Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-11-02
THE COLISEUM.
Old Name Will Be Per-
petuated in New Hail.
Has Seating Capacity Of 1000
With Modern Equipment.
A. J. Burns Of liking Pepper" Fame
Will Manage the Coliseum.

house of the Gardiner Realty Co. on
Church street is nearing completion
and will be called the Coliseum. This
name is a very familiar one to the
amusement loving public of Gardner
as it was that of the famous old hall
| by fire in 1904
| The architect and builder is l.. Il.
| Faul and in the opinion of those who
! r ave seen it he is constructing beau
tiful building which will add much to
| the attractiveneSs of Church street.
The Kennebec Light & Heat Co. is
| wiring the building and putting in the
| fixtures and the insurance men who
have Inspected it say that this COM
) pany has done rs good a piece of Wori
as is to be found i'll any building il
Maine. The building will be steam
heated and this part of the work Is
Icing skilfully done by George E
Reed.
The design of the building, which
is somewhat odd in it's effect. ha:
caused many curious ones to hinge
near the lot, much to the amuseinen;
of the building committee, as man!
I funny comments have been made. Oh
course some are pleased and some arr
not with the design, but the building
is a very strong one and plenty larg,
for city of this size. Everything ha.
teen studied to make this buildin.
easily heated, lighted and ventilated
1t is also a long way from being a fire
, trap From the basement there arc
three exits, and from the main hall OF
the first floor there are three doors
including the main entrance. There is
also a fire escape with two large door.
from the balcony. Any of the window.
on the main floor may be lifted and
person or persons step out upon tn,
ground.
! The acoustic properties Of the hall, a:
i'll every building, is matter to bt
tested when the building is filled witt
| people. Said one of the committee tt
the Journal Sunday: You may obey
all known laws of acoustics and thci
be less sure. because waves of sound
are erratic and echoes are whimsical
No person can guarantee that ther,
will not he spots in the auditorium
from which the actors voices canno'
| Gt iledIu pclleCtlN. COIlle VI lHc DeS
| theatres lave these serious faults o..
sound
The stage is all one could wish TO:
in size and quality. 1t will occup!
| nearly onethird of the building. Tho
scenery was painted by o. l.. Story. tho
| Boston artist and the drop curtain i.
a gem. MIR Story is a colorist as wei
| as an artist. The balconies on the sides
will be somewhat narrow 80 as not t.
ohstruct the view of the floor The hal
will seat about 1000 people A compa1i-
son of its size with other theatres car
he made from the statements that Tho
| Boston theatre has the greatest seat
| ing capacity, 3172. and the smales
| trst-class theatre is the New Yorl
Lyceum, which holds III in its chairs
From glance at the outside Of the
building il will be seen that the rear
| is much higher than the rest of the
building. This taller part of the hall
| contains the stage. It's shape is due to
TIE fact that like all modern theatres,
lis scenery is hoisted straight up. in
stead of rolling or setting aside when
the space below is needed for another
set
i lie ScdtS, w IlCTl are from TIE Amer
lean Seating Co. have arrived and a
crew of men will be set at work at once
putting the chairs in sections Good
attractions will be booked by the man.
agement and between these the best of
moving pictures will be set in motion
Special attentions will be paid, say the
management, to the comforts of the
patrons of the new Coliseum.
A. j. Burns will manage the new en-
terprse. Mr.. Burns is thoroughly ia
niiliar with stage business. In company
with E. p. Favor of Richmond, for
merly of this city. he has written
King Pepper" and other successful
operas and has staged his own produc-
tons with success in leading Maine
cities He has wide acquaintance with
theatrical men all over the country
and this will assist him in procuring
the best attractions for the new Col
iseum.