New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-22
TOTS THEATRE OPENS
little Playhouse on Century
Roof Has Pleasing Interior.
RIG AUDIENCE ATTENDS
Mrs. Burnett's "Racketty-P Pack
city House" Played by Chill
dren for Children.

-A.re Is no doubt about the widespread
,-.-sst that exists for a children's
.ssotre-among grown-ups. At the open
-. ~ the first institution Of its kind in
~. world. yesterday afternoon. every
"a # the invites who could beg. borrow
- s,eel a child 10 act as escort mobbed
-. elevators at the Century Theatre and
as lifted 10 the tots paradise on it's
nj The theatre was finished on time,
s,s 10 the amazing efforts of everybody
..,csrred. and when its first audience
s,,,e they found the dome-shaped play
,0usa with it's gray wallis and hangings,
~ old rose decorations and its paint
,,,s from Esop and La Fontane. all
- demure and finished up as though
,bsre had been no hurry at all over the
comnleting. AS a matter of fact. as Mr..
Ran Greet explained i'm his Introductory
speech later. the last carpenter had but
inst prowled out the back door when the
FIRST spectator came in the front.
The little playhouse has wide floor
snace. surrounded at the back by a circle
AZ arcaded boxes, each of which bears
tho name Of a favorite fairy tale. In
..sleepng Beauty" Felix Adler and his
Marty sat Yesterday. J. Pierpont Nor
Gan. with his granddaughters Mabel and
Elizabeth iatterlee. and a party. smiled
behind the baluStrade of Jack the Giant
Killer" W. *. Vanderbilt. who has
financed this matter OF erecting chill
dren's theatre. sat in Little Red Riding
HOOD" and in others If The circle of boxes
were Mr.. and Mrs. James Speyer. Bishops
Greer and Burch. Mr. and Mrs. August
Belmont. Ambassador Robert Bacon.
Monsignor Lavelle, Mrs. Frances Hodgson
Burnett who wrote the first play for tine
little theatre. and many other people of
note VINO are usually interested in first
times" There is neither balcony nor up
stairs Of any kind IN the tots theatre.
but around the rear. between and behind
the boxes. Ions French windows open
out on a wide terrace that commands
Central Park and has an easy view north
and south besides High battlements
stand guard along the edge, TO break the
height. ard leave nothing but view and an
enchanting sense of space.
The Kinemacolor pictures, with which
the programme was 10 open. refused TO
display moro than q glimpse of their
charms Yesterday. Motion pictures are
things. anyway They
seem to feel their surroundings keenly,
ana seldom work smoothly outside of
the movie" theatres. Ben Greet had
very probably prepared number OF in
struotive and childish things to say about
the bee. the Turk, the ostrich and the
otter. The programme prophesied as
much. but after a few bees and Turks
had shot across the screen in warlike
Confusion. Mr.. Greet said something
amusing about rapid transit and let il
60 al that
Then came little Miss Jean Ford,
dressed in the silks and hounces of grand
Mothers day. to act as chorus and deliver
a well balanced little p9an of JOY over
the accomplishment of the child's dream
a chlldren's theatre. Afterward the red
plush curtains went up OF a small stage
showing Cynthias nursery. There stood
the old out honorable dolls house. RacS-
,ity-Packetty house. whose Inhabitants
we're later to come 70 life to meet and
conquer the oroId aTistocracy Of the new
dolls castle. the way it all happens in
Mrs. Burnetts we'll known story.
Master Gabriel, of vaudeville fame,
played the hero of the little old house
VINO fell in love with Lady Patricia We're
De We're OF the little new castle. Master
Gabriel is a clever little player. who
spares no efforts to carry things with a
swing His professionalism, however.
throws the acting OF the children in the
cast somewhat out Of tune. Their way
50 different.
Naude Granger played the old nurse
with nice air of whimsical regret fcT
sTerything old and Mona Hungerford
vas traditional good fairy.
The children. ranging from toddlers up,