El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-22

WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN SEASON

hostile to what has been termed the
.-millionaires' playhouse" Much of this
animosity is. of course, to be explained
posing faction. Mr.. Shubert, was chosen
the business manager.
English Actors
On the other hand the achievements
of the first season have not been as
brilliant as had been anticipated Di-
rector Ames in a public statement
few weeks ago said that the New Thea
ter had not lost any money on it's dra-
matte performances, but it is gener-
ally admitted that the choice of plays
has not been altogether felicitous. One
Of the chief points OF criticism of the
management of the New Theater has
been that while it is supposed to be
essentially an American institution,
majority of the modern plays have
been by alien playwrights and the per-
sonnet of the permanent company en-
braces the names of many English ac-
tors and actresses.
In spite of it's shortcomings the dis
interested. intelligent playgoer and
well wisher of the drama will look
upon the first year of the New Theater
as one of much promise for a long
l.
needed such an institution for many
years is an indisputable fact, and it is
believed the problems which now seem
so perplexing will work themselves out
provided the leaders remain devoted to
the ideals upon which the organlza
ton was founded.
Revolutionary Features.
The New Theater building embraces
foo Init
! The structure is of clear gray Indiana
limestone and the architecture is class
zeal in detail and proportion, follow
: ing the precedent Of the Italian Renais-
sance and suggesting the SansovinO
library in the Piazza di San Marco,
Venice.
The interior is finished in ash gray
and gold. The proscenium is framed
in a wide border of Connemara marble
and the curtain is made of red velvet
embroidered in colors and gold. The
boxes and foyer stalls are lined in the
same red velvet The decoration is the
! work of James Wall Finn. There are
IS exits. thus enabling the most crowd
ed auditorium to be emptied in three
minutes. On each of the corners in
front is a double circular monumental
staircase rising the entire height of the
building.
The stage embraces many novel fea-
lures There is revolving platform
which enables two scenes to be set at
the same time. After one has been
used the other may be turned into po-
sition without loss Of time or hindrance
TO the players.
The dressing rooms are among the
most spacious and commodious in the
world. Shower baths are provided for
the members of the company and the
makeup tables embrace all the most
approved ideas in the way of lighting
effects and mirrors.
Auditorium ON Roof.
On the roof has been arranged a
small auditorium TO seat four or five
hundred people Here will be given
the more intimate comedies, the sub
tlety of which would be lost In the
large auditorium
The main stage itself is 100 feet be-
tween fly galleries. AMI it's height is
119 feet TO the gridiron. The depth OF
the pit is 81 feet below the stage level.
One of the bugaboos OF the palatiaI
playhouse for several weeks after it
was thrown open TO the public was the
fear that its acoustic properties would
be exceedingly faulty. This proved to
be an unnecessary alarm, however. for
while it is not ideal in this respect II
is about as satisfactory as could be
expected in an auditorium of this size
The model on which the New Theater
is founded, as well as that of most
of the national theaters in South Amer
lea and Europe. has been the Coincide
Franchise in Paris. This famous thea
ter has had a most remarkable and
interesting history 1t really dates
back to 1858 when Moliere and his
band of strolling players first entered
the French capital and were nominated
by King Louis XIV as the Kings
company At that time there was an
other company of actors IN Paris
known as the Royal company, and
these two waged bitter warfare I'M
til 1880, when by royal decree they
were combined under the name of the
Coincide Franchise This has gradu
ally increased in power until il is to-
day recognized as the most scholarly
theatrical organization in the world
Tomorrow-Electricity