Variety (April 1923)

1« LEGITIMATE Thursday, April 5, 1923 SHOWS IN N. Y. AND COMMENT 'r Figures estimated and comment point to some attractions being successful, while the same gross accredited to others might suggest mediocrity or toss. The variance is explained in the difference in house capacities, with the varying overhead. Also the size of cast, with consequent difference in necessary gross for profit. Variance in business necessary for musical attraction as against dramatic play is also considered. •'Abie's Irish Rose," Republic (46th week). Holy Week uurprise to Broadway, drop bcinp less than nntlclpaied and some leaders ac- tually showing Increases. Off here also, but takings of over 110,000 turned a good profit. •Anything Might Happen," Comedy (7th week). Pace after this week will determine length of stay, liufiiness littlo more than even break between $5,000 to $6,000. Former figure Inst week. ••Barnum Was Right," Vrazoe r4th week. Dented by weak Satur- t'ay, general bocau.se of Jewi.«?h Passover; off $1,000. Bu.''ines.« around $7,000, but attraction atill counted as promising. •Better Times," Hippodrome (31st week). Heavy matinee trade last week and this. House listed to go dark In three weeks, but may take on summer policy. ■Caroline," Amt.issador (10th week). AVas expected to continue well . Into spring season, but slipped farther last week, going to $8,500. Reported having made n»oney, al- thoTigh first Indications of strong business were not fulfilled. Im- ported adapted operetta. •Dice of tha Gods," National (Ist week). Mrs. Fiske enters Thurs- day night, relighting house. t>how first called "Padc^-." Played Chi- cago, but has been laying off sev- eral weeks. "Chauve-Souris," Century Roof (61st week). Reduction In scale to $3 ■ top after running more than year at $5 turned trick and Russian specialists are doing excellently. Matinee trade surpuisingly strong last week. Four afrernoons carded for this week, - "Cinders,** Dresden (Ist week). This musical originally listed for Ful- ton, but converted roof finally chosen. Opened Tuesday, charging I $3 top, dollar Iciis than "Follies" BUSINESS AS EXPECTED IN BOSTON LAST WEEK CANT HGURE REST OF SEASON But Started Briskly Easter Monday for Season's Final Quarter , FOR PHILLirS LEGIT HOUSES downstairs. •Elsie," Vanderbilt (1st week). • Mu- sical which attracted attention in middle west. Believed to have en- tered Chicago at unfavorable time. "When shown In Boston recently several houses here offered. Opened Monday. "Follies," New Amsterdam (44th week). Would not surpri.se talent if revue reached year on Broad- way. Looks sure to run into May. Average is $33,000 weekly, which leads Broadway. "Give and Take,** 49th St. (12th week). Pairties helped early this week, business holding up well. Holy Week about same as week previous; $7,500. •Go Go," Daly's 63d St. (4th week). Musical of real promise. Picked up steadily from premiere and held to $10,000 pace last week. Ought to remain until hot weather. Re- ported moving dowptown, but de- nied. "God of Vengeance," Apollo (7th week). Notice to vacate given this turbulent attraction Saturday, when under stop limit for two successive weeks. Slid under $6,500 last week. Piece may be moved back to Greenwich Village, but that depends on court cases. •Icebound," Sam Harris (8th week). Ono of dramas which has foo'ed showmen; con.side<red fine piece, but apparent difference of opinion among patrons. Average around $9,000. *'lf Winter Comes," Gaiety (Ist week). English drama taken from novel of same name. Produced in England la.st fall. Cyril Maude starred here. Opened Monday, succeeding "Loyalties." Dilling- ham attraction. •Irene," Jolson's 59th St. (1st week). Opened Monday, second try on Broadway. Piece ran year and half, but novor before at cut rates. •Jack and Jill," (ilobc (3d week). Struck average of $2,000 and over nightly last wcf k and grossed bet- ter than $17,000, pn^fitable. Cast changes effei tive this work, wit)i indications bu.sine.ss will steadily increase. "Kiki," lielasco (71st week). Abnrjt fivo weeks more, I^enoro I''ii<' duo for coast for pictured in May. Ability of last season's drainatii- .Kma.sh to stay within r«arh of current leading money-gettei*s is amazing. Over $12,000 now. "Lady in Ermine," Century (27th we<k). Likely to hit subway cir- cuit before end of April. Served well in big hou.se. two-for-one tickets pulling gross up to profit- able nuirgin at week ends. •Lady Butterfly," Astor (IHh week). ~" Listed to pn out at md nf w^rtt. < "ast (li;\ng'H witli view of going to coast. Went off last w<ek. with gross around }.!