Variety (March 1908)

VARIETY EASTERN GIVES UP SCRANTON HOUSE; WESTERN TAKES IT Columbia Amusement Company Surrenders Lease of Qayety, and It Will Be Turned Over to the V Western Wheel. Scranton, March 19. The various rumors regarding the new Gayety Theatre, operated by the Colum- bia Amusement Company, of Scranton, playing the Eastern Burlesque \Vheel shows, seem to have come out as they predicted. The Eastern Wheel will play out the season in the house, but the Columbia Amusement Company, of New York, has surrendered the lease on the theatre back to the Columbia Company of Scranton. The Scranton concern will now turn the lease over to the Empire Circuit Com- pany (Western Wheel), which will take possession at the commencement of next season, abandoning? the Star, where the Western shows have been playinj? in oj)- position since the Gayety opened early in the winter. Scranton could hardly siipj)ort two burlesque theatres, especially with Poll's playing vaudeville at cheap prices in the city. The impression here, which appears to be well founded, is that the transfer of the lease is really a "deal" made between members of the Eastern and Western Wheel, but taking the course it does, without the direct transfer from one to the other, to escape any comment being caused of a possible healing of the breach between the two factions. SAM SCRIBNER GIVES A PARTY. Perfectlv unabashed at the wild rumors connecting his name with the White Rats' ball, Sam A. Scribncr in full evening dve.v-* attended the opening of the Barnum- Bailey Circus Thursday evening, enter- taining John B, Stanchfield, the noted lawyer; Mr. and Mrs. Goo. M. Cohan, Mr. and Mrs. Sam 11. Harris and L. Law- rence Weber. . Mr. Scribner did nothing scandalous at the pleasant affair Monday evening, but he borrowed some $70 from different peo- ple, and then acknowledged that through stress of circumstances at the moment the money passed he could not recollect the names of his creditors, although he was positive he had settled every wine check presented. Mr. Scribner almost nearly advertised for the names of the people who loaned him the different amounts, thereby mak- ing an admission, which greatly pleased the other two men, who, under the same "stress of circumstances," had forgotten they had loaned Mr. Scribner anything. HELP THE LOWLY CHORISTER. Washington, D. C, March 19. Certain philanthropic citizens of the capital have interested themselves in the well-being of the chorus girl, and the newspapers this week blossomed forth with a discussion of their plans for the betterment of her sad condition. First, an organization is to be formed under the name of The Chorus Girls' Mu- tual Aid Society, membership in which will be taxed at $2 per head and monthly dues fixed at 25 cents, which modest sums will be partly employed in the publica- tion of a newspaper devoted to chorus girl interests and the payment of sick benefits. ' - '-. 'V :.^'' ■■ -■- ■ The philanthropic citizens who are back of the scheme were moved to their action by an epidemic of misfortune to choristers. For some une\plai?ied reason WESTERN DECIDES UPON CHICAGO. Chicago, March 19. The meeting of the Empire Circuit CoTnpttiiyfWe&tein-B«iIcsr|UC-Wheel) kc!d- here Tuesday was attended -by Managers Whallen, Martel, Fehr, Lowrie, Butler and Fennessv, all of whom endorsed the plan to organize the Western shows in this city. It was decided at the meeting to im- prove the grade of production, engaging acts and comedians capable of sustaining an improvement. Jake Sternad, of the Western Vaude- ville Association, has been given charge of the bookings. . c- **EXTRA GIRLS" DISAPPEAR. Washington, March 19. Two new members of the stock chorus of twelve at the New Lyceum (Eastern NIGHT AT TIIK STAR AND GARTER, CHICAGO. Tlio nbovo cut Is the front view of Iljde & P."liinnn's new hurlosque theatre, rcoently opened In the Windy Town. pretty nearly every musical comedy and burlesque company that came into Wash- ington this season has brought a number of chorus girls with harrowing hard luck stories. It is denied that one of the institutions of the society will be a board of arbitra- tion for the settlement of dressing room disputes. ~T "TURKEY'S" FIRST FLIGHT. ^~~ Washington, March 19. "The Man From Egypt" Burlesque Company, a "turkey" organization com- posed of local players, will open at An- napolis Saturday night. Twenty chorus girls and four principals make up a rather uneven balance. They are booked for a line of one-night stands through Maryland and Virginia. Burlescpie Wheel) here suddenly disap- j)eared, leaving behind part of a week's salary and all their possessions. They went to work only two weeks ago. The pair demanded more prominence in their position in the line. They were in the back row of the stock bunch and when the regular choristers of the visiting shows were grouped about the stage, they were all but invisible. Dissatisfaction with this handicap to ambition may have cau.<5ed their desertion. Tim Cronin has had a new monologue written by Matthew Goldman. STOCK AT PHILADELPHIA GAYETY. Philadelphia, March 19. The Gayety (Eastern Burlesque Wheel) will play a. season of summer stock bur- lesqtie [)roduf'tions after the close of the regular season. Edward Shayne, who lately assumed the management of the theatre, will make the productions. EASTERN TO PLAY BAYONNE. Beginning Monday with the "Rice and Barton Big Gaiety" show, the Eastern -)?"**leA'i"e raninaTUP?. will nlav Bavonne, N. J., at the Bayonne Theatre, splitting the week with Scranton. This plan elimi- nates the Bijou, Reading, from the Co- lumbia Amusement Company's route sheets. The Eastern shows have all played there and the Bayonne shift is de- signed to do away with the return dates for the remainder of the season. The shows will change twice a week in Bayonne, Robie's "Knickerbockers" fol- lowing the Rice and Barton organization on Thursday. The theatre was opened last fall as a stock burlesque house under the management of Dave Kraus. A fire put a sudden end to this scheme after it had been running a few days. The West- ern \Vlieel also tried to make it a stand for the shows of that circuit, but T. W. Dinkins' franchise for Jersey City and all of Hudson County prevented this. After next week the shows for the first three week days playing Bayonne will be those at the Gaiety, Brooklyn, the pre- vious week. For the week's end the com- panies will come in from Scranton, after- wards going to Philadelphia, reversing the order.of travel which has been in vogue since the new house at Scranton opened. BUT ONE "COOCH" DANCER. Chicago, March 19. For the first time in many weeks the number of "cooch" dancers in the city this week has been r(Hluced to one. She is Choooeeta, appearing at the Empire with "The Cherrv Blossoms." The young woman, aside from her "Ori- entaT' accomplishments, "wiggled" in her own unrestrained way, but kept within the "limit." HOBOKEN HOUSE ON EASTERN WHEEL. The new theatre for Iloboken which Dave Kraus has contracted with tlic Fuller Construction Co. to build, will be an East- fin liurles(|ue Wheel .sjmke, unless some- thing turns up to disturb the negotiations which have all but lioon closed. It is understood the papers have been submitted to the attorneys of both the interests, and will be signed within a few days, if they have not already. Mr. Kraus' father, G'eorge, also his brother, are Western Burlesque Wheel managers. It is planned by the Eastern managers that Hoboken will split the week with the newly acquired Bayonne theatre, and fcr next season, giving shows the entire six days at the Gayety, Scranton, instead of three as at present. CHERRY SISTERS IN RIGHT. Chicago, March 10. If the CJierry Sisters don't look out, they will soon leave the show business. Only a five cent theatre on State street stands between at present. The girls, who commenced their vaudc- \\\\e career at the New York theatre somo years ago when they revelled in the de- scription of "the worst act in the world," have played all grades of variety shows since. The engagement in the moving pic- ture place is said to be indefinite, both as to their stay and the number of perform- ances daily.