Evening star., 1911-05-28

iithographers In other words it is the ~
largest market and depot for theatrical
supplies of all kinds in the world 1t is t
also the headquarters of the two syndi- N .
Gates that control the time. E
Such being the trade conditions in
New York, the manager organizes his
show by engaging his actors and making
contracts for show printing, scenery,
properties, and costumes, and there also
rehearsed all these companies in all
sorts and conditions of paces,-empty
stores, offices, parlors, halls, theaters,
and sometimes back yard
OF road companies there are at least
a thousand on tour. At low estimate
this means fifteen thousand persons en-
gagged in their exploitation, whose aver
age salaries week at least half million dollars,
fifteen millions in the of thirty weeks. This is
cost and has nothing to do with what they take in
the boxofce what is spent in railroad fares, board
and other sundries. hundred millions would probably
not be an overstatement of all money involved in
theatrical season.
The close of theatrical the
ger preparing for the No matter whether his past
has been good bad long his money lasts
he goes producing plays. In other words he must
continue going concern quit altogether. 1t is
like factory any other BUSINESS the wheels OF COM
merce must be kept moving.
There is general impression that "the plays the
thing Ethically it is; but commercially SO only in
limited No matter how great the merit of the
attraction may be- is of value unless the
time and knows how to book route retail
merchant may have the finest stock of merchandise
that money buy; but he dispose of it unless he
has store in the proper locality and show window
in which to display his goods and money to pay for
advertising to tell the public the great "bargains' he has
to offer? Now, the theatrical business is retail busi
Time, route and the right theater in each town
are the theatrical managers shop and show windows.
And there is great science in booking route. The
expert at this knows by heart nearly every timetable in
the country and the of every railroad connecting all
the best show towns He knows too the towns them
Selves their industries the character of the people, and
their capacity for going the theater Of this
peculiar knowledge Is valuable in smaller cities
and towns But there attraction in the country,
with perhaps dozen exceptions all told, that is not
compelled to rely for of its time upon these smaller
places; big the country is there not enough
big cities in which entire of thirty weeks may
be booked at one or two-week stands.
Outside of New York there only three cities in
which attraction may settle down for of more
than two weeks and these are Boston, Philadelphia,
and Chicago. The two-week stands San Francisco,
sometimes Los Angeles and now ST. Louis has in
creased in population that it has entered this list for
the highest class attractions. The week stands
Brooklyn. Newark (sometmes), Buffalo, Toronto, Mon
treal, Baltimore Washington, Pittsburgh, Cleveland,
Cincinnati, New Orleans, Kansas City, Milwaukee, st.
Paul, Minneapolis, Denver, Portland and Seattle All
other cities and towns three two, and one-nght
stands. AS threenight stands may be quoted Provi-
dence, Louisville Allan
ta Omaha, Detroit, Gal