New-York tribune., 1912-03-17
THE PLAYGOER
Why So Many Theatres In New
York?-A Managers Answer.

Der Of theatres In New York. Notwlth-
standing the fact that the present supply
of theatres seems to exceed the require
ments Of playgoers, there can be no
doubt that 1t does not exceed the expec-
tations Of managers
There are thirty-one first class pro
ducing" theatres in New York this sea-
sen. Contracts have been made for the
construction of seven more for next sea-
son. It is neither impossible nor i'm
probable that additional contracts Tor
new theatres may be signed within the
next three or four months.
Everybody says there are too many
theatres Some persons take the trouble
10 ask why so many are built at the
grave risk Of running the business. One
answer, Of course, is that the men who
will control the new theatres believe that
they are not the men who Will sutter
from excessive competition. Perhaps
they are right Time and plays and
public will tell.
One manager gives an answer which
Is more interesting than most. He is a
successful manager. He produces plays
IN New York, but, as is the case with
several successful producing managers
he does not own or lease theatre. He
has been reading what has been printed
in The Tribune about the oversupply OF
theatres. He says to the writer: /
agree with you. New York has theatres
enough New York has too many thea
tres. Nevertheless. l intend to increase
the number Why? What is the sense
Of It? Here is my answer:
"a producer like myself wishes 70 put
on a play in New York. lie finds that
the control Of most of the theatres is
held by two syndicates, and with one
syndicate or the other he must make ms
contract for a stage. 1t is not easy 10
get a theatre, but if one is or is to be
available it is likely to be one of the
least desirable for his purpose Now
mark this: His contract provides that
If the box office does not take in $4,000
during the first week of his engagement
he is subject to weeks notice to close!
Nov, there are plays-good plays
we'll acted--that come to New York. but
need to have their merits backed per-
sistently and courageously before they
can catch on, for in spite of all that is
often said on this point the public does
not always discover good things by 1t
self. The public has to be told. 1t has
To be attracted. Often the producer has
got to make his play. He must fight
the game No matter how many thea
tres there are in New York, a producer
cannot make sure of getting into the
right one. Even when one Of my latest
productions was at the height of its sue
cess, another manager expected to stop
my run at the - Theatre, and IL
turned out that a contract had been
made with him by one of the syndicates
for the date he wanted. If 1 had not
gone far beyond the $4,000 a week mark
/ could not have remained in the --
Theatre. even when success seemed as
sured, and l would have had to take to
the road Yes, l think New York has
enough theatres. hut l can't make sure
of getting into one when wish to do 80.
And even when l can find a theatre
am not sufficiently my own master In the
house. 1t does not seem TO me good
business to spend $4,000 $4,000 or
$4,000 on n production, play 1t on the
road a couple of weeks, wait for New
York opening, and then not know which
theatre am going into. If l want TO
make sure of theatre l must build one.
You see, we producers will be forced TO
build because two syndicates control
nearly all the theatres there are, and
naturally insist on putting their own
productions in their own houses. These
syndicates have no room for other pro-
ducers excepting under conditions which
some of us find too onerous.
my feeling toward both syndicates is
friendly enough. have no complaint to
make. / am merely stating the condi-
tions. The syndicates do the best they
can for themselves. We producers must
do the best we can for ourselves. The
syndicates, you see. are responsible for
the increase in the number of theatres.
even when they do not have any rela-
ton with the new theatres. The only
way in which Independent managers can
make sure OF New York dates, when
they want them and where they want
them, is TO build theatres of their own.
have been in the business years enough
to know that It isn't absolutely neces-
sary for a play to take $1,000 at the box
Office In the first week in order to work
its way to success with the public.
ION the morning after the first per-
Torrance OF one of my recent produc-
tions one Of the syndicates assured me
that my play would have to come off be-
cause It had not got over and probably
wouldn't draw $1,000 in two weeks.
was advised to cut losses and close up
but refused. because 1 believed suc-
cess could be made, and made 1t was.
The piece had long run and took in a
handsome profit But for two or three
weeks the controllers Of the theatre stood
over me with a club. They didn't use
the club, but they fondled 1t caressingly.
It cost me a lot OF money to keep the
club inactive, but by holding on till the
public caught on made money for that
particular syndicate as well as for my
self. If had a theatre Of my own my
expenses would be less. there would be
fewer drains on the profits, I would be
master in my own house, and II one pro-
duotion failed I could put on another.
But the test Of success wouldn't be So,-
900 In the first week. ia give the pub
lio q chance to find out what I had to