The sun., 1915-03-29
FROHMAN HITS AT
CUT RATE TICKETS
Managers Who Deal With
"Scalpcrs" Face Disaster,
He Says.
sRACTICE Is DISHONEST

with warning to all managers
against the practice OF selling theatre
,i.ks,s AZ cut rate prices and an appeal
"a orolucers to take concerted action to
stamp out the evil Charles Frohman
as, night made the following state
men,. the hrst he has ever made on
this matter;
"I never criticise the work of other
Managers | am kept too busy CRITICS
me nv own Every manager should
sork gu, his policy in his own way.
But the time has come when do
feel bound TO utter. not a criticism, but
warning against system that is
p-ac,!s.d in many local theaires-a
system which. II not stopped and
s.opped quickly. will continue to spread
until Il has brought disgrace upon the
theatres Of New York. | cry out against
this system not because | do not happen
ueve that my fellow managers who do
practise 1t fully realize the disastrous
results that will come OF such de-
ludlng policy.
The practice refer to is the selling
o. cut rate theatre tickets. This IL a
Gin In theatre management which con-
'emns Itself on three counts. II is GER
tain 20 end fatally for every manager
because 10 means dishonesty toward the
authors who write the plays, dishonesty
toward the public which pays to see
plays and, In the end, dishonesty on the
part u those managers who corrupt
their box offices by turning them over
10 "a rate ticket agencies.
"'s these agencies are given tickets
with normal prices printed on them and
then these tickets are sold at CHEAP
prices there can be no question but that
all such managers tempt their box office
employees into dishonesty Nothing 1.
more simple than for the box Office mar
q sell the tickets at normal prices anC
report them as sold at cheap prices. Il
will b. said In answer 10 this that ther,
IS method Of checking up the mum
Der Of cut rate tickets But know
Z; Il mNoss ilic-and all cut rate man
ayers know that II Is impossible hon
ss,.y 20 conduct any box office IN whlci
any ticket can be sold for price differ
en- from that printed on IT, To Civ,
hoN Office employee tho opportunity
70 bargain over tho price OF ever,
ticket IS to corrrup, that employee
Loss Falls on Playwright Too
Wherever this practice exists tn
playwright must lose share OF hi
ROYALTIES on every ticket whose pr!ntet
price Is cut This is an evil in theatr
management that. so far as know. ha
never been chargeahle against the thea
ire IN America until now. The receipt
due the playwright have always beei
sacred
Therefore II ~ time for all playwright
to rise In united protest against tn
practice that is depriving them OF thei
Just earnings. II any manager wishe
TO sell his best tickets for 81, lie
him do so: but let him also sell a
that price to everybody and then tn
author will know his right share ~ tn
box office tskngs. Bu, TO sell som
o. the best tickets for az and othe'
equally good for sl-so that the ma
VINO has paid 81 for sea: has FOR
neghbor one VINO has only paid
dolar-is sheer fraud to the Publ.
A. well as 10 the playwright.
i am sure that all managers ar
certain 20 come to this realization. tina
Is ali managers who do not wish ,
n,ace themselves in the position q
dieting fraud. | am sure all manager
must and will Join me In stamping ol
his DEGRADING system that cannot bl
udcken ne good name OF our theati
eNcryHhere-thdt takes money out
the pockets of the wurkmen who b
their pens give the theatre whatevs
1t mas 10 speak and TO act.