The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1909-11-06
MODEL THtATfR WHICH COST
S2,OOO,OO0 OPENED TO-DAY
Magnificent Playhouse, Designed for
the Advancement Of the Art Of Act
ing and the Proper Presentation OF
the Best Plays, is Thronged With
Visitors at Informal Reception.

New York. Nov. 6.-At an informal
reception this afternoon the public, or
such of IL as was fortunte enough to
secure cards OF admission was given
its first opportunity TO inspect the
wondrous interior of the New Theatre,
the so-called model playhouse recent
ly completed at a cost of $2,000,0O0 on
the block bounded by Sixty-second and
Sixty-third streets and Central Park
west Hundreds Of visitors thronged
the edihce. Carriages i'm an almost
endless line left fashionable and
wealthy people at the door, for the
incorporators and hackers OF the In
sti- -ution which is designed for the adj
vancement OF the art OF acting and
the proper presentation OF the best
plays include such citizens as j. Pier
pont Morgan, John Jacob Astor Au-
gust Belmont James Stillman, w. X.
Vanderbilt, Cornelious Vanderbilt,
Henry c. Frick, George j. Gould Clar-
ence II. Maclay. II. NICK. Twombly
and Cortlandt Field Bishop.
The theatre will be regularly. opened
Monday night with a revival Of Shake
speare's tragedy of Antony and Cleo
patra," with f.. II. Sothern and Julia
NARROW in the title parts. The re-
mainder OF the cast will include such
well known actors as Ferdinand Colts
chalk. Rowland Blackstone. Ben John
son. Rose Coghlan, Beatrice Forbes
Robertson and Mrs. sol Smith.
In selecting Antony and Cleopatra
for its initial Offering, the purpose of
the directors has been to revive one
of the great Shakespearean dramas
that is seldom acted nowadays and also
one which will demonstrate the gen.
eral ability Of the new stock company.
The first new play to be presented is
THE Cottage in the Air" fantastic
comedy by Edward Knobloch. An
other Offering will be "The Nigger,' a
drama distinctly American in theme.
The New Theatre, which is backed
Iby half a hundred of the nations
leading millionaires. is the first thea
tire ever established i'm America for
other than commercial purposes. AL
though not exactly an endowed
theatre, its object is distinctly not to
make money for its founders. All
profits over and above the low rental
of the property will be applied to the
Iadvancement of the enterprise itself
The aim is to make OF the New
Theatre as nearly as possible a nat
ional theatre. one of its prime objects
is the encoura cement of American
playwrights and American actors and
actresses. This does not mean that
inferior plays will be accepted. or in
ferior talent admitted to the company
Of players, but simply that American
plays and American players will be
given the preference over foreign plays
and players. other things being equal
Intrinsic merit, however, will be the
first essential.
The theatre edifice is a very hand
some structure of the French renais-
sance style of architecture and built
Of gray sandstone. Critics agree in
saying that IL is one of the most COM
plete and comfortable theatres i'm the
country. IL contains many novel ideas
designed to promote the comfort of
the audience and the performers. The
entire space is not encompassed by the
auditorium and the stage. There is
ample room for imposing foyers, grand
staircase. smoking rooms. entrances,
vestibules, elevators. restaurant roof
garden, stalls for confectioners, flor
lists etc The theatre will seat IBIS
persons, 600 of whom will be placed
in the orchestra.