Variety (September 1918)

12 LEGITIMATE v i v. - f IS ■' ■■ ■i.. : ■ ■ I ■■ ■■ " * :■ i ■ TRAVELING STOCK COMPANIES FORMING FOR WESTERN CAMPS Harry Lorch Appointed Stock Supervisor. Far Western Camps Need Continuous Entertainment. Stocks Will Remain Three or Four Weeks at Each Stand. Camp Lewis Charging $1 Top, •• High Camp Scale. Doing Around $1,400 Nightly. Plans for the extension of stock com- panies in the more widely separated cantonments are being made. Three or four stocks will be added to the num- ber already playing. Harry Lorsch (formerly press agent for the Butterfield (Michigan) circuit, and recently manager of the Liberty Theatre, Camp Pike) has been appoint- ed stock supervisor. He has started on a tour of the central and western camps to look over the situation. Mr. Lorsch will be permanently located at the New York office of the Commission on Training Camp Activities, and will work in conjunction with George H. Sergeant. The latter is on the coast and is handling the stock now running at Camps Kearney, Fremont, Cody and Lewis. At the latter cantonment legiti- mate r>nd vaudeville are being played. Attractions recently playing Camp Lewis have enjoyed excellent business, getting around $1,400 nightly a* $1 top, the biggest scale of any of the Liberty Theatres. The far western camps have sufterejj from the difficulty of supplying con- tinuous attractions, mostly because of prohibitive railroad jumps. Occasional shows are obtainable on the way to and from the coast, but not in a suf- ficient quantity satisfactory to the Commission. One of the larger booking offices re- cently offered no less than/15 attrac- tions for one of the camps, but no ac- tion was taken because of the stock plans. The present plan calls for al- ternating the stocks, forming a sort of circuit, each company remaining three or four weeks in one camp. BARNES SHUBERT CASE. The early part of October has been set for the T. Roy Barnes-Shubert Theatrical Company trial, in which the former is suing the Shuberts for $2,900 damages for breach of contract. On or about Sept. 12, 1917, Barnes alleges, through his attorney, Nathan Burkan, he entered into contract with the producing firm, whereby he was to assume the leading comedian role in "Oh Justine I" The contract stipulated Barnes was to get $550 weekly for the first 12 weeks and $600 a week there- after during the show's run. Another clause guaranteed the plaintiff that he would be kept working 15 consecutive weeks. Barnes alleges that the letter of the contract was not entirely, lived up to and estimates the damages caused him to the extent of $2,900. CHICAGO SCALPING BAD... Chicago, Sept. 18. The scalping situation in Chicago is about on_ a par with the political situation in Russia. When the city legislated the separa- tion of the theatres and the scalpers, some of the former, with a view to holding their important hotel trade, raised prices to enable them to pay the brokers a commission on sales. Something has gone wrong with the hotel trade. The scalpers arc said to be selling one-third as many tickets as they sold at this time last year, and business growing worse all the time. This in spite of the fact that Chicago now has 12 attractions of high aver- age quality as against eight for this time last year. One of the most active scalpers in town, who last season sold an average of 20 tickets each for Saturday nights for standard attractions, did not sell a single ticket last Saturday for one of the most popular attractions in Chicago. • LYRIC ON RENTAL. « "The Unknown Purple," which opened at the Lyric, Saturday night last, was heavily "bought" by the tic- ket agencies, who loked on the show as sure to get over. Roland West has taken the house on a rental basis, extending for six weeks. At the end of the period, if the show is deemed a success, a somewhat dif- ferent rental arrangement is called for. This limits the Shuberts' interest in the percentage, it being stipulated the house share shall not exceed a fixed sum. SHOW WITH ONE SET. Max Spiegel entering further into the legitimate field is making his first production. This is a new musical play aimed for $2 but to be first sent on the road. It will carry but one scene. This is of rather costly nature, of satin hangings, P. Dodd Ackerman having designed the "set" especially with the road purposes in mind. The entire production can be carried in three or four 12-foot-crates and half a dozen trunks and in a pinch can be easily checked if a baggage car is not avail- able. Last season Mr. Spiegel purchased . "Furs and Frills," sent out on tour with Richard Carle, the piece coming in with a loss. This season the attraction has been making money. The first week out netted a profit of $2,600. Carle is still with the show. •OH, YES." The title for the newTrindess mus- ical play, writen by the trio, Bolton, Kern and Wodehouse, is "Oh, Yes. Eliott, Comstock & Gest want to re- tain the first word of their last two Princess successes, "Oh, Boy" and "Oh, Lady, Lady." The new play which has Joseph Santley heading the cast, is due to" open Sept 30. This breaks the firm's usual . procedure of keeping the other Prin- -cess plays out on the road four or five weeks before bringing them to Broad- way. CALLAN IN LEWISTON. Lewiston, Me., Sept. 18. Jeff Callan, very popular here, re- turns to the city as manager of the Music Hall, for the United Theatre Co., a corporation holding important men in its directorate and with several the- atrical 1 interests. George I. Appleby is to have charge of the concern's local Strand. The music hall will play vaudeville and probably pictures. -Mr. Callan's popularity and experience caused his recall. He was in charge of the same house years ago when the Keith people operated it. Lately Mr. Callan has been a Keith manager in New York City. "Man With Club Foot," Spy Drama. London, Sept. 18. Grossmith & Laurillard will shortly put into rehearsal "The Man With a Club Foot," a spy drama by Valentine Williams, who, before the war, was the Daily Mail correspondent in Berlin and is now a lieutenant in the Irish Guards. The leads will be played by Arthur Bourchier and Alice Crawford, the lat- ter the author's wife. "Purple Mask" Transferred.. London, Sept. 18. "The Purple Mask" was transferred from the Lyric to