The Billboard 1901-01-05: Vol 13 Iss 1 (1901-01-05)

ne entree ° il CN i a a igs = 10 New Plays and Sketches . Copyrighted. Washington, D. C., Dec. 22.—(Special.)— “The Day of Atonement,’ a play in five acts, written and copyr.ghted by Phil. F. Rogoway, Portland, Ore. “The Fatal Card,”’ a melcdrama in five acts, copyrighted by Francis W. Courteney, Chicago, Lil “Homebcdy’s Outing,” a sketch, written and copyr.ghted by Wm. D. Hall, Philadelphia, Pa. “In Crazy Asylum is Worse Than _ the Slave,” a drama in three acts, written and copyrighted by Fred. Albert Anderton, Denison, la. **Love’s a Vagrant,’ a comedy in two acts, written and copyrghted by Martin W. Sampson and Freder.ck M. Smith, Bloomington, Ind. “Mr. Miflin’s Mistake,”"" a comedy in three acts, written and copyrighted by T. D. Beasley, Berkeley, Cal “Summer Board and a Bus Ride,’’ a monoIegue, written and copyrighted by Ezra Kendail, Mount Vernon, N. Y. The New Rip Van Winkle. Joseph Jefferson is a sort of human exhibit ef perpetual motion in repetition. Joe and Rip go on and on forever, wearing out clocks and hour-glas.es, and fairly running down Old Father Time, who has to keep on the jump in sp.te of b.s rheumatism and antique aches. What a good thing it was that Washington Irv.ng let that story mp along the Hudson and down across the pages—such a good thing for Joe, who has been mere than twenty years beh.ndhand all his life in the elevation cr the encouragement of the drama at hus private expense—but that is aside. We set out to introduce a later experience of Rip Van Winkle or a chap of the same name anda length of whitened whiskers who fell asleep im a variety theater one night full twenty years ago and slept on and on, just as Joe sleeps, and disturbs not the dramatists, and as Kip slept on and on and so on, as goes the familiar story, and knew not of the many p.ts that were being made by the press agent and the encores gained by the prompter’s bell. Repeatedly during this score of annuai terms the palace of pleasure was repeatedly embellished without disturbing the sleeper— or the dust. But the hour of waking came; it had to come. Stale and Flat were in the bill. The change artists who never changed. They opened in 1, so their billing matter stated, while it should have said 0. At the first note of disaster, Rip was ‘restless, moaned in bis sleep, and as the agony progressed, aroused himeelf, rubbed h.s eyes and asked: “Where am 1?” A glance answered his own conundrum, and his ear explained the worst. Unaware that he had slumbered for twenty years, Rip ripped: “Thunder! If there ain’t Stale and Flat with that same old act!’ CHARLES H. DAY. The Vaudeville Trust. The outlook now is that salaries have climbed to their limit. A year ago managers were alarmed because they could see na such limit. As more managers appeared in the field, the demand for acts of reputation rose to a tension. Performers of note, finding two or three managers after them, began to ask salaries so near the sublime that they almost tumbled into the ridiculous. The evil of compeution was stretching its ominous cloud over the vaudeville industry. Soom the silver lining came into view, not fortuitously, but as a result of some clear thinking on the part of the managers. ‘We're only cutting our own throats by competiticn,’” they said among themselves. ‘Let's combine and we'll all be happy.”’ So all knives were decently transferred to the left hand and held in the sleeve, while with the right papers were drawn up and signed by which managers allied themselves under the style of the Association of Vaude ville Managers of the United States. The army of performers no svoner learned this title and the men it represented than they cut it short to The Vaudeville Trust. “If they have united,”’ said the performers, “it is to rough-ride over us. They will cut our salaries, lengthen our hours, and—supreme agony-—-they may not engage us at all! There's no telling what a trust will do. Now, we've made these men Without us what would their gilded palaces of amusement be? Can any of them act, or sing, or dance, _or juggle, or tumble? Never on any stage! Then let us form a trust of ourselves—and remember we have our quarrel! just.”’ This resolution impelled many members of this branch cf the profession to organize under the sweet title of The White Rats of America. A similar society in London, which is called The Water Rats, inspired the name. The sympathy of the average man will go out naturally to the performers rather than to the managers. The debt we owe to the entertainer that can make twenty minutes of life care-free is not small, and we recognize it unconsciously. The White Rats are known to be capable money-making people on the stage, and it is said that the society is in a real sense fraternal. On the other hand, it is possible that not ome in twenty of these men has had the slightest training in business. Yet they must cope with a company of men whose only claim in life is their business ability. At present, of the sixty-seven vaudeville theaters that are in the United States, only five are not under control of THE BILLBOARD. managers in the associatiom. Until the performers can build theaters of their own, therefore, and run them, it is phin that most White Rats have to make terms with the associated managers. And they do. To consider the managers’ association impartially, there is every evidence that it is only a natural development. Where formerly nearly a hundred different agents represented as many different acts, to-day all acts are booked either in the New York or the Chicago office of the association.. A performer is now booked for thirty weeks solid in theaters so situated as to provide him the lowest possible outlay for traveling. Once booked, a vaudevi!lo man may have his mind at rest so far as his engagement is concerned. Of course, it is likely that his salary will remain at the same figure throughout the year undess he makes an unexampled hit. Formerly when one manager was pressing on the heels of another, a performer might demand and get an ad Della Fox Married. Vivacious and fascinating week in York. litthe Baltimore, to John Levy, soubrette in the country than peare Club, an tion in St. Louis. glar,”’ which was afterward ed “The Burglar.”’ one. Once or twice she has been as} oO > Zz & pe oe Ba %, * 2 es r. “ ES fe 3 gl “4 foe —e . 4 Pie e YRian 'e little Della Fox, whose wild and hilarious career has been the subject of much comment, was married last of New There is no more lively and popular Della. The editor of *‘The Billboard’? remembers her fifteen years ago as a member of the Shakesamateur dramatic organizaHer first great hit was in a little one-act sketch called ‘‘Editha’s Burgenlarged to a four-act play by Augustus Thomas, and callThe career of the dashing Della since that time has been a notable very ill, even at death’s door, but her wonderful vitality and determination to live brought her vance cf fifty dollars per week in half a year, although he still did his same old specialty. Again, men grow older each year, and aw act ages quickly in vaudeville because the regular patron is im the majority. Managers found that many people of first-class reputation were not changing their turn a tittle from year to year, and yet at each new engagement were looking for more money. There is no doubt that the allied managers have been guilty of injustices. But the fact remains that they are the employers and that performers are in their employ. Should the association become a trial too great to be suffered, time will develop a remedy in its usual dliberate fashion.—Richard Duffy, in Ainslee’s. The perennial ‘‘Muldoon’s Picnic’’ and “‘A Buneh of Keys” are apparenlity destined, like “Uncle Tom,’’ to run on forever. around all right. She has a host of friends, who have always been willing to condone her follies, and who will now wish her the most perfect domestic happiness. Prosperous Season in the West. To the Editor of ‘‘The Billboard:” Dear Sir—Business throughout Oklahoma and the Indian Territory is good, and although the number of shows here is greater than ever known before, everybody is getting money. Muskogee, one of the best towns in the Indian Territory, which has been without a house since the fire there over a year ago, is on the list again with a very fair house, with a capacity of 600. Wagoner also has a new house. Eufaula is building one, which will be finished by the Jatter part of January. Caddo, a good town of 1,500, has recently put in mew scenery, and refitted the old house, and under the management of Amos K. Bass, is a good one-night stand. Durant has a fair hall capacity—300—and is a crackerjack town. Lehigh has a pretty little theater, parquette and balcony capacity 400 is a good town, and has the prince of good fellows and a hustler handling it—Mr. Bon Willams. Herbert Labadies’ ‘Faust’ came Dec. 20 at advanced prices, to good business. “A Pair of Tramps,"’ Dec. 22, good house and gocd show. Patti Stock Company, week of Dec. 24. All the towns I have mentioned are on the M., K. & T. R. R. The biggest drawback—and that only affects the agent—is that there is no bill posters im any of the towns mentioned, and you have to get out and put up your own paper. There is an opening here at Lehigh and Colegate, five miles apart, for a man who can handle both towns, combined population about 3,000; both are coal mining towns. Good luck to ‘The Billboard.” | get it from Denison every week. Yours truly, LEN G. SHELBY., Agent Patti Stock Company. Another “Angel.” Almost every day a story of the disastrous experience of novices who have ambition to become theatrical managers is brought to light. The days of ‘‘angels,"’ who are the victims of show promoters, are fast passing away. The experience of so many men, who have more money than brains, in promoting theatrical enterprises, bas been so disheartening that it is a difficult matter to induce them to make further ventures. The latest youngster to fall a prey to scheming confidence men is Dick Jones, son of DeWitt C. Jones, former postmaster of Columbus, 0. The expostmaster left for California the other day to escort home his son Dick and his bride, formerly Miss Sallie Creamer, of Washington Courthouse. A few months ago ‘Dick’’ married Miss Creamer and her inheritance of 25,000, and, organizing a theatrical company, started on the road Dick had experience before with amateur companies of a rather disastrous character, but this time he made it professional from the start. Those who watched his career say he went the limit, and nothing was too good for members of the company. His cash ran out in Frisco, and he burned up the wires with messages asking for parental help. Rumor has it that twice his father sent bim money on which to return, but the young Thespian used it in other ways. When the third request came Jones here determined to bring the boy home, rather than send him money, and left with that intention. The young couple are expected to arrive in Columbus soon, under the eeccrt of the father The----++++eeenee STAG , r Cafe and #2 Restaurant, 418 and 426 Vine St., CINCINNATI. aaa The Most Popular Theatrical Place in the City. E.W. BAYLIS, Prop. Wheu in Chicago, be sure and stop at the CONTINENTAL go ag 2@ponoa HOTEL, The Homof All Professionals. Only American Hotel for $2 per day in the city. Cor. Wabash Avenue and Madison Street. HENRY PEARSON, Mgr. W. H. Forb, Prop. HOTEL RAND CINCINNATI, OHIO. European Pian. Professional Headquarters Elegant Rooms. free Baths. Lunch after the JEFFERSON HOTEL, Nos. 915, 917, 919 Wajnut St., Cincinnati, 0. Our bar is stocked with the best. The Old Veteran, JIM DOUGLAS Superintendent. FRITZ SCHIRBLE, Proprietor. Splendid Table. Nice Show STROSS’ ¢ HOTEL Home for Professional People, 24-26 W. TWELFTH ST., __ CINCINNATI, OHIO. YES! Nowisthe Time To have your show or specialty staged with appropriate and catchy scenery for the coming season or summer dates. Dayton Scenic Studio, Dayton, 0.