaries" by the Manager Sc
cures Well Dressed Audiences and
Saves the Appearance Of Frost"

cures Well Dressed Audiences and
Saves the Appearance Of Frost"
Long before the curtain goes down
at the end of a new production the
manager has decided. nine times In
ten, whether he has success or not
But he does not mean to be caught
mapping In either event. II he believes
The play Is frost" or even a semi
success the house for he next few
nights must bear every outward evil
lence OF prosperity
In other words, he must buck the
line OF adverse criticism by 'paperlng
the house" For week at least he
must make a front" In the orchestra
In the box Office. Let him make the
public believe the new piece has at
lracted large number of patrons for
six or eight performances and there Is
Il chance of enough business TO prop
up Il forced run of n few weeks, which
may help things on the road. This
means that paper or free tickets
must be judiclously distributed
Every manager OF n theater has a
large circle OF friends. This may be
due partly TO his possession OF n genial
personality, but undoubtedly the bust
ness he Is In has In itself an attraction
for many. \ majority of these people
will accept passes when they are of
fered: some nre not above asking for
Them, while still others-but these are
rarr~will buy tickets when compli
mentarles are not rendered.
When the manager has IA play that Is
III danger of going TO pieces for lack
of patronage he sends tickets to all
these friends of his aud whenever pos.
sibie obtains a promise that they will
be used by the persons TO whom he
gives Them II Il not difficult to ex-
tract such a pledge. Being on terms
Of more or less intimacy with the man
ager. the favored ones know he will
be likely to see them In the thcater or
If they are not there that he will take
note of those who do not use the tick
cts lie keeps a record OF the seat
numbers opposite the names Of those
who should occupy those particular
chairs and can tell Mt once when his
hospitality has been abused
Another class which sees mnny plays
in New York city gratis Is to be found
tn department stores. Nearly every
director of theatrical company ms
distinct from theater manager Is on
cordial terms with the heads OF de-
partments In large retail mercantile
establishments. Each of these heads
viii accept from six to dozen pairs
OF tickets occasionally To distribute
among his subordlnates.
often II Is possible TO get rid OF 200
tickets or more In day In this way,
aud when this is repeated In four or
five stores the manager Is sure OF the
attendance of an appreciabIe number
of well dressed young women In the
newest millinery and style OF coiffure.
each with a respectfully atiired cava=
ier and all on their best behavior.
These people may not be ultra fashion.
able. but they will not disgrace their
environment.
Unless the theatrical man In ne
quaintcd with the department heads.
however. II IL not an easy matter to
give away tickets In such an estab-
lishmcnt The average clerk In n
large store. especially OF the feminine
gender, Is suspicious. She does not
understand such open handed generosi-
ty. aud there must he Il lot OF expla-
nation to convince her that In Offering
something for nothing the manager
has not some sinister design. Az for
the male clerks. If he gives them any
directly they are sure to tell every one
what pull they have with the man
ager and poster him for tickets ever
aftcrward, particularly when he has n
success. with 1.-The free list absolutely
suspended"
II Is far less OF nm undertaking I,
buy n hundred dollars worth OF low
priced goods than 10 make present
Of two tickets apiece TO n dozen per.
sons behind the counter. The tele
phone girls, stenographers and nam
curists look askance ut free tickets
from stranger. although when their
confidence Is won they viii generally
accept them with due gratitude
Thcater Magazine.