Variety (August 1913)

VARIETY 11 STAGE HANDS UNION AGREE; MUSICIANS AND M 'G'RS CANNOT I. A. T. S. E. Reach Understanding With Theatrical Employers. Will Probably be Ratified by Referendum Vote. Musicians Make Conditions Managers Side Step, Leaving Their Matter in Statu Quo. More Latitude for Vaudeville Acts. Two meetings in New York this week and last between committees representing the theatrical managers and the International Alliance of The- atrical Stage Employes practically closed up their differences. The agree- ment, as reached, will be sent to all the I. A. T. S. E. Locals, with a rec- ommendation of the union committee that it be adopted. It is expected that this will be done. Both sides say the settlement is sat- isfactory. The conferences from re- ports were peaceful and business like. The pact made is for two years. Some of the important items were the waiver by the- union of the condi- tion requiring a production out four weeks and returning to New York to have the crew taken care of. This will be optional with the management. A concession to the union was that where a. show is out of town for any consid- erable time and returns to a big city for a run, the crew, if t:ut placed in the theatre with the production, must he token care of by the management. The scale remains the same, $40 weekly for carpenters, $35 weekly for c'cctricians, and $35 for property men. A contract form to be mutually agreed upon will be drawn up. It will not differ greatly in general from the present contract of the I. A. T. S. E. Certain matters will be referred to arbitration, with local and a general board to pass upon them. The usual three members if necessary will com- pose the arbitration bodies. Otherwise two will officiate, one each appointed by the respective sides. Some latitude has been allowed vau- deville acts in the engagement of stage hands. For a turn carrying frame scenery the spread of which is 50 feet or more, whether with ceilings or bor- der, a union man is required. An act will be allowed to carry two baton drops or a cyclorama not to exceed 50 feet without carrying a man. It will not be required for a vaudeville act to carry more than one man unless using electrical apparatus in a quantity neces- sary for the services of another. Tack on one trunk is exempt. Any turn carrying special appliances needing a mechanic must engage an -\~. —A^-T-,,~~S.--IL- man. Conditions not covered by the resolution on vaude- ville acts are to be settled by a com- mittee of three froni other theatres who shall be appointed by president of the union local and report to the owner of the act in writing. The A. F. of M., known as the Mu- sician's Union, failed to agree with the managers Tuesday. Jos: Weber, presi- dent, of Cincinnati, left New York that day. TheTKanagers made no propo- sition. The musicians wanted an agreement for two years, with house orchestras to be under local autonomy. The managers considered this afforded them no relief from the conditions throughout the country they are com- plaining as regards the musicians. The musicians also demanded $40 for tiavelling musicians in musical come- dies, with operatic men $40 weekly, with $14 extra and sleepers. Disputed matters were left to arbitration before i he Civic Federation. The managers and musicians left the matter as it was before, the meeting adjourning without date set for an- other conference. What the future will bring forth in this affair is prob- lematical The I. A. T. S. E. and A. F. of M. are affiliated. The agreement reached by both bodies last August was rati- fied at the Musicians' convention in Toronto this summer, and at the stage hands union convention in Seattle last month. Under the international amal- gamations, either union would neces- sarily be obliged to support the other, as against the managers or in the event of trouble with employers. Representing the I. A. T. S. E. as a committee at the managerial meet- ings were C. C. Shay, International President, John Fanning, Chicago Lo- cal No. 2, Ed Reynolds, Boston Local No. 5, Harold Williams, N. Y. Local No. 35, F. G. Leimiaster, Denver Local No. 7, Clyde Spencer, New Orleans Local No. 39. Cleveland, Aug. 6. Representatives of the Musical Mu- tual Protective Association and a com- mittee of local theatre managers were scheduled to hold a confab this week to arbitrate if possible the demands of the musicians for a new wage scale, The musicians served notice on the managers last week that hereafter they would expect a scale of $30 for twelve performances, $25 for nine and $20 for eight. The present scale is $20 for eight or nine shows and $24 for twelve. Leaders are now getting $30 and the new demands require $40 weekly for the baton wielder. Unless the matter is settled amicably between the two, there is liable to be some action. Chicago. Au g. 6. Theatre managers of Chicago have received from the Federation of Musi- cians a tentative proposition for the coming year. According to the state- ment issued the wage scale for the first class theatres, when an orchestra is engaged with a guarantee of em- ployment during all the time the house is open (Aug. 1 to June 30). and for not less than eight performances per week each man is to receive $5.50 and the leader $7.50. The wage scale where nine men are employed in first class houses