Variety (January 1914)

VARIETY 15 NEWS OF THE CABARETS Lydia Lopoukowa made her debut Monday evening at the New York Roof as a cabaret dancer, in "society dances." Lopoukowa is a toe dancer by profes- sion, of the ballet and of the highest lank. The $1,000 weekly she is receiv- ing for dancing at the aerial resort may explain her temporary change of heart and place of employment. But this young girl (she is 19) need not fret, for if Lydia does nothing else while engaged in cabaret work, she will at least make it so difficult for other dancers to follow her that res- taurants will have to stop looking for show girls to become "ballroom dan- cers." With her litheness and natural grace, and with the ballet training, Lo- poukowa simply makes it impossible for any of the present day women pro- fessional dancers with hardly an ex- ception to follow her. Monday night she did three numbers before a fash- ionable and professional attendance that was mostly attracted by her pres- ence. Her dances were the Polka Vio- lette, Pavannah and a waltz. In each one she had Edmund Makaliff as part- ner. He is a young man and an excep- tionally good handler. On the slippery floor the couple went through the movements without a ruffle, although Lopoukowa made a slip at one time that would have thrown a less expert dancer. She recovered herself in a flash and did not miss a step. In dress- ing for cabaret also Lopoukowa is dif- ferent. She wore a simple white gown that set off her girlishness and sensibly eschewed the usual cabaret dancer's ambition to wear bright-looking clothes with X-ray skirts. With her hair hanging down Lopoukowa ap- peared as she is, a pretty little girl and an agile dancer. Her season on the Roof should do wonders for it. Dancing-restaurants have been degen- erating in the class of patronage for some time. Proprietors arc permit- ting too many "chickens" who should be at other places to frequent the bet- ter restaurants, because their escorts are wine buyers. It will eventually drive away the nice people from any place that stands for this stuff, and some of it is very bad. Nice women do not care to sit at the next table to a couple of "persons" drinking wine (even if they don't know it) and smoking cigarettes. In one dancing place not so long ago a girl not over 20 sat at a table smok- ing a cigar. The management did not object. One other item Lbpoukowa's appearance on the New York Roof brought out; that was a white band. The banjos in it are not allowed to play while she dances. Perhaps Bill Morris will now appreciate how much better a white orchestra can play rag- time music. He wouldn't believe it for a long time. The drummer may not be so fancy, but he's a drummer, and that is a lot. New Year's Eve was not the glorious time in New York many expected it would be. The hilarity was evident on the street, without too enthusiastic noise, the police having attended to that early in the evening by suppress- ing the horn and rattle sellers. In the restaurants the spirit seemed evident, without many spenders to give it full vent. Most of the hotels and restaurants were said the day before to have ordered less wine than for several years back in the belief the bad times and unrestful feeling prevalent would restrain the big spenders. This came true, according to all veracious reports. In fact some of the hotels found it difficult to draw an over- crowded house, while others were greatly worried a couple of days previously through the slight demand for reservations. Reserved tables were selling from $5 to $10 a plate, the latter price being placed on the "boxes" around the stage of the New York Roof. The Roof had $6 tables in the rear. It drew about 500 peo- ple, mostly sightseers who expected a wild night that did not eventuate. Shanley's had as large a crowd as any in the city. The restaurant fed 950 people for the midnight meal, at $7 a plate. The Shanley crowd of eaters numbered 40 more than on New Year's Eve of '13. The Shanley people had p. good time and dancing was permitted on the grill floor for the first time, though couples were dancing all over the place around 4 a. m. Healy's, at 66th street, had an all-night crowd, that, with late comers, did not disperse until 10 o'clock Thursday morning. Some of the Healy waiters remained on duty until Friday morning, without sleep. The new Rector's, with $5 plates, had a packed house, but not much money was spent. The Hotel McAlpin held a large but quiet crowd. The Knickerbocker at $5 got a nice play from a mixed assemblage. It was believed the Knickerbocker fared the best of the big hotels, although the Biltmore did a big business. The Sixty Club took away the celebrities usually found in the dancing places on other evenings. It is a society of pro- fessional folk and to see the new year come in, it engaged a floor at the Hotel Astor where the invited guests cele- brated. .Some of the hotels were out for special attractions prior to New Year's, offering as high as $1,000 for a special feature for the evening, to draw. The McAlpin is said to have invited the Anna Held show at the Casino down there as guests. Several