The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-17
NAMES OF THEATERS.
Lack Of Originality Which Managers
Have Displayed In New York.

The recent controversy over the name
OF what was, when opened, Abbeys
Tbsster, has called to the attention of
some reminiscent persons the lack of
originality among managers having occa-
sion TO bestow names upon theHters. III
might be supposed that IN profession
whose mem bers strive continuously after
novelty there would bo no dearth OF
picturesque, appropriate, and attractive
names for play houses; but, however 1t
may be in other capital cities lfor New
York is the theatical capital OF the United
States, and far beyond all rivals) the
past, as well as in the present, have been
satisfied TO follow in a groove and use
few stock names for theaters without
variance or originality.
The two leading thoroughfares OF New
York having for many years been Broad
way and the Bowery, Broadway Theaters
and Bowery theaters have been familiar
to New York. The first Bowery theater
was opened IN 1926. There was afterward
the New Bowery Theater, and the hrst
one, the Olo Bowery, as 1t came TO be
known, bore that name until 1873, Its only
successor at present being Miners Bowery
Theater on the other side OF the way
further up town. The Broadway Theater.
In Broadway near Pearl street. was opened
in 1850. There was still another BROAD
way Theater later below Broome street,
then Broadway Theater on the future
site of Harrigan q Hart's below Astor
place, then the Broadway Thoater on the
present site of Daly's Theater at Broad
way ana Thirtieth street, and, finally,
the present Broadway Theater at Broad
way and Forty-first street. The original
Park Theater, on Park row opposite tho
City Hall Park, was opened in 1889, and
the second Park Thea ter IN 1921. The
Park Theatcr, of which Henry Il. Abbey
was manager, at Broadway and Twenty
second street, went up in flames on the
night fixed for the first appearance In the
United states of Mrs. Langtry, and later
the present Herald Square rheater was
known as the Park Theater for a time.
rhe success of Henry irving as man.
ager in London seemed to make popular
the title for Lyceum as theater designa-
tion in the United states. Thore have
been sundry Lyceun Thearers In New
York in recent years-Brougham's Ly-
ceum on oath street, tho present site OF
Hoyts; Fechter's Lyceum on Fourteenth
street, the present site of the Fourteenth
street Theater; and the Fourth avenue
Iyceum, originally called Mackaye's Ly-
,eum. There was a Madison Square
Theater until the present occupant
changed the name to Hoyt's, Union
Square until the present occupant
changed the name TO Keith's, and n
Pixies Opera House until Pike retired
from it when 1t becs m, the Grand Opera
House, though ii has been devoted al
most exclusively to performances not
operatic. Tne Academy of Music is an
other house which under its present man.
agement retains name suggestive OF
musical performances, but at which
these Gro given only at rare intervals.
The Fifth Avenue Iheater is not on Fifth
avenue, and to parapbrase the statement
of Major-General Stanley in the "Pirates
OF Penzanee" who admitted to the
Corishmen that "not only he wasn't an
orphan. but he never had teen an
orphan" the Fifth Avenue Theater never
was on Fifth aAenue. having Deen suc-
cessively on 21th street, on Broadway,
opposite the New York Hotel, and on
2Sth street, between Broadway and Sixth
avenue.
The casino, through all its vicissitudes,
its alternating popularity and reverses,
has dhered TO the original name under
which II was opened. The name Olympic
as a theater designation, long popular In
New Yoik, was discarded until revived
in a somewhat different form by Oscar
Hamerstein at his Olympia. There is no
National Theater in New York, though
the name National would seem to be a
most appropriate one for theater de-
voted 10 exclusively American perform
anccs. The old National Theater at the
corner Of Leonard and Church streets
was a celebrated playhouse in its time.
Though there is no. National theater IN
New York. there is an Empire, but after
Sept. there will be no Impsrial Music
Hall to keep it company, for what was
formerly the Imperial is to be hereafter
the Broadway. The present Standard
Theater was originally the Eagle. The
star, except during a snort period when
IL was known az the Germanis, was
wallack's. Two bouses recently The
American on Eighth avenue and the
Columbus on i25th street--have names
which suggest patriotic or historic asso-
cations, and tho new thedter which ia
building for Frank B. Murths on Lex
ington avenue, near Forty-second, is TO
be called the Murray Hill. In respect tc
suitability for theatrical purposes the
name OF Garrick is perhaps III ore suitable
than any otner now in town-so actors
say. But there are managers who add
that managers name in better trade
marx than that Of az actor, however
illustrious in stage history, and that a
street designation Tor theatei Is q better
one in u business way than either.