The most prestigious theatre in any town was the one that booked the top attractions for which the top prices could be charged for tickets, thus drawing the carriage trade. A large Midwestern city might have one or two first-class theatres while the others would be popular-price theatres. When the Theatrical Syndicate set out to gain control of the American theatre, they systematically got the first-class theatres into their orbit.
The Historical Dictionary of the American Theater. James Fisher.