Variety (Oct 1906)

VARIETY ANOTHER TALKED-OF IfUSIC HALL. Within a fortnight official announce- ment will be made of the erection of a music hall in the immediate neighborhood of Broadway and Forty-second street. Ko statement will be given out until all contracts have been signed and the prop- erty legally turned over to a corporation formed to build and operate the contem- plated establishment. According to pres- ent figuring the place cannot be made ready for opening within a year. Among those interested in the venture are three well-knuwn theatrical men, all of whom have been at some time or other identified with a music hall enterprise either in New York or Chicago. It is planned to present a permanent stock company of the best male and female comedians procurable, surrounded by a ^oruB of women: -The latter are to be paid salaries in the neighborhood of $40 weekly. ANOTHER LOCATION FOR WESTERN. Chicago, Oct. 12. The old Empire Theatre on West Madison street, opposite the Haymarket Theatre, will be rebuilt within a few months by the Empire circuit (Western Burlesque Wheel). The building, since it was aban- doned by Sam T. Jack after the fire twelve years ago, has been considered undesirable for any theatrical purpose. Its location in the centre of the im- proved West Side business district is now believed to be most satisfactory for bur- lesque and a large amount will be expend- ed in reconstructing the house. The acquisition of the LaSalle l^eatre. Chicago, for purposes of the Western Wheel which has been unoflScially reported several times, is now understood to be all off, the operation of that house as a home for musical comedy having proven too prof- itable to be discontinued. In its place the Kmpire Circuit is busy putting in shape the old Kmpirp. MIXUP IN TOLEDO. Toledo, Oct. 12. « Toledo doesn't know where it is stand- ing for attractions. .With the Valentine Theatre turned over to B. F. Keith for vaudeville and the Arcade, a former vaude- ville house, announced to play only the Shubert Bros.' attractions, it seems prob- able that some deal will be arranged be- tween Ilurtig & Seamon, who control the Empire burlesque theatre in this city, whereby that house will be used by Klaw & Erlanger for its attractions and the Ar- cade devoted to burlesque hereafter. Julci^ Uurtig, a member of the firm, vf&» here this week but refused to make A statement- J^«EFUS£ BURLESQUE ADVERTISE- ■■•**. ■•^;: ■■..■;. MENTS. " ^ ^ New Orleans, Oct. 12. The New Orleans morning newspapers have refused to accept the advertisements of the Green wall Theatre, whieh plays the Eastern Burlesque \Vheel attractions. Re- views of the shows appearing there have also been discontinued by the press for the reason that the entertainment offered is held to be replete with nastiness and suggestiveness, usually closing with a "houchee-couchee" or oriental dance. New Orleans is after "clean" shows, even though the box office suffers. LOOKS LIKE RYAN IN BUFFALO. Buffalo, Oct. 12. It looks like a new house in Buffalo for the Olympic Theatre Company, the John J. Ryan corporation of Cincinnati. The site of the Tift House, which was de- atroyed by fire, will be the location. The company has Buffalo moneyed men inter- ested and the site was purchased for the purpose some time ago. ,, The Garden Theatre has passed under the management of "Mike" Shea. It will be conducted as a ten, twenty and thirty cent house. LAMKIN SELLS SAGINAW. Saginaw, Mich., Oct. 10. It is reported here that H. H. Lamkin has disposed of his interest in the Jeffers Theatre to a Mr. Newton and C. S. Sar- gent. Mr. Lamkin wishes to devote more time CO his legitimate attractions at the Arcade Theatre, Toledo, O. He still re- tains control of the theatre at Bay City, this State. XEITH PLATS SUNDAY IN BOSTON. Boston, Oct. 12. Commencing with the coming Sunday the Keith theatre here will have perform- ances. It is the first time in the history of the house that "sacred" concerts have been given, excepting for an occasional benefit. The success attending the Sunday shows given by Williams* Orpheum since its opening caused Keith to change his policy regarding Boston, although it has been assured for some time that he would eventually keep the Boston vaudeville temple open the year around. NO BURLESQUE SAYS MYERS. Max Myers is authority for the state- ment that he m the leasee of the Quartet Club building in Hoboken and is rapidly transforming it intoi^ a theatre that will seat fourteen hun,dred people. He says that its policy will not be burlesque and at the present time he can not divulge the nature of the attractions to be played there. • - w . MAY HOWARD CHANGES MIND. Chicago, Oct. 10. Davenport, la., will not be enlivened by the burlesque troupe, of which May Howard was to have been the star, after all. The details were all arranged, Miss Howard and the girls engaged, but no money was forth- coming and Miss Howard turned down the j)roject. The Amusement Booking Agency of this city had the matter in hand. EAST AND WEST GETTING TOGETHER. House, Grossman & Vorhaus, the attor- neys, have been retained by T. W. Dinkins as associate counsel in the matter at issue between him and Weber & Rush, whom he is suing for an accounting. This would seem to indicate that the Empire Circuit, tor which the law firm is counsel, is more or less interested in the proceedings. CIRCLE'S SUNDAY CONCERTS. • Commencing on October 28 Sunday con- certs will be given at the Grcle Theatre at 69th street. During the week burlesque will be the attraction. The William Mor- ris office will book the acts for the "sacred concerts." AFFILIATION ON ITS WAY. ^ -'The terms under which the Variety Art- ists' Federation of England, the Interna- tional Artisen Loge of Germany and the White Rats of America