The sun., 1919-03-25
MAYORS COMMITTEE
BUNGLES MATINEES
Theatres Open, Casts Ready,
but Audiences Fail to
Show Up.
LACK OF SYSTEM EVIDENT
Thousands Of Soldiers Miss
Entertainment Because
of Encouragement.

The plans of the Mayors Committee
of Welcome for special performances
at the various theatres In honor of tho
Twenty seventh Division were bungled
badly yesterday. AS a result. although
free tickets we're supposed to be dis
tributed among $4,000 soldiers, giving
them admission to about a score OF thea
tres. most of the houses lacked single
spectator. and the total attendance at
all tine theatres was just about enough
to I'LL two OF the houses-that is, about
1900 men appeared.
Some of the outstanding successes on
Broadway which have been running for
almost a year had less than a squad OF
khaki patrons, and others didn't even
have that number. Many OF the mana-
gers were outspoken In their wrath last
right, for. as they pointed out, the ar
rangements had all been made through
the Mayors Committee and they were
simply responding as courtesy, with
no expectations of any reward. Yet
casts had been kept waiting for hours.
for when the soldiers did appear they
kept trailing in after o'clock in most
cases.
Soldiers Confused.
Confusion seemed to exist in the mind.
Of those who knew that free tickets were
available for the special matinee as to
Just what time the curtain went w.
Apparently no one had thought IL worth
while TO notify them when the shows
started. No explanation was offered to
the managers as to why tho plans of Ito
Mayors Committee OF Welcome had gore
awry. although the committee had becu
fully informed of the time when the
matinees would he given.
We received notice last week that ito
performance was to be given at
o'clock" said Arthur Hopkins, manager
of the Plymouth Theatre, where he -
putting on John Barrymore in "Redemp-
ton" I'VE had the company ready on
time, but We didn't have the least trouble
with our audience because none APP
peared. Not a single soldier came TO tho
door of the theatre, and after we kept
our company waiting for an hour VA
gave It up. We had no interest in thu
matter except to oblige the Mayors
committee, but We should like to know
what caused the mixup."
At the Booth Theatre, next door. where
thcy had been directed to start tho per
formance at O'Clock and had even made
ready to begin the matinee a quarter Of
an hour ahead of time. eight soldiers and
one sailor finally appeared at 80. The
soldiers said they had obtained the tickets
from an officer at Camp Mills. FINALLY.
to the Bijou Theatre. together with =
handful from the Morosco Theatre, where
the three combined audiences witnessed
n performance OF "A Sleepless Night"
that was delayed in starting until 3 80.
At the Playhouse half dozen soldiers
appeared at 2 30, and an hour later,
when the first act was over. the audience
had reached the total OF 15o-almost un-
precedented figures for yesterdays matt
ment had considered cancelling this spe-
cial production because OF the illness Of
Alice Brady a representative of tia
Mayors committee had begged them MT
to do this. and the mana cement had
finally agreed to start II at o'clock.
The attendance at the Criterion and
Gaiety theatres was so meagre that tho
audiences were finally combined and tha
Gaiety Theatre, which has been playing
TO capacity all season, held about three
fourths OF It's maximum. 4 Lieutenars
at this theatre said he had been told
that he was to take 100 men there, but
no further instructions had been given 10
him as 10 how he was to round Up his
men. He ended by coming without AIRY
one.
At the Eltinge Theatre nobody cana.
and at the Hudson Theatre two soldiers
crowded the house. The company at the
la'ter mouse waited until AFTER 3 O'Clock,
and then broke up In disgust AZ tha
Republic Theatre no one in uniform was
In sight. SO II went all along the line
with stars exasperated with waiting
and managers growing purple at thiq
slight upon their good nature. which had
led them to donate the services Of their
players and theatre STATS, and to nay
the lighting expense, without compensa.
ton.
Golden Out of Town.
John L, Golden Of the theatrical nrn
of Smith & Golden. who was at the head
OF the theatrical subcommittee OF tho
Mayors organization, could not be
reached last night. II was said by one
OF his representatives. however, that the
matter had passed out of his hands a
couple of weeks ago, when he went 20
Palm Beach TO recover from an illness
The special matinees were extensively
mentioned In all tho newspapers. Thu
list includes the following: "IJn
in Mabel's Room" Friendly Enemies"
The Woman in Room 49," The For.
tune Teller" "Redemption," ''Cancy
Kicks" please Get Married" Fast u
West" Forever After" Tea TO-
Three" The Crowded Hour" "rnr.s
Wise Fools" "TAghtnin'." 20. NV Dear"
Ihree Faces East and "A Sleeples4
Night"
About the only theatre where the
hasco wasn't evident was the Aston. ThA
fact that this was flied was ascrihed
to the Likelihood that tho sci Hers Who
mad witnessed the special Performance
OF Fay BANTER in East Is West" under
10