New-York tribune., 1906-04-02
ASK NEW THEATRE PLAN
TERMS TO ARCHITECTS.
Founders GiUe Preliminary Details
Nine Firms Compete.

L ne complete terms Tor the SeleCtlOn OF an
architect for the New Theatre of New York were
given out yesterday. Nine of the leading firms OF
architects of the city to compete. and to each
the founders TO pay $50 for the designs sub
mitted in the competition. The successful ar
chitect will get per cent of the cost of the theatre
building to be erected according to his plans. which
must include designs FOR the interior decorations.
The jury TO make the award consists Of Charles
7. Barney. Otto H. Kahn. II f. Winthrop. Helm
rich Conried. Stanford White. Dom Barber and
Edgar V Seeler The award is expected 70 be
made on Nav !
The founders announce that the New Theatre Is
not TO be in any sense commercial venture but
is TO be maintained for the sake of art. adding:
By the standard of its performances and the
the founders to place II in the relation toward
cpal national theatres, in Europe It is designed
furnish a schooI Of nnustcai and dramatic art All
net profits will be directed the development OF
for the institution the creation az Of pension fund
and other like purposes
The site for the theatre comprises the entire
block front of 200 feet in Central Park West. be-
tween SD and S3d streets with a depth of 22S feet
in 62d street and 200 feet IN SSd street The stage
is TO be 100 feet wide and s5 feet deep provision
that the depth below the stage should be co feet
indicates that there is to be a sinking stage. One
provision says that the usual apron in front OF
the curtain is TO he omitted There IS to be only
sufficient projection for footlIghts and the prompt
er's box.
On opposite sides OF the stage are to be twenty
dressing rooms for women and twenty dressing
rooms for men, each room to have about nun
dred square feet of floor space, and direct venta-
ton from window in external wall. No dress
ing room shall be placed more than story be-
low the street level. The actors will have to
walk UP or down stairs to their dressing rooms,
as there Is provision for two elevators behind the
scenes ample to carry performers from the stage
level to the various levels of the dressing rooms"
There to be four chorus rooms, each large
I oh Slnrn ooh
son TO have separate dressing table and locker;
two supers rooms. each to accommodate fifty per
sons; ballet practice room OF not less than 1.6o0
square feet: three rehearsal rooms the largest to
have area of 1000 square feet; greenroom, CEN
trally placed with respect to the stage and dress
ing rooms; a general wardrobe room, having 1890
square feet of floor space; two rooms for musical
conductors. near the dressing rooms: three rooms
for stage managers. placed to control the
dressing rooms; carpenter shop. for the con-
struction of scenery; separate rooms for scene
painting; a room for stage hands. rooms for jan
/ itors and a room for the scrubwomen. There is
/ also provision for a library of about 100 square
! feet. lin the nature OF freproof vault in which
/ will be kept copies of all plays. and the
literature Of the drama. music, costumes etc. This
room is to be near the stage and easily accessible
from the street for of the public on occasion -
Among the requirements to be followed by the
competing architects in the making OF designs are
/ the following:
two tiers of boxes and two deep or three shallow
/ galleries above the boxes.
/ The greatest distance between the curtain and
the line of the front of the boxes is exceed
/ sxty-fve feet. The boxes not be less thar
forty six IN number, each with an anteroom. The
/ boxes are TO be from feet 10 feet inches In
each. The top OF the railing Of the lower tier OF
/ boxes should not he than five feet above the
level OF the parquet floor, and aisle should bt
provided around the parquet seats so that persons
wishing to converse with occupants of the hoxe:
may do so standing on the parquet level A private
circulation about eight feet wide should be provided
around and back of all the boxes.
The seating capacity of the auditorium, exclusive
of the boxes, is TO be not less than 2Oo0 of which
the parquet alone must contain not less than 800
Seats are to be not less than "a inches wide by s.
inches back 10 back.
The distance between the floor levels of the gal
leries is left undetermined. hut the European prac
tce in this respect is advised, whereby the heights
are less than is usual in American theatres. Tht
height from floor to floor of boxes, however. is no
to exceed nine feet.
One or two grand staircases and a foyer are re
quired but these, together with the smoking room
cloak rooms and retiring rooms are left for ar
rangement and proportion to the competitors, ex
Cept that the floor level of the foyer should b.
placed approximately the level of the upper tiel
of boxes.
The musicians of the orchestra to play in
pit extending partly under the front of the stag
There TO be separate carriage entrances. under
| cover. for subscribers. and additional carriage
entrance for performers In the basement is to be
restaurant, while on the street level in front of the
puholng, are 10 he a norlst.s shop and candy
store A portion Of the roof TO be treated undeI
glass palm garden. and is have direct service
from the restaurant
In the OF the building o 9 school ot
dramatic and musical art. consisting of a concert
room with stage, and at least twelve school rooms
The school Is TO have separate entrance from the
street and special elevator.