>.000 or under. •LT-.t Warning," Klaw (24th week). .■■■\sfrry i)lay rrma'ns hrro liKlofl- - :• Iv. management having be.itfn "MO In contention of nofice to ''l.draw. Business iniri'"ved and ij.iit is over $8,000. "Laughing Lady," Longacre (8th week). Ethel Barrymor© attrac- tion continues to draw success- fully on lower floor, and will doubtless finish season here. Went off last week, dropping about $1,- 500 for gross of about $8,500. "Little Nellie Kelly," Liberty (2l8t week). Aimed for all summer on Broadway. Coupled with agency activity, Cohan musical comedy maintains great box office trade. Consistently better than $22,000, capacity at $3 top. "Lira," Bayes (19th week). Has not been able to build, despite at- tempts to bol.ster gross via cut rating. Lucky to get $5,000 last week. Colored show may be sent to Chicago shortly. "Mary the Third," 39th Street (9th week). One of late winter en- trants counted on to do mOre than fair business. Perhaps small profit. Takings were slightly im- proved last week, good sign. Gross nearly $8,000. "Merton of the Movies," Cort (2l8t week). Holy Week failed to dent trade here; gross equaled previ- ous week, with capacity Good Friday. Got $16,000. Set to stay into next season. "Morphia," Eltinge (1st week). Given at special matinees for several weeks, Monday presented regularly, succeeding ''The Masked Woman," which went to subway circuit. "Music Box Revue," Music Box (24th week). Went to capacity Good Friday night, box office patrons figuring plenty of tickets on hand and getting surprise. That was true here. Gross around $26,000. "Papa Joe," Princess (6th week). Littlo over $3,000 last week, best gross to date for this modest pro- duction, parked in 299-seater. At that profit made for first time. "Peer Gynt," Shubert (9th week). Strength of Ibsen phantasy last week .surprise, matinee trade par- ticularly big. Extra afternoon per- formance Monday. Business beat previous week, getting $13,500. "Polly Preferred," Little (12th weekJ. Though berth<»d in house which prevents grosses reaching plane of leaders, this comedy is one of season's successes and vir- tual capacity draw. Over $10,500 weekly. "Rain," Maxine EHiotf (22nd week). Best qualified to establish longest run of any of this season's en- trants. No weakness in draw at any time since premiere, and standing room rule for all per- formances. Pace. $15,200. "Romeo and Juliet," Henry Miller (11th week). Business actually spurted here during Holy Week, gross going upward $1,000 and total reaching $12,000. Manage- ment figured continuance until May, which is assured. "Sally, Irene and Mary," 44th Street (31st week). Went off over $1,000 last week when gross under $9,000. Counted on to complete season. Substantial money maker. "Secrets," P'ulton (15th week). Cl<?ver English comedy now looks set until weather breaks, which means continuance into May. Business profitable, though not big. Average recently over $10,- 000. Under that last week. "Seventh Heaven," Booth (23rd week). Another dramatic smash which went clean Good Friday when business was expected to flop. $15,000 and more right along. Extra matinee Monday, which will give attraction 10 per- formances this week. "So This Is London," Hudson (32nd week). No rea.son why this com- edy hit should not stick into sum- mer going. Has not fallen under $15,000 and last week attained well over $l.'i.500. "The Adding Machine," Garrlck Hrd week). Arou.sod deal of critical discussion, with interest refiectcd in demand. Will move up to Broadway hou.se during month and ovi^ht to ride into warm wiaf hor. "The Clinging Vine," Knickerbocker (lolli week). Held position as one of most successful $2.50 top musi- caln this season. Pace affected Holy Work, but grossed $14,000. "The Comedian," Lyceum (4th week). Belasco made clever pro- duction f>f (Juitry comedy. It will stay until well into May an<l ought to be excellent for ro/ul next season. Gro«s a round $11,000. "The Dancing Girl," \\ iiiter (Jarden (11th week). Al Jolson named to return to iWondway in May as BUcce.'