Omaha daily bee., 1914-01-11
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AT the BSan6eLS -

something TO do with the decline of
standard drama at popular prices, but
they did not do it all; the producing
managers must accept something of re-
sponsibility for leading the public to seek
its entertainment elsewhere Cheap and
sloppy melodrama, presented by mediocre
actors illuminated by tawdry scenery
and offering only mawkish mush, was
set forth season after season at the
popular priced theaters, until the patrons
of those places were more than surfeitcd
with the rubbish. Clean. wholesome, rea-
sonable drama was not to be had. The
popular price producers seemed imbued
with the idea that the folks who paid
so or rs cents for a seat were not to be
treated as rational, reasoning being, but
as "low-brows"-in fact, the distinction
came to be current among the managers
and was so expressed. One author"
whose "thrillers" had tremendous vogue
for time, said to the present writer
matter of ten years ago, while he was
debating the subject, You can't give 1t
to 'em too raw" And he practiced his
belief to the utmost; no such thrillers
as he prepared for the stage were seen
before or since. The last reference to him
in public print that is now recalled was
in connection with publicity for moving
pictures. His public turned away from
his raw thrillers, and he followed 1t
to the moving picture theater.
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AS 10 the cost of printing, bill posting
stage hands, musicians, railroad fare and
the like it is submitted that burlesque
houses, the cheap vaudeville houses, and
others of the kind have to pay the same
charges as the first -class theaters
What is here contended for is that n
very large proportion of the public would
prefer to see a standard drama presented
by a small company to seeing a grotesque
mixture OF nonsense and buffoonery pre-
sented by a more numerous but utterly
incompetent aggregation of misfits, such
as generally makes up the popular
price musical comedy" company IL 1t
were serviceable as supporting the argu-
ment, the titles of many good plays that
have not been seen I'm Omaha or Nebraska
might be given. any or all of which
would be welcome II it were possible at a
price within the reach OF the people. 1t
would be necessary to outfit a company
to present one OF these plays with col
lection of top-priced actors. One OF the
most successful companies ever sent on
tour in the United States was the i'm
ported company that played "Bunty
Pulls the Strings at the Brandeis last
season, and It is no disparagement TO the
histrionic ability OF that organization to
say that II followed in Omaha a COM
pany the single star OF which drew a
larger salary than the entire weekly pay
roll OF the "Bunty'' company.
Every mail brings to the desk OF the
dramatic editor OF any western news
paper announcements OF new plays, of
new companies, and new successes few
OF which are ever seen outside of New
York or Chicago, productions going to
the storehouse or the scrap pile at the
end OF the metropolitan run, while the
producers save the mark-outfit com
panies to drag through the tall grass
plays that have been repeated over and
over 20 the same patrons until each OF
the patient sitters out I'm front knows as
well as the man with the prompt book
what is coming next. And these people
have lost their patience; they no longer
go 10 the theater for their amusement,
simply because the theater does not offer
what appeals TO them. The show busi-
ness" must be reorganizcd. IL It Is to
continue, and the manager who first sets
about 70 get his business in line with the
intelligence of the country, who win offer
modern drama at prices the pubic can
afford to paw, is tho man who is going
to reap the big reward for his enterprise;
and when he has made the start and
proven the plan a success. he Will find
plenty Of followers, for the professional
Snowman is an initiative cuss
While Henry Miller was In Omaha last
week he took occasion to deny that he
Intended retiring from the stage to de-
vote himself TO producing plays and man
aging companies; also TO deny that he
hal declared that all actors are overpaid.
giving his version OF the simple state