Variety (October 1911)

VARIETY ii SHOWS CLOSING THIS WEEK REACH SMALLER PERCENTAGE «« Driftwood 9 ' Over the Heads of the One-Nlghters and Brought Back. "The Struggle" (lives Up. All 44 Nest Eggs 19 Companies Now Lapsed, Excepting Zelda Sears 9 . (Special Cable to Variety.) London, Oct. 11. It is reported several closures are imminent. Though a successful play on its merits, "The Great Name," at the Prince of Wales, is lacking in "woman" interest. The love theme is the slightest thing in it, and in Eng- land at any rate it 1b expected to be the strongest. "Bonlta," the comic opera at the Queens, is being boomed very largely, but the wiseacres shake their heads doubtfully. 'The Love Mills" at the Globe does not seem likely to last long, and "The Concert" is doing moderately. Meanwhile "Fanny's First Play" at the Little theatre is doing so well extra matinees are announced. "Driftwood" a drama by Owen Davis which has been touring the southern states since Aug. 24 closed Saturday night In Memphis, Tenn. Leffler & Bratton produced the piece and will bring it back to New York, to place in the higher grade theatres, the play having been booked over the popular priced time south. The Virginia Minstrels got started and that's all. With plenty of finan- cial backing from a New York busi- ness man, the company of twenty-five, traveling in a special car, left New York to fill in ten days along the Hudson, upstate. The company opened at Newpaultz to $116 gross. That was the last re- port New York received. A few days later the minstrels returned. J. W. Corry acted as manager. He hoped to fill five pages of time at 60-40, but the bookings only got bound in manuscript form, as the blowoff came sooner than expected. Grand Rapids, Oct. 11. "The Struggle" closed here Oct. 7, after a d sastrous tour of the Stair & Havlin houses. The Wills Amuse- ment Co. gave the show every chance, but each week showed a loss of sev- eral hundred. Spencer Cone, who managed the company, returned to New York to land another show. Wilmington, Del., Oct. 11. Abe Levey's Western Company, playing "The Nest Egg," closed here Oct. 7, the show falling to draw them In on the "one nlghters." Zelda Sears and the original company are still out. The Western company of "The Avi- ator" closed this week. It was pro- pelled by Truesdell Brothers, of Ce- dar Rapids. There is an Eastern "Aviator" show under the management of the Schiller Co., which is still playing. Another road company has hit the rocks, Hayward and Love's "The Fighting Parson" outfit closing In New England territory. The show was leased from W. F. Mann for a tour through the north- west and Canada. It was out four weeks. DRAMATIC LESS ATTRACTIVE. The dramatic shows in the south seem less attractive to the natives than the musical companies touring that section. The latter are playing to nearly capacity business along the route. While none of the dramatics has fallen down, business with them is comparatively light as against the comedy productions. A high mark was set last week by Nat C. Goodwin at Austin, Tex., when he played to $1,400 at a single per- formance. GERMAN FOR MARIE CAHILL. Marie Cahill will appear this sea- son in an English version by Sydney Rosenfeld of the German musical comedy "The Opera Ball." The piece has been given In Amer- ica on several different occasions, but in German. DEARTH FOR ONE NIGHTERS. Chicago, Oct. 11. What seems to be a dearth of good road attractions is reported to be re- sponsible for the Schwartz Opera, House, Waukegan, 111., going from drama to pictures, and also for the "legit" house in Hammond, Ind.. being demolished to make way for a depart- ment store. Just now the routing agents appear to have their hands full supplying the houses in the larger cities. "MOUSME" AROUND JAN. 1. The American production of "Mous- me," the Japanese comic opera which Henry W. Savage thinks will be a suc- cess here, will not Pkely b'. made be- fore the first of the year. The piece is now running at the Shaftsbury, London. "NO. 2" "KISS WAL/TZ" WEST. Chicago, Oct. 11. Reports are out that a second com- pany of "The Kiss Waltz " now run- ning at the Casino, New York, will be organized to play the territory west of Chicago. OLD HOUSE CLOSES. Camden, N. J., Oct. 11. There is considerable disappoint- ment in this city over the sudden clos- ing of the Temple theatre, conducted this season by Gamier & Wilbur. Several concerts were booked by the Philadelphia Orchestra which are oc- casions for social gatherings. The vaudeville and picture craze has forced this house to decline during the past four years. The playhouse was opened eighteen years ago with "Tar and Tartar; a comic opera, with Digby Bell. "The Fatted Calf," Arthur Hopkins' piece, plays Milwaukee next week. The show received splendid notices In St. Louis. "8U8ANNE" FOR CHICAGO. Chicago, Oct. 11. Rehearsals for the A. H. Woods pro- duction of "Modest Susanne" will start next Tuesday. The show is ex- pected to open for a Chicago run about Nov. 20. In the company are Sallle Fisher, Lawrence Wheat, Stanley Ford and Helen Royden. The company engaged by A. H. Woods to support Harry Fox in "The Forbidden Kiss" has been disbanded and the piece placed on the shelf. When the American adaptation was submitted to Fox he read it carefully, but declined to appear in it on the ground that it was altogether too sug- gestive for this country. BOOK PLAY WITH 18 PEOPLE. "The Wife Decides," a book play by Thomas McKean, with eighteen people, including little Margaret Shelby opens this month in New Jer- sey. The piece will play eastern terri- tory. After two or three weeks of "one nlghters" the bigger cities will be played. PREMIERE FOR DENVER. Tim Murphy will produce "The Poor Rich" Nov. 12 in Denver. It has been written and will be staged by Paul Wilstach. The cast is Dorothy Sherrod, Sid- ney Riggs, Richard Sterling, George Wellington, O. J. Griffin, Aubrey Pow- ell, Frank Halbach, Adelyn Bushnell. HERE'S A "CASH GIRL," JOHN. Boston, Oct. 11. The Moore Musical Co. is putting out two companies to present musical comedies at popular prices. One company will play one nlght- ers, offering "The Cash Girl" while the other booking three nights' stands will have Mattox's pieces. 'FRISCO SHOWS THIS WEEK. San Francisco, Oct. 11. "The Commuters" opened at the Columbia to fair business, the per- formance giving satisfaction. Big business still prevails at the Cort where "Alias Jimmy Valentine" holds forth. Nance O'Neill continues a card at the Alcazar. Next week is her last at this house. The Savoy is dark this week. "The House Next Door" underlined for next week. MRS. CARTER REHEARSING. The Mrs. Leslie Carter show is now rehearsing, and will open either at Richmond or Louisville, Oct. 30. "Two Women" goes out under John Cort's management. Mrs. Carter has recovered from her recent illness. MAUD TIFFANY Touring with the HARRY LAUDER SHOW. NO MORE COMBINATIONS. Chicago, Oct. 11. The City Opera House at Port Hu- ron, formerly a stop for combination shows, has changed policy, and will commence playing vaudeville next week, booked through the Walter Keefe office. Three shows a day will be offered.