*sor to fjarden's show. New arrangement of house figures to give star greater opportunity than «'ver. "The Enchanted Cottage," RHz (1st week). Opened Saturday, W. A. Boston, April 4. With Iloly Week and Its not pleasant memories behind it. the theatrical business in this city started Monday on the last quar- ter of tho present season with the report from every ono of the down- town legitimate houses there had been a decided pickiip In takings. lASt week ran true to form lo- cally. Business touched lower levels than It has hit any time, even lower in some quarters than that which prevailed in the week just before Christmas. There wasn't a house In town that escaped some of the punl.shment. "The Fool" did below $9,000 for the weGk, but it was claimed that Good Friday was surprisingly strong for that night In Boston, and this was believed to be due to the (Continued on page 18) ^ BUSINESS IN NEW ORLEANS New OMeans, April 4. The "Robin Hood" film will play to $7,000 this week at the Tulane, its final showing here. The Saenaler Players (stock) ai the St. Charles In "Smilin Throvgh" will beat $7,000. PITTSBURGH BUSINESS Pittsburgh, April 4. "Lightnln'" last week at the Nixon did $17,000; at the Pitt, with no other legit attraction In town, "Abie's Irish Rose" did $9,000, a gain over its first week. *•.>» Shubert Dark Until April 16—Thit Week's Openings Big— Only One Musical in Town Next Week^ ''Captain Applejack" a Knockout in Quakertown Brady supplying excellent cast for Pinero play, which was greeted favorably. "Tha Fool," Times Square (24th week). With daily matinee this week gross should approach rec- ord of Christmas to New Year's. Biggest money-getter among dra- matics, with pace about $18,500 in nine performances. Last week $1,000 under normal. "The Gingham Girl," Earl Carroll (32d week). Practically made sea- son's run of It, but summer con- tinuance will be attempted. Pace for last month has been around $11,000, which may te slightly prontable. Dropped to $9,000 last week. "The Guilty One," Selwyn (3d week). Will be withdrawn after another week, attraction having been booked In for four weeks only. Did better on road than here, where draw last week dipped under $6,000. "Within Four WalLs" succeeds April 16. ^'Tha Old Soak," Plymouth (33d week). Most consistent money- maker Arthur Hopkins has had this season excepting exceptional engagement of "Hamlet," with John Barrj'more. Has been under $8,000 for last two weeks, but ought to stick through spring. Last week Jumped to $8,700. "The Love Child," Cohan (21st week). Pinal week. Bataille's play scheduled to remain until Easter which mark It accom- plished. "The Exile" listed to succeed next week. Latter show haa been slated for the Klaw. Around $7,000 for "Love Child." "The Love Habit," Bijou (4th week). May display.. form flash starting this week, though to date has not enjoyed business commensurate with rating given show. Approx- imate takings around $5,000. "The Wasp," Morosco (2d week). Like "Love Habit" this drama is guaranteeing. Presented by new producer. Show received mediocre grading from critics, and first week reported considerably under $5,000. "Up She Goes," Playhou.se (22d week). Brady's bright musical which is making good promise of manager to finish out season. Geared to make money at $8,000, and Is first musical offering for house. "Why Not," 48th St. (15th week). Final week. I'iere put on by Equity I'layers. but now controlled privately. Busine.'