Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-25
/ NEW THEATER
In Course Of Construction
On Spring Street.
An EXTENDED DESCRIPTION

OF It as 1t Will Appear When
Completed = Quarter of q
Year Hence.
For more than year past the local
press has been filed with rumors
more or less vague regarding the
erection of. q theatre. The addition
q another place of amusement seems
now to be an assured fact, for the ex-
cavations are now being made on the
vroperty of Mrs. Juana A. Neal, on
Spring street.
An inspection of the elaborate plans
Just completed shows that the front OF
the edifce in question will be entirely
constructed of q warm tinted brown
and red sandstone. 1t will be four
stories in height, the architectural de-
tails and embellishments Of carved
stone being striking and original in
design. In the centre of the building
is the theatre entrance proper, present.
ing from the street a carved and dt c.
Grated stone arch thirty-two feet in
width, and leading into spacious
lobby floored with varisgated tiles,
richly decorated as to walls and ceiling,
and lighted by electric lights of novel
design. This terminates in spacious
foyer, from which the theater-goer en-
tiers, through three spacious doors
hung with heavy Moorish portieres,
the auditorium itself. This consi It's,
Dn the ground floor, of the orchestra
and parquet circle, and above these
the dress circle or first balcony, and
above that again commodious upper
or family circle. The whole aspect of
the interior will be unique and strik-
ing, it being the expressed purpose of
the owner and architects to avoid any
Of the time-honored conventionalities
Of theater decorations. The entire
walls to the proscenium will be cov-
cred with exquisite pacrusta aud Lin
crusta Walton, and moulded designs
and fretwork in Moorish style, con-
trasting with the crimson silk plush
with which the chairs, rails, etc., will
be upholstered. In fact, the decora-
ton in these particulars, will be an
elaboration of the interior OF the
Alcazar Theater, in San Francisco,
though in shape the auditorium
of the new house will more
nearly resemble that of the
Baldwin Theater, in the same city.
The boxes, eight in number, will be
of the prevailing Moorish design, and
Of light, graceful and open construc-
tion. They will be decorated with
satin, velvet and lare, and each will
contain six arm chairs of unique de-
sign. A special feature will be the
seats of the house. Not only will they
be roomier, deeper and wider than tie
ordinary opera chairs, but will be OF
the pattern known in theatrical par
lance as the "McVicker chair" An
entirely new feature will bs circle of
four chair stalls, an English fashion,
dividing the orchestra and parquet
circle, the floor of the outside proscen-
ium boxes will also be slightly ele-
waited above the inside ones.
The stage will be known to the pro-
fession as the sectional" kind, and
will contain all the very latest i'm
provements and facilities invented up
70 date, the innumerable slides, traps
AND openings being provided for in
advance and built into the structure.
rnere ~.ill be two fly galleries, and
the rigging loft will pe ., M sSout twice
the usual capacity. ali"a.;;, s:,,g adii.
faona. Space for the apparently end
lass system of ropes and machinery
required, especially in spectacular
productions. The "gridiron," as it is
called in theatrical parlance, being,
for illustration, sixty feet above the
stage level, thus enabling the largest
scenery to be lifted entirely above
the borders when not in use, and thus
kept from creasing or breaking.
The dressing--ooms will be ten
in number, tastefully ar
ranged, provided with running
water, full length mirrors, double
lights and other toilet facilities. Back
Of thuse are commodious property and
scene rooms. The scenery comprises
everything known to The most elabor-
ately equipped Eastern houses, and
the various sets are now in the hands
of specialists in this branch of realis-
tic art, as is also the design for the
principal drop curtain, which will pre-
sent Moorish landscape and figure
piece in keeping with the general
tone and decorations. There will be
three curtains altogether, one heavy
plush dividing cur ain. The stage
furniture will be complete and ele-
giant.
In every detail of the plans adopted
pains have been taken to construct as
absolutely fire proof an edifice as inge-
nuity and experience can secure. The
auditorium floor is to be constructed
entirely Of brick and iron, and ioored
with incombustible wood. Every inch
of canvas used for scenery, draperies
etc., will be treated by the new incom.
bustible process adopted by the New
York Fire Department. The audi
torium will be shut off from the stage
by special iron curtain, ready for use
at a moments notice. Substantial
brick fire-walls prevail everywhere
while heavy brick arches and
iron girders support the struct-
ure at all points. Hose pipes
will be ready for instant use at re-
quisite intervals. All the walls will
be laid in stone, brick and cement.
The plastering and holdings will be
4 entirely Of fire proof materials and to
carry the non-combustible idea to its
EXTREMIST limits wooden lathing has
been discovered in favor of recently
patented iron article. To complete
these precautions the theater will be
provided with, in all, eleven exits
through which it is calculated the
largest audience could readily fine
egress in less than four minutes. Ths
exits in the rear of the stage consis