El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-06-22
Moving Pictures and Autos
Injure Theatrical Business
Past Season the Worst History
American Stage.

necessary buildings have been erected
at cost that will run into millions
and, in view of the approaching termi-
nation Of the theatrical war, the NOM
ey has been absolutely thrown away
on string of white elephants" The
paid attendance at these houses has
been smaller than the proprietors wish
observers to know The managers have
filled their seats by issuing passes
thus merely adding to the evils of an
intolerable situations. As a result, the
atrical attractions which would have
drawn business amounting to $4,000
or $4,000 a week a few years ago, are
now considered lucky If they play to
$4,000 $4,000 or $4,000 a week
Lowering Prices Does Not Help.
Lowering the prices of seats. accord
ing to theatrical managers, does not
increase business, but has an opposite
effect As result Of many trials,
they have come to the conclusion that
theater gOerS grow suspicious when
the rates go down, and bestow more
patronage upon plays which are adver-
ticed at $3.50 for seats than those that
are offered at the, rate of 81 for best
seats. The WORD cheap" it is ex-
planned, is very dangerous in theatre
cal advertising. Instead Of lowering
prices, there is now on foot a move
ment to Increase prices in New York
and Chicago, and eliminate ticket spec
ulators- The London theaters charge
half a guinea for orchestra chairs, and
American managers are seriously con-
sidering the advisability of following
the English plan, and make $3.50 the
fixed charge for orchestra chairs in
the best theaters Of Americas metrop-
oil
Deterioration Of plays and acting,
VIII 6o1x-
critics, is not as serious a feature OF
the present situation as many review
ers believe There are as many good
plays at present as there were a few
years ago. but they are offset by the
very large number of bad plays This
is true because there are now so many
theaters to fill that managers are COM
PEELED to put on plays which they
would reject if the demand for attrac-
lions to keep many h6uses running
Here less insistent.
This continued rush is responsible
for bad acting. which should be classed
as bad casting. In New York this sea-
son, play after play was put on the
stage in hurried, slipshOd manner
and with actors who were improperly
rehearsed and not qualified for the
roles to which they were assigned
Two plays which had enjoyed a re-
E.arkable success in London. were pro-
duced in New ork this year by ona
manager. They failed, and experts
who had seen the English productions
declare that bad acting and staging
alone prevented the addition of two
distinct hits to this seasons list Of
American successes.
The end of the theatrical war, which
is in sight, will remedy these condi-
lions. A great number Of first class
tiieatc-S win be torn down or turned
over to moving pictures. Fewer plays
viii be produced, and those put on the
stage will, as in former years. be more
carefully selected. and played by bet
ter companies. The army of actors
will be cut in half but it will be a
case of the survival OF the fittest
Whether the automobiles and moving
picture crazes viii continue or decline,
IS another question
Tomorrow-The Saengerbund