Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-22

stage at their respective entrances ready to go
after the rise of the curtain
In considering the practical question of the of
running first class theaters, the first item to be
sidered is rent and figures depend much upon cond-
lions. Let consider extremes theaters in New
York, the Lyceum and the Bijou The former is an
example of the latest ideas in theater building With
the exception of the New Theater it is the most COM
plete theatrical plant in America. Foot for foot the
land upon which the Biou stands is worth than
that upon which the Lyceum fronts the latter being
45thst. and the other on Broadway; but the Lyceum
building with its l. running through to 46th-st., in
which housed dressing for the actors business
Offices property rooms carpenter shop, and pantshop,
costs at least third more rent than the Bou. Yet,
considered payhOuses, the Bljou brings rent,
the disproporton between the two to comfort and
elegance being taken into consideration.
In calculating the rental of first class New York
theaer the manager Jumps his actual rent, Insurance.
and taxes into sum- which amounts to about $4,000
year. But one must remember that the manager
with average luck calculate upon being able keep
his theaer open only about 80 weeks of 81 that
he must apply the entire rent to the number of weeks
his theater is kept open "a closed heaer brings in
money!. Upon the basis mentioned the actual fixed
charge for 81 $50 week To this are added first
salaries for the front of the house. which includes all
those employed in the boxoce ticket taker carriage
usher uSherS SCrubwomen, press agent orchestra and
business manager. fair estimate for these would be
$3.50 week. Now come the stage hands, the average
being about dozen, and four five cearers This is
item that be greatly increased in numbers if the
play is what is called heavy show. Stage hands
paid union scale $175 and clearers IS cents per-
torrance. clearer Is man who removes all the fur
niture, ETC., that may be used in any act of play.
Their total salaries for eight performances reach 500
Ushers paid SIS, and the head usher $40. Scrub
women get Sc, and work about half day. Recently
there has been union scale adopted for New York
stage hands which will add thousand dollars
to the cost of running first class theater.
The next item in Importance is the advertising. The
average size of daily ad for theater is half inch:
for Sunday is increased according to the ideas of the
manager and dependent upon how successful his play
may be. The total averages $3.50 week. This may
be increased by doubling up Sunday ads, when
visiting attraction play not produced by the
manager of the theater-is running. This is shared by
agreement, and frequently amounts to 500 week
more of which the theater pays its half.
If a musical comedy light opera is running, then
all expenses stage easily quadruped, and in adj
don to the fixed charges of the theater the show
be costing $1,000 &c. 600 week run, making total
weekly liability of So, 900 $1,000 before anything
be shown the credit side of the ledger. Musicians
for these musical shows paid So performance, and
number anywhere from twenty to thirty -four, according
to the class of music to be performed. In dramatic
houses the orchestra averages ten number, paid
$40 week each for performances and $3.50 for
each extra performance
After this come COAL $50; electric light $50; bill
posting, $780, telephone bill and other sundres such
gas office expenses tickets, electric carriage CALL and
supplies, stage hardware, $1OO Now read these tabu
lated figures: