The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-09
NEW BIJOU THEATRE
WORK OF ACCOMPANYING OLD PLAY
 HOUSE BEGINS TO-DAY.
Force of Jack Wells Re.ches Montgomery to Improve McDonald's Thentre-WOrk
 VIII Cost 95,OOO.

The work of transforming McDon- ald,s Theatre on Bibb Street into Jake Wells Montgomery Bijou Theatre be- gins today.
 MT. Weilss force of construction men viIl begin this morning renovating, building. decorating and painting the old playhouse under the direction of Joseph A. Essig. director of the con- struction department of the Wells en- terprises.
 yesterday. bringing with him electri- clans. stage carpenters, decorators. scene painters and skilled mechanics, who are constantly employed on the Wells circuit.
 A building permit was secured from City Engineer D. W. Ford, granting permission to remodel the play house at a total cost of $5.000.
 MT. Essig and his co-workers began looking over the house immediately on their arrival. After going thoroughly over the details of the building, the superintendent of construction said "; am sure we can make this one of the most attractive little houses in the circuit.
 'In the first place." he continued, it is we'll planned. always like a ground floor theatre. It's so much safer and the architect who first arranged this house knew his business.
 "Of course, there will have to be lot of modern Improvements, necessary for an -to-date playhouse. and that's what we are here for. We are going 70 have a separate entrance and exit for the negroes. I find that this feature is always popular in Southern houses, both with the white and negro patrons.
 ~..fNf I AL. stairs now are leading to the wigwam of the Montgomery Red Men, and at the head of these stairs will be the negro ticket office. This will make an extra exit from the house and will re- move all danger of a stampede in case of fire.
 The entrance to the house will be completely modernized. Nothing helps a theatre like an attractive front, and we are going to have one here in Mont gomery. Just what the details will be. have not yet decided. but I am in- clined to the idea of the Bijou Thea tre in Birmingham. an entrance set off with massive Colonial pillars ard at least 250 electric lights on the front alone.
 "In the lobby, we will have a force of decoratprs busy in a few days. A modern ticket office will be installed and everything possible will be done to make 1t attractive.
 "In the auditorium, the painters and decorators will find another feld for their labors. New carpets, new light. ing facilities and modern heating ap- pliances will be installed. These old boxes will. be removed. and the walls continued in their original positions to the Tn tho nf loges will be installed. similar to those In the Bijou Theatres in Birmingham and Atlanta.
 The stage will be put back six feet, giving us a stage depth of nearly 40 feet, amply sufficient to stage any pro. duction. except something of the Ben Hur' order. and. of course. Wells car. ries none of these. The prosceniun opening will be enlarged. The old system of slide scenery will be entirely done away with and drops will be used be erected. Electric lights will super sede the old gas method of illumina- tion on the stage.
 Tn few days, Wells's scenic artist will arrive and will go to work at once painting an entirely fresh stock of scenry to be used here.
 By the moving back of the stage, we will have an increased seating ca pacity of ninety seats and I expect we will need them. as soon as Mont gomery becomes alive to the sort of stuff Wells put on at popular prices
 MT. Wells will arrive in Montgomery Friday and will at once take up the details of the house business. Who his manager will be do not know DOS itively, but I think 1t will be Ernest O. Looney. who made himself quite popu- lar here. managing the Casino in it's initial year."
 MT. Essig expects that the work of renovating the house will be com. pleted by November l. when the Bijou will be opened.