for thirty weeks consecutively, with not less than eight performances per week (ex- cepting grand opera), $47; extra men, or stage band, with the same guar- antee, excluding Sunday, $5.50. First class houses using 11 men, $57. Extra men or stage bands, $5. At the con- clusion of thirty weeks employers are entitled to a rebate of $1 per man em- ployed for each performance given dur- ing the time. For each consecutive succeeding week the rebate is to be allowed weekly. Contracting member is required to deposit with the Chicago Federation of Musicians, weekly, during the thirty weeks period, an amount sufficient to cover all rebates to be held in trust until such time as the thirty weeks period is completed. The matter has been brought to the attention of the Managers' Associa- tion, but no action is to be taken until word has been received from New York. The Cort, Olympic, Powers, Black- stone and Princess Theatres will not have orchestras this season. Some of the others may cut them out. MUSICAL "STEER" NAMED. Chicago, Aug. 6. It has finally been decided to call the musicalization of "A Texas Steer," to open the new La Salle opera house, Aug. 24, "A Trip to Washington." Arthur Stanford and Rose Winter have been added to the cast. Some new characters have Wen written into the piece by Henry Blossom. The pre- mier will be Aug. 18, ~at Racine. Two days later the show will go to Mil- waukee. "FOLLIES" GOING OUT SKIT. «. While the announcement has not been made broadcast, it is said the date of departure for Ziegfeld's "Fol- lies" from the New Amsterdam is Sept. 6. The show moves over to the Forrest, Philadelphia. exchanging places with Werba & Lucscher's "Sweethearts," which opens there Labor Day for a week. From Philly, after four or six weeks. "The Follies" is due in Boston. A report this week Jose Collins will be shifted to a Klaw & Erlanger new musical show when "The Follies" leave New York, was denied. FARCE COMEDY ACEPTED. Cleveland, Aug. 6. "The Girl Who Dared" is the title of a farce comedy by Robert ITousum. a Cleveland newspaperman, to be pro- duced in the fall by William A. Brady The theme deals with the adven- tures of three young men seeking a lost heiress to claim a large reward. BUILDING UP "MISS SWIFT." Aaron Hoffman is putting the finish- ing touches to the manuscript of "Miss Swift of New York," the new piece in which Julian Eltinge is to star next sea- season. The comedy is by a western newspaper man named Steele, who died shortly after completing the piece. HofTmaa is building up tlie comedy sit- uations SLIPPING OVER A SHOW. The Shuberts are about to Slip over a show, very quietly rehearsed at the Maxime Elliott theatre. It is a "white slave" play called "The Victim." Vin- cent Serrano is of the cast. The production was to have been pre- sented Wednesday at Schenectady. If pronounced in good order a quick shift into a New York house (perhaps the Elliott) was on the tapis. Paper is apt to be posted any day for the pro- duction if it is decided to continue with it. There is said to be a number of "white slavers" in course of prepara- tion among the producing managers for this coming season. In the west one or two are already out. Schenectady, N. Y., Aug. 6. The author of "The Victim," a "white slave" play, is George Scar- borough, a New York newspaperman It is planned to present it at the Van Curler Opera House, Saturday. The cast includes Mary Nash, Jo- sephine Victor, Dorothy Dorr, Lola May, Vincent Serrano, Edwin Holt and George Pinbert. C. G. Bochert was here early this week in the interest of the piece. "GENTLEMAN" LAID AWAY. . The Maxine Elliott theatre did not have the first opening of the legit sea- son Monday night. An adaptation from the French, called "The Gentleman From Room 19" was to have shown, but at a dress rehearsal last week the Shuberts ordered flowers, and he has gone forevermore. It was "The Gentleman's" second death, but resurrection after the first time sent the young fellow from France to Boston for a run last spring. DRAMATIC AT STUDEBAKEK. The first show at the Studebaker will be a dramatic piece, in order that the house may not be opposition to "The Silver Slipper," which opens at the Illi- nois. It had been announced that "Oh, Oh, Delphine!" was to open the Stude- baker. Harold Bell Wright's novel, "The Winning of Barbara Worth." may find its way to the stage via the Studebaker about Sept. 15. Edwin Milton Roylc is making the play, so it is averred. 2,3<M) IN OSCAR'S O. H. The seating capacity of Oscar Ham- nierstcin's new opera house at Lexing- ton avenue and Fiftieth street will be J,500. Arthur Hammerslein says it will open some time in September. Arthur will assist his father in the operation of the operatic venture. With two companies of "The Firefly" on the road and "High Jinks" launched by Sept. 15, Arthur will devote the rc- ma7ndcr _ bf — riTs~timr this season to the Lexington avenue edifice. Bessie Wynn was to have sailed yes- terday for London, where she is to enter a revue. STARRING JANE COWL. Jane Cowl returns to the cast of "Within the Law" at the Eltinge Mon- day, when the company will have the original cast that opened with the piece. From now on she is to be featured, in preparation for a starring tour A. H. Woods has in contemplation for her with a new pi(-cr which will open about November.