Variety (August 1913)

(>" VARifi: t FIELDS' MUSICAL COMEDIES WILL TAKE IN FOUR CITIES To Personally Operate With Stock Companies. 44th Street Theatre and American Music Hall, Chicago, Already Arranged For. Two More Houses in Eastern Cities to be Settled Upon. Musical Comedy Circuit Starting in November. Chicago, Aug. 13. The American Music Hall, Chicago, and the Lew Fields 44th Street the- atre, New York, are going under the personal management of Lew Fields. Two other houses in eastern cities will also pass to that producer shortly, it ij said, when he intends placing musi- cal comedy stock companies in each house, transferring them at regular periods. The general scheme of Mr. Fields as understood here is comedy productions with a large chorus of girls, these to be shifted often enough to lend a con- tinual variety to the entertainment. Nothing has been said about the admis- sion scale, but with the usual Fields piodigious and liberal productions the box office rates will likely be main- tained at the top price. The Shuberts now have the Ameri- can, and are one-half partners with Fields in the 44th Street house. After his show, "All Aboard," finishes its run at each of these theatres, they pass under Fields' own management, or Mr. Fields may not directly take them over until ready to launch the musical stock companies, sometime in November, according to the report. GOING TO S. A. All arrangements were completed this week for the Morton Opera Com- pany, comprising 36 people, to tour South America this fall under the di- rection of Lou Morton. The company will sail from New York Sept. 3, open- ing at Kingston, Jamaica, Sept. 15, re- turning to the United States next April. JIM DECKER GOING AHEAD. "The Whip." "No. 2." or "The Little Whip" as the second show of that title is fanvliarly called, will have Jim Decker ahead of it. The "No. 2." show opens at the West End, New York, Aug. 30. at the same time the original production starts its Chicago run at. the Auditorium. NOT "PERSIMMONS PREFERRED." Wagenhals & Kemper have decided to change the title of the new farce they have arranged to produce initially in Atlantic City, Oct. 5, next. Rehearsals start the first week in September. The company is completed, hut for business reasons W. & K. wish to withhold their publication until re- hearsals start. The play's new title lias not been selected. FIELDS SHOW IX CHICAGO. Next Monday a week Lew Fieh's "All Aboard," now on the roof of the 44th Street theatre, will move down- 1 .airs, playing indoors until S^pt. 13. when the production is due to leave New York, for its next stand, Ameri- can Music Hall, Chicago (Sept. 15). In the indoor theatre Mr. Fields can give eight performances a week, which includes two matinees. On the Roof he has been limited to the six evening shows only. HOPKINS SELLS SUCCESS. Arthur Hopkins has disposed of his production rights in Eleanor Gates' successful play, "The Poor Little. Rich Girl," to Klaw & Erlanger and it will in future be under the direction of the "Syndicate." The cash consideration is said to be in the neighborhood of $40,000. Next season's tour will begin Sept. 29 at the Grand Opera House, after which it will tour the larger cities throughout the country. "PARADISE" FOR THE WEST. Chicago, Aug. 13. "The Bird of Paradise" is rehearsing here. It will go west, after opening Labor Day at Lincoln. Most of the time will be week stands. The show under Oliver Morosco's management, has a new woman in the leading role. She is Leonore Ulrich. FIGMAN'S "DR. DE LUXE." Oscar Figman started Monday to join the Metropolitan stock company in Minneapolis, playing a week in "Madame Sherry," and then put on there a revival of "Dr. De Luxe" as a sort of warming up gallop to a star- ring tour in the latter piece throughout the west, under the direction of Wil- liam Cullen. CHORUS GIRLS SCARCE. Wires reached New York dramatic agents from Chicago and the west Monday and Tuesday. beseeching them to ship all the chorus girls avail- able by the first trains out of the Manhattan stations. The chorus girl famine not only hits Chicago but takes in New York as the agents here say they have sent hurry up calls in all directions without favorable results. Three shows about to take to the road are shy full choruses. A dearth of chorus girls at this time is something unusual but it is probably due to the fact that so many young women want t<» stay in New York and arc banking on permanent berths here. When all the big companies and the Hip show have been supplied and the weeding out process is over there will be a bunch of choristers sorry that they are pacing up the road at present COMBINE NOT TO LOAN. Possibly