^H in last two weeks little under $."»,000, which is claimed to bo slightly profitable. "Anathema" next week. "Whispering Wires," Bioadhurst (34th week). Holding up surpris- ingly for show to have been seiit on tour several months ago. Last week's business almost aa good, with gross well over $9,000. "Wildflower," Casino (9th week). Riding considerably ahead of pre- vious week until Saturday night, and on last week climbed to better takings than brfore. gross beating $15,000. This musical Is in for run. ••Yau and I," Belmont (7lh week). Another attraction which held up strongly during Holy Week, and Is rated a Burc<»»M. Modest house capacity, however, holds down cross. About $8,000. PhUadelphla. April 4. Theatrical dopesters here are hav- ing an unusually hard time In fig- uring out the rest of the season. On one side are some highly encour- aging signs, while on the other, everything looks the blackest of the black. Six of the seven houses limped through the week before Easter, the seventh, the Shubert, being dark. To be more exact, five attractions limped while one, "Captain Apple- jack," at Garrlck, proved to be a knock-out. This was the surprise of the week and has everybody talk-, ing here. . The Monday opening was big, with the Plays and Players, a local dramatic society, buying a big block of seats, and a small benefit. The notices were with only one excep- tion extravagant in their praise, and after a promising, but not capacity house Tuesday, the show began to gain momentum. Wednesday mati- nee, which In other houses here reached the zero of the Lenten slump, was fine at "Applejack" be- ing not much under $1,500. Wednes- day night was very big. and on Thursday a complete sell-out down- stairs was recorded with only a few seats out upstairs. That condition of things prevailed the rest of the week. The gross for the week was nearly $17,000, only about $3,500 from capacity at this scale. "Captain Applejack" was listed for five weeks, but it Is understood that if business holds up It may stay In Indefinitely, probably clos- ing the house. With such a gross as they turned In last week, with the Easter come-back, it is figured that this Sam Harris attraction will hit pretty close to the capacity mark for several weeks to come. The Garrlck was the only houi5e which did better than expected. The Forrest had a pretty dismal week with the "Music Box Revue," being especially hard hit at "Wednesday matinee when not half a house was recorded in the orchestra. Big holes upstairs every night except Satur- day. al30 hurt, and the final week's gross for this revue, which was ex- pected to be a "grand slam" here was around $27-,000. A great many people here pro- fessed great disappointment at the "Music Box Revue," some claiming that the show looked stale after Us season tour, and others that It didn't fit In this big house. The baldony trade was off from the opening night right through the run, but big orchestra draw with fre- quent theatre parties held up the grosses until last week. "Dagmar" had a fairly success- ful second (and last) week at the Broad, possibly because some of the second-thought columns, while knocking show, created an Inter- est and curiosity In It. In any but Holy Week, the gross would prob- ably have been considerably above the average for this hou.so this season. The Lyric, Walnut and AdelphI were all three off. "Blossom Time," at the Lyric, hovered somewhere un- der the $9,000 ma^k. The manage- ment professes encouragement and looks for a big come-back this week. As proof of thia week, an announce- ment was made last Friday of an extra matinee Monday. This Is be- lieved to have been caused by the cxce.'lent demand at the box office for sei'ts this week. 'Last week.s" are advertised for •'B'.r.^.»om Time." which will have to q:et out of the Lyric April 21 to make way for tho "Moscow Art," which opens Monday, the 23rd. It is still considered not unlikely • that a switch .to another theatre (possibly tho "Adelphi) will be made for the Sinihert operetta. "The Cat and the Canny" hit a ficrure of $7,500 last week at the Adelphi, and everything depends on tho Kasfor business for this thriller which tobogganed with sur- prising suddenness. It Is claimed the show can then break even at n $7,000 gross, so "Cat" may stay sev- eral weeks longer. "Passions for Men" in its fifth and final week at the Walnut took an- other had tumble with a gro.