The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-08-30
IN WHITE AND GOLD.
Auditorium VIII Present a
Beautiful Appearance.
IMMENSE STOCK COMPANY
viii Be Installed Within a
Few Weeks.

a new opera house greeted the vision
Of reporter for the Eagle as he entered
the portals of Colonel Toler's Auditorium
yesterday. It is hard to imagine that the
big. rough. boarded, upholstered and IN
finished appearing building could be con-
verted into a neat, coy theatre. But it
is fact that the old auditorium has IN
dergone complete transformation so far
as the inside of the building is concerned,
and Wichita will, after this, have two fine
theatres in place of one. At the begin
ming OF the summer. Colonel ToIer tried
an experiment in the show business in
Wichita He put in a repertoire company
for about six weeks, playing two pieces
a week, each piece running three nights.
At first, the people not being used to a
summer theatre, did not attend as well as
expected, but within two weeks they
got on to the fact that at last Wichita
had a summer ATTRACTION for them in the
way Of a theatre, and all hocled to the
auditorium. Finding that he had struck
the right chord, and had discovered what
the public wanted, he closed his summer
company and engaged carpenters, paint
ers and scene painters to remodel the
house. Since the closing of the summer
company until the present time workmen
have been constantly employed and have
wrought wonders on the inside of the
building The balcony. proscenium and
side walls have been painted a cream
color, lined and ornamented with bronze.
An advertising drop curtain has been put
in, with beautiful painting in the center
of it, depicting Fishermen on the coast
Of Scotland" and on either side, on the
proscenium, are copies, artistically exc
cuted, OF the famous picture, Yes or
No." and a scene from Cinderella. The
house has been entirely rerurnished with
Manitowac opera seats, the same as are
used in Convention hall at Kansas City.
Back on the stage everything has under
gone a change. In the first place, eight
spacious dressing rooms have been put
in. Now, if there is anything an actor or
actress longs for and appreciates it is
a good dressing room. This has been
provided, and every dressing room floor is
covered with Brussels carpet, and every
little convenience for the player has been
added. Nine new drop scenes and three
box settings. which will be completed this
week, have been painted. John Holzbier-
lin, an excellent artist, of Kansas City,
is in charge of all the fine painting and it
is marvellous to see with what rapidity,
exactness and taste this artist does his
work. The loft has been changed entirely
and is now in the top of the rear Of the
building. Everything is to be Illuminated
by electricity, and a large slate switch
board is expected to arrive every day
It is the intention to have all the latest
electrical effects for the stage and scenery
used in a first class playhouse. The
seating capacity is to be 1900. The stage
now is so by 40 feet, and good sized pro-
auctions can be presented.
Manager Toler win proceed to put in
first class stock company-the best players
he can secure-and the companies will be
strictly under his own management. His
intention is to run the theatre on the
same plan as the Hopkins theatre of Chi
cagO, which is now one or the most pop
ular family resorts in that city. The
stock company will play in the theatre the
year round, and will give way only to
such extra attractions as Colonel Toler
sees fit to secure.
Eleven men are now at work putting
in the scenery and completing the seating
capacity. In a few days Manager Toler
will put on sale 500 books, containing
twenty admissions in each book, which
he intends selling for g a book. All peo-
pie holding these books viii be entitled
to secure seats one day IN advance Of
the regular sale for any attraction Of his
These books Will be on sale
at the Auditorium ticket Office. which
will be open every day. and the Colonel
himself viii be in charge.
Nothing but up-to-date, clean plays
Will be put on and an efficient stage direc-
tor viii be in charge of all productions.
Correspondence IS now going on for
first class stage carpenter. who will have
entire charge Of the mechanical part of
the stage. The actors for the stock com
pany are being engaged and everything
Is being prepared to give the Wichita
lovers of the Thespian art a whole winter