Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-08-20
WHERE GOOD AND BAD PLAYS
co, is TOLD OF
Daily Letter by Frederic J. Haskin

NEW YORK CITY, August 20. -
When a theatrical production is stag
gering along on three legs, and box
office receipts only mean gloomy
news, the saying begins to go around
among the company: We'll, l sup
pose next week this show'n be play
ing in Gains Opera House."
The institution referred to is a
warehouse in New York City. There
are other theatrical warehouses be-
sides this one in New York. Most
of the important producers now have
their W storage rooms for proper
ties and scenery. But playing in
Gains" is a stock expression for
closing a show. Even though a COM
pany may be a thousand miles from
Broadway the saying remains the
same.
This old theatrical warehouse Is
accordingly a well known tradition,
but very little more than the name
is ever heard. The transfer and
storage business of the theatrical
world is not conducted along spec
tacular lines. Yet like almost every
thing connected with the stage 1t
has a picturesque aspect.
1t is still the dull season of mid
summer TO the average citizen, but
actors and producers are bustling
about preparing new fall plays, and
launching them. Rehearsals are in
full swing, and there is a great deal
Of moving and unpacking to be done.
II a new show is opening here, 1t is
the business of a transfer company
to assemble the production from all
over the city. The sets have been
built in a carpenter shop. Scenery
had been painted in a scene paint
er's studio. The electrical apparatus
has been especially constructed in an
electrical company's shops. The cos
tunes are at dressmaking establish
ments, and the man who designed
the scenic effects most likely has Sc
lected the interior decorations.
Some producers order all these
things to be assembled at the theater
only three days before the play
opens. But, with so many theatrical
offerings specialized in elaborate
ness, assembling a production is a
stable task. 1t is not unusual for a
production to be put together two, or
even three, weeks ahead. Two dress
rehearsals precede an opening now,
more often than one, and this means
an earlier arrangement of the shows
belongings.
Rehearse The Rehearsal
As reviews and musical comedies
depend so greatly on scenic and
lighting effects and as so many
changes of scene are made In the
course of a performance it has been
found that one rehearsal is not suf-
ficient for the electricians and prop
erty men to master their parts. In
a dramatic production, too, the sue
cess OF the play may hinge on the
precision with which these men
work. A series of lighting effects
badly timed, or too much light on a
mysterious scene, may spoil the big
moment of the evening. So the pro-
ducer has a dress rehearsal of the
dress rehearsal, before the impor-
tant event.
After he assemblies the production,
the theatrical moving mans next job
comes when the show closes for the
season, or goes on tour, or becomes
permanently defunct. In any case
from three to ten vans Of furniture,
trunks, and scenery are collected
from the theater. There is rarely
room to keep more than one regular
production on a stage. Moreover, in
this State and many others fire reg
ulations limit the amount of goods
that may be kept about a theater
Consequently, as soon as a play closes
1t moves out. II it goes on tour its
possessions are loaded on one or two
baggage cars, according to the pre-
-tentiousness of the offering. Other
wise everything goes to the store
house.
Gains ware house, which is typica
of the public storage places, Is no
a romantic museum of relics from
famous plays. In appearance 1t il
very like any storage house. There
are six floors, each packed will
trunks, drops. cases, and stacks o
scenery. There are few uncrated OBJ
ljects. The imagination is stirred
mainly by small details.
One row of long, flat trunks ant
neatly painted green boxes bears tn,
label OF a famous musical review
This show has just closed here an,
will go on tour in a few weeks. Tn,
equipment of a mar who specialize
in freeing himself from all sorts o
predicaments is here, packed ii
Iqueerly shaped trunks. Other row
lof trunks bear the names OF wei