The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-11-12
OPEN NEWPLAYsH0P
METROPOLIS HAS A THEATRE OF
DAZZLING SPLENDOR.
None But High Class Dramas Will Be
Presented; Grand Opera to Be
Given Place; Light Variety Also;
Sothern and Marlowe Are to Lead
the Cast Tonight in "Antony and
Cleopatra"

New York, Nov S.-Before an audi
ence which will include a large pro-
portion of the "highbrows" of the city
and state and such society leaders as
prefer the drama to the horse show
or the opera, the New Theatre will be
formally opened tonight with Sothern
and Marlowe in Antony and Cleo
patra."
The New Theatre was built by pub
lie spirited citizens of New York to
serve as the nearest possible approach
to the national theatres of European
countries. With its opening tonight
| it will take it's place as the leading
playhouse of the United States-a
place dedicated to the perpetuation of
dramatic art, rather than money
making venture.
The opening promises to be the most
brilliant affair in the dramatic history
of the nation Orders for seats have
been received from distinguished men
all over the United States, and a
roster of the audience will probably
read like "Who's Who"
Dazzling in Its Splendor.
The New Theatre is not only beauti-
full beyond any other playhouse in
the country, but it has been arranged
to serve the convenience of its pa
irons. A program will be found in a
pocket under the arm of each chair.
One hundred of the chairs will be pro-
vided with ACQUISITIONS for the use of
deaf persons. Between the acts a tea
room will be open for the serving of
tea, coffee, ices and cakes, near which
an orchestra will play in the foyer. In
another part of the foyer famous
paintings will be on exhibition. After
the performance there will be no
crowding at single courtroom, for
there are six places for this purpose.
The Many Conveniences.
Those who come in carriages will
not have the usual trouble, for on the
sixty second and sixty third street sides
there are commodious vestibules for
their comfort. As the carriages APP
proach from Broadway their numbers
will be indicated on board, thirty
numbers being displayed at one time,
six in row. The numbers will move
upward as the carriages draw nearer,
the six number at the top indicating
the carriages waiting at the exit.
In "Antony and Cleopatra" chosen
as the initial offering, new version,
specially prepared for the New Thea
tire, will be employed Furthermore,
so far as the mounting of the drama
lis concerned, it will be somewhat diff
ferent from the ordinary Shakespear-
can setting. That the scenic investi-
ture has been designed by Jules
Guerin, the noted artist, and the cos
TUNES by Mr.. Bell, guarantees a pro-
duction both artistic and historically
accurate
One CT Shakespeare's Greatest.
The drama, as is well known, is one
OF Shakespeare's greatest, but the work
has seldom been performed, owing to
the immense strength of the company
required to enact it. 1t was last pre-
sented in New York some years ago
by Mrs. Brown-Potter and Mr.. Kyrle
Bellew. Mr.. Sothern will interpret the
part of Anthony and Miss Marlowe
that of Cleopatra. Others to enact
important roles are Messrs. Bruning,
Arson, Gottschalk, Blackstone, Stanford,
Wendell, Balsar, johnson, North, Me-
lick and Cordoba, and Mines. Forbes
Robertson, Busley and Bateman- Hun
ter.
Light Opera Given Place.
Although the theatre will be devot-
ed to the presentation of dramas
musical comedies, spectacles and the
like having no place in its repertoire
light opera will be given twenty
evening and twenty matinee perfor-
mances during the winter Announce
ment concerning this departure will
be made by Andreas DIPPED of the
metropolitan Opera House, under
direction the operas will be presented
by members of the Metropolitan COM
pany. The idea that the New Thea
tres repertoire is to consist mainly
of standard or so-called classical works
and that the institution is intended
primarily for the amusement of a
small social set, or that its plays are
to be mainly advanced, faddish and
literary, is not founded upon fact. The
theatre will make its appeal and de-
pend for its success unOn tha whole
body of intelligent playgoers. In truth
lit is hoped to make this institution as
| distinctly democratic and CIVIC as Is