The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-09-02
NEW THEATRE
NOW READY
odd Playhouse Has Been
Made Over.
TO OPEN FRIDAY NIGHT
Opera Chairs and Drop Cur
tain Go in Today.
~ -
The Auditorium is Practically Com
pleted,, But the Entrance and
y Exterior Work are -.-.i
Under Construction.

are put IN place in the Montgomery The
atre today the improvements in the au-
ditorium of the old playhouse will be
practically completed. The chairs which
are very handsome, arrived in Montgom-
cry Yesterday.
All Of the energy Of the workmen has
been bent toward completing the audito-
rum 20 that the theatre might be opened
on schedule time, September 5. For this
reason work on the main entrance. the
Hobbies. the stairways and the ladies coat
room has, been somewhat delayed. These
improvements will be pushed forward.
however. and It Is expected that the work
OF the contractor, Frank Cox. of Chi
cago. win be completed by September is.
The Transformation Of the interior of
the thsatre has been complete. The plas-
tic work Is highly artistic and the Mont
geometry public VIII be surprised at the
triumph OF the painters and decorators.
The color scheme Is a deep red while the
four handsome new proscenium boxes and
the balcony rails are done in gold and
old ivory ornamented with plastic figures.
The ceiling Is In red with small dome
In the centre. The panel work is very
artistic.
Perhaps the most striking improvement
In the auditorium of the theatre is the
four proscenium boxes. The old boxes
were compile tely torn away. thereby CIV
ing opportunity fer increasing the width
Of the stage. The boxes on the orchestra
floor are nearer the level Of the orchestra
and the boxes on the dress circle floor
are not much higher than were the old
boxes. These new boxes are beautifully
ornamented and will be provided with
handsome chairs. The plastic figures
which ornamented the old boxes remain
but they have been repainted and are
more artistic In appearance
The Improvement in the stage was mod
eiled after the most modern theatres. It
has been widened and deepened and hand
some star dressing rooms have been add
ed. The scenery loft is equipped with all
appurtenances necessary for handling any
kind Of scenery. An elevator has been
provided for lifting scenery and baggage
from the street by way of a vestibule d.
rectly underneath the stage. 1t will no
longer be necessary to hoist scenery
through a window or handle It by way of
the Monroe Street entrance. This eleva-
tor Is also constructed so that horses,
carriages or any other adjuncts of a
scenic play. may be hoisted to the stage
in short order. ri
A beautiful new drop curtain has been
painted in Chicago for the theatre. 1t
reached Montgomery yesterday by ex-
press and will be put into place this week
The stage Is bordered with gold edge
so that when the curtain 10 lowered II
will have the appearance Of an immense
picture In a mammoth gold frame.
The chairs in the orchestra circle will
be OF the latest pattern. They are up
holstered in red leather They will ex-
tend closer to the orchestra pit than in
the old house. The orchestra Is to be d.
vided from the first row OF chairs by a
chain of gold with highly polished brass
posts The chairs in the parquette and
dress circles are Of the same pattern
as those in the orchestra circle except
new stationary berenes have been pro-
vided in the gallery D.
The dress circle and the gallery have
been thrown forward and lowered so that
a good view of the stage is secured from
any point In the auditorium. A great i'm
provement in this direction is the tearing
away of the eleven wooden posts which
obstructed the view in the parquette. Six
iron posts have been substituted.
Il. The building is to be heated throughout
with steam and the fittings are already
In place Myriads of incandescent lights
will make the interior OF the playhouse
respondent The wiring has been COM
pleted and the lights will be used at the
opening Friday evening.
One Of the chief improvements in the
way of comfort is the provision made for
negroes. They will not be permitted to
enter the theatre by the main entrance
There will be q ticket ONCE on Monroe
Street for negroes. They will reach the
gallery by way of q Monroe Street en-
trance and will at no time come into con-
tact with other patrons Of the theatre.
The main entrance to the theatre is to
be fitted with marble wainscoting and a
tiled floor. The box once will be located
on the south side of the vestibule and I'M
der a new stairway which win lead from
the, vestibule to the dress. circle. This
stairway affords an additional exit to the
theatre.
The work on the main entrance will
not be completed within two weeks.
The circular lobby of the theatre is to
remain intact but 1t will be highly orna-
-nnented and brilliantly illuminated A
doorway is to be cut through a partition
which will lead from the lobby to a la
dies lounging room just in the rear of
the managers once. This ladies room is
the pride of Messrs. Hirscher Bros, CO.
managers of the theatre. They say they
expect to make 1t as attractive and as
comfortable as Is possible. A negro maid
will be provided and the lady patrons of
the theatre will And real enjoyment in
the comforts IL will offer.
Under the plan of improvement in the
theatre its capacity Is increased 2oo seats.
Frank Cox. the contractor. who has