The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-07-27
BRIDGEPORT TO HAVE $75,OOO
 THEATRE OF STEEL AND CONCRETE
New Play House Will Be Located Opposite Smith $ On Land Owned By w., %. Laughna, Who Has Leased to Spitz & Nathan son, Providence, Who Con- trol Eight Houses-Struc- ture Designed by Joseph A. O'Brien.

Work will be started in a few days upon a s75,OOO theatre building which will be located in Main street, oppo- site Smiths theatre. The structure will be upon the land of w. O. Laughna, who will lease to the firm of Spitz & Nathanson of Providence. The contract for the structure, which will be fireproof, of steel and concrete, was awarded yesterday to the Sperry En- gineering Go. of New Haven. k MT. Laughna has been looking for concern to take the theatre. The Providence concern is so well pleased with the prospects of doing business in this city that they have posted a guar aptee of $10,0OO cash to bind the bar gain.
 The plans of the building which have been completed by Architect Joseph A. O'Brien, designer of the Elks' home and many other public Buildings throughout the State, provide for one of the prettiest theatres in the State. It will have a seating capacity of 1,4O0 and will be built with one gallery and arranged so that the roof can be raised and another balcony added. By means of steel trussed roof the building be g single pillar or post to obstruct the view of the patrons.
 The theatre will have a classic front of ornamental iron work and terra
  '"The Empire'', will be artistically em- blazoned in the front which will be surmounted with a number of classical statues of the muses.
 The loggia will open direct from the sidewalk and have an arched roof sup ported by heavy columns of ornamen- tai design. The arrangement will be such that the entire front of the thea removed almost instantly and allow the audience to make a hasty entrance if necessary from the ground floor, without going down single step.
 A circular foyer and rotunda will be a novel feature of the theatre. The loggia and foyer will have a marble and mosaic floor. There will be $50 seats on the ground floor, arranged on an inclined plane. The stage will be 29x46 feet and the theatre prop CT will cover an area 48x120. The gallery will be reached by am pie stairways of concrete with safety treads. On the gallery floor there will be a ladies retiring and cloak room
 In the basement there viii be luxuriantly furnished retiring and smoking room for gentlemen.
 At the rear of the theatre is a large pent way which will allow for the un- loading and loading of scenery and provide a rear entrance.
 Architect O'Brien has provided for exits at the rear of the theatre. The side ais1es, which are wide, are ex- tended beneath the boxes and the stage on an inclined plane, so that the theatre can be as readily emDtied at the rear as at the front The same idea is carried out in providing exits for the gallery audience, except that the audience will come out upon large iron fire escapes.
 The offices of the management will be on the second floor of the building, at the front of the house.
 There will not be a radiator in the theatre but the building will be heated by indirect coils and for ventilation large circular blowers, run by electric fans. will be installed so that there will be a current of fresh air running through the theatre at all times.
 The decorations and color scheme of as yet. but will be worked out in a few days.
 It is believed the playhouse will be devoted to vaudeville. but the plans of the management have not been an- nourced as yet.
 Spitz & Nathanson, the lessees, oper- ate chain of eight theatres and the idgeport house will make nine thea tres the concern will control
 A. A. Spitz is the president of the firm, Max Nathanson is the treasurer, and Sol. Braunig is the secretary. w. O. Laughna who wilf be the be built is well known in this city as a real estate man. Ike believes that the site is ideal for a theatre For some time past several concerns have been willing to lease the house. Delay arose in seeking an engineering concern willing to take the contract to build the structure at a price which MT