The New York herald., 1921-10-16
By LAWRENCE REAMER.
ERHAPS the theatre managers would
face the season with less apprehen-

IN ERHAPS the theatre managers would
face the season with less apprehen-
sion were there only the increased
cost of production to worry them. But
with the greater cost of all they are ex-
pected to provide there is also the quite
unmstakable Intention of the public to pay
as.ess for its entertainment than ever before.
9 Lee Shu5ert told reporter for THE New
S"YoaK Herald the other night that he de-
tected no element in the present troubled
state of the theatre business so definite as
1.-The determination of the playgoers to pay
'.as little as possible for their pleasure. He
rs convinced that theatre prices must come
down. and his firm is actively moving in
this direction.
,, Bat how such a thing be accom-
seplisned when the cost of production has
s1soared beyond the expectations of the most
-'pessimistic prophet? During the last dec
ode railway fares have so mounted that 1t
-,costs just twice as much as 1t did to carry
a company about the country. The cost OF
transporting scenery and other indispen-
sable belongings of a theatrical company
have increased at the rate of almost 400
g,.Ier cent.
Production Costs Gone Up
e. 500 Per Cent. on Everything
L 1t is true that the details mentioned here
DO not come importantly into consideration
in the case OF shows intended solely for the
amusement of New Workers. Yet there are
iecther increases here that are just as much
mof a trial to the manager. Canvas on
(which scenery is painted has increased 500
rer cent. in cost during the last six years.
Then the salaries of the players Any
manager will tell you that the number of
actors has greatly increased during recent
roreasons. There are even said to be eight
II players to every one job The compen-
;sation of the kind that any manager wants
10 engage has more than doubled during
j. the last decade Yet the public demands
that the manager, who is already facing
, these harassing problems should also be in
readiness to reduce his prices.
These are some of the material problems
which vex the soul of the theatre entire
preneur to-day. The manager of the past
say from a decade to twenty years ago, had
a no such question to deal with. Nor was he
,harassed by the economic differences that
have divided the theatre people into two
camps George NJ Cohan recently said that
a manager used to find it hard enough to
Z cast his dramas when he could take any
factor he thought suited to part. But now
that there are two parties-a closed shop
and the Equity lion altogether refusing
to lie down with the Fidelity lamb-now-
the work of the manager is twice as diff
iscult as 1t used to be.
There has just been a concrete example
of this kind of hardship about which man.
ayers never had to worry in the past
loyal member of the Fidelity decided that
he would not defer to the closed shop de-
mand of the Equity. but would recruit his
company altogether from actors who
boosted of their allegiance to the Fidelity.
We'll, he was loyal to his principles, but
at what cost to his own interests! His
play has been tried in various cities by
way Of preparing it for New York. 1t has
failed everywhere. Now its author, al
though an intimate friend of the actor, who
has been recognized star for years, has
requested the actor to remove his name
from all announcements of the drama He
Will not consent to have the work pre-
rented his so long the actors able
10 do it so little justice.
Difficulties of Casting With
Equity and Fidelity Fight On
Here, of course is a difficulty not in the