aided and abetted, or may- be only with the approval of the two legitimate "syndicates" working in har- mony now, not only the trust companies but the various title corporations have combined to lend no more money for the purpose of erecting in New York City any structures designed for the- atrical purposes. They have decided that the metropolis is sufficiently blessed with theatres, and all others v;ould come under the head of a haz- ardous investment In the past, builders have contented themselves with a comparatively small cash payment from the promoter of a theatre, conducting the building opera- tions with money borrowed from the title or trust companies under contracts tc be paid back in yearly installments added to the ground rent The recent financial difficulties in which the promoting syndicate which erected the Fitzgerald Building (in which the Cohan theatre is located) and one or two other similar enter- prises, determined the large lending corporations on such a course. The first theatre enterprise to feel the effects of this ruling was the new playhouse to be erected on the corner of Broadway and 37th street. No bona- fide tenant could be found to take the place without the financial assistance of the title or trust companies, where- upon the plans were altered so that the auditorium portion of the new structure will be eliminated. Edward Margolies, one of the most energetic of the theatre promoters, confirmed the report of inability to raise money for the erection of thea- tre properties and added that he was through with that kind of work. At the present time Mr. Margolies is devoting himself to the construction of a fireproof theatrical storage ware- house very close to Times Square and feels sure that there is considerably less hazard in such an undertaking. MAYBE IT'S TRUE. In the Lew Field's office hangs a card reading: "If every man was as true to his country as he is to his wife— then God Help the Star Spangled Banner." 11 RAY SAMUELS IN "EXPRESS.** "The Honeymoon Express," the Winter Garden production of Last season, will have Ray Samuels and Artie Mehlinger among its principals for the road tour to start Sept. 15. Juliet Dika will take the role as- sumed by Gaby Deslys at the Garden. Grace La Rue first followed the French girl in it. Nearly all of the former principals will be retained for the show. They include Melville Ellis, Ada Lewis, Al Jolson, Doyle and Dixon. BERLIN'S MUSICAL COMEDY. Irving Berlin is busily engaged at present writing the music for a new Arperican comedy to be produced by Charles B. Dillingham to follow "The Doll Girl," which opens the season at the Globe. The cast is to be recruited at once. IS BLINN DISPLEASED? Is Holbrook BUnn displeased at his Princes theatre engagement? That is a question asked along Broadway, where the story has gained currency the di- rector of the Princess Players is not a certainty for next season at the house. Mr. "Blinn is now rehearsing a Wil- liam Harris show. His agreement with the Princess was said to be ten per cent, of the gross receipts, which reached as high as $6,500 at the small theatre, and fell as low as $2,500, though netting Mr. Blinn an average of $500 or more weekly. It's not money however that's causing any dis- turbance, although the real Inside story isn't out. This week Morris Gest is reported tc have purchased the 25 per cent, in- terest Archie Selwyn had in the Prin- cess proposition. Mr. Gest's partner, F. Ray Comstock. promoted the house and is active in the management of it. CUTS AT CENTURY. The lavish hand that distinguished the business management of the Cen- tury theatre during the Liebler regime, and of the Shubert direction when the house was the New theatre is being chained to the wall by the Aborns. Instead of $50. the head box office man will Ret $25 weekly: his assistant $20; the stat?e doorman $10 weekly in- stead of $12; the three entrances will be reduced to two. savincr another hired man: the number of elevators in action reduced, and other economic* instituted. .The Aborns, Milton and Sargent, will not live on the premises, but E. K. Baird. representing the Metropolitan Opera House interests will, in apart- ments beinp: fitted up for him on the 63rd street side of the building. The subscriptions are not coming in with the impetus the Century's opera season hoped. So far. about 300 sub- scribers have been secured, addine; about $40,000 to the opera fund. GASTON ANCHINI Inventor of the remarkubU KfoeTTiatophoqA DELLA CLARKE'S NEW ONE. Delia Clarke, last season in "Intro- duce Me." presents a new comedy drama from her pen. entitled "Shadows." the mmine season. Her tour begins at Plainfield. Oct 20-