Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 January 1896 — PUFFING THE PLAY. [ARTICLE]

PUFFING THE PLAY.

“A New York Success’’—Abuse of Press Courtesy. The United States is a broad aud busy country, and it is well supplied with excellent journals, says the Forum. As is natural and unavoidable, these generally take their tone in treating dramatic affairs from those of the metropolis. What is said and done iu New York about plays and actors is published all over the union as quickly as the wires and press can spread the news. Consequently the theatrical business of the entire country is managed from New York. That is why actors, managers and the minor personages of stage life flock to New York. That is why for many years past it has been possible for the wily speculator in rotten dramatic lumber io set up a flimsy stage structure, held together only by the adhesive qualities of paint and printers’ ink, and—by keeping a New York theater open and empty for its exhibition for a stated term of weeks at the expense of $3,000 or $4,000 a week, and by a continual pestering of the good-natured journalist—to obtain a sufficient amount of notice of his “great New York success!” to enable him to travel throughout the country with his “show,” and gather a rich harvest from those who are eager to see What sort of plays please the people of the great city. Of course the “show” soon falls to pieces from the weight of its own worthlessness, am} the seeds of general contempt for New York's good taste in theatrical matters are sown broadcast. But no matter. The enterprising speculator, now well in funds, returns to New York and is soon upon the full tide of another like venture. Year after year this sort of thing goes on. But the people of the East, South and West are becoming wise and wary. The “business” Is not so good now as it once was in those often-deluded sections. One of the roots of our theatrical troubles upon which the ax should fall quickly and Sharply is this abuse of the press courtesy—first extended in good nature toward the struggling artist, but now demanded as a right by the brass-band “show boomer.”