Evening star., 1922-05-04
$5()D,0)O THEATER
WILL REPLACE OLD
NATIONAL BUILDING
Proposed New E Street Play
house to Be One of Fin
est in East.

Plans for an imposing new theater,
to replace the historic National
Theater. 1925 E street northwest. and
designed to meet the long-felt need
for an amusement house Of the legit-
innate variety, having facilities in
keeping with Washington's growth.
are in course of completion, it was
disclosed today.
According to tentative plans, the
new structure will involve the recon-
struction of the old building, and
will constitute. when completed. one
of the finest theaters for the ex-
hibition of stage plays in the east.
. Ready for Fall.
The reconstruction project is es-
timated to cost in the neighborhood
of Ealf a million dollars and it is ex-
pected that the theater portion,
proper. will be ready for occupancy
in time for the fall opening of circuit
attractions from New York.
The Rapley interests. headed by
w. H. Rapley. will own and operate
the new theater. 1t is understood
that a loan on the enterprise has been
negotiated by Mr.. Rapley with the
National Savings and Trust Company
Of this city and that only few minor
details OF the financing arrangements
remain to be worked out.
Prescott Company Builders.
Plans for the remodeled structure
have been drawn by the New York
firm of Warren & Wetmore, noted
theater architects. and the construc-
tion work, it was learned, will be car
ried out by Samuel ]. Prescott & Co.
of this city.
The reconstructed theater. it is con-
pacity of around 1900 persons. There
will be, in addition to the large or
chestra floor accommodations, a
mezzanine floor, balcony. and a gall
lery. The position of the stage and
of the seating facilities are planned
to be the same as at present.
The architects specifications call
for six-story office front directly
abutting the auditorium, with stores
on the ground floor and offices of the
theater company above. This office
structure, it is said, will be erected
for use. all the work centering on
the auditorium in order that there
will be no delay in opening the theat-
rical season next fall. With the
completion of the theater proper,
construction will proceed on the office
building, which will house the eleva-
tors to the upper tiers of seats.
Whole Structure FireproOf.
The balcony floors will contain ample
retiring rooms, rest rooms and other
facilities for patrons of the theater, Spe-
cial attention will be paid the actors
dressing quarters.
The entire structure will be made fire.
proof and will be of concrete and steel
construction. Every detail of the plans
is being gone over with a view to check
ing up with the requirements of the
fire and building regulations of the Dis
trict Of Columbia.
The exterior of the building will be
made to conform archHecturally with
the type of buildings Of modern design
along Pennsylvania avenue, which thor
oughfare the theater will overlook. The
to be OF attractive appearance, COM
parable with the equipment and fittings
of any of New York's finest theaters.
Pioneer Legitimate House.
News of the proposed improvement
is expected to be received with en-
thusiasm by a large percentage of
theatergoers in the National Capital.
