Vaudeville Managers Protective Organization - Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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hangers on. has to thank but one policy for its huge success and that is Fair Playf, r , t , And this little unadorned motto is' fully exemplified in all its departments from its organizers and directors down to the humblest subordinates. One has but to visit the General Qffices to see the vast ntagnitude of this huge institution. On leaving the elevator at the eleventh Hoor at the Majestic Bldg., one is met by courteous attendants, and on being ushered into the large rooms are at once struck by the whir of business activity. In every direction it is a veritable hive of industry, the click of batteries of type- writers, the merry jingle of the telephones, of which there are over titty, the sharp tap tap of the telegraph instrument, all denote the many activities of the place and the intimate relation-- ship which exists between all of the many departments of the enormous enterprise. Busy messengers and clerks rush hither and thither, the many booking agents consulting artists, arranging routes, dis- cussing the merits of different acts with Umanagers, all are busy and through it all runs the ever prevailing rule- of the associa- tion, Fair Play. ' At the fountain head of the whole enterprise is found. the exemplification of the doctrine of fair play, for no matter how small and how trivial the detail affecting any patron of the place, it is not too small for the personal attention and consideration of the officers and directors. . y . ln the company's offices are to be found vast files, indexes and exhaustive scrap books, to which the most knotty problem is referred and straightened out with no loss of time. a No act, no matter hovv humble nor how elaborate is without its record in this vast system almost, as soon as it is produced, as the agents of the vast body are constantly on the alert and re- porting the exact merits of each act as soon as seen, not only from their standpoint but also from that of the audience before whom they saw it produced. 23

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And just here a word about organization would not be amiss. There is no other field of theatrical endeavor probably that stands so in need of powerful organization as the vaudeville one. Sure- ly there is no other where the interests are more varied and there are more people to please. It is the only thing that assures per- fection in bookings. It shows activity and resources far beyond the efforts of the single individual or the lesser manager. Such organization as the VVestern Vaudeville Managers' Association cannot fail to have its good results and while theofficers and directors do not dwell on hollow platitudes about its ofhces, they and the Association stand solely on the merits of 'work accom- plished and the strength and scope of the organization. T There is not a spirit of self praise or vanity in the fact that this association claims for itself a considerable amount of credit for the eminence of the vaudeville Held today, fo-r the rapid increase in the number of theatres devoted to the vaudeville business exclusively which is' best shown by the class of per- formers vvho have in recent years adopted this means of - earn-- ingia livehood and also the class of patrons attending theatres all over the country, the most deserving of the theatre loving public. It is the organization which makes the Western Vaudeville Managers' Association of incalculable value to the theatre owner and manager. With perfect organization and an expert in his particular line at the -head of each department, nothing but good can come to those who book through this organization, especially in view of their vast resources and affiliations, for it is possible to bring the very best talent to your very door. These unlimited resources place it far ahead of any minor agency in its ability to place the proper act in the proper place at the proper time. There is no guessing as to what to do. The experts in charge not only sell so many acts to a theatre each week but they carefully weigh the artistic as Well as the commerclal value of each act, always considered with reference to the wants of the manager. Often there are specialconsiderations brought about by peculiar alignment of circumstances which is discernible 25