Variety (October 1914)

12 VARIETY BOOKING MEN GO ON RECORD DENYING " BAD SO UTH" STATUS New York Agents Who Route Shows Below Mason and Dixon Line Refute General Impression Entire South Is "Shot to Pieces." Admit Certain Territory Off. Dullness in the theatrical business is not a general condition through the south, but is largely local to Virginia, accord- ing to the statements yesterday of C. A. Weis of the Weis Circuit and the heads of the Equitable Circuit, who between them control the larger portion of book- ing below the Mason-Dixon line. The impression of a "bad south" has become so broadcast that some of the southern managers have gotten out signed statements to the effect that their territory promises profits and are send- ing them to road managers. The season on the Weis Circuit south does not really begin until the middle of October although it is getting a num- ber of productions now playing that re- gion. C A. Weis, who handles the circuit's books, says that his records show more attractions and bigger shows than they did this time last season. Mr. Weis added that the southern busi- ness should perk up with conditions more settled, but that conditions in a few spots should not frighten any experienced manager out of the south altogether. George H. Walker, manager Opera House, Austin, Tex., Monday wired Mr. Weis that his state was in fine shape. The Equitable Booking Office, C. A. Burt, genera] manager, shows certified boxofnce statements to support the state- ment that the south is well worth a tour. "Stop Thief," Bert Leigh featured, stepped out of its usual route this fall, playing some northern dates which were not satisfactory, but the moment the show reached its old territory the re- turns were on the profit side, its owners say. "The Girl and the Tramp" (two com- panies) operated by the Fred A. Byers Co. has done reasonably well below Vir- ginia. "The Virginian," Jones & Crane's show is reported as doing a satisfactory busi- ness and the booking office has the signed statements of the managers of the Blue- field (W. Va.), Ashland (Ky.) and Georgetown (O.) houses praising the show and asking for a return date. In West Virginia at the start of the south- ern time the show slumped off but busi- ness picked up further along in the southern zone. "Mutt and Jeff," now on its fourth tour south, is doing even better than last season. "Broadway Jones" was bumped on its early dates but as soon as Vir- ginia was left behind business took an upward trend and the show is now said to be making money. Billy Clifford, traveling in his own car and carrying a ladies' band, says he has not had a single losing week since he began to play the Atlantic Coast stands. The past week "Hanky Panky," now louring the Atlantic coast south, showed an increase in its business in the Caro- linas. Robert Kane's "Simple Simon" Mu- sical Comedy Company is playing week stands and said to be doing capacity. "Peg O' My Heart" has a long south- ern route booked, starting October 7 at Wilmington, Del. Some of the road shows refuse to book any time near the "Peg" show. Word is in the New York offices that cotton is being shipped to England out of Galveston but not at a rate to use up the record crop which was harvested down there. Carrollton, Ga., Sept. 30. Hearing that the south was reported in the north as "all in" theatrically, O. V. Fowler, local banker and owner of the Auditorium wired into the New York booking offices that the "southern condition taken care of and was never better" and asked the bookers to strain a point to give this city some good shows for October and November. BELASCO'S DREAM PLAY. Baltimore, Sept. 30. "The Phantom Rival" was given for the first time on any stage at Ford's opera house, Monday night. David Belasco presented Leo Ditrichstein, this actor appearing in his own version of the Hungarian comedy by Ference Molnar. The piece is of very unusual order. Half the action passes in a dream. The theme treats of the wife of a jealous husband. She dreams of her first love, who promised to return to her a hero. At times there is a little too much repetition, but otherwise the curious theme is managed with the greatest skill. Mr. Ditrichstein's performance is the most complete that has been done here. No matter what may be the fate of the play, he proves his right to stellar honors. He is seen as the early lover. Laura Hope Crews, as the wife, shares honors with Mr. Ditrichstein. Her work is practically without a flaw. Malcolm Williams makes a good im- pression as the husband. The play is beautifully staged. "PINAJfORE" ON THE ROAD. The revival of "Pinafore" which was featured at the Hippodrome last sea- son, has been framed up by the Shu- berts as a road show, opening at Har- manus' Bleeker Hall, Albany, next Monday night. After four days at Albany the show makes its way for a week at the Prin- cess, Montreal, and the Royal Alex- andra, Toronto, for a week's stay at each place. John P. Toohey has been commis- sioned to bundle the advance. PRIZE PUT PRODUCED. Los Angeles, Sept. 30. "Lady Eileen," the comedy by GeF- aldine Bonner and Hutcheson Boyd, which won the Oliver Morosco prize over 3,000 other contenders, was pro- duced Sunday at the Burbank, and