The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-07-22
THE THEATRE.
Marcus II. Mayer Tells All He
Knows,
Under Pain of Secrecy.

The improvements which have
been in progress at the Salt Lake
Theatre during the past nine or ten
months, under the direction of
Henry G. Tryop, the noted scenic
artist, have attracted a great deal of
attention from theatrical men gen.
orally. Especially is this true of
those professionals who had been
heie prior to the changes (reterred
Go in detail from time TO time in
these columns) as they have pro
crossed. 1t is needless to say sur
prise is universal when the marked
change that has taken place is
noticed, and the expression inVari
ably is that one would never have
believed such important improve
ments could have been effected IN so
brief a period.
Marcus r. Mayer, whose arrival
III this city was noted a few days
ago in connection with the coming
production of the silver King at
the Salt Lake Theatre, was much
surprised at the extent of the work
one at the Theatre, and was also
exceedingly enthusiastic in express
ing that surprise. Not only has Mr..
Mayer visited Salt Lake City on
several occasions, in his capacity as
business manager Of various i'm
portant theatrical organizations
(which have by the way always
Tiled profitable engagements at the
Salt Lake Theatre), but he was a
resident of this city for a time, and
in a journalistic career as editor OF
the Utah Mining Journal, he be-
came thoroughly acquainted with
the "old' Theatre; consequently, the
changes which have been effected
in that building would strike his
attention with greater force than
that Of a casual observer, or even OF
a theatrical man whose opportuni-
ties for noticing the difference have
been less favorable.
Marcus is a pleasant fellow; a
master in his profession and gentle
man, Withal, who is thoroughly gifted
in the art of making himself agree
able TO all with whom he comes in
contact; and when you get him
started on theatres, theatrical people
and theatrical subjects generally,
is thoroughly posted and his CONVEX
satian is exceedingly entertaining
1t was not surprising, therefOr,when
u HERALD reporter adroitly Gf we
do say it, who shouldn't turned the
conversation, which had been run
ming ten or fifteen minutes, 10 the
Salt Lake Theara-and the work
which has been done there under
the direction of the scenic artist
Mr.Tryo--shat he should talk with
equal freedom, and he result of that
conversation, with the opinions
coming from such a source, will nC
doubt be read with much interest
by tile friends and patrons of thi;
popular place of amusement:
well, Mayer, the old place is
changed, isn't iJ?'
Indeed, it is"
What do you think of anyway ?
Why, it is hard to tell without {
good deal of roundabout talk. OF
course, While l expected to see many
changes, could not eradicate from
my mind the recollection Of the
stage az it had been for years. Il
always was a fine place, and will un.
doubleday always 0ccupya front rank
in the theatres OF the country. re.
member the time when the Salt Lake
theatre was accounted IS fine as
any in the United States, and while
it has of late years fallen behind by
failing to keep up with the rapid
strides that have been made in the
temples of Thespis, it'has ever had
a capacity fer all modern improve
ments. a fact which is attested by
what is to be seen before us now.
In part of the language Of LazernOu
in "Black Flag" at WIS full OF
bunions, but it was daisy"
Does it meet your expectations?
Well, / should say so; but one
could not be expected to look for SO
many metropolitan advantages.
But. candidly, could you recog-
niZe it?
OF course, I know it is the Salt
Lake Theatre stage, because it can
not be anything else from its loca-
ton, but when l glance around and
alofE it is difficult to realize that it
is not the stage of one of tbs few
perfectly arranged and elegantly
equipped modern theatres in the
large clues in the east. In my OWL
case these alterations are peculiarly
" elcome, insomuch as the extensive
stage settings fer our pieces require
nothing less than a perfectly ar
ranged mechanism to produce the
effects which We desire. Our de
mands are IS exacting as any thai
can be made by any company, and
am sure that stage which vii
enable US to give full effect to the
setts which we carry with US (anC
which were painted originally iol
one of the very largest houses il
lAmerica) is capable of meeting any
possible demand in the future.
can imagine the surprised delight
with which the Kiralfys will l0ol
about them when they first set foo
upon this stage. We will be abl
to present our scenery here with it
full effect, and that is something
and that VIII be something we vii
be able to dom very few places afte
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