The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-08-02
Topeka Theaters Are Planning
for a Prosperous Season.
Bookings at Grand to Come
Through Klaw & ErIanger.
BETTER SHOWS; BIGGER STARS
Open Dates To Be Filled In
With Movies.
Novelty and Orpheum to Open
Last of the Month.

With the opening of the fall theat-
ricaI season only three weeks away
Topeka managers are beginning to ar
range their policies for the coming
fall. Announcement was made today
that the attractions at the Grand
theater would come through Klaw &
Erlanger, the New York producers,
this year. L. NJ. Crawford, general
manager of the theater, who is in New
York, has signed a five-year contract
with the New York firm to furnish
all the bookings for the circuit of
which the Grand is a part.
This probably means better shows
and bigger stars for Topeka this sea-
son. The Klaw & Erlanger people
have a working agreement with the
Shubert concern, sc this policy will
not mean the exclusion of Shubert
shows Five years ago when the Shu-
berts and KIaw & Erlanger had their
big theatrical battle the open door
policy was adopted at the Grand the
alter and has been used up to this
season.
Klaw & Erlanger will book plays
for Topeka, Wichita, St. Joseph, Law
renee, Lincoln. Sedalia, Joplin and
Omaha on this circuit this fall. By
having the bookings come through
the New York firm the houses on the
circuit will have more prestige than
heretofore and should be tatken care
ting the bigger road productions
The Movie Outlook.
A change in the theatrical and
moving picture business all over the
country is indicated in the leasing of
the Colonial theater, Chicago, by the
600 picture producing concern, that
has been cleaning up in the east
with the Birth Of the Nation" a r.
reel film at So top prices. The
Il. 80 NJ 81 i
vile TO pictures is significant, accord
ing to Topeka managers. The Stude-
baker theater also will be taken over
for pictures
These big feature films probably
will be shown in Topeka, filling in the
interim between the regular theatrical
offerings Several years ago popular
priced shows like Uncle Josh Spruce
by" Uncle Toms Cabin and others
filled in between the big shows but
since the advent of the moving pic
ture craze these shows have not been
making the circuits with the result
that the large theaters have remained
dark from one big attraction to an
other. 1t is thought that the big pic
ture features, such as The Birth of
the Nation Will be sent on the road
to fill up the vacant time.
Nat Goodwin DisbandS.
The announcement, coming from
New York, that Nat Goodwin, the ia
nous comedian, has Cancelled his route
and disbandsd his company to remain
in picture plays also shows decided
change in the attitude of the big
stars about motion pictures.
No definite announcement has been
made by Manager Roy Crawford as
to what kind of policy he will adopt
for the Hip theater this fall. The
theater probably will be dark after
the closing performance of the Besse
Dainty players Saturday night until
the fall opening which will be some
time late in August.
Vaudeville and tabloid, the usual
policy at the Novelty theater, will be
August 80. Indications are
that the acts and tab shows will be of
the usual high standard.
Carpenters are working on the i'm
at the Orpheum theater