New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-26
THE NEW BROADWAY THEATRE.
A SAFE AND HANDSOME BUILDING

The now Broadway Theatre. of which French and
Sanger arc tho essees. will undoubtedly DO all rcsdy
for tho announced opening next Saturday night when
Fanny Davenport will appear In sardou's latest play.
La Toscap On Friday morning tho theatre was
shown to the representatives OF the press and although
thore was much still unfinished, good general Idea
OF tho building and the effect Of the decoration was
obtainable Tho visitor who enters through tho largo
main doorway finds himself in lobby eighteen foot
by twenty four feet having tiled floor. The lower
portion OF tho walls is covered with endOhic Sienna
marble surmountod by mosaic border Above
this the walls decorated In Persian design having
tapestry effect, the prevailing coios being russell
brown, old red and old blue. On tho left IS tho
box office which has a double window. Handsome
brass ralings protect the box office and the ticket
taer -Four large doors OF wood and glass, the wood
work treated to create metallic appearance
OF old bronze, give access to tho interior lobby or
foyer This Is efteen feet deep, and extends tho en-
trio length OF the auditorium, seventytwo feet six
inches Its decoration on the walls is liomanesqno
foliage design in antique olive, and old
red Through five archways, which Will DO hung
with rich silk plush portIees, tho visitor passes into
tho auditorium proper. An unusually wide passage
extends between tho last row Of seats and the rear
wall. Tho floor is divided into parquctte and par
quette circle. There five ases leading to seats
In the f0rmor and four to the latter. Beneath tho
steps In the row OF seats in tho parquette circle
arc perforated gratlngs through which hot or cold
air Will be forced as needed. On tho floor OF tho
parquette there will be other openings for similar
purposes. Tho prevailing scheme OF color IN tho
decoration Of tho auditorium IS old maroon aud pink
Seats OF tho newest pattern twenty-five inches Wide,
upholstered In maroon plush, and furnished With
hat and coat racks have been provided. Those arc
extra largo and extremely comfortable Tho two
circles arc considerably fatened ehpses, and in tho
centre OF each slight swelling or bulge relieves tho
monotony of tho lines. On each sido viii DO Two
private boxes divided from tho OF tho auditorium
and each other by brass grllls. Curtains similar
to tho portIeros will afford privacy. Above tho
proscenlum arch, the sounding board extends far
out into the auditorium tt Is pierced for seventy
seven electric lights arranged in flowing foliage
pattern.
Tho impression made by tho auditorium IS that 1t Is
wlde spacious and airy, an impression heightened by
tho largo lobby on tho right Of tho building forty four
feet by eleven feet. This will be ladies' parlor
and reception room cloak room and smoking
room a the ends of tho long foyer. Tho width
o. the auditorium is almost great as its depth
and therefore that telescope aspect which obong
theatres have is happily missing. Throughout tho
building all walls and ceilings finished In plaster
on fire proof wire lahs All woodwork both on stage
and tho auditorium. has been covered with Martins
solution which renders 1t non-niammable Pieces OK
plank painted with this were shown thrust into
fierce fro where they simply charrcd away and never
a heap of shavings also shown to have been mado
non nfammabe. There Will DO three curtains, OF
asbestos In plain color, and two richly decorated.
The handsomost Of these will 10 painted with q
spanish figure subject Tho Arrival OF tho Brdc'
Two wide marble staircases lead from the foyer
to the balcony and two six feet wide of the most
solid construction lead to tho galleries In addition
To these wide iron StalcaSeS from balcony
and gallery descending on Forty frsts and the alloy
way on tho south side Of the theatre. Automatic
sprinklers and stand Pipe water fixtures have been
placed wherever possible and so complete have
been tho precautions against fire that tho risks on
tho building and contents have been placed at ono
Dor cent, which Is nearly two-thirds lower than that
charged In any other theatre in this city.
The Stage, which has two hygallcIics on each
side, Is forty-eght feet deep from tho footlights
with a piOscenum opening thlrty-slx feet square
IL has been built by Sherwood Whine, and Is
in six-foot sections, any one OF which can bo taken
up may bo required. There are two lines OF
bridges which can bc tilted at any anglo, eight
traps and five sinks Three large doors at the bach
OF the stage open directly seventh ave. Iron
and slate starcases lead to tho dressing rooms
has hot and cod wafer, and access to special fire
escapes. All lighting will BIO dono by electricity
and two Independents engines are furnished so as TO
provide for accident Gas fittings havo also been
put In. Tho boilers and engines are away from tho
main building In vaults extending under seventh ave
In tho auditorium there Is lobby room to the extent
OF two and half square feet for each spectator, a
more liberal provision than the latest law ro
quires. Electric buttons. located in different parts
OF tho house WILL being pressed, ms antly throw
open all tho doors Matt Morgan suggested the scheme
OF decoration which has been carried out by Mitchell
and Iabach. Frank W. Sanger will be the man
ager and Andrew A. Mccormick business manager