of the show were present, including Miss Held. New Year's Day held up well for the theatres, but slumped off for the restaurants at night, as was expected. New Year's Eve for the theatres around Times Square wasn't r.ny too fancy. A few barely got by, the increase of prices hurting. Of all the special menus for New Year's Eve Jhe one at Shanley's seemed to he the leader. It contained seven courses, three of which were turtle soup, terrapin (with choice of sweet- breads), and partridge. Terrapin on the regular Shanley bill was listed at $3.50 a portion. The Knickerbocker also served terrapin. The lightest menu noted consisted of consomme, STOCK HARDLY A CROWD. The Garden theatre, New York, is again dark. The recent stock attempt of E. A. Hamilton and A. M. Druck- man was unsuccessful from the start. The first Tuesday matinee had 12 persons in the house and at night 22 admissions were sold. In the closing company were God- frey Kenney, Fred Baldwin, George Young, Edward Carter, Junie Daven- port, Charlotte Quincey, Alice Gilmore, Bianca Robinson and John Madison. . NEW STOCKS. Elmira, N. Y., Jan. 7. A new stock company is opening here at the Lyceum next Monday un- der the direction of A. C. Dorner. Chattanooga, Jan. 7. A stock company has been organ- ized for the Lyric under the manage- ment of Julia Neville. Houston, Jan. 7. The new Houston stock, managed by Bert Gagnon, started at the Cosy theatre this month with "The Charity Ball" as the first attraction. CHANGING COMPANIES. Erie, Pa., Jan. 7. Frances Shannon has arrived from New York to succeed Minnie Williams with the Majestic Theatre stock, the latter going to the Bisbee stock at the Samuels, Jamestown, Pa. squab, desert and coffee. An explana- tion of the usual New Year's Eve con- dition, however, might be located be- tween the difference of people in a dancing place and a restaurant. When dancing it takes longer to feel the effect of refreshments through the guests spending most of the time on the floor. In the restaurants where eating and drinking (this includes most of the hotels also) are the main pur- suits, the diners go right to it, become lively much earlier and are apt to spend more money in a shorter time than the dancers do. Martin's cabaret restaurant (form- erly Rector's) at Broadway and 60th street, Jan. 2, went into the hands of a receiver who is continuing the busi- ness. Liabilities about $30,000. Cunningham and demons, a pair of trotters from Shanley's, won the dance contest at the*midnight show of the New York theatre New Year's Eve. Seven couples competed, among them the Dancing Kennedys, the Shaws, and Moran and Moran. The audience se- lected the winner by applause. The second show that evening at the New York got one dollar, top admission, and had a fairly good crowd, bringing ip more money than capacity would have at the usual house scale. Irene Olsen is back from Europe, again at Shanlcys. She is the red- headed girl who left late in the sum- mer for London. CLOSING IN TWO WEEKS. Springfield, Mass., Jan. 7. Poli's stock company is reported closing in two weeks, the house is said, to be taking up pop vaudeville. The Poli manager admits some change. Several of the players have received their notices. STOCK IMPRESARIO DEPARTS. Camden, N. J., Jan. 7. Leaving numerous creditors, Man- ager Frank B. Cake, of the Temple, has departed. The Temple Stock Co. disbanded and the manager found him- self facing a deficit of $1,200. He left town with his wife and two infant chil- dren. Employes of the theatre failed to re- ceive their wages and creditors took possession of the house. BIO NAMES PROMISED. Minneapolis, Jan. 7. Jane Tyrrell bade farewell to local stock audiences in "Quincy Adams Sawyer" and will return to New York soon. Commencing Jan. 11, Manager Bain- bridge will inaugurate the stock star system, with Florence Roberts in "Zaza." Miss Roberts' engagement is for four weeks, with weekly change. Dustin Farnum may follow her. Others under negotiation are James K. Hackett, Tully Marshall and Mrs. Leslie Carter. In each case the star will be supported by the resident stock company. MUNNELL AT OAK PARK. Chicago, Jan. 7. Franklyn Munnell signed a contract today to play leads with the Oak Park (Warrington theatre) stock company, succeeding Al. McGovern. GOING AT LOUISVILLE. Louisville, Jan. 7. The new Walnut Street theatre stock company has been installed, with Virginia Pearson as leading woman. J. P. Goring is manager. CHAMPLIN CO. RECORD. Stamford, Conn., Jan. 7. The Charles K. Champlin Co. made a unique record here on its Alhambra engagement. It came to town for the benefit of the Elks on a big guarantee and crowded houses at each perform- ance when a different play was pro- duced established a mark for local stock engagements. The plays presented were "Madame X," "Shore Acres," "Alias Jim Valen- tine," "The Master of the House," "The Price Women Pay," "A Gentle- man of Leisure, I he Ensign," "The Daughters of Men," "The Man of Her Soul" and "A Thief For A Night." Champlin's company numbers 24 peo- ple. Last season they played 40 weeks without a losing week and br"kc 24 house records.