New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-31
DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING.


citv. having seating capacity of about I'oVO
rhe theatre buildinq proper fronted in Twenty-sec
ondst. and ran back into the centre OF the olocA'
As4+is always deemed desirable 10 have an en-
trapca from broadway to a theatre II possible
ona WAS made for the FarK' AAls
entrance was about half way between
T,ventv-frst and Twenty-secoud-sts- There were
two large pairs of glass doors in it, opening into
small lobby, on the north side OF when was INC
ticket office row Of leather-covered doors gave
access to the inner lobby, where flight OF three
steps surmounted by an iron gateway az -
the doorkeeper stood gave access to the AUDITORIUM
when a nerson entered the theatre he found NM
self rnon the left hand Of the auditorium
"a focn,g the other side. The alses WeIo
~ rigbt angles with the main entrance lHo
Iou,or floor was filed with orchestra chaHS
a,d contained two large private boxes one
ON each side That on the left. Box A. was MI
abbev's The orchestra chairs we're low anu o'oau
and were upholstered IN crimson push On 'H0
hack Of each seat was tidy. These were haue "
Mrs Abbey flight Of stairs at the IelI Oh inc e"-
trance 10 the orchestra led TO the dress c"oo' Va
second floor The seats there were similar to those
=; tho orchestra The balcony, or third floor had
4ol4inc chairs upholstered in crimson leather. Oh
ooob side OF the dress circle there were TWO
s,rsu nrivate boxes, and on each side OF the
balcony there was one. The theatre was
carneted throughout with dark Grim
son Brussels carpet The ratings AROUND
the dress circle and balcony were OF lron oIha-
mental in design and decorated in white and golu.
4 heavy rail of wood covered with crimson VeiNe'
ran around the tops Besides the man entrance
there were exits to Twentysecond-st. by means u
hallway near the Broadway front and by means
of starcases behind the private boxes on the otier
side. The decorations throughout the theatre were
fha 81
being mostly in gold The drop CURTAIN paln'eU "
Hoyt represented SATIN drapery
into the hallway on the Broadway SIDE OF the
sacond floor Opened the toletrOOms, the cloaK-rooH
the bus1ness managers office, aud Mr. ADDey pfl-
vate Office The latter room had been recently Iur-
nisbed and decorated by Mr.. Abbey ana was very
handsome The carpet was heavy Administer OF
Persian pattern. the body color beng an @stheUc
male green The hangings were Iurcoman cross
stripes with maroon as the principal color' "lue
Gel border ran around the top of the tinted walls
and covered the edges of the ceiling. The lower
sosbes Of the windows were filed with stained glass
which was set with prisms of white glass in new
stvle The furniture was Of red wood. This room
NJ Abbey had arranged to have used last night
ond durine the remainder Of Mrs Langtrys en-
gagemept as a retirng-room for ladies. Opposite
TO il a cloak-room had been fitted up Carriages
were TO arrive at the Twenty-second-st. entrance
The stage of the Park Theatre was in the Twenty
secoDd-st end of the building, II was about sixty
feet wide from wall to wall, and had pro-
scenium opening of about twenty-eight feet.
The height from the stage TO the rigging
loft above it was sixty-eight feet Grooves
in which the old-fashioned fats are
shifted. we're not used changes Of scene during
on act being effected by means of drop scenes
The dressrug-roons were under the stage against
+he wall on the Twenty side Windows
omen into them and escape would have been An easy
matter for the company If they had been III the
brilding when the fire broke out The stage entrance
was on the west side Of the house, and from II
massage about four feet wide led directly 10 the
auditorium. running behind Mr.. Abbey's private
box. There were two property rooms. one Oh the
left of the stage and another In the
upper part of the building. The carpenter
shop was above the auditorium and the paint
bridge at the back of the flies. There was hota
great deal of material stored under the stage yes
terday, but the usual number Of traps with their
appurtenances supplied the fire with plenty
of fnel There was considerable scenery
IN the house. Most of this, being in the
shane of drop scenes was hauled up into the flies
above the stage. and 80 fed the ascending flames
with fresh material Of a highly cOmbus uoIe ma
ture.
Al the time when the fire broke out one
~ the scenes which was to be used IN An
Uneoual Match was set on the stage This
scene was what is known as j " box set that Is
one which surrounds the stage except the proscehl-
um. Only interiors are set il this way. Inns scene
wasa very handsome one. II was not painted by
scenic artist but was wholly built. The panels
were of old gold satin band-palnted ana EN-
broldered with birds and flowers. These were sur
scsne ran a carved cornlce of ebOllzed wood. four
feet deep. There three SET y doors. all oult
of richly carved ebOnlzed wood, ana mahIeIplece'
with mirror ON ltln similar sly ne ue sI u UNI
ture in the scene was upholstered III
old gold. This scene cost - 600. There was an
other interior for the play palmer IN design
The SET for the first act was exterior. On the
night Of the stage was blacksmith's shop with the
doors OPEN giving "a view of the forge within. Above
and around the shop was an arch of inter-
laced tree branches. while in the background was
a viey of the village Mr. HOyt the scene-painter
in order 10 Ciye height 10 the scene. had caused
borders to be made which ran al he way 20 the
rigging loft, nearly seventy feet above the stage
These were painted ana then cut oao f 20 INA ma
spectators III the front rows GouIu seo
no end 10 the foliage stretching up
ward. All of this scenery was destroyed. as well as
the furniture aud other stage settings when had
The Park Theatre was opened IN the spring OF
1874 by William stuart and Charles fechjeI' WIN
aplay called Loves Penance." Later on ChanG0s
Fulton became interested IN the management Mt
Fechter played his entire round OF parts
there, but the engagement was Mr. a 10y
Mrs Florence produced b. T. Noofs play,
"The Mighty Dollar" in which Mr.. Florence
created the role of Bdrd'eeH Si9te and Mrs.
Florence that OF Mrs. GutOry. This play was pei
formed one hundred nighis which was considered
at that time a phenomenal run. On No
vember 81, 1876. Mr.. Abbey who had
been known the manager OF several
stars notably Lolita, opened the theatre lie de-
voted to gh comedy. At the Park Theatre J ,3i
I. Raymond first appeared as COl0Hc' MH'1
berry Sellers IN Mark Iwain's play, Tue UAded
AgeH which was the last piece performed IN Tie
theatre Edward SOthern appeared at the Park
Theatre for he first time IN y" The Crushed lrage-
diam This was probably the most successful hnan-
Il II he