Prince's, Monday night, making way for Doris Keane's production of "Roxana," which opens tonight, after a successful trial at East- bourne. Gladys Cooper's Holiday Over. London, Sept. 18. Gladys Cooper has resumed her role in "The Naughy Wife" at the Play- house after a holiday. • "ONE OF US" MOVING. "Maytime" is to be allotted still an- other house, according to plans early this week, which called for it changing places with "One of Us." The Jack Lait comedy is due to go into the Broadhurst and "Maytime," Hearing the end of its run (but still netting a profit) is to enter the Bijou. If the change is made it will have been the seventh Broadway movement for "Maytime* SHOWS IN PHILLT. Philadelphia, Sept. 18. The legitimate houses offered a rather poor assortment of attractions for the Yom Kippur season with only one new opening. This was the com- edy, "Not With My Money," at the Broad with Lucile Watson and William Morris featured It carries the atmo- mosphere of a "Get Rich Quick Wal- lingford," but does not contain the snap and vigor of the George M. Cohan piece. It has been well put together and with the exception of a draggy first act is rather pleasing entertain- ment. The piece is by Edward Clark, who found his inspiration in a story called "Face Value," by Edgar S. Franklin. - It was received with warm admiration by a small audience Mon- day night. The prospects for a stay of any length are not bright, though there is no announcement of anything to follow. Charlotte Walker in "Nancy Lee" re- mains at the Garrick where the piece is drawing fair business and winning praise, particularly through the indi- vidual work of the star. The rather sudden withdrawal -of. "The Girl Behind The Gun" left the Forrest without a regular attraction booked, and "Hearts of the World," which has had two long runs at the Garrick, was brought' in to keep the house open. "The Girl Behind The Gun" was booked for three weeks, but did not draw up to expectations. The picture had a big house Monday night for a repeater. "Gloriana" is an- nounced for Sept. 23. "CHu Chin Chow" is still getting all the big money in the Shubcrt houses. The production is now in its third week and playing around $25,000. It is here three weeks more. "Leave It To Jane" is drawing only fair business .at the Chestnut Street Opera House. "Business Before Pleasure" is drawing good business at the Lyric in its third week, and "The Blue Pearl" is still at the Adelphi, where it is attracting only mild attention. ' Business at the Casino and Troca- dero playing burlesque continues to hold up to the big returns enjoyed since the opening of the season. "Stop That Man" Started. The Shuberts have started rehearsals on the new farce written by George V.- Hobart. The title of the piece is "Stop That Man." The play is to feature Edwin Nicander and in the cast als.o is Consuelo Bailey. "WOUNDED FUND" BY ITSELF. Because of the large amount of its own work that the Actors' Equity As« sociation has on its hands, it has been decided to vest the executive power of "Our Wounded Actors' Fund" in a dis- tinct organization. The Council of the A. E. A., through Mr. Gillmore, the executive secretary, will further the growth of the fund. It is expected the "Our Wounded Actors' Fund" will *oon rent its own offices. An executive committee has been elected. Daniel Frohman, president of the Actors' Fund of America, will represent that organization on the committee. Fanny Cannon has also agreed to act as rep- resentative for the Stage Women's War Relief. Thus far, three $1,000 contributions have been received from George Arliss, the chairman and founder of the "Our Wounded Actors' Fund," and two other actors who choose to remain anony- mous. Smaller amounts are daily coming in. It is hoped that the fund will be in real working order by next week. Tuesday at a meeting* of the A. E. A. it was decided all members, male and female, doing war work, en- tailing financial sacrifice, shall be ex- empt from paying dues. » Members serving on committee or relief organi- zations such as -the Y. M. -C. A., Red Cross,-Knights of Columbus and kind- red societies, will be put on the free list or have his dues refunded, on ap- plication. JANE COWL IN NEW ROLE. * Washington, D. C/Sept. 18. "Information Please," Jane Cowl's new play, is,one of the most entertain- ing seeri"in a long time. It should have a most successful run in New York. • The reception accorded the star and the piece Monday night was enthusi- astic. Proving herself a delightful come- dienne, Miss Cowl has gotten away en- tirely from the line with which she has become identified and her handling of "Lady Betty Desmond" wjll win the approval of the matinee girls as well as their more critical elders. The story has to do with a young matron, who believes that to carry on a flirtation with a callow youth, even so far as a trip to Europe with him, will arouse a little demonstration of affection from her husband. The play is filled with delightfully clever and witty lines and Miss Cowl s portrait of an erratic, petulant and # ex- tremely fascinating young wife is a study in joyousness and irresistible feminine inconsistency. The company is excellent. Henry Stephensen as'the object of the young wife's flirtation- who is just as willing to take the trip to Europe as he is to act the art of" peacemaker between husband and wife, gave Miss Cowl a close run for first honors in the role of the amiable British roue. Orme Caldara, although a little "shaky" as yet as the husband will, no doubt, give a regular performance when he be- comes thoroughly familiar. As a drunken reporter, Malcolm Duncan contributed a fine piece of character acting that received its full share of the approval. Smaller roles are par- ticularly well played by Alan Brooks, of vaudeville, Blanche Yurka, Robert Bcndal, Viola Compton and Helen Salinger. The play is a Selwyn & Co. pro- duction. Arden and Gillingwater in Cast. Edwin Arden and Claude Gilling- water have been engaged by Smith & Golden for their forthcoming produc- tion of "Three Wise Men." opening New York next month. The cast is not yet complete. It will be the fourth production of this firm now playing, the others being two companies of "Turn to the Right on the road and their current success, "Lightnin"' at the Gaiety.