Evening star., 1884-07-26
TRANSPORTATION SCENE AT
EORD'S.
The Changes In Progress in the Opers
House.


House.
BRINGING THE THEATER DOWN srAIRs-A BRrEy
HISTORY OF THE HoUsE-ACToRs VINO HAVE
PLAYED THERE-wHAr MANAGER FORD EXPECTS
TO DO-BoTH THE STAGE AND THE AUDITORIUM
TO BE ENLARGED.
Workmen are busy in the interior OF Ford's
Opera House The furniture has been removed
and all the ornaments stripped from ceiling,
wall and stage, leaving little else but prosy
brick and lumber. A peep into theater under
going alteration affords no agreeable sensation
TO one who loves TO have faith in the painted
world OF the stage. The shadowy region behind
the wings and the mysteries OF the green room
are laid bare, and one gets an unpleasant notion
that beneath the glamour and romance and
nctlons OF the stage are the hard realities OF
everyday lfe-cash capital and business energy
The general public will. however escape all
such shocking disillusons, for before the doors
OF the opera House are again opened TO the
public the theater will have undergone a trans
formation as complete and striking as any which
ever delighted the little folks at a Christmas
pantomime.
I'VE are coming down stairs" said Manager
John I. Ford, briefly explaining the improve
ments In progress to a STAR reporter. when
the improvements are completed the two great
disadvantages We have labored under Will be
overcome. The main hoer will be near the
street, and we will have stage adequate to any
performance. By what appears TO be most in
genious paradox in architecture not only VIII
the seating capacity of the house be increased
but the stage will be greatly enlarged"
HISTORY OF THE BUILDING.
The history Of the Opera House building con-
stitutes an index to the history Of the American
stage during the last score OF years. The prop
erty belonged to the late Thomas Berry, who
was well-known builder Of Washington, under
whose direction the Patent Office and other pub
lie buildings We're constructed. During the
war the Opera House building was carriage
repository. The upper floor, however, was
changed into variety hall and named the OK
ford. Thus humbly, it began its theatrical
career. The process OF evolution into full
hedged theater went on, and after the war il
was altered more decidedly and assumed the
more pretentlous name OF Walls Opera House
1t got its name from Mr.. Berry's son-in-law. Mr..
w. L.. Wall, the auctioneer, who then occupied
the Marble building opposite.
number of the great stage celebrities of the
day appeared at Walls Opera House The build
ing was destroyed by fire early in 1872 but i'm
medately rebuilt in improved shape Mr.
Berry constructed the walls, roof and floor and
then turned the sfIeH over to Mr.. John L. Ford,
who leased the property for ten years. Mr.. Ford
constructed the interior, fitting up the house as
theater. lt was reopened Saturday night
FEB. 22d. 1873, with Mr.. Joseph Jefferson as Rip
Van Hl'ikte and great audience. On the Tues
S1,70O, the largest that Mr.. jefferson ever acted
to in Washington. Though the Opera House
came into existence since the war; the list Of the
actors who have played there includes many
names which remain only as traditions of the
stage.
ACTORS WHO HAVE APPEARED THERE
Among those who have played tragedy there
appear the names Of Edwin Forrest. j. w Wal
lack. f. L. Davenport, Charlotte Cushman. Mrs.
Mrs.
son, Janauschek, Salvfni, Rossl, John McCul-
Tough, J. B. Booth, Vim. E. Sheridan. Mrs.
Rousby. Clara Norris Mrs. Langtry, Rhea and
Charlotte Thompson. In comedy. the playgoers
of Washington have seen there Jos. Jefferson,
John Z. Owens, John s. Clarke, j. L. Toole Z.
A. Sothern, Lester Wallack, F. S. Chanfrau w
j. Florence, j. I. Raymond. the Vokes Charles
Wyndham. Gus Williams G.. s. Knight, Lotta,
Maggie Mitchell, Minnie Palmer. Lydia Thomp-
son, and Mrs. Germon. Many OF the great stars
or the operatic stage also have sung there
Among them are Christine Nilsson. Gerster
Kellogg, Lucca. Aimee and Caroline Rchings,
Mapeson's and Strakosch's opera companies the
Boston Ideal company, and G. Z. FOrd's and c.
ID. Hess companies, have given seasons of opera
there. Geo. l.. Fox, the famous pantomlme
clown, the Hanlons, Tony Denier, George L.
Adams and Others of that ilk have there made
merry. An examination Of the play-bills will
show also that the best exponents of black cork
mlnstrelsy have appeared at this house. Bry-
ants. Emersons, Haverly's, Barlow & Wilson's
Thatcher's and other leading companies have
given performances there. Besides the actors
named, the Madison Square, Union Square,
Fifth Avenue theater Daly's. Wallack's and
other leading companies have PLAYED engage
ments there. OF these facts indicating an hon
orabe past for the house, Manager Ford is ma
turally rather proud. "I have faith i'm the future
Of Washington city," he said to THE STAR re-
porter. while explaining the contemplated i'm
provements- THAT faith -justifes me in this
outlay to prepare theater which will in every
way meet the demands of city growing in pop
uatiOn and wealth."
THE IMPROVEMENTS
in progress have already been briefly described
in THE STAR. Manager Ford is aided in this en-
terprise by some OF the liberal citizens Of GEN.
tral Washington, who recognize the advantage
OF location which the opera house enjovs Ii IS
proposed to almost entirely remodel and greatly
Improve the house. The plans prepared by Mr.
A u. Mullett contemplate a transformation of
the house into an elegant bijou theater into
which will be introduced all the modern i'm
proyements. One of the most important
changes will be the enlargement of the stage
Ii Will be made forty feet I'm depth. by an aver
age width Of eighty feet which will make its
size fully equal to that OF any modern New
York theater. The dressing rooms will be
located adjacent to, and not beneath. the stage,
as heretofore. An entirely new proscenium and
new private boxes will be constructed, ard new
Coi NIupS. d new uTOp anu new
borders and draperies will be introduced. There
Will be lavish outlay upon the ornamentation
OF the theater. The front OF the BOXES their
Casa Guido windows and the archways Of the
auditorium, will be draped with silk hangngs
OF fine texture and unique design. The drop
curtain and the facings OF the stage will be a
vrai-semblance OF blue silk and white lace, ex-
quisitely painted. The chairs are to be newly
cushioned in chocolate and gold. The walls
will glow with the same tints, and the windows
are IN M a GLASS W vii a1d m
the rich effects of color. Another important
change is the lowering OF the floor. which will
bring the auditorium within q few feet Of the
street One flight Of steps will be done away
with entirely, and the first floor will
be at a lower elevation than that of the
New York Casino or the new Arnory
theater Of this city. graceful parterre circle
is to be constructed on the first floor The
plans prepared by Mr.. Muett have received the
of experienced judges OF theatre
cal architecture. and the approval of Building
Inspector Entwise, who pronOunces the changes
and valuable. The work on the stage
and in the auditorium will be completed by An
gust 18th. During the fall, and before the meet
Ing OF Congress, 1t IL proposed to make other
improvements on the ground foor of
the building, as Well as On the exterior
Mr.. JOHN T. FORD,
to whose enterprise the public will be indebted
FOR this elegant theater, has during a long
career as manager, both in this city and BaltI
more, not only served the public well. but also
has rendered excellent service to the dramatic
profession. Many actors who have attained
eminenca were introd,,cos 10 fha mn hffc by him