<;s jiround $7,000. The demnnd for thi.s Molnar comedy was apparently ex- hausted after three weeks and last two resulted In very low grosses, especially for this house, which has been doing big business all winter. "The Monster" opened a return engagement at the Walnut Monday with a splendid house. Tho advance sale for thia thriller, which seems to hit It off better here than any- where else, was very encouraglnjr. and big grosses In Jts two weeks are looked for. Extra matinees are planned for next week. Much Inter- est is felt in the effect of "The Mon- ster's" return on "The Cat." as this is the first lime Philly has had two mystery play combating each other. The week's only professional nov- elty Is "The Mountebank," which opened to a good house at the Broad, where It is scheduled to st.iy two weeks. The Forrest had the premjerj of the Mask and Wig Mondaj', with the usual Jammed house, society turning out In full force. '•":, April bookings are chaotic to say, the least. Until late last week, noth- ing was underlined &t the Broad, tut now it is announced that Henry Mil- ler will head a most unusual all- star cast in a new drama which will have a two weeks' engagement at this house. Probably the most striking fea- ture of the entire year's theatrical layoyt here is the current situation at the two big musical comedy houses, Forrest and Shuoert. The Shubert was closed 'ast weelc following "Bombo," and remained closed this week and next, frantic efforts to get an attraction having failed. The Forrest wi-l also be closed next week unless negotiations which are being urgently i)ushed re- sult In some last minufe booking. The ads In Sunday's papers men- tioned no underline, and at present writinnr the house has nothing lined up for the rest of the season, which would mean Its closing on April '/, unusually early. The Shubert will reopen April 16 with "The Green-, wich Village Follies," and Is report- ed to have two othor bookings (for short runs) to follow. The answer Is that, excent for "Blossom Time," the city will have no musical comedies next week. The consensus of opinion, too. Is that lo- cal theatregoers, starting this week, will be hungry for a good revue. The only bookings, other than those already mentioned, are for the Walnut, which will have Fiske O'Hara In "Land o* Promise," for two weeks beginning Monday, April 16, and "Kempy" opening April 30, probably for two weeks also. A mu- sical ahow is also on the schedule of this house, which plana to ride right into the hot weather. It is figured that the scarcity of musical comedies .will boom the Chestnut Street opera house (Shu- bert vaude), which has a return oC "Tiie Whirl of New York" this week, and a return of "Spice" (fourth time here, by the way) next week. It is announced that this house will slay open late In the summer if business with revues warrants. Engagement* of more than one week will be at- tempted from time to time. Estimates for last week: "The Mountebank" (Broad, Ist week). Good opening Easter Mon- day, and declared promising. "Dag- mar" held up much better than some of the shows last week. Its weak- nesses being generally up-stairs. Mask and Wig (Forrest, one week). Club's offering this year, "Here's Howe," will hit close to ca-« pacity for the week House hae nothing booked to follow, though several musical shows have been mentioned. "Music Box Rexiie" way off In fourth and last week, gross dipping to $25,000. "Captain Applejack" (Garrlck, 2d week). Real wallop of spring season and surprise of the town. Won splendid notices and business big all weelc, with virtual capacity beginning Thursday. Even escaped Good Friday hoodoo. May stay long- er than five weeks originally planned. $17,000. "The Monster" (Walnut. 1st week). Seems to have good chance of picking uj) big businet's where it left off in Janu.'iry engagement. "I'a.'^sions for Mm* dropped to $7,000 in fifth and final week. Dis- ai)i)ointment in last fortnight. "Blossom Time'' (Lyric, 25th week). Only house to play Easter Monday matinee, (featured best seats $1.50 on that occasion), and man- aK'iment believes it will get into stride again with after-Lent re- bound. Last week It ag;iin grossed f^liMihtly under $!»,000. "La.st weeks" mentioned in ads. "The Cat and the Canary" (Adeli)hi, 11th weik). ^.us:n»^«^s re- mained low last week, though lU'otit still claimed. This week's busincNi will tell t€ki^. —$7,600 gr« "WHEEL OF LIFE" IN FRISCO San Francisco. April 4. The Columbia was diiFk last we<k but reopened Monday with Elhie Ferguson In "The Wheel of Life." I i i ■ i •1 1 '1 .*J' !f • ■