The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-16
IT'S A THING OF BEAUTY
THE NEW ENGLISH RAPIDLY APP
PREACHING COMPLETION.
1t Is One of the HandsOmest Play
Houses i'm the Country-Artistic
Scheme of Decoration.

When the curtain rises on Jack and the
Beanstalk" at Englishs Opera House,
week from Monday night, the audience will
find itself seated in one of the handsomest
and most complete playhouses in America.
The theater is practically new, as only the
four walls of the old theater have been
left intact. The contractors, the VIM. p.
Jungclaus Company, have an army OF
workmen within the walls putting the last
touches to woodwork, marble and painting.
The main entrance, or lobby, gives hint
of the beauties beyond. The broad passage
from street to auditorium is as rich and
elegant as one can imagine. white marble
wainscoting, about five feet HIGH lines
either side, and above is a wall in rich deco
ration, the fiat surface broken with col
umns, each capped with a mask The ceiling
is entirely in relief work and is thickly
studded with electric lights, which give a
brilliant and at the same time delicate
effect to the green-tinted walls. The foyer
just beyond is spacious and from it leads
the broad staircase of easy ascent to the
galleries. The foyer is finished in delicate
shades of pink, in harmonious contrast to
the green Of the lobby The broad arches
leading to the auditorium have groups of
figures above. At one side are the ticket
and other offices, finished in hard wood and
handsomely furnished. One of the new fea-
lures of the theater is the ladies' room at
the left Of the lobby. This room is of ample
size and decorated in Louis XIV style. One
end has horizontal mirror nearly the en-
tire width, where ladies may arrange their
bonnets and see to their locks before they
enter the theater. On the other walls Of the
room are ovals, with relief decoration, in
!, nro of
rooms furnishings are in Louis XIV style,
no two chairs alike, and each upholstered
in satin damask in delicate colors. The en-
tire floor of the lobby, foyer and room IS
in mosaic, with a rich border of black and
colors. BY day this entrance is lighted by
means of a large window of stained glass,
in the center Of each section of which is an
ornamental "E."
AS for the auditorium there have been
manifest changes. Everything has received
modern treatment. Where formerly there
were three tiers of boxes now there is one.
The proscenium opening is elliptical, and
the main decoration over the center and
at either side is in three groups the CEN
ter representing the Drama, at one side
Music and at the other Poetry, gracefully
drawn figures in original designs being
used, with soft colorings. The figures are
connected with renaissance scrolls and an
elaboration Of relief work. This is in much
finer quality than is usually seen in theater
decoration The entire design in the audi
torium is in the renaissance, and is done
in ivory and gold.
The single boxes at either side of the
stage are divided from the orchestra by
triple tier design Of galvano plastic bronze,
which is a representation Of real bronze
and has it's peculiar shadings and colorings
The decoration over the boxes is In arches,
and in the center of each are delicate
traceries in color Between the upper and
lower boxes are rows Of medallions. On one
side are the heads Of the great dramatists
Moliere, Shakespeare and Schiller, and on
the other three great musicians, Beethoven
Verdi and Wagner. Gold is used in ample
quantities to magnify the artistic effects in
every instance The carpets and draperies
for the boxes are in green, rich in ma
terial and artistic in design.
THE SEATING ARRANGEMENT.
The seats for the auditorium on per-
feet line of sight to the stage. There is no
seat in the house that will not be a good
seat for any performance. The chairs are
Of the newest and most comfortable design,
and are Of iron, gilded and upholstered.
From the audience side the theater will be
as near perfect as it is possible to make 1T.
The three colors. green pink and ivory
with a plentiful sprinkling Of gold, are most
agreeable to the eye. The lavishness of ma
terials and the talent called on for design
in all departments is all that money can
buy in this country, and is rarely surpassed
anywhere The decorative work has been
done by Healy & Nillet, Of Chicago. under
the personal supervision of Mr. Millet and
of the relief work has been made in Chicago
and sent here and part Of it was made
under the roof, where it was put on. There
is not a heavy line in the whole of 1t and
all the art of the designer has been brought
forth in the result. The gallery has been
brought forward to the stage, vast I'M
provement. The seats in the gallery are now
close to the actors and the whole effect is
more compact while it places the audience
in the gallery closer to the actor and makes
the latter more in touch with the gallery
folks.
tween that part of q theater prepared for
the audience and that prepared for the
players. Chief in the new theater is the
asbestos curtain. While the auditorium of
a theater can be made practically fireproof,
as this has there is always much inflam-
mabe material on the stage side, the paint
ings and traps, while the flies and prop
critics are all more or less likely to be fuel
for any small flame. The asbestos curtain
will at a moments notice completely close
the auditorium from the stage. This cur
tain is not particularly ornamental 1t is
down until the orchestra takes its place,
and is then to be raised and not lowered
again until the close of the performance,
unless necessary. It will give place to a
handsomely decorated ornamental curtain
between acts. Back of the fire curtain is
every modern appliance known to stage
craft. At either side, back of the boxes,
are small dressing rooms, those above the
stage floor approached by iron staircases.
THE STAR DRESSING ROOMS.
The dressing rooms for the stars are out
side Of the theater in the next building.
All are lighted with electricity. have hot
and cold water marble basins and every
possible convenience. They will be well
warmed in cold weather There are fifteen
dressing rooms in all, and each is COM
pletely furnished.
The entire system Of arranging scenery
and flies is new, and is perfect network
Of strings and pulleys The scenery Of the
theater is as new as the theater, COM
plete list of sets having been painted Mr.
Thomas G. Moses, OF Chicago, is the scenic
artist. He is one of the leading scenic art
lists of the country. He painted the scenery
of the Valentine Theater in Toledo, for
several of the Chicago theaters, the scenery
for many of the great productions or plays,
ard he ranks with the first in the country.
The stage is lighted with q complete system
of electric lights, all set IN heaVy TN re-
Electors and thoroughly protected from any
wood. There is also a set or three colors,
from which any desired effect on the stage
may be made.
The theater has an Independent light,