The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-07-13
MAY MOVE THEATRE
FROM ROANOKE
House Has Not Been Profitable
and Syndicate Drops the Lease.
Councilman Says Roanoke
Needs Money-Matter
May Be Reopened.

ROANOKE, VA.-Special.-The local
theatrical outlook for the 1s1I-I9I2
season is not of the brightest. The
five-year lease of the Academy of AIu-
sic here by the Wells theatrical circuit
expired last month. and the Wells peo-
pie have declined TO renew it. This
leaves the city without prospects for
any but the cheaper and smaller
SHOWS booked 10y the vaudeville
houses. 1t is possible that the local
playhouse may be leased to an indie
pendent agency. but this seems I'M
hkely, In present conditions.
The hitch in the negotiations be-
tween the owners OF the local theater
and the Wells people arose when the
latter became acquainted with the
provisions of the license tax ordinance.
recently passed by the City Council
providing FOX 4 sliding tax on shows
according to the price of admission
The license tax on theaters here in
the past has been $3.50. In April
the Finance Committee of the City
council reduced this to 500, but speci-
ned that an extra charge of S5 be
made for each Performance where
the admission exceeds $1.00, ana
where the admission exceeds $3.50 an
additional charge of SIS. This will
nave the effect, the owners of the
playhouse say, OF increasing the
license tax to four or five hundred
dollars year, instead of making a
reduction, as would appear at first
glance at the ordinance. This is prac-
tically prohibitive, the theatrical peo-
pie say, and as soon as the Wells peo-
pie learned the provisions of this or
dinance, they called off all negotia-
lions leading to a renewal of the lease.
In the past five years no money
has been made out of the local play
house by the Wells theatrical circuit.
IT can be said, At best an even break
Is all that they have gotten out OF II.
with the new sliding tax that has
been adopted by the Council in effect
1t can be seen that they would incur
large loss and under these circum-
stances they can hardly be blamed
FOR declining to renew the lease.
The contract with the Roanoke
Railway and Electric Company for
lighting the auditorium has been can
celled by the Wells interests and the
deal Is OF, so far as they are con-
System Without Precedent.
So lar as is known, the system
adopted by the City Council is not in
use anywhere else in the State and
appears to be new. a uniform license
tax has been adopted in the other Vir-
ginia cities and does not vary, I,vpck
burg imposes a license tax on theaters
Of $3.50. the same figure formerly
prevailing here; Richmond. $500:
Portsmouth, 5000, Newport News
500; Bristol, SIS, and Knoxville
Tenn, q city larger than Roanoke.
SlOO. The figures for Norfolk are not
obtainable, but it is safe TO say that ii
is not over $500, the license in Rich
mond.
Mr.. f. r. Chick. chairman of the
finance committes &c, said today that one
reason the sliding scale tax was adopt-
lnn nit -, i
been informed that the Roanoke pat
rons had been charged higher prices
Tor seats than were charged the the
atergoers in other Virginia cities. He
said he had been told that shows
which played in Richmond for 81
played in Roanoke for $3.50. He add
ed that the finance committee does
not desire to do injustice TO anyone
and that the matter will be reopened
at the next meeting. which will be on
Friday night, and looked into, with
view 10 rectifying any mistake, should
II turn out that one has been made
Mr.. Chick said that personally he is
low tax man, but pointed out that
money must be forthcoming to run the
the city and that people look to the
hhance committee to supply this
money.
With regard to the point made that
higher prices have been charged here
than elsewhere, it can be said author
ltauNeIy that inquiry shows this to be
a mistake. Wells people have written
definite assurances TO local business
men that the same prices charged
here have been charged elsewhere. In
the case of a company playing one
night stands in one city and "A week $
engagement in another, a difference
has naturally been made, but the same
prices prevail throughout the State
with regard to one-night stands.
Last season Roanoke theatergoers
were fortunate in seeing some of the
best productions on the road, but the
coming season may be vastly different
in this respect. Should the present
sliding scale tax ordinance be re-
scinded, the matter would wear a diff
ferent aspect, although even then ii is
by no means certain the Wells inter
ests would care TO renew the lease
With Lynchburg out of the circuit.
Roanoke is out Of the chain Of their
theaters in the South, and it seems
they are not enthusiastic over this
city's possibilities, so far as they are
concerned.