The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-18

and that when it opens next season ev-
erything viii be new but the walls and
floor. 1t is expected that $4,000 viii be
spent in improvements.
The Grand opera house is one Of the
largest and best arranged Jheaters in
the west and has stage that viii ac-
commodate the largA productions The
isos4se viii play betA popular ana hgn
priced attractions and the lessees an
nOunce that the comfort and welfare Of
the patrons viii be carefully looked to.
We viii open the house next season
with some large attraction, said Mr..
Brigham this morning. We have been
ne gotaUng for the Grand opera house
for some time and if we could have Sc
cured it so days ago we would have
opened in May with Richard Mansfield.
Now we viii have the house ready to
open about September 1 with some good
production. We win play both popular
and high priced attractions. The house
Will be rerhOdelled and will be the same
as a new theater when it is opened.
There will be smoking rooms and
ladies' reception rooms on both the first
and second floors. The house will be
newly carpeted. The old wall paper will
all be removed and the walls viii be
frescoed. The decorations win be in
plastic relief. new steam plant Will
be installed so that the house can al
ways be kept warm and comfortable.
There viii be new drop curtains and the
stage Will have new scenery through
Jul ! AAc stage VIII DE LEWlEtQ ana llG
entire house viii have 4 new lighting
system.
New dressing rooms will be built and
they viii be made as clean and comfort
able as possible. The fire escapes and
exits viii be rebuilt. the entrances will
be remOdelled. The seats Will be reno
waited and freshly upholstered where re-
quired. The Grand opera house viii be
practically new by next fail"
NOT NEW IN BUSINESS
Mr.. Brigham is not unknown to To-
peka nor TO the theatrical business by
any means. He is credited with success
es where others have failed and if any
one can make the Grand what it was
expected to be. the best theater between
Kansas City and Denver. Mr. Brigham
can do it. He is lessee of the Atchison
thaeter. the New Blake theater. Webb
city, Mo, the Grand opera house. Car
thage, Mo, and of the New Grand opera
house, Hot Springs. Arkansas. He is also
lessee and manager of the New ellis
theater at Kansas City He has made a
success of the ellis when others faile44
and his other theaters have also proven
proftab BILE
Mr.. Brigham is a hustler He is the
man who is responsible for Atchison
getting many OF the better class of at
fractions which have not PLAYED in To-
peka. During the present season he
has had klaw & Changers big opera
company with Foxy Quiller." which
Topeka did not get and also Daniel
hrohmans Lyceum stock company in
Lady Huntsworth's Experiment. -
with Hilda Spronge as the star. and
also Blanche Walsh in Janice Mere
dith"
Mr. Brigham managed the Lyceum
rheater in st. Joseph, which was a
small house. bur he played Richard
Mansfield and Sousa's hand there to
the capacity of the house Mansfield
once played in Kansas. 1t was Brig
ham who brought him to Topeka.
Atch1son- LeavenWorth and Wichita
Mr. Brigham viii go east June / TO
make the bookings for the Grand opera
house.
AN EXCELLENT HOUSE
The Grand opera house is one of the
best planned and best arranged the
aters i'm the country. The stage is
large enough to accommodate the lare-
est attractions travelling. The entire
stage can be seen from every seat in
the house. DeWolf Hopper once ioked
the toboggan effect of the slantine
first floor, but when he did so he was
seen by everyone in the building The
Grand has seating capacity of 500
The Grand opera house has always
been the popular house with topeka
people. 1t was opened September IL
1882 with the Emma Abbott grand
opera company, which played a week
engagement at prices ranging to 81. 80
The house was crowded every night OF
the week IGpeka's population was
ther was then the manager. There was
never an attraction too large for the
Grand and never an actor or actress