The Show That Almost Didn't Go On
A backstage contract dispute between the Duff Opera Company and a Tacoma theater manager nearly halts a performance of 'Miss Helyett.'
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
During the second act of 'Miss Helyett,' performed by the Duff Opera Company at the Tacoma theater tonight, the curtain was rung down by Treasurer Roth. He had been unable to effect a satisfactory settlement with Manager Heilig and threatened to stop the play if he did not pay the usual guarantee. Manager Heilig claimed Duff had not lived up to his contract, specifically regarding the number of people in the company and the quality of the orchestra. As the two argued vehemently near the foyer, threatening a physical altercation, the audience grew impatient. Nelson Bennett, a local citizen, stood up in the aisle and advised the audience to demand their money back if the play did not resume. Eventually, a settlement was reached without the full guarantee being paid, and the performance continued after a half-hour delay.
“I take it upon myself, as a citizen of this city, to call your attention to the fact that something is wrong.”
Contractual disputes between touring productions and local venues have remained a staple of live performance history for over a century. The role of the audience, mobilized by a prominent local figure like Nelson Bennett, reflects how civic-minded patrons historically asserted their rights to quality entertainment.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.