dis- closed itself as a sort of inverted "Peg O' My Heart." It concerns an English girl of titled parentage, who leaves an English home of luxury to live among poor relations in a New York theatrical boarding house. The dialog scintillates, but at the cost of dragging action. Some of the char- acters are exaggerated. The play is in three acts, which take place in the same setting of the board- ing house. Lillian Kemple Cooper, a young English actress, made her Amer- ican debut in the title role, and was a winsome "Eileen." It is Morosco's in- tention to star her in the play later. "EXPERIENCE" PREMIERE. Atlantic City, Sept. 30. George V. Hobart's allegorical play, "Experience," was produced at the Apollo Monday night, with William Elliott, the producer, playing the lead- ing part of "Youth." The effort is an ambitious one, both as a literary creation and as a produc- tion, and the audience which witnessed the premiere gave it serious hearing. The allegory is impressive and there is a certain sincerity about Hobart's con- ceptions which compel attention. The play is in three acts and seven scenes, with incidental music by Max Bendix and Silvio Hein. Mr. Mitchell staged the piece. The allegory follows the journeys of Youth accompanied by Experience and his early friend Ambition through the Streets of Vacillation to a meeting with Pleasure, through the Roseate Halls and to the Halls of Chance. Here he meets Degradation and Delusion and lives in the House of Lost Souls. His footsteps are turned by a miracle to the Street of Forgotten Days and Love works his salvation. In the cast are: Love, Helen Green; Hope, May Mc- Manus; Youth, William Elliott; Ambi- tion, Willard Blackmore; Experience, Ben Johnson; Pleasure, Roxane Bar- ton; Opportunity, Adele Holt; Gush, Thomas Herbert; Drivel, Edward Sil- ton; Excitement, Eleanor Christy; Travel, John Maher; Song, Marion Whitney; Sport, Joseph McManus; Fashion, Bess Ryan; Blue Blood, Byron Russel; Style, Elston Morris; Frivolity, Louise Contil; Snob, Duncan Harris; Conceit, Edmund Ruth; Pride, Eliza- beth West; Beauty, Madeleine Howard; Deceit, Dorothy barker; Slander, Fran- ces Richards; Intoxication, Margaret Williams; Wealth, A. G. Andrews; Passion, Florence Short; Good Nature, Duncan Howard; Caution, Elston Mor- ris; System, Edmund Roth; Stupid, John Maher; Despair, Harry Lane; Superstition, John McManus; Chance, George T. Neech; Careless, Thomas Herbert; Thoughtless, Edward Silton; Roulette Dealer, Billy Betts; Poverty, Will Gregory; Delusion, J. Byron Tot- ten; Degradation, Marion Holcombe; Frailty, Alba de Anchoris, and Crime, Frank McCormack. "MISS TOBASCO" A DRAW. Scranton, Sept. 30. Eva Tanguay in three acts proved an immense draw here last night in the new musical-comedy cocktail "Miss Tabasco." Miss Tanguay is the whole show, although she allows her aides op- portunity to shine from time to time. The capacity audience greeted the cy- clonic comedienne with the same en* thusiasm it displayed for her vaude- ville specialty. The vehicle is a light and tenuous affair, serving merely as a background for Miss Tanguay's "Evaisms," with a plentiful admixture of singing and dancing to sustain interest through the two acts. The star brought forward her old- time sure-fire song hits and a few new ones by Johhny Ford. Introduced in the last act, Miss Tanguay's former vaudeville vehicle proved the hit of the evening and clinched a substantial success. SHOWS IN LOS ANGELES. Los Angeles, Sept. 30. This is a quiet week for the combina- tion houses. Only a handful attended the Majestic, where De Wolf Hopper and the Gilbert and Sullivan opera company are holding forth. The ad- vance sale, however, promises better things for the second half of the week. Business is little better at the Mason, where the William J. Burns' "Counter- feiting Mystery" film is the attraction. BOSTON SHOWS. Boston, Sept. 30. Openings next week bring "Potash & Perlmutter" to the Tremont for eight weeks at least, the metropolitan premiere of "Wanted: $22,000" to the Plymouth for two weeks, "The Whirl of the World" to the Shubert for an indefinite engagement, and the opening of the Boston theatre under the man- agement of William H. Leahy with grand opera at $2.50. The proud announcement a couple of seasons ago that all bookings in Bos- ton would be as amicable as possible proved to be bunk last year, and from surface indications this season will be another. "The Follies" crashed into town Monday, and "The Whirl of the World" is promptly announced by the Shu- berts for the following Monday. These bookings were both made far ahead, but the conflict might have been avoided. "The Follies" will probably break its own Boston record this visit. It did $2,400 Monday night, establishing a local record at the Colonial for $2 prices. Flo Ziegfeld selected a fine date to open here, with the Harvard term commencing and many strangers in town. HIGHBROWS TO PLAY "IFBY." Pittsburgh, Sept. 30. An elaborate production of the an- cient Greek play, "Iphigenia in Tauis," the first, it is claimed, in America, will be made by Professor Thomas Wood Stevens and Douglas Ross with their class of drama students in the Car- negie Institute of Technology, in No- vember.