The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-30
PLANS OF The NEW THEATRE.
COMPETING ARCHITECTS TOLD OF
FOUNDERS IDEAS.
Building to Have Restaurant. Provisions
for a Dramatic School and Library and
Other Unusual Features-TO Seat 2 900
Persons n Have FOrty.six Boxes.

otAIt ' 49,
Persons and Haye FOrty.six Boxes.
The architects who will submit COM
petitive designs for the New Theatre received
yesterday from the building committee,
Charles T. Barney, Otto Kahn, Harry
Payne Whitney, Eliot Gregory and Henry
r. Winthrop, the specifications for the
new playhouse. The jury to pass on the
plans consists now of Charles T.. Barney,
Dom Barber, Stanford White, Otto Kahn,
Edgar V. Seeler, H. R. Winthrop and
Heinrich Conried. The committee lays
stress on the fact that the New Theatre is
to be a monumental building worthy of
the highest ideals Of architecture.
The announcement discusses the pur-
pose of the New Theatre, and continues:
The theatre contemplated in this pro-
gramme is not to be understood in the usual
American Interpretation of the word; that ia,
a mere show house where the entire building
ia given over to the auditorium and the stage.
II Ia intended to conform more nearly to the
Continental type of theatre. In which the
auditorium and sta ge occupy only a moderate
portion of the plan and provision is made
for a foyer, grand staircases, ample retiring
and cloak rooms, smoking room, entrances.
circulations and elevators. restau rant, con-
fectioner, florist and similar accommodations
for the public. In It's architectural aspect
the problem is one that calls not only for a
practical solution, but is also one in which
the artistic treatment is of paramount i'm
portance.
The site for the building comprises the
entire block front on Central Park West
between Sixty-second and lSixty-third
streets. On Sixty-third street there is
a depth Of 200 feet and on Sixty-second
street of 225 feet.
The New Theatre is to seat 1000 persons
and will be provided with a parquet, two
tiers of boxes and two deep or three shallow
galleries. There are to be 800 seats on
six seats. There will he forty-six boxes.
of which twenty-three are at the rear of
the parquet. They will be at an elevation
of five feet above the level of the parquet
and before them there will run an aisle
of sufficient width to allow persons to
stand and converse with the occupants
of the boxes. Around and back Of the
boxes, which are to be supplied with ante
rooms in every case, there will be an aisle
eight feet broad.
feet wide. From the stage to the loft
will be los feet. with a depth of 80 feet under
the stage. The width of the proscenium
arch will be As feet and the height about
40 feet. There will be no apron on the
stage and merely sufficient projection for
the footlights and the prompter's box.
There will be forty dressing rooms for
actors and singers, of which every n
must have direct ventilation. Each Will
be supplied with running water. Each
OF the chorus rooms for men and women
must he large enough to accommodate
thirty persons.
There is to be a room for ballet practice,
three rehearsal rooms, a green DOM not
less than 300 square feetin area, two rooms
for musical conductors and three rooms
for the stage managers. There will also
be a library.
There will also be in the building a school
OF dramatic and musical art, for which
there will be a small concert room with a
stage and twelve school rooms. The
orchestra is to be below the level OF the
stage. seated on the level Of which the
highest is nearest to the parquet.
An unusual feature of the theatre is a
suite for the founders In which they may
hold their meetings.
The competitors include Carrere d Hast
ings, Delano a Aldrich. j.. H. Freedlander,
Barney & Chapman, Hoppin, Koen a Hunt
ington, G. B., Post q Sons, Robertson &
Potter, Trowbridge d Livingston and
Warren 4 Wetmore.