The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-12-19

new house will be principally devoted
to the cheaper seats. The seats are
finished in mahogany, with a com
Portable stuffed leather seat and back.
There is no c%rowding and every seat
is of good width, with plenty of leg
ROOM.
Special attention has been given to
the comfort of colored patrons. They
are to have the exclusive use of the
upper balcony, where every seat will
be reserved and may be bought in
advance, as on the other floors. A
line of loges also is at their disposal
at the front Of this tier, as In the
lower balcony. A large retiring room
for the women has been installed on
the right. with maid in attendance:
also free check-room. The mems
is on the left.
When the present Orpheum first
opened in Kansas City seventeen
years ago, II was the first step to-
wards the establishment of the now
great circuit. There were only two
other Orpheums in the circuit, these
being in San Francisco and Los An
geles. From this beginning the Or
pheum circuit has opened "a theaters,
scattered throughout the large cities
of the West, and with the United
Booking offices in the East and their
affiliations in America and Europe are
represented in all the amusement cen
ters of the globe. ~
Kansas City did not take to vaude-
vile at its first inception, confusing
1t with the old time travelling variety
shows. From the opening Of the sec
ond season the then new style of en-
tertainment began to find more favor.
1t was at this time Morris Meyerfield
of San Francisco became president
and Martin Beck, with headquarters
in Chicago, became general manager.
Special effort was made to draw the
women and children. Men of family
were quick to find out that vaudeville
was a strictly clean and wholesome
form of entertainment and that their
wives and children could attend per-
formances that had no Objectionable
features.
The standard of vaudeville has been
constantly raised and the greatest
stars of the legitimate and operate
stage accept engagements with the
Orpheum circuit. Enormous salaries
are paid to secure the biggest stars
opd Tho antira xvor1d coorcbod for M
v~elties. To Mr.. Beck great credit is
due for the systematic way each
house is run and the handling of the
many booking details. In vaudeville
the shows do not travel together, each
act being handled and booked sepa-
rately. His Eastern offices book and
route nearly 800 acts weekly, and it
is no small task to place a show in
every Orpheum that will please the
patrons of the respective houses, ex-
tending from New Orleans to Winni-
peg, and from Chicago to San Francis
20. Every city has it's favorite style
of acts in this varied form of amuse-
ment, as, for instance, Kansas City
is fond of miniature musical come
dies, with plenty of girls and high
class musical numbers; San Francis
CO and Los Angeles have their pre-
ferred tastes, while Denver or Mime
apolis may have a leaning toward one
act dramatic numbers. 1t is through
these preferences that vaudeville is
the most appealing form of amusement
to cosmopolitan audiences.
One of v%audeville's greatest acquisi-
lions was the engagement by Mr.. Beck
of Nine. Sarah Bernhard for a 25-
weeks tour of the Orpheums. This
artist was paid the sum of $1,000 per
week, or $500 in advance for every
performance. Other great stars who
have played local vaudeville engage
ments are Ethel Barrymore, who re-
ceived $4,000 each week; Nine. Ber-
tina Kalich, FRITZ Scheff, Olga Meth
ersole, Blanche Walsh and many
others. Many of the present day stars
have also played the local house when
they were practically unknown, such
as Eva Tanguay, who now draws a
salary of $4,000. In the earlier days
she was greatly pleased to accept the
munificent sum of $35 for her weeks
work. Another instance of the same
kind was that of Irene Franklin, who
received 500. The last time she
played the local Orpheum she was
paid $500.
Mr.. Myerfield and the officers of
the company will come from San Fran
cisco to attend the opening. Mr.. Beck
has chartered a a to bring the promi-
nent vaudeville magnates from the
East. From the many requests for
seats 1t is judged that society will at
tend in force and that the opening Of
Americas finest theater will be a gala
event.