The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-08-16

tiful proscenium arch At II, ~.
Between It and the audience n q
pit, 10 to Is feef v.ss
which will accommodate q -
Of $50 pieces. The dis - q
ence in the elevation Of this y. 4
and that OF the farthest rov =
seats In the auditorium is s. ~
The stage has q total width AZ -
feet and is 80 feet deep to 4 htssss /
leading across the little river 4 n.
dressing rooms, which are IN ma
ings hidden ia the shrubbery. n.
bridge Is SO located that II nav !.
times be used effectively In coosse !
ton with the stage in spectaen,s, /
performances. A row Of red ~ /
trio lights across the front Of =. |.
stage acts as a curtain, for vhss
the rest Of the stage is darkensS I
and these lights are turned on mr.
impossible for the audience TO m !,
tinguish anything behind them
The natural setting of the thst,. !
is ideal in every way with the -.
ception Of the River des Pers. !
which is included to be quite ter:
peramental, at times going perfect. |
ly dry and again rising suddenly
and flooding the surrounding conn.
try, including the theatres dreaain,
rooms. The dressing rooms them.
selves are an interesting spectacle
being crude, rough pine structures
resembling some Of the army har.
racks hurriedly erected during oor,
late war, but for all that beins
quite as attractive as any to n
found in some Of the smsrtast
Broadway theatres. The prima
donna has hers decorated with The
inevitable theatrical cretonne. m
that it looks, according to her own
assertion, Just like the one she had
in New York.
One huge oblong structure Is bro.
vided for the chorus, which Is 90
numerous that to house it sen.
arately would require a whole new
suburban edition in the park. Down
the entire length Of this room 4
long series of small tables, with
mirrors, are placed back to back 60
that two lines of chorus girls can
apply their makeup at the same
time. The chorus, by the way, d
recruited largely of home talent, 81.
Louis vocal students eagerly seif.
ing the opportunity to secure pro.
fessional training in this way. Oc.
casionally, also. a member Of the
chorus has been elevated N . rea,
part, although the principal roles
are always played by professionals.
Hard Work for Actors
The latter are perhaps the only
! people in st. Louis who have any
fault to find with the municipal
theatre, but just step into the dress.
! ing room of any member Of the cas-,
for the period of five minutes ant
you will fad out to Your surpris'
that it has hundreds Of veal
points. The prima donna was tn
first to disillusion us. She va!
found in such a state Of menta
fatigue that she could not keep still
for five consecutive seconds, an
she Immediately informed US
| the cause. The work was too hard
While playing one performance tina
week they we're at the same time re
qaired to rehearse for much NOR
difficult one to be given the mex
| week and lit was simply frightfu
keeping the parts straight and tn
music from getting mixed up" Bu
of course it was excellent training
she added gracefully.
Then came q torrent OF criticisl
from the comedian: Its too big. j
the first place." he said when aske
now he liked playing in such a nit
| big open-air theatre. THE stal
and audience are too far ava
Takes too long to get off stage an
| a lot depends upon your exit Yot
dance is finished, that's all there
to it, and you are still some 20 fe
from the wings. Leaves you not
ing to do but walk off. And the
memorizing a new part every WEI
II too hard on the old brain. II
all wrong. You never can see u
!. audience. You can't even he'
them. Sometimes you think they
all gone home. Strikes you in y
middle of a song, and MAKES "
j feel foolish out here in this D
, lonesome park all by yourself.
But of course none of these lit
: irritations interfere with the e
/ joyment of the audience. becau
: they have yet to discover the'
They remember the long stup
, summers prior to 1916, before y
: great pageant and masque OF
Louis, given en- this very $40!
proved what an ideal site it was
E a theatre; when there was
!, Municipal Theatre association pI
r ducing delightful light operas
e the benefit Of the citizens. A
e they are entirely satisfied with I
: municipal theatre as it is.