will affiliate have been agreed upon by the various repre- sentatives of the orders. There remains the formal ratification to be given by the respective bodies, with such modifications as may become necessary. Upon the last named society advising the others that through resolution a proper motion has been made ratifying the agreement entered into the affiliation will be in effect. The important points of the mutual agreement are that members of either order may ask and receive loans and legal protection in any country in which the lodges may be represented. It will be three months before the details are finally set-. tied. The Comedy Club of New York is not a party to the affiliation, although in the condition the minutes of the committees' conference were left it may be admitted at any time application is made. "' " The combined lodges represent about 6,000 vaudeville artists and about 1,800 acts. Its total strength is about one- third of all variety artists who are eligiVle for admission into either of the societies.' MISS BINGHAM'S HIGH FIGURE. While considering the vaudeville propo- sition Amelia Bingham set a price for her services weekly which caused the man- agers to gasp upon hearing it. The amount was $2,000, she to supply a one-act play and cast to cost Dot less than $500. No one accepted her at that figure and it is possible that Miss Bingham would not have taken the time if It had, been given her. -r T'.i ^^V«' •'"O* She says that plans hava been com- pleted for the organization ot her own company which will present a new play by Dorothy Dix and Mrs. Greenleaf Suth- erland named "The Lilac Bloom" late thist month. The piece is in rehearsal and will probably have its tour directed by Klaw A Erlanger. Miss Bingham denies that she seriously considered a vaudeville tour, but it is a fact that her husband has been in active negotiation with the Keith Agency for such a tour for his wife. He was willing to ac- cept at $2,000 a week provided she was guaranteed ten consecutive weeks. WILL HAVE BROWN POTTER. A revival of negotiations for the bring- ing to America of Mrs. James Brown Pot- ter for a vaudeville tour is now on. Both the Morris and Keith aggregations would like to have her for a period of ten weeks, but she is averse to making the trip un- less she is given contracts for twice that time. For a period of twenty weeks Mrs. Potter can be secured for $1,500 per week, and it is more than probable that Percy William and Oscar Hammerstein will bring her over about Christmas. On Thursday Percy Williams made Mrs. Potter's American representative an offer of $1,750 per week for ten weeks with an option on ten more, beginning in Janu- ary, and this proposition is now being submitted to her. MRS. LANGTRY DELAYS OPEHIHO. The Keith-Proctor management is at a loss for a suitable headliner for the opening ol the newly acquired Harlem Opera House. They essayed to spoil Percy Williams' thunder by requesting Mrs. Langtry to occupy the principal place on the opening bill. Had they succeeded they would have attempted to ship her to Keith's Boston bouse also. But Williams got wind of it and notified Mrs. Langtrj'a American agent, H. B. Marinelli. The matter was put before the Jersey Lily and she promptly eonceded Williams' right to object to her appearing at an op- position theatre prior to her engagement with him. In her notiication to Blari- nelli she stated her poflttion cleariy and added that at the conchision of her origi- nal Proctor-WfUians contract she waa prepared to play at any houses thaK^tb^. Proctor folks might designate. Percy Williams was asked for a verifi- cation of the above and said that, while he understood this to be the exact cob- diticm of affairs, he had no official knowl- edge of it. /: "Moet certainly I would object to let- ting Mrs. Langtry appear at the Harlem Opera House prior to her date at the Alhambra. Her American tour was ar- ranged for the Proctor and Williams houses as they existed at that time. It was only by a joint contract with Mr. Proctor and myself that she could be ac- corded a sufficient number of weeks in America to make her coming possible. It would be manifestly unjust to have her appear at the Harlem Opera House, where I understand the prices are to be just half those charged at the Alhambra, be- fore she comes to me. 1 don't anticipate any discussion of the matter, but will certainly protect my rights." At about the time Mrs. Langtry notified the Keith-Proctor combine that she would not play the Harlem Opera House prior to her Alhambra date it was announced that the new Keith-Proctor house would not open on the 15th. Since then there has been a scramble for a suitable headliner to replace her and up to yesterday an ac- ceptable one had not been secured. So hard pressed were the Keith folks that they offered to bond themselves to pro- tect Mrs. Langtry against any loss she might sustain through cancellation or other action on the part of Percy Will- iams. Williams' contract with Mrs. Langtry calling for three weeks of her time at $2,500 weekly does not, however, contain a cancellation clause. The English act- ress has taken counsel of her American solicitors, who advised her that she could be enjoined. Mrs. Langtry is announced to play the Fifty-eighth Street house next week and the United Booking Agency is scanning the horizon for the star act for the opening of their Harlem Opera House on the 22d. NAVASSARS AT THE HIP. On October 21 the Navassar Band will play at the New York Hippodrome. It is the Dial and Armstrong all girl aggrega- tion of musicians and has played over the Ingersoll-Hopkins park circuit the past summer. Forty young women will play at the concert. Two soloists will sing. It is the first time the band as a whole has played this city.