Evening star., 1909-06-25

begin in the fall. but the exact date has
not yet been determined. While 1t IL not
the largest theater in the world. II IL the
finest. II is to be conducted on the same
lines as the French theaters. and al
though the latter are maintained by the
government this is TO be maintained by
the founders regardless OF success or
failure
1t Is too early yet Ia announce the
actors There will be stars. and stars OF
the first magnitude in the company. but
the theater is not to he conducted on a
star basis. No performer will be allowed
to overshadow the others to a greater eN-
tent than personal ability and the scope
of the part assigned gives Legitimate war
rant II is hoped to- secure a company
every member OF which shall he an artist
in his or her line. and by proper direction
to build M working organization by
which every part in a play may be COM
petently acted. with the aim of giving
that play. as play. its fullest artistic
effect
Founders of the New Theater.
The founders of the New Theater-the
gentlemen who subscribed the money to
construct the buiiding-are as follows:
John Jacob Astor, George f. Baker.
Charles T. Barney (deceased). Edmund
l.. Baylies August Belmont. Cortlandt
Field Bishop. Paul ID. Cravath William
B. Q. Field. II. c. Frick. Elbert II. Gary.
George J. Could Eliot Gregory. Archer
Nj. Huntington, James III. Hyde. Otto ii.
Kahn. w. de l.. kountze. Clarence II
Mackay. ]. Pierpont Morgan. James Still
man. James Henry Smith tdeceased), H.
Mex. Twombly. r. B. Van Cortlandt
Cornelius Vanderbilt, w. h. Vanderbilt
Henry Walters. Harry Payne whitney.
NJ Orme Wilson and Henry Rogers Win
throp.
The officers are W. X Vanderbilt. pres
ident: Clarence III. Mackay. vice presi-
dent: William B. Osgood Field. vice presi-
dent; Otto H. Kahn, treasurer; Henry
Rogers Winthrop. secretary.
The boxes were allotted to the founders
and other applicants the 1st of June. and
as there are only twenty-three il became
necessary to divide up the week. and
give each subscriber certain evenings and
matinees. This was done by lot. In addi-
tion to the founders number OF ladies
and gentlemen were fortunate enough To
secure boxes and seats. These became
their permanent property. and may be
sold by them or beaueathed to their pos
terity like the boxes in the Metropolitan
Opera House I'm New York and similar
institutions in Europe.
Open to the Public.
There are 232 seats directly above the
boxes which are quite as good. il not
better so far as seeing the perform
ance is concerned. and those also have
been allotted to applicants on the same
permanent basis for certain nights and
matinees at the regular rates The &c
naming seats in the house, including
the entire orchestra, first balcony and
second balcony. may be purchased in
the same way and at the same prices
that will be paid by the public. The
subscribers Will be assured of the same
seats from season to season and can
dispose of them at premium if they
desire to do so. The subscription is
equivalent to a permanent lease with
out bonus. The prices are much lowe"
than those at the regular operas and
theaters. and range for dramatic per
formances from 81 for the orchestra
and the first six rows of the first bal
cony down to 90 cents for the last five
rows in the second balcony. For ope-
attic performances the same seats com
mand from S. down to $l.J0. The first
season begins November 1 and will
continue twenty -four weeks. during
which time twelve dramatic pieces will
be produced and ten lyric operas. The
details have not yet been announced.
Career of Director Ames.
Mr. Winthrop Ames. the director, is a
Boston man, and a graduate of Harvard
qS95). where he also took a ost-gradu-
ate course in dramatic literature, AMI
then spent several years in studying Eu-
ropean acting and stagecraft. with tho
ultimate purpose of establishing I'm Bos-
ton institution on the same general
lines as the New Theater. To gain prac-
teal experience. he leased and conducted
the Castle Square Theater Of Boston
with a stock company, and weekly
change of bill. His aim was educational
and he believed such an experience would
be most valuable for his purpose. He then
spent a season investigating theatrical
construction and management in Europe.
and had already purchased a site AMI
drawn plans for his proposed theater in
Boston, when he received a call to The
New Theater in New York.
Mr.. Lee Shubert is well known TO the
American public as a successful and en-
terprising theatrical manager. and tho
firm Of which he is a member controls
in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Wash
ington, st. Louis. Cincinnati and Kansas
City. He managed Nine. Bernhardt's
last tour. and many other famous for
eign players. as well Miss Marlowe.
Miss Mannering, Mr.. Sothern and other
American dramatic stars. Mr.. Shubert's
connection with the New Theater is en-
tirely distinct from his other enterprises.
and he has been employed because of his
acknowledged business ability and wide
experience.
Mr.. John Corbin is a Chicago man, q
graduate of Harvard 1S3) and took A
postgraduate course at Balliol College.
oxford. Subsequently he was instructor
in English at Harvard, assistant editor
of Harper's Marazine and member OF
the editorial staff of the Encyclopedia
Britannica. For seven years he was
dramatic critic of prominent New York
papers. but recently has devoted himself
mainly to novel writing. AS the result
of his residence in England he published
three volumes-"An American at Oxford.
"Schoolboy Life in England" and a
New Portrait of Shakespeare.
VETERAN TEACHERS RETURN.