Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-12-08
Details OF One to be Founded by
Social Leaders, In New
York City
eERNAARDT TO OPEN IT
Estimated That the Play House Will
Cost to Build Not Less Than ST.
100000 and Foyer Will Be the Finest
Art Gallery in America-sociaI
Censorship OF the Boxes.

With subscription in all Of $780,,
600 from thirty wealthy New York
men prominent In finance, patrons Of
art and stanch supporters of grand op-
era at the Metropolitan Opera House;
with the purchase of the entire block
front from Sisty-second to SiXty-third
street, facing Central Park West; with
plans ordered for a superb theater tc
cost :f2,O0O.O0O, containing an immense
foyer which is to be decorated by ia
nous painters and sculptors of Che
United States and Europe and be en-
riched with treasures, making it the
greatest art gallery of New York, with
the exception Of the Metropolitan Mn.
scum of Art; with a committee of wO-
men who are leaders in New York SO.
ciety and who are to decide who shall
be accorded boxes in this artistic and
social rivn! to the golden horseshoe"
Of the Metropolitan-with these and
other details quietly arranged Ameri-
cas- National theater, long dreamed Of
has been founded in New York, with
Heinrich Conried ut its head
The plans and aims and general de
tails Of the establishment of theater
to do for the drama in the United
States what the Theatre Francois has
accomplished for France or the Burg
theater for Germany We're explained
recently to q reporter for the New
York Herald by, well known fnancier
America has caused his name to be
widely known. He has been COM
handing factor in this the most impor-
tant move ever made in the interest az
the stage i'll America.
For some years. he said, "there has
been much and earnest talk about the
founding of national theater, which
has been sadly needed, but its worthy
promoters We're not equipped with
financial means toward its accomplish
ment, Nor We're they-with due apollo
gies to them--working along rational
lines from combined educational,
artistic and amusement point Of view
calculated to win general popular sup
port-the support Of tile entertainment
seeking masses as we'll as the artistical.
" inclined few.
II and other men blessed with means
and an inclination to bring about O
dramatic 'consummation devoutly to he
wished met Heinrich Conried and talk
ed it over with him. We talked It
over with him confidently because we
had observed his work on the Irving
Place theater stage and in the Metro
politan Opera House. Perhaps every
body does not know it, but after he
had been leading man and star up
on the local German stage-the old
Thalia theater in this city (New York;
and started mana gerial efforts on his
own account he faced difficulties and
won success against obstacles that
were heartbreaking.
1--WE noticed all this, and when he
was transplanted to the Metropolitan
Opera House we saw him rise to his
greater opportunities. All this showed
us that the artistic bent, the business
acumen and broad views Of the man
were those qualities which were want
ed to found national theater which
we knew he had had at heart this long
time.
ITO make long story short, num-
Der of gentlemen were approached, and
1t was at once found that they were
heartily interested in the project. I
need not mention them all, but may
say that among them were Clarence
5Mackay, Henry Morgenthau, James
speyer, James Stillman, Daniel Gug-
genheim and many others.
"The plan was that thirty gentlemen
should subscribe 100000 each, and for
their investment they should have as
collateral, as it were, site to be pur-
chased for about s1,OoO,000 and the
theater to cost 100000 more. The
thirty were readily found. In fact,
we can make it forty if we choose.
The block from Sixty-second to Sixty
third street, Central Park West, was
purchased, and plans will be given OUT
shortly for the finest theater in Amer.
ca. It will be begun next spring ana
will take over a year to complete. 1t
will be large, but only large enough
to make it best adapted to dramatic
performances and opera comique. Tue
prices. by the way, will be from %
cents to So. The stage Will be up 70
date. and the interior decorations will
be superb, but artistic.
1.-THE foyer will be one OF the finest
art galleries in America, barring the
Metropolitan museum. Famous sculp-
tors and painters Of this country ana
Europe will provide mural and otner
decorations. and for these and art OBJ
jects for the foyer $250.0O0 Will be ex-
pended.
.sThere VIII be thirty boxes, and IN
order to insure that the box shall be So
cially select a committee OF women
.pronfnent In New York society VIII
pass upon the names Of the applicants
for box in permanency. which will
cost 100000. As in the Metropolitan,
q box holder will own a share IN the
theater property. No one will be per
mitted to own box unless accepted
BY the committee may say that the
entire thirty can be disposed OF im-
mediately.
1.-THE company will be the best that
unlimited money can command. The
rspsrtory will comprise new and old