The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-06-07
NEW THEATRE IS
To Be UP-TO-DATE

In six or seven weeks the new Audi
forum theater will be completed and
in readiness for grand opening, when
moving pictures will be exhibited and
possibly a vaudeville performance put
on. This is the enterprise which
Bailey & Lawson are backing, and the
spidery structure of which may be seen
rising above surrounding structures IN
the Fort, Hotel, Nuuanu and Pauahl
streets.
Closer inspection of the building does
not reveal such a spidery construction
as it appears in the distance. The
timbers are mainly two by eight inches
with heavy ioists and beams locked
and interlocked in a very strong and
permanent structure. The stage see
ton is higher than any other IN the
| city, and the proscenium arch will flare
out in three curves, reaching to the
ceiling part way over the main seat
ing portion.
A part of the seating section will be
covered with permanent roof, and
the remainder by a sliding roof, which
can be set in place or removed in a
very few minutes. In fair weather the
roof will be worked back into the II;
foot space over the auditorium. In
! ainv weather it will be closed and the
| theater will be rainproof.
! Under the stage is a well-arranged
system of dressingrooms for the actors
| and an extensive wardrobe and prop
erty room, into which stage parapher'
ala will be easily lowered from the
rear entrance and then through large
rapdoor.
Of exits there will be many, one lead
ing to the rear from the gallery by
passageways which pass just outside
the dressing-roOm section and which
are open to the sky. There will be
twelve exits. For fire protection there
will be a large circular pipe arrange
ment installed in the flies and directly
over the stage In case of a fire on
the stage the water can be turned on
from below, completely flooding the
stage. Similar water protection will
be placed in the seating sections.
I The wooden structure is to be cover
ed both outside and inside with meta
sheathing and two coats of plaster laid
on so that woodwork is entirely con
cealed and protected from fire.
i One of the features of the theatel
will be an immense pipe organ, which
will be placed on the makai side of the
auditorium and about directly behind
the present Art Theater, so that the
music will be heard in both theaters
The keyboard will be placed in the
regular orchestra space, the keys con
Meeting electrically with the organ
proper.
| The entrance to the Auditorium will
be from Fort street through an arcade
in the new building which is to be
erected there in the next few weeks
This entrance will be of handsome de
sign. Patrons can also go from the
Auditorium directly into the Art ant
| vice versa.
| Mr.. Lawson states that vaudeville
| performers will be brought here and
circuit arranged so that they can alst
play at the Gaiety Theater in Hilo
which was recently opened there by
him. The scenery for the Auditorium
is partly on hand, but large number
of set pieces and canvases are yet t.
be painted by local artists.
Bailey & Lawson are sparing no ex
pense to make the new theater one Of
the best show places in Honolulu. They
have invested lot of money in botl
the Art and the new amusement place
but feel assured that they have finger
ed the public pulse enough to feel tina
they are investing rightly.