The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-08-20
WHY NOT AN OPEN AR
THEATER FOR MEMH1IS?

st. Louis Is as remarkable for its
municipal, as 1t Is for its business en-
the energy OF the North, the dash OF
South
Much of the progress of st. Louis
during the past several years is due
to the enthusiasm and far seeing policies
of Mayor Henry w. Kiel. who is as
proud of being the executive head Of a
great city as he is Of his trade as
bricklayer
Mayor Kiel is no stranger to Mem
phis. He built the Memphis union sta
ton. one of the splendid architectural
creations of the South. Mayor Kiei
also constructed the building occupied
by the William r. Moore Dry Goods
company. The energy and enthusiasm
he put into his work which enabled
him to rise from a journeyman brick
layer to the head Of one Of the largest
contracting concerns In the country are
traits that have DISTINGUISHED him in
the direction of the affairs of one OF
the largest cities in the United States.
Mayor Kiel believes that the great
est institution inauRurated during the
seven years of his administration is the
municipal open air theater. The writer
had an opportunity some weeks ago to
be in st. Louis and attended the final
performances given in this great open
air auditorium. 1t Is absolutely unique
ahu VI iSllidls sNO OlilCI Guy lldS
thing to compare with it or anything
remotely resembling 1t.
During the eight weeks of the sum
mer season there We're presented Fire,
E Eb. R i,Dso Hooe S. ~Waltz Pream Ss
"Ilatinka.'' The headliners were Sc !:
cured from the best talent available
in the United States. About half Of
the cast. was professional and about
half was taken from the ambitious
young, people of st. Louis, who aspire
The auditorium is located in one of
the beauty spots of Forest Park on
the steep bank of the River des Peres
on slope naturally adapted for seat
ing purposes. The auditorium has a
depth of 256 feet, an average width Of
225 feet. with, seating capacity of
10000. Six nights every week for
eight weeks this open-air theater is
filled to capacity. The box seats are
$50. the first rows are $1,oo. the next
rs cents, the next so cents, the next
Is cents and 1900 are free.
By some scientific arrangement the
acoustics are perfect The person in
a free seat can hear as we'll as one
occupying box seat, Everyone has
an unobstructed view Of the stage. Two
proscenium arch at its front. Between
1t and the audience is an orchestra pit,
10 to IS feet wide. which will accom-
modate an orchestra of $50
The difference In the elevation of this
pit and that of the farthest row of
seats in the auditorium Is SO feet. The
stage has a total width of 100 feet and
Is 80 feet deep to bridge leading
across the little river to the dressing
rooms. which are in buildings hidden
9ocated that it may at times be used eff
fectively in connection with the stage
In spectacular performances.
The theater is open for the use of the
people of st. Louis for holding civic en-
tertainments of all kinds, but may not
of obtaining revenue. All profits FROM
the use of the theater must go toward
embellishing the theater and these
profits are being used to install com
plete lighting devices, concrete orna-
mentation and comforts for those wig
The lighting effect is entirely uniqyI
and original and is obtained by throy
ing colored lights into the green tre
and shrubberfy at the back of the st9e
and being reflected on the stage. Ie
cost of the eight weeks performaT'
which is underwritten by the MuBl-
pal Theater association, is about So
900 for the eight weeks or 5000, a
week for the performances and $foVO
spent for rehearsals and scenery.
lH6 SGdSOll Oh 1918 lIlG''iN
alter sustained a loss Of $4,000. wa;
the first venture. This year ! VIII
net a profit of $4,000 to $1,000 All
expenditures and receipts are uner tne
supervision of the park commissioners;
The profits go to II % of
city. "A
Free seats and moderate pris invite
patronage from all classes. persons
NRtE p
formances frequently occupy ee seats
at other performances whenLhey de-
sire to witness only a part ofhe show
or some act In which they arespeclal-
ly interested.
The enterprise has been sch ire
Mayor Kiel is anxious to seek extended
to other cities. His ideals that II
several other cities would lin IN the
enterprise and form circ't OF eight
cities there would be a dierent cast
for each place with a comEte change
each week with a considejble reduc-
ton in the cost. He is sXious that
Memphis should take up MS innoVa-
don and believes that it cold be MADE
a tremendous success. Thlcost or the
theater. is nominal. The use Tor tne
chairs Is concrete and sufficiently wide
for comfortable seating an passing TO
the seats.
It was found that the udience fire.
quently became nervous M impatient
when rain was threatene pergola
entirely surrounding " auditorium
providing adequate shelf was sufft-
cient to quiet the fears othe audience:
The enterprise has te support OF
the commercial organiZaons, the busl-
ness people the newstpers and the
public spirited people q st. Louis. It
Is an enterprise that Iemphis should
establish, and there itno doubt that
1t would be equally successful here or
In any other city. GIN.