Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-10-04
FORMAL OPENING
OF OPERA HOUSE
Immense Crowd Attends Open.
ing Picture at Dream|dnd
Monday Evening.


showing OF the wonderful Vitagraph
picture, Gods Country and the Wo
man." In the neighborhood of eleven
hundred persons were in attendance
at the two performances given that
evening. The building is a beauty
and one Of which the city may we'll
be proud. The lobby is large, meas.
uring IS by 20 feet, with a tile floor
and mahogany finished wood work.
1t is panelled with plate mirrors on
two sides, and there are plate mir.
rors on the double doors at each side
Of the ticket booth, which has been
built in the center CT the lobby.
The foyer has depth Of eight
feet, and runs clear across the house.
At the right after entering, there is
a lounging room, with easy chairs and
a settee. There are plate mirrors on
each side Of the entrance doors. The
foyer rail is finished with velour drap-
cries in old rose lavender shades, and
grey Austrian curtains, with lamber-
quin effect trimmed with gold braid,
across the entire length. The main
auditorium has a seating capacity of
about ATS. The chairs are of Circas-
sian walnut, upholstered in Spanish
leather. The woodwork of the audi
forum is also of Circassian walnut
finish. The walls are panelled in a
brocaded effect, in old rose lavender
panels, outlined with gold, and a bor-
der, about eighteen inches wide, of
French grey, above the dado. The
dado is done in French grey and rose
shades.
The proscenium arch and beams
across the ceiling are of stucco work,
done by the Curtiss Stucco Manufac-
turing Company Of Minneapolis. They
are finished in the old ivory tint. The
stucco work is all done in the old Ital-
ian Renaissance style. 1t was design
ed by one of the best designers Of this
kind of work, west of New York City,
and E. Roy Curtiss Of Minneapolis
was in charge of the work here. The
front of the balcony has number of
rosettes finished in old ivory.
For the pictures, tie indirect light
ing system is used, and there are six
bowls, nade of the stucco, finished in
ivory. The main house lights are un-
derneath the bowls.
The balcony seats in the ne1ghbor-
hood Of two hundred persons, giving
the house capacity of nearly seven
hundred.
The booth is roomy, and is equip
ped with the latest and best for pro-
lection in motion pictures. A Powers
6B machine is used, and the alternat-
ing current is changed to the direct
by means Of a motor generator. The
equipment was purchased thru the
Northwestern Equipment Company of
Minneapolis, and Mr.. O. A. Peterson
Of that firm was here attending to the
installation Of the machines. Mr..
Crosby's Office is also in the balcony,
in the northeast corner.
The stage is little wider than in
the old house, and a few feet less
deep. The scenery was purchased
from the Twin City Scenic Co., and
Mr.. G. B. Blair Of that firm was here
attending to it's installation. There
is rolling asbestos curtain, and the
picture screen is surrounded by a
novel setting. The dressing rooms
are, as In the old house, under the
stage. There is large and roomy
orchestra pit, and tie music is fur
nished by a ladies' orchestra, consist
ing Of the Misses Olive Crosby at the
piano, Ina Brynilsen at the organ
and Lucille Brynilsen, trap drummer
j. H. Olsen of this city had the con
tract for the building and the interior
decorations, so greatly admired by
everyone, were done by liver Lind
quist of this city. Peter Pearson in
stalled the electrical equipment for
the house. The plumbing was done
by the ]. H. Virgins Co. The build
ing will be heated with steam from
the power house. The draperies were
designed and made by the New Eng
land Furniture Co., OF Minneapolis.
The building is as near freproo1
as a modern structure can be made
The pictures to be shown at Dream
land are taken from the Paramount
Metro and V. L. S. E. programs. Otto
Kuntz of this city is the machine op
orator.