New-York tribune., 1911-09-17

ager to win out yearly, though ne SHOWS
balance on the wrong side OF his books.
Passing the buck" TO an angel or lay
hacker. is one of the managerial fine arts.
II NAV be a Wall Street man or poll
tician who fancies that, as an insider, he
can beat the show game; the devoted
father OF a choir singer who believes her
self Melba; an elderly admirer Of beauty
in the chorus: an author desirous of pro-
duoing his own plays; a moneyed actor
willing to gamble his savings on the
chances of stardom; a rich boob from
the West seeking new toy on the Great
white Way. or even some tradesman or
the theatre who hopes to create a mar
ket for his costumes or his song oooKs'
his scene painting or his printing by back
ing a new production. Among any OF these
tho manager finds his angel" and so neat
~ and deftly is the financial responsibility
passed along that the angel does not
mind, but rather enjoys the painless ex-
raction OF his "wad.'
If the house manager wakes fat on extra
advertising" the producing manager thrives
exceedingly on office expenses" He votes
himself a salary i'm five figures, his rent
bill is most imposing he requires ex-
tensive clerical help, stationery, telephone,
wire and messenger service and whatever
he needs over and above the aforemen-
toned items is put down in the bills as
"sundries" 1t is clear that the greater
his "office expenses" the bigger his sue
cess for does not the "angel" foot the
bills? After a while, Of course, that M1ce-
mas OF the Drama loses interest and tight
ems the pursestrings. whereupon Mr.. Office
Manager promptly seeks another novitiate
on whom to unload his welghty financial
cares
'Twould take too long TO narrate In de-
tail how the buck" makes the rounds OF
every one in theatricals. high and low.
Subordinates often pass the buck" to SUI
perlors. Treasurers hand it 10 local man.
ayers. Advertising agents and llthograph-
ers peddle passes. Advance men exchange
favors for suits Of clothes and jewery.
Ushers seat patrons well up in front for
quarters and half dollars Night stand
managers issue "annuals" for $50 apiece.
the same being yearly tickets, whose pro-
ceeds they pocket props" goes in for
addition division and silence" in his
dealings with the merchants who supply
the furnishings OF the stage. Possibly the
woman who scrubs the floors and the man
who cleans the furnace find some kind OF
graft. too. In the words Of "Hudibras':
Great neas have little neas upon their backs to
And little heas have lesser Heas. and so on al
infnltum!
House production offers a remedy for
many Of the graver abuses of the theatre.
The fault of the present system is divided
sovereignty, n succession OF transitory
partnerships in which the interest OF the
house and OF the producer is supposed TO
be identical. but wherein they are far
oftener at loggerheads The firms that are
building playnouses and occupying them
with their own productions mean TO elimi-
nate graft. and il is likely that they will
largely succeed. So much for New York.
As to out-of-town conditions. II is de-
batable question whether the English meth
cd Of renting theatres for each engage
ment outright instead of playing them on
sharing terms would put an end TO the
exactions and extortions OF greedy local
managers.
Theatrical business is not more crooked
than any Of the other forms Of struggle for
the dollar: Il only seems so. There are
%
II. An honest able worker can always get
n lob. and the dishonest often XIII their
own future. Remember. though. that the
business OF the theatre is essentially a
speculation, and witnout the excitement OF
the gamble and tnat ever-passing ever
dreaded buck" II would become fiat ana
insipld to most OF It's votaries. AS the
croupier I'm roulette says:
Now. gentlemen. place your bets on the
red, the black or the green! Any number
gives you thirty-six. and the colors even
money. The wheel Is about TO start ana
the little ball revolving on its circuit and
dropping into your number may bring you
n fortune Are you ready? There she MES.
Twenty-nine winsr' And his long rake
gathers In the shekels of a score OF ruetui
players. while the lucky holder OF twenty
nine gets thirty-six for one and has golden
visions OF Croesus-like opuence.
Isn't that the theatrical game as weilf