Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-04-11
EMPRESS SHOW MOVED WEST
Name, Management and Complete
Bill Taken Two Blocks Up
Douglas Street.
OPENS THERE ON TIME TODAY


When tho several thousand regular pa
irons OF the Emwess theater losk at the
dramatic page OF this mornings paper
TO scan the new bill OF that theater they
will discover that the Empress has moved
overnight Commencing with today's
matinees and continuing while it's original
home is being co%,letely renovated and
ledecorated. the Empress will be housed
in the thester formerly known as the
american, which will take over the EN-
press name, as wen as the Empress
shows. management, staff, policy. prop
critics and all.
Ever since the Empress opened for
business It has been running continuously,
four popular shows being given daily
w1hout missing a single performance.
For 115 weeks this has continued with
ont interruption, and now the house will
be given a thorough housekeeping. 1t
viii be gone over from floor TO roof. from
main entrance to rear wall. and will re-
ceive such a process of decorating and re-
pairing as few theaters have ever re-
ceived before
Manager Frank Harris checked up his
total patronage for the more than tive
years that the thester has been in con-
admissions exceeded 1921, 200. In order
that the needed renovating and redecorat-
ing might be done properly without in
terruptlng the theater's continuous bust
ness, he decided to move the Empress
bag and baggage, to the American. just
two and a half blocks west. right opposite
another OF omsha's popular institutions,
Hotel Fontenelle.
TO make the change successfully after
last nights second show and be ready for
the first matinee today in the new guar
iers. was a tremendous task, requiring
the most strenuous efforts of a well Or
sauized staff of almost fifty men, who
began the work late last night and will
not finish until some time this morpsng.
Those doing the moving included the
managerial staff of ten men, eight stage
a.. hands. seven musicians, three film oper-
ators, five "Only Way moving van en-
ployes, three sign hangers, six CusaclS
electric sign men and four Hospe men
to handle the big pipe organ and large
musical instruments.
Besides that, seven electricians, car
penters and carpet men were busy put
ting the finishing touches OF repairing
and renovating to the new home of the
Empress. Other men also started to erect
the scaffolding in the original home of
the theater last night, preparatory to the
repair and decorating work there. The
latter viii begin today and be pushed as
rapidly as possible.
I'VE can't say exactly how long the
Empress will remain in it's new quarters"
said Manager Harris. That depends
upon the time needed for the renovating,
probably two weeks. While it continues.
The Empress will be across from the
Fontenelle, with the same policy as
always
BY way of celebration of the move.
Manager Harris has booked an unusually
sensational attraction for this week. 1t
is Taylor's lions which created so much
excitement when seen at the Empress
over year ago. At that time they
nearly put their trainer out Of business
and sent thrills through the audiences,
although the latter were well protected
by strong iron bars. The lions will head
the bill all week, while three other vaude-
vile acts and a big film feature will fill
out the bill at the new Empress and vii
be changed Thursday.