The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-04-21


been asked so often the past
week by local theatcrgocrs
who have seen Max Figman at the Car
rick in the first OF his series of plays
at that house, that the query really de
mands an answer of some sort.
The question has amounted to this
How can the management of house
like the Garrick, where the prices range
from % 70 - cents, and where the
seating capacity is limited as compared
with the higher priced theatcrs, bring
so high salaried a star as Max Figmap
to town, and, with Mr.. Figman in the
principal roles, present half dozen
big successes and ut the finish find
the balance on the right side of the
ledger'
James Rogers, manager of the Gar
rick and one of its directors, answers
il from the ''insidc. "'The salary of
the average leading man capable of
heading a company such rs we have
housed at the Garrick the past two
seasons, runs more than 5000 week
he declares, Let the playgoer add To
that the salaries of twenty other play
ers, the stage employees, the box office
and executive employees. rental, light,
heat, taxes, depreciation. royalties on
plays and the dozen and one other items
that enter into the weekly expense ac-
count OF theater and one may ascer-
taIn in very short time something OF
what 1t costs 10 run stock company.
To bring in such PLAYER as Mr.,
figman for starring engagement IN
his own plays almost doubles the eX
pense Of house; and vet when star
OF the reputation and prominence of
Mr.. Figman can be induced TO place
himself ut the head Of such a company
as the Garriek players and appear for
post season starring engagement, so
appreclatlvc are theater patrons OF the
opportunity of seeing the star and his
plays at popular prices that few man
ayers will ever hesitate to take the
risk.
''OuT first week with Mr. Fieman in
Mary James Pa has convinced us Of
the correctness of our surnllse that Salt
Lakers would not be slow i'm taking
advantage of the opportunity Of seeing
Mr. Fignan i'll the plays that have
made him one of the most popular
comedians on the American stage to-
day III his particular line. -
The Garrick has played to big busi-
ness the past week, and for the week
to come we arc to have the star in an
other Of his hits The Man On the
Box the dramatizatiop By Grace
Furniss Livingston of Harold Me
name.
The story OF Lieutenant Warburton IS
efforts to win the fascinating girl he
meets on shipboard. but TO whom he
Is unable 10 procure an introduction.
is well known, but is good enough to
bear a repetition Of its synopsis.
The young officer leaves the ship
without having negotiated an introduc
tion to Betty Annesley, and. lovesick
and hearr-sore, he returns to Washing
ton. In this frame Of mind he refuses
to 90 to an embassy ball with his sister
and at the last moment decides to play
practical joke OH her BY Disgusting
himself as her coachman and driving
her home from the party, pretending, on
the way, TO let the horses run away,
After stopping them. he intends to
lump down and kiss her While she is
indignant he intends 10 reveal his idcn.
titv
The plan works splendidiy. except
that Warburton gets the coaches mixed.
and after whipping the horses to a
screams ot two girls inside the coach,
he jumps down. seizcs one of them,
kisses her and, as soon as he sees her
face. discovers to his horror that the
oirl is none other than Miss Anneslev
She promptly has him arrested, and he
Gr"~ds the night in jail
Before the story is told there de-
velops a series OF situations so funny
and irrcsistibly appealing that '.The
Man on thc Box long since took its
place in the repertoire of Mr.. FIgman s
plays as one of his greatest comedy
successes.
The production Of 'The Man on the
Boz y for tonight and the remainder Of
the week at the Garr,ck has been very
carefully prepared This Will he Mr.. |
Flgnan s first appearance here in the !
comedy III years.