The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-06-02
ANOTHER THEATER
FOR RICHMOND
New Home of Drama to Cost One
Hundred Thousand and Will
Be Open to All Produc-
tions-Work to Be-
gin at Once.
RICHMOND. VA-Specfa1-

h y III NJ . n ID, V As ID Decia
Jake Wells will have another the
ater in Richmond when the season
opens next fall. Things theatrical are
IoohlhS up, and the visitor to places
Oh amusement need not worry that he
VIII not get the best that the large
assortment affords.
The new theater will be built at the
northwest corner of Third and Broad
streets M. HOfheimer is the man
S.e al the hsau OF the people who will
furnish the money for the playhouse.
Inc new building will cost approxi-
mately 100000. 1t will be of the
latest design in house theatrical; will
nave a seating capacity of 1,4OO and
according to those who have seen the
plans, which, by the way have been
completed, will be a magnificent struc-
ture in every regard.
The contract for the lease Of the
building was signed late yesterday
evening. For what purposes the
building will be used must be left
largely to conjecture Jake Wells,
VINO mas been in Richmond for seye-
raj days in battle for the omen door
at the Academy, while not exactly re-
ticent, would not give out any def
mite information. He said:
You know conditions in Rich
mond- So do i, and L am willing to
take chance with a theater in this
town. don't know what purposes /
VIII use 1t for. All ] can say is that
IL VIII be conducted as a theater."
Mr.. Wells would not say positively
that the independent attractions
would play the new house He left
TINS TO the imagination of those who
nave been watching the fight for the
open door. At this writing il seems
positive that the Academy will re-
main true TO Klaw x Erlanger. In
that case it would not be unfair TO
presume that the new theater would
accommodate some Of the Shubert at
fractions as well as the other inde-
pendent producers. Some are OF me
opinion that Stair & Havland. pro-
ducers of popular-priced productions.
VIII go into the new building
1t is even hinted that the new
pullulhS Will be used as a high-class
vaudeville house. However, the more
logical view is that the building will
be devoted to popular-priced produc-
tions with the high-class pIays filling
in any vacant time. 1t is a we'll
known fact that good popular-priced
shows have been hard to secure for
@'hStlne. anu this would leave much
open time for the first-class produc-
tons to ill. At any rate. il is good
that Jake Wells has another theater
IN Richmond to use as lever on the
reCalcltrant directors OF l4te Leath
Theatrical Company.
The theatrical trust" OF Klaw &
olS attractions. .lnde, d. the trust
docs not control even a majority of
the big shows.
II the management Of the Academy
shall refuse to comply with the wiz
OF the patrons OF the house in tbis
city, then there will be a playhouse
ln which the best attractions viii b,.
seen, and the doors OF the Academy
VIII either be dark many "A niyht on.
mere VIII be mediocre entertainments.
Jake Wells one Of the men in con
lroI OF the Academy. favorS opcninr
ne uoors wide. lie takes the ground
mat Richmond is entitled TO more
th'ln one show a mOnth-and twice
.aSt season this was the case. The
PATRONS OF the house are standing be-
iluu nm almost 70 a man, and il is
DeheNeu that his associates will see
the matter as he sees il, though tb.,,
are a bit slow in announcing their
position.
Suppose there is another theater
mere for the big attractions. If il
ShaIi DC operated by the "open-door
people IL viii have more and better
shows than the trust" controls. II
me trust shall bulid a new house
II VIII be kept dark just as much as
me Academy is at this time. Should
the trust bust, then the house would
be there with nothing in il, or if the
open-door people bought il the re-
suit would be 10 close the Academy.
Ready 10 Build New House
III Is no secret that one of the larg-
est and most successful business
houses in the city. which invests
largely in real estate md develops
property, has given cer.ain gentlemen
interested in the question if not
animated with the independents that
II new theater is desired in order
to bring the best attractions to Rich
mond. TO have an open door for the
shows then a fn ha
is to say the word and sign a con-
tract for the lease of the house for a
term OF, say, seven years, and the
theater will be built, and that it will
be modern structure. The identity
or these gentlemen is not disclosed at
their request, but their standing in
the business world is recognized and
they VIII make good" when the
proper parties" say the word. They
own available property at this time
which would, in case of a modern
theater being placed thereon, and a
line of high-class attractions booked,
pay far better than at this time
declaration is all that is being await
ed.
What Richmond Will Miss.
Following is a list of the big at
fractions which will he denied the
playgoers of this city, except that Lew
Dockstader and one or two others will
come here and do a performance un-
der circus tent:
Marie Dressler, in "Time's Night
mare; Blanche Ring, in THE Yam
kee Girl; Mary Mannering, in "A
Mans World"; Viola Allen, in "The
White Sister; Bessie Abbott, in
"Yosebel' (granG opera); Mabel Hite.
in "A Certain Party; May Irwin. in
Mrs. Jim; Gertrude Elliott in The
Dawn of a Tomorrow. Louise Gun
ming. in "Marcelle"; Bertha KaIisch.
in repertoire; Nine. Oily. i'm roper
tore; Mime. NaZimova. in repertoire:
Bertha Galland, in new play; Max
me Elliott in new play; Mabel Bar
rlson and Harry COnnOr. in 'Lum's
tlusbands'; Florence Roberts. in a
new play; James T. Powers. in In
tIaVana'; Jefferson De Angels. in
The Beauty Spot; Eddie Foy, in
Up and Down Broadway: Sothern
and .Marlowc, in repertoire; Frank
Daniels. in THE Belle Of Brittany:
John Mason, in "The Witching Hour: