The New York herald., 1873-11-16
TIE NEW FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE.

TIE NEW FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE.
The executors OF the estate OF the late Mr.. Peter
Gilscy have erected, in Twenty-eighth street and
Broadway, on the site or the Apollo Hail. theatre
Tor Mr.. Augustn DAILY. The building has frontage
OF 60 feet on Twentyeghh street and 65 feet in the
rear, and is 100 feet deep, divided into the
vesrtbuie OF 20 eet the house. 10 feet; the stage,
10, and the green room 80 feet. The division walls
built OF brick, 20 and 10 inches thick, covered
to the roof and form. with iron doors and shutters,
very valuable addition to the fire proof qualities
OF the building. The scene room and painters gal
leries are in building adjoining the stage, 22x45
feet III size. The height Of the house, from door to
ceiling, is So feet. The stage has height
OF 81 feet with a drop OF 20 feet,
the stage entrance being from Twenty y-ninth
street. The dressing rooms are in the
second aud third stories, over the green room, and
the wardrobe In the fourth story. All are well
lighted and supplied with all requisites-such as
water, &c. The dressing rooms. managers office,
&C., are accessible from the Twenty-ninth street
entrance. The building Is well ventilated by large
registers, windows and ventilating skylights. The
means of egress are so ample and direct that the
house can be emptied in less than two minutes.
The front has portico OF double columns, sur.
mounted with balustrade, forming a balcony on
the second story, under which are the seven pairs
OF large doors. The doors connect directly with
the staircases and prevent crowding the vestibule
during the exit OF the audience. The centre doors
only are opened for ingress, and lead directly into
the grand vestibule 20 feet wide and extending
across the entire 'front.'. The ceiling OF the vesti
bue is open in the centre and enclosed with hand
some balustrade, giving view OF the second story
vestibue, with Its elaborate frescoes. The covered
To the right and lett in the first story vestibue
spacious starcases, which lead to the upper ives
tibule" and the first and second galleries. and in
the centre OF the first vestibue is the entrance to
the parquet. At the sides of the centre doors are
the ticket ofices, fitted up in panel work OF white
and gold and embossed plate glass marked with
medallions. On entering the parquet the pro-
scenium is seen, with Its three tiers OF double
boxes on either s;de with balconies, columns and
capitals, all richly decorated, the pediments sup
porting Cupids with emblems, which, as well as the
whole interior, are designed in the style Of the
late Renaissance. The proscenlum arch is sup
ported by pair OF beautiful caryatides, and the
arch over the boxes with brackets, held
up by large fauns, which, with the pro-
scenium and its boxes and their rich
draperies, columns, capitals and decorations
win form fine specimen OF decorative architec-
ture. The seats in the parquet are divided by
wide central aisle and passage leading along the
wall on either side connects with the first tier
or proscenium boxes. At the entrance OF the par
quet placed eight French boxes, raised above
the moor. seating from four to six persons each.
The seats are OF ron richly upholstered and OF un-
usually large size and made expressly for this the
atre The parquet will seat about 600 persons
besides what the proscenium boxes will accommo.
date. The first circle seats about 400, besides hav
ing ample standing room and the large vestlbule.
The seats throughout are OF iron, the same as those
that has not perfect view OF the stage. The
ond gallery will seat about 500 persons.
The upper vestlbue resembles the lower one, ex.
cept in the closed arch ceiling, painted to resemble
q nora temple. The vestibule connects by means
OF French windows with an open balcony, sup
portedsby the portico below, leading the en-.
tire front OF the building which will be Illuminated
by our large gas candelabras. This vestibue can
be thrown open towards the stage by means OF large
double folding doors, giving fine view across the
house and stage, forming not only delightful
promenade, but excellent standing room In case OF
= crowded attendance. The iron gallery railing is
very attractive Of graceful design, left open above
the lower half and made of festoons and orna-
ments in relief. The columns are so placed as not
TO interfere with the view and richly deco
rated with masks, garlands, flowers, &c From
the first circle landing is the door TO the ladies'
dressing room. which fronts on Twenty-eighth
eighth street, and is 20x24 feet. II is q handsome
parlor. with dressing room attached, and will be
elegantly upholstered and furnished in crimson
satin.
The stairs connect directly with the second gal
lery aud family circle, the front portion OF the
gallery, and the family circle arranged with sofas
elegantly upholstered. Above the covered ceiling
in the centre a hall dome Of 3 feet dia.
meter, which not only gives light and a decorative
field for the artist but is also gigantic ventilator.
1t Is surmounted by large eector 10 ieet in
diameter and four square side yentllators This
is all connected with the attic, whicn extends
the entire auditorium and also connected with a
large ventilator in front, giving complete circula-
ton Of air without the aid OF windows or doors.
The grand ceiling is painted IN perspective TO
n nnn n p r. rlu xuf
its coonnade and rich supporting figures, and
above all Is beautiful sky with floating Cupids.
The space above the proscenium arch will be
decorated by fresco representing the Oympian
games being as II were companion piece to the
celing. The theatre viii be additionally ventila-
ted from the side windows and registers in sum-
mer in connection with the half dome in the cell
ing. and In winter 1t will be ventilated and heated
with cold air passed over steam pipes at a low tenn
perature through some registers In the noors and
side walls, BY which, with the dome, an even tenn
perature ana pure atmosphere can always be main
taned. The lights Will be placed behind the seats
on the side walls so as 20 give the audience com
Portable view OF the stage. Lights Will also be in
troduced in the half dome in such q manner as TO
give soft light TO the auditorium below without
the jets being seen. The gas brackets and chande-
iers are gilt. with rich crystal decorations, and
all the fixtures Will be lighted by electricity.
In the rear OF the stage. over the wardrobe rOom
Is large IRON tank supplied from powerful steam
pump, and from the tank Ia carried a large are
main, With outlets on the rear OF the stage, car
penters' gallery scene buildings and parquette,
the last being directly In 'front.' Of the stage, with
Guiding the scene building and dressing rooms, &C..
ls heated by low pressure steam heating ap-
paratus located under the vestibule steam pipes
and opened at convenient points throughout the
buildings. The stage, green room and dressing
rooms are separated from the auditorium by mas
sve brick walls. Inc building used by the scene
painters and stage carpenters is entirely separate
from the stage and auditorium and connects only
with the stage by iron doors. No expense has been
spared TO make the building sale from fire. To
allow further egress, large doors are arranged
from the nrst circle directly TO Broadway. which
can be thrown open In case OF any alarm The
architect Is Mr.. stephen d. Hatch, under whose