The New York herald., 1921-07-29
General Cut in
Theatre Prices as
Neu Season Opens
Managers Inclined to Make
$3.50 Top Price for Dra-
matte Productions.

The budding theatrical season, like
the calendar OF spring. offers hope eter-
nal for the pocketboolSs Of theatre pa
irons. Two productions have opened
this week at which the highest box Of
flee price for seat is $3.50 and four
more productions at that price are an
nounced for early openings. In addition
to the two new plays there are three
older ones now before the public at
which a pair of the choicest seats sell
at the box office for s..
A canvas of the leading managers
yesterday revealed an almost universal
adherence to the $3.50 rate for the COM
ing season. at least as far as straight
dramatic productions are concerned.
Though some OF the musical plays in
prospect will charge $3.50, the general
tendency will be to set the top price
for such productions at So.
Sam II. Harris intends to follow this
policy except for productions at the new
Music Box. where. because of the cost
OF building this novel theatre in de-
pressing times and the high salaried
casts to be seen there, the rate for a
while will be 81. Even this is a reduc-
tion from the high water mark of s5
charged Tor other exceptional perform
ances.
The announcement OF Charles B. Dill
lingham that the Hippodrome will be re-
opened, with $3.50 top price for even
ing performances is a return to the
rates that prevailed four years ago
Two Blocks Away" and "a Wise
Child two new plays about to be Of
fered by Mr.. Dillingham;, will ask the
$3.50 rate though his musical produc-
tions will demand SO.
''The Last Waltz" heralded as the
most successful OF the summer attrac-
tions, is charging $3.50 except Saturday
nights. when SO Is asked. and this policy,
1t IL announced, Is to be followed by the
Shuberts in all their offerings The two
new plays of the week. THE Teaser'' and
"The Skylark." opened in Shubert
houses at the $3.50 scale, and Just Mar
ried" has been drawing good audiences
at that rate for some time.
The A. l.. Erlanger production 1.-TWO
Little Girls in Blue" is musical COM
edy charging only $3.50 and Erlanger's s
ally, Charles Frohman, Inc. will present
Otis Skinner in Blood and Sand" at the
$3.50 rate. David Belasco also will adopt
the $3.50 scale. The Selwyns will open
'The Circle" with SIX stellar players at
only $3.50. A. II. Woods. though no an
nouncement has been made, is expected
to ask only that much for the new COM
edy, Getting Gertie's Garter"
John Mcbride, of one of the leading
ticket agencies. was pleased at the full
f1lment of his prediction earlier this
year. that the managers would reduce
their prices to the pre-war level OF
$3.50. He was OF the opinion, in fact,
that many of them would so as low
as 50.
'Tve just written letter to Charles
Dillingham;" he said, telling him / was
highly tickled to see he had the courage
and common sense to cut the Hippo
drome prices in two to the $3.50 level.
The Hippodrome draws such large
crowds that its competition will incline
other managers to follow suit. Per-
sonally, l feel this reduction ought to
have come about long ago"
The Tyson and other ticket agencies
report the average box office price for
choice seats now is So The oaiy attrac-
tions demanding more are the "Fo;ies."
George Whites Scandals" and Sally,
A number OF the managers announce
road presentations at $3.50 and 81 OF
plays and stars that brought $3.50 and
81 in New York last season, and soma
managers say It Is not improbable that
another season will see the So price limit
back again in New York.