The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-02-16
CABARET SHOW IS
LATEST CRAZE ON
BRIGHT BROADWAY
Imported From Paris This
Form of Popular Entertain
ment Is Now Regarded AS
Home Product---Fio W 1t
Came Into Being and Why
1t Holds Popularity

NEW YORK, Feb. 15.-From the
time when men began TO enjoy the
pleasures of the table those who could
afford it have been entertained as
they toasted with the sinuous graces
of dancers and the art OF singers. And
now there has arisen in New York
composite baron who has become
the most Unsuitable eater and drinker
in the world. He is Baron Broad
way.
Every night is feast night with
him. Every night he demands the
best the market affords, and with II
he requires elaborate forms of en-
tertainment. 1t costs him $4,000 a
night, but he indifferently strips that
amount from his gigantic roll with
never a thought. He hands il to the
waiter, who hands 1t to the restaurant
keeper, who hands II to the dancer.
Out of all this has grown n new fea-
ture of the amusement business of
New York.
IL is the cabaret business Hardly
three years old, Ii has attained great
proportions. Ii has become as neces-
sary to the night restaurant as a repu-
tation for succulent lobster or tender
fillets mignons.
Cabaret is "A French word and for
long time did not picture anything
particularly pleasant to the French
mind. 1t was applied to little drink
ing places which were found in many
quarters of Paris After a time some
of these places began to have singers
and dancers who performed while the
guests partook of cheap wines Then
eating houses in the French capital
took up the idea and engaged enter
tainers, but the proprietors made the
mistake of taking the pay of their
singers out of the quality and quantity
of the food served. Soon. the term
a cabaret dinner meant a very poor
meal. But the idea grew and before
long became feature of the all night
restaurant in Paris. 1t was later TO
ture or restaurant service In New
York.
While there have been orchestras
and soloists OF varied ability in the
restaurants of New York for years.
the cabaret idea was distinct novel;
~. Some restaurant proprietors
though tho scheme OF having dancers
and singers moving about amid the
tables quite bizarre enough to suit
the taste of New York's night diners,
and more than one gathered il 10
his breast, where IL stung his check
book numerically. Several eating
houses almost or quite went into the
hands OF receivers owing to various
causes. but all having to do with the
introduction of the cabaret
Now. however, there Is at least one
booking office which furnishes per-
formers for cabaret shows, and the
business is being put on just as sub
stantial basis as the vaudeville BUSH
ness The result is that the restau-
rant proprietor can figure the cost
OF his cabaret show In with other ex-
penses. with just as much assurance
that tt will pay f4m as that his rneae
ig gSfngNto be cooked anu paid for in
about the usual quantity every night.
Al first saxeral restaurants had
financial troubles because of over
booking their cabaret shows There
We're many tales OF the enormous ex-
pense these shows involved a year
or two ago, There were weekly bills
which cost Broadway restaurants as
much as $4,000 and s2,5oo.
Recruits for cabarets come from
many sources. the greatest OF which
is the vaudeville stage Many stop in
church choir to the grand opera
stage. A few come from the voice
studios of the city and earn their
way while solving the mysteries of
tone production. and a few come from
almost every other walk of life.
cabaret singer with personality,
good voice and good looks may find
the restaurant show stepping-stone
to success in the amusement wefid.
Stories told about the rise of cabaret
singers sound almost like fairy tales
to the strugglers. And the field Is
not overcrowded. In fact. the supply
is so limited that saany mediocre per-
formers are employed,
To the vaudeville performer a well
paid cabaret Job is aswelcome refuge
after a two years on the road with two
shows day. the dreary round or hotel
and sleeping car life and public APP
pearances under such trying condi-
tions as are found In many variety
theaters on the road They do not
mind the extra effort of learning new
songs from week to week. because
they can live at home and enjoy home
Is Continued on Thirteenth Page.l