New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-30

the outside walls Of the old house will
remain, and they will be 50 hidden
under new decorations as 70 make their
former appearance only memory
The work of demolition is now pro-
crossing. The Rialto will be absolute
" ireproof, and will have the distlnc-
ton of being one of the few houses IN
existence open on all sides and so ar
ranged that its entire audience can be
on the street in the smallest fraction of
time after a performance. The entire
seating plan will be changed, as well as
the Droscenium arch and stage. There
Will be one large balcony, built on the
cantilever principle, from which each
seat will have a complete view of the
stage. The seating capacity Will be
$500.
An orchestra of thirty-fve musicians,
selected from symphony orchestras all
over the country, will assist Mr.. Roth
APPEL in his presentation of picture
plays, and yesterday the perfected
plans were presented to the company
for a pipe organ which is to be in
stalled, and which the makers say will
be the largest ever put into theatre.
On the theatre staff will be a well
known New York physician and two
trained nurses. who will be in charge
of thoroughly equipped emergency
hospital installed in the theatre. There
will be a new contrivance, which has
been thoroughly tested and which this
company controls, for the rapid and ex-
pert handling of crowds through
efficiency methods. and quick ticket
| selling and handling.
IEt+hOut divul Oin, foo much IF i-e
/ plans, it may be said that with every
| new presentation of pictures in the
/ Rialto the house will undergo a COM
| plete change. This will be brought
I about by lighting effects, scenery
/ decorations, incidental music and sing
/ ing. which will be changed for each new
production, and yet in every instance
/ these will be made subservient TO the
presentation of the picture itself.
To effect this, rehearsals, as thor.
ough as those to which any theatrical
+ company is subjected, will be intro
duced. Mr.. Rothapfel originated this
/ idea and conducts the orchestra or
; such occasions. lie also directs every
graduation of lights and makes the
sketches for his scenery, so that the
presentation must be perfect at the
dress rehearsal.
81 believe | can say that have llftec
motion picture presentation to higher
plane" said Mr.. Rothapfel. "and the
Ralto is to be the apogee of my eff
forts. | am going TO do things at tho
Rialto as yet undreamed of, and my
/ plans show that the old Victoria wher
completed will be the most conspicu'
ously beautiful structure. outside anc
inside, in America. To have brought
such men as Mr.. Livingston and MIR
Kahn into motion picture presentation
is in itself no small achievement. anC
has raised the business to q highe,
level
81 have been accused Of being 6
screen purist, and | am proud OF the
distinction. | have never allowed &
picture to be presented under my man
agement that | wouldn't have my wife
and my children see, and what's more
never will. As strongly as | believe
that a thing of beauty is a joy forever
so strongly do ! condemn sensational
ism of any sort, and | believe that
have demonstrated that it has no place
in art think that has been part o.
my success That have been able il
seven years to graduate from small
mining town TO my own theatre in New
York gives me the right to believe II
my own theories