Evening star., 1924-08-14
CHORUS GIRLS BALK.
AT GOING ON TOUR
'fNew York Complex" Raises
Problems for Managers OF
Theatrical Companies.
ny ROBERT +. SMALL.


NEW YORK, August 1.-THE New
York chorus girl, pictured in fable
and song as the possessor of linn
cuisines, sahles. French maids and all
the other frail appurtenances of mill
lionairedom. may not be as worldly
wise or as bad as painted, but she
knows what she wants. At this par
ticular moment she wants to stay in
New York and she won't go on the
road, no matter what inducements are
offered. She has got little old Broad
way deep down in her system and
she can't give it up.
Theatrical managers trying to as
Semble companies to take few mus-
cal shows on the road this Fall re-
port that it is virtually impossible to
get a New York chorus girl to sign
a contract calling for any consider
able amount of travel.
The managers are thinking of send
ing an S. o. S. call to the provinces"
AS they term the great American him
terland. in an effort to induce the
girls of other cities to go upon the
stage and get experience 'on the
road" They know perfectly well that
eventually the country girls will get
the same New York idea as the rest
OF them, but they are hopeful the
rural" laSSies may consent to defer
their Broadway debuts for year or
two, in order to fill the gaping ranks
OF the companies ION tour" None OF
the chorus girls who nowadays refuse
to leave New York are native daugh.
ters. They, too, came from the prov.
inces once upon time, but to hear
them talk one would think of Broad
way as one great long cradle, lulling
to early sleep the Follies beauties of
the future.
Plea Stirs Radio Fans.
One theatrical agency recently re-
sorted to the radio in a broadcast
appeal for the country surrounding
New York, Philadelphia and Boston.
to send it's daughters to this wicked
city so that they might be considered
for chorus duty in forthcoming
production which" hoped" to remain
on Broadway, but might have to take
to the road to find pay dirt The
effrontery' of the theatrical folk in
this instance caused great stir
among the radio fans.
There were demands for some sort
OF censorship. The stage agents were
accused of an attempt to lure" girls
away from home and fireside. The
management insisted that the appeal
was merely an advertisement, which
might have been inserted in any the
atrical magazine or daily newspaper
for that matter without comment or
criticism. The radio bugs insisted
that the appeal be stopped. And it
was.
Must Have High Standard.
But still the problem remains Of
putting shapely limbs in the pony
ballet and stately beauties on the
stage Is scenery" Managers report
that it is, of course, possible to get
enough girls to fill many productions,
but not girls of the standard required
today. Cities in the provinces are
demanding productions in every way
similar to those seen on Broadway
and will not patronize shows that
bear evidence of having been cheap
ened in any respect. Broadway musi-
cal productions have set high stand
ard for ladies of the ensemble, as
they call them nowadays, and have
made it just that much more difficult
for the road companies to go out
For road work girls are being Of
fered from so to 60 per cent more sal
airy than they can get on Broadway.
They also are being offered Iong-tern
contracts. But these will not suffice
They want New York.