The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-20
THEATRE TICKET PRICES.
Morris Gest on the Cost and Returns
of Dramatic Ventures.


gard to your editorial article on the
cost of theatrical productions and the
fact that certain INSCRIPTIONS profit
GERS seek 20 charge excessive prices for
tickets for productions of an inexpen-
sive nature, may ! point out that one
reason why this condition of affairs
prevails is that the public seldom takes
the trouble to inform itself as to the
relative cost of theatrical productions on
Broadway?
In the case Of a prospective pur-
chaser of an automobile. Of a house
and lot, of merchandise of any other
nature ample inquiry would be made
beforehand as TO Just how much the
article purchased had cost 10 produce.
and no purchaser would rashly pay any
price demanded without investigating
thoroughly as to whether or not he was
negotiating a reasonable bargain.
In the case of theatrical productions
It has been comparatively easy In the
past for fiamboyant and circus methods
to sell articles Of an inferior grade.
whereas genuine merit has often been
unappreclated by the general public.
BY that l mean production which costs
relatively but n small sum of money
may be exploited by certain parties and
sold TO the public at advanced prices
merely because the public thinks it Is
buying something artistic.
On the other hand. superlative pro-
duction. which really costs a small for
tune to exhibit in New York, is obliged
to compete for public patronage with the
inferior article which was so adroitly
advertised.
May 1 take the case Of Mecca" my
current production at the Century The
atre. as an example: Mecca" cost
$40S,000 to produce. TO assemble the
various features Of this production /
had to ransack Europe and call upon
the artistic geniuses of many countries
The combined results now on view at
the Century Theatre have been APP
proved by eminent critics as constituting
one OF the most beautiful theatrical en-
tertainments ever offered In New York.
But the cost of production has been
so great that no matter how much
Broadway appreciates Mecca" 1t will
be at least two years and six months
before / can hope to recover the amount
of the original Investment Yet for
this production | am charging at the
Century Theatre prices less than the
prices demanded for tickets to see song
and dance comedians and jazz enter
tanners appearing in productions of bor-
rowed scenery and with second hand
costumes.
If the public prefers to pay higher
prices to hear jazz music. to see second
hand costumes and song and dance art
lists than to see an artistic production
like Mecca" at the Century Theatre.
then the public clearly has no right to
complain The decision of the major
ity must always rule in the case of
theatrical production. as II does in mat
tiers of politics.
1t cost me 20 produce Mecca" twenty
times the sum expended upon an aver
age Broadway play have to pay sal
aries to 400 actors and 131 stage hands
yet / don't charge twenty times the
price OF admission. nor do l permit
knowingly any one else to charge that
much for tickets to see my production.
II the law OF adequate compensation
were followed / could rightfully ask
patrons to pay far more for Mecca"
than they do for these smaller produce
tons, but the conditions of competition
are such that this Is impossible. There
fore must find my chief JOY in produc-
ing artistic spectacles and hope that
the public will respond sufficiently to
repay the investment ultimately.
have no complaint to make against
the public patronage of Mecca be-
cause statistics show that Il is playing
to enormous receipts. But producing
such an expensive entertainment is
tremendous gamble. so absolutely de-
pendent is it upon the whim of the
public.
It is an experiment which I have tried
three times. with "Chu Chin Chow"
with "Aphrodite" and now with ''Mec-
ca" In each case have succeeded
because the public responded. but It is
not an experiment | am ambitious to
undertake again. The reason. as you
have already pointed out in your edi-
torial article, is the productions Of sec
ond hand scenery and inferior casts
often demand far greater prices than
even those attractions which cost, as
Mecca" did, over 100000.
MORRIS GEsT.
NEW YORK. November 49,