New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-11
THE NEW EMPIRE THEATRE.

= has been Charles Frohman's wish TO have
home" theatre II which the elements o. safety
comfort and beauty o. design should be Tea-lzed
and in which the more important OF his plays
Is ta brought out IN this city before being given
IN other parts O. the country or IN other theatres
under his control. In rebuilding the new EIn'4re
Theatre OF the site % the Old Empire Theatre this
vas the problem that was set him Though the
theatre is entirely new IN scheme and IL decoration
Il Is built within the old lines which established
certain restrictions On the architects
The principal entrance remains on Broadway. The
outer vestIbuIe which Is entirely finished IN Caen
stone IS II the shape o: niche with three arches
two OF them leading into the theatre This scheme
-ras a6or,te6 TO overcome the difficulties o, plan
especially the lack os symmetry II plan. at this
point
The inner vestibule is O. the Louis XIV period
and Is treated entirely stone with Hauteville
marble floors. bases and seats. and contains the
box Office managers oflce and the stairs TO the
smoking room. The wall IS treated with Ionic
piIasters forming panels. The ceiling and cornice.
are modelled with az pTOprate attributes OF masks
and musical instruments From this entrance hal!
the theatre IS reached through a foyer separated
from the en-ance hall by DOORS The style Of this
room Is also Louis XIV, but freely Teated-the
color scheme being Light red and gold as iran
s-to- 70 the richer red and gold Of ths theatre
Tie pfasters cornices ceilings and other architect
ural features as well all Ornamentatlon' are
treated IN gold the wall panels are silk brocaaes
and the floors are covered with red carpets
The vsuited ceiling and the tympanum al the
west end have been covered by William lie l.
Dodge with decorative paintings the ce!hg pAne'
rer-esentinE an out OF door subject. sur Ia ter
race and the tympanum likewise an out Of door
;ba west END Of the foyer the theatre IS en-
tered through Ionic colonnaoe, Hi,S IL sopp -
q balustrade balcony projecting lAI0 ''e 40ss' -
the level OF the balcony floor. ..s .t...-a m.
In the design and decoration 90. %. -,iaI Ne ~
theatre especially 10 retain the spirit OF the the
are az II existed in the eighteenth century "a
contrast with the many attempts thaJ nave re-
Gently been made in the otIeT Iylg,,e- Ia ;
bSs1 sssp-ed 10 modern conditions. and though the
old style proseenlnn 4Icn eSSD4ed Forming rich
set+ing or frame for the stage pictures and the
-. ne tr1ent Of the galleries IL entirely IN
eceordsnee Win ni2os M eoIumns and thus per-
i,t1g an unobstrIcted view OF the stage from al
pe5ts frl of architecture and decoration OF the
interior IS strictly Of the LOUIS - III sfaces
- .-ee+-f fu red. the rest Of the architecture
and al o. Us tones Of gold the gold Icing ussd
- as decorative detail bHt as SO, caiirtiIgs
Sy ,Iisam De l. Dodge, The central panel a rep
resents Fate de Nut ~ Nv @4 I5,is XVI period
- .eeT singing and dancing over the oaiCu .
srTe the outer edge Of the picture The GslsTs
passing EllegorieaI ns - ~ re towering
- ara lie many lights and lanterns, ioa tbe
festive subject which = 1ihrceb The reflected
gov of the lights Of the hall below On the right
The SIDE panels represent coineHy 81 neneI in
s-s rcd on the left. and the lai - three
Re res- OF the ceiling. La Leetarei nae over
- 9-oseeniuTn arch represents the Fl-A"' "
Day" ..-..t,s "A the house. in
cludiuE the stage curtain win - "a the boxes
seats curtains and the va. Pa haxss are different
shades OF red tie hangings being as5TV subjects
ernbrosdsrt.s and the chairs % laPS - ne giId-
re reS note is introduced repeals1.s IA IT, only
ing TO harmoniEe the entire IN has been intro
euced into lie scheme is the teat 'ISrencb srays
! ings and the woodwork IN tones u
and gold ..ot- or Lobby is In
on each floor broad prome.oa, 20 :. being placed
rroduced back Of the seats. rae So. .+,-Sef with
al either eud TIE lighting has pssn e.s.sor ~ 3
a making IL part or t.s 60 Ii.Ebt the archi-
,scture and the decorations OF ns but the
The number Of exits remains % 49,