The sun., 1916-01-31
CUT RATE THEATRE
EVIL Is SPREADING
Managers Find It Difficult to
Estimate Values Of Plays
Ont Of Town.
STANDARDS ARE CHANGED


or one Of the plays which had been acted
here for nve months last season inspired
manager 70 some words OF wisdom
concerning the effect OF the cut rate
ticket on the pieces that set out from
New York 10 he shown in the other
cities
There will have IN bc Gu, rates out
side New York NJ a regular feature OF
the theatre business" he Aid to THE
suN reporter. "or managers will other
wlse be unable TO form any estimate
Of the value Of their plays on the road
Already the system OF selling half price
tickets prevails to certain extent In
Boston and Chicago. but tho institution
has not become 80 general rs II II here
In other words the cut rate habit has
not as yet got hold OF the population
and become the habit that 1t has here.
Three OF the plays that ran for
months in New York last season entirely
through the cut rate tickets struggled
along on the road with greater or less
difficulty before they succumbed. One
lasted two weeks in Boston and then the
wise manager disbanded the company.
II was played here from October until
April with cut rates after the first week
Another pay for which ticket scalper
last year guaranteed $4,000 week for
twelve weeks met its end last week
after a hard struggle. Another play
hfgl, Lns 10 al !. IA
entire season Ii represented only by
one company playing In the small towns,
three other companies playing this
drama having closed their season after
few weeks. Another play which was
on view here for months. thanks to the
cut rate agencies, shut up two weeks
ago after a bad time
And this In the experience OF nearly
every play that is kept alive In New
York by the cheap rates. II is !mpos-
sible TO determine from the length OF
time they ate seen here what their value
may be Mt full theatre prices. So II
there are 20 he half priced plays for
New York there viii also have TO be half
priced plays for the road Formerly
the standard for New York and the
other cities was the same, and there Is
no reason why It should not be now.
Managers have lea,ncd that a haf price
success in New York may not mean at
all the same thing 'on the road and
this means that il will not be long he
fore the system will be in force in every
important city OF the country unless 1t
is abolished here. And that looks Ike
an impossibility now, SO well established
Is IL here at present Perhaps its great
est disadvantage il that II gives the
manager no intima,on as TO what the
value OF his property may be outside
New York.
George Alexander Is one OF the we'll
known English actors VINO have wanted
to come TO this country ever since the
war began. Hut he needed play. He
thought he had found 1t in The Big
Drum hut Arthur Piucro's play failed
10 meet with popular success. 80 II was
not until ne had produced The Bssker."
by Mrs. clifford Miles. that h" felt he
had found medium which might safely
carry him through an American
tour But as the piece Is a success and
has just been produced. II is not likely
that New York will see The Basker"
Immediately.
MIR. Alexander who AS the actor-man-
ager Of 81. Jamsss Theatre is a popular
figure on the London stage, plays of
course one OF those parts of mere boy
Of forty more or less which all the
playwrlchts OF England are kept busy
writing for the mature actors who must
still bc sentimental In the manner OF
their presentation tn the public In this
new comedy he has the part OF an Eng
llah peer who has always regarded has
position az sort Of bore and is eager
not only 20 give up his title when hc
finds himself duke hut Fhirk all his
RESPONSIBILITIES His reformation Is
brought about through more or less
obliQue method
His old aunt--acted. by the way. ny
Gencvisve Ward. who is now over 20
and was the famous creator Of Sfcphdnie
de MohrTvdrt in Herman Mcrivale's For
get Me Not"--presents him on his birth
day with a history Of his family. She
has done this often before. hut he has
never read 1t, Now he suggests to his
excellent valet that he shall read the
history ot this famous family. which
was altogether different from It's de-
acendaut OF the present day. The valet
is so inspired by the example OF this
noble race that ha becomes another man.
Then his master reads II and his char
acter is entirely changed. He acquires
the characteristics which made his fam
ily famous Ne puts them into 'mmedi-
ate practice and shows himself q duke
worthy Of tho name Leon ouartermaine
who hero PLAYED Dennis Eadie's part in
"My Ladys Dress acts the valet
Nine. Yorska will he scen next In
New York az IN English speaking nc
tress She will appear IN william FL
liott's production of THE Greatest Ma
ton" 10y Marion Creighton olive Wynd-
ham will be in the same play.
iy,lF 4.