New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-08
m BE OPENED TONIGHT.
.ppry,S THEATRE READY. BUT NOT
FINISHED
. DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW AND HANDSOME
pLAYuousE-A STAGE WITH EVERY

p1.yuorsE-A STAGE WITH EVERY
KNOWN APPLIANCE
49, ,ow Abbey's Theatre, at Broadway and
,,-,,a,ghth-st was opened for q private inspec-
49,. yesterdav afternoon. and the first opportunity
- GIVEN for an extended and authentic description
:, ,,e house The exterior. which has for some
TIA been practically finished. is familiar to every
,nav who has passed up and down Broadway of
80. Az matter of record. 1t may be repeated
49,. !, &c six stories high, is built Of Indiana lime
80 and bum brick With polished granite columns.
- occupies a lot measuring IS feet inches In
broadway and l4O feet inches in Thirty eighth
=, The architects are J. b. McElfatrick & Son.
Tho interior of the theatre Is extremely hand
some especially the proscenium arch and the parts
near IT, The prevailing color throughout Is grayish-
a-asn-sea green. the decorators call 1t. This Is
.sn IN so light tint that II Is scarcely possible
. ,su what il Is on the front of the balconies
o,d the boxes where il is relieved with gold decora-
,,ons In scroll designs. Darker tones OF the same
color are seen in the Graperes of the boxes There
ora six boxes on each side of the stage, TWO on
.hs orchestra floor three on the balcony and one
level with the gallery. This last is not especially
useful as a box and is chiefly decorative in It's
nprDose The upholsterng the orchestra floor
% ~ about the same tint the box draperies The
chairs are wider than usual, and are covered WIN
tsnestry of a handsome design On the backs OF the
seats are chains for hanging coats, instead Oh the
usual wires
THE STAGE NOT LARGE, But CONVENIENT
The proscenium arch is. Of course. richly deco
-.,sd in harmony with the box and balcony fronts.
On the sounding board above it is a line piece OF
decorative figure painting, in light and harmonious
colors The orchestra pit is sunk below the stage
after the Bayreuth manner. and in the mluuie runs
far back. giving space for the MUSICIANS nu0n
larger than is usual except In houses designed
especially for opera There are three curtains ne
one 10 be used at the beginning and the END Oh the
play is of plain dark-green baze, the classical
color and the classical material Tor the purpose
The act drop-to use the usual term; t rs not
really drop in this case-is OF pale green tapeso,S
svar fringe Instead Of falling it closes from the
sides and meets in the middle Inc .nlrd Sut,a,n
The house is carpeted with the customary green.
The stage itself is remarkably fine one In every
sahsr dedcent It is Y feet wide and 40 feet deep
This last is its weak point. it could be wished for
s sTms poT is twenty-five feet from the floor
Of the stage and there IS space OF some rch &c
thirtvsix feet wide and thrty-six feet high The
Is Of the sectional sort, WIN and GVe desen for
producing effects, and is in this respect as g9od d
% in hs fy ca Tne Meh depend Ses hs
modern stage management. and at this theatre II
that "a t sph caas hn aso
pretty effect is produced by pendant lamps una od
s sDd SaiS aye fuzzy BY
the stage.
THE DECORATIONS IN THE LOBBY
One of the prettiest parts of the house when the
decoration is done will be the main lobby, opening
on Broadway. The main entrance VIII be closed
with heavy doors of bronze relief work AT the
left Of the lobby enters the theatre is the
box Office. with front OF marble and onyx e On
the other side is a handsome fireplace. The moor
is of mosaic tiles The ceiling is divided into small
square panels with rosette in relief In each one
and an electric light at each intersection OF tne
dividing bars. The walls are not yet decorated
but there will be four panels, with handsome ue-
signs In imitation of tapestry representing the
four seasons There is another entrance IN Lhirty,
eighth-st covered as far as the curb ms, OF
course. is especially planned for persons coming
in carriages. ,.. ..or
dav she carpeting was not quite Gone, and there
was still tribe OF decorating in the AUDITORIUM I'M
finished The house will be ready for its frst audi
ence tonight. however. though in some parts II
will not be quite complete In several days 10
night Henry Irving and Miss Ellen Terry VIII
nlay "Becket" Mr. Irving attended TO a scene
rehearsal of the play on the stage last night to
make sure that everything would go smoothly