Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-09-04
"Oh, WOodman, Spare That Tree"
An Old Resident Makes Plea for the Preservation Of the Sail
Lake Theatre.

, thcaters constructed with view 60
getting the dollars into them as 90
have them comfortable for both play
crs and audience 90 have the acoustics
correct. the line OF sight az nearly per-
foot as possible, 60 have an auditorium
where people could see and be- seen,
and whore the cntiretout ensemble might
enjoy themselves. And 50 IL was the
salt Lake theater was fashioned along
these broad lines which have made IL
the most popular thcator In all the broad
west and have 80 greatly endeared u
to an lovers Of the play both before
and behind the curtain. for half cen
fury.
William Gillette. the noted actor and
playwright h. connoisseur ~ thea
ters. During his last visit here after
the performance was over and the
lights we're out the manager In making
his final rounds discovered a bright
spark near the center Of the stage. He
approached the spark and AS he drew
near discovered Il 10 be n lighted cigar
with q man behind IL Don't be alarm
ed" said the man, II won't set fire TO
YOUR house / love IL too dearly for
that I was only contemplating what
a perfectly wonderful old place IL Is,
and sas throwing mental bouquets
garnished with the smoke Of my cigar
to the man whose genius planned 1t
II was the great Gillette himself who
spoke. and he added Don't let any
body else smoke around here. Piper,
such theaters arc too rare 10 have
them burn down
Louis James is also an ardent admirer
OF the old theater In the most en-
thusiastic fashion he raves over its
acoustics and its splendid commodious-
ness each time he visits salt Lake,
and Frederick Warde. when he used 20
come. and before the deep diapason
of his reverberatlng vocal organs was
reduced 10 an aspirate, went wild over
the galleries and particularly the gods
that inhabited them who he has IRE
quently declared were the most spon-
taneously appreciative gods he ever
played or prayed TO.
old man Stoddart given 10 loving
everything that has served 10 upllit
profession he loved and honored for
four score years, gives the salt Lake
theater high praise in special para
graph Of his memoirs written year
or two before his death.
And so instances might be multiplied
and piled as high as its homelN old
roof. Of the players praises of the SAT-
Lake theater. vet these would be hut
a drop In the bucket compared 10 the
praises Of its audiences. Who rs there
who ever sat within its historic walls
who did not enjoy himself Ihere rs
an indefnable something about the
very atmosphere Of the place that rs
attractive Old patrons comment on IL
and strangers az once notice IL.
Il would rather go there ana listen
only To- the music than To see good
play in almost any other theateI l
ever visited" said Mr.. William j. hal-
loran. president Of the salt Lake Guy
Commercial club recently
fe anAfnrT cnfnM~
siastic admirer Of the old playhouse
and nc Is n man who has Travelled tar'
and wide. and whose opinion counts
II is frequent expression hear
among first nighters and those Mh
make up the stall and parquet paIu.s,
that such functions at the SaN bAEe
theater seem more enjoyable than else'
c.bera Perhaps it Is because every o
bod,, can see everybody else, ana ollt-
ing the acts the enjoyment becomes
sometimes keener on this account thah
when the curtain Is up. But De tnls ~
a. may. there Is Wholesome JOY IN az
tending the Salt Lake theater thdl
nearly everyone who goes there eN-
roriences I'm a greater or less degree
- a~nerts sav the reason for II Is
tbat the auditorium has no deep gal-
Ierics thrusting their gloomy Cd
etrusiveness over the heads Of halt the
audience iniuring the acoustics, Hitvi-
fering with the vision. and mateildily +,
reducing the general attractiVehess OF
the house. ,.,.,,
The purpose OF this communication,
II IL have any purpose at al-s NOT
10 advertise tNe salt Lake thealei'
trust George Pyper for that) but only
TO ioin thought and expression WIN
those who in one way or another nave
! become endeared 10 the old artlstic
edihce and who don't hesitate TO say
so. II might be pleasant diversion Tor
readers Of the Saturday News 10 near
from others on the subject.
Let MS hope that its owners VIII not
be Influenced by the sordid argument
sometimes harped upon by mere ousl-
ness men. that the ground wherein the
theater stands Is too valuable to pe
devoted TO a playhouse. and that II
should weld to the relentless demands
Of trade and make way for big busl-
ness block. with possibly so called
modern theater located somewhere IN
the rear.
Forbid It. Pyper!
LANDMARK.