New-York tribune., 1911-11-29

WAS in 1872. but all OF them are disposed
~ IN a few pages Of the histories of the
stage. while what has happened since then
takes M many volumes. IT is a short, rich
history. full Of tradition and echoing with
magic voices Of which no one, even the
Youngest theatregOer Of to-day, hears a
suggestion without stopping 10 hsten'
whether Il comes to him through written
accounts or. much better, through scraps
from the memories Of an oldtimer
OIdtIrners Sure TO Disagree.
Not that oldtimers are, as a rule, refa-
HE sources Of information for the fact
hunter. An interesting thing about almost
anv two people who sit down TO exchange
reroiniscences OF the theatre Is that they
never agree on dates or who played what
Remember Lotta?' asks one, with
twinkle and smile.
oI1ai C;uess 7 do" heartily rejoins the
other. 'I'n never forget her as Little
Nell Let's see, she played that IN the ran
Of 80. didn't she?'
"I,otta played Little Nelr? Why you're
absolutely crazy! Lotta never played Int
tie Nell at all. and she was dead end gone
in CO.
sTotta dead in '69? Why, man, think
think. for heavens sakei l saw her myseii
In 'Mam'selle Nitouche' in S. You can
ell ma no on that, for I went there with
Emily the night before we were marrleu'
Th,s I,otta was none other than Charlotte
C,rabtree a great favorite OF her time. Most
:, .boss who saw her thirty years ago
M donbt think the famous Lrotta is no
more But this is anything but true she
60 ever so much alive to-day. She ives
,r Boston. owns the Park Theatre there'
runs a finely appointed racing staoie' anu
60 unite the centre Of things-a young woHl-
an OF sixty-four years
IN the fan Of 1871, just seventy year
ago the principal theatrical attracuoh au-
,oy-+isAd in The New-York Tribune "hich
bs6 then hardly six months existence
was Castle Garden, where phenomenal hie
works exhibitions were being held In eo-
mary Of that year the Park Theaue' 'ho
,aodtn, 4haatre In New York then, hau
,,oa,, reonenad after q brief period or iole-
,,ass with a new scale of prices Tor seaIs
In view Of what we pay to-day 1t Is inter
sting 20 note that on this new scare ooAe'
oost 75 cents and seats IN the pit three
bits-that IS. S7A cents. .,,o
however The first thing the tneeAu 80
knew they found themselves imposed upon
for 81 for a box and 30 cents TOT IA odoA
less bench in the pit This proc was 0oi-
s,dered so ample that It remained es 'h0
standard for many years. One doiiar was
All Booth asked for the best seats. IL was
NOT until war time that theatre seats went
~, to $3.50. At Bryants Minstrels. NO. Az
Broadway, when the manager or the mouse
suggested raising the price from 20 Genus
20 80 cents he was told II he did so 10
would ruin tho business. Yet he bravery,
or brazenly. tried IL, and no one seeineu
10 notice the change. The theatre was As
full as ever.
Theatre Alley a Reminder.
Tho history OF. the theatre IN New YORK
until 1850 is almost identical with the his
tory OF the Park Theatre which was Stu
sted. as most New Yorkers know. in PARK
Row about two hundred feet north OF Ann
street Theatre Alley. which runs north
and south from Beekman street TO Ann ana
into which to-day from tho back doors OF
little restaurants ash cans and dump barrels
are careiessly rolled, got MS name through
having been the back alley Of the old Park
Theatre
All the famous actors OF the day appeared
there, and many stirring scenes are record
ed. The reception given Edmund Kean. the
celebrated actor, upon his return TO New
York after having gained an unenviable
reputation in Boston during his absence.
was memorably uproarious one. Every
thing movable I'm the house. together with
great mass Of vegetation brought there for
a. ppxposA WA hp11ed on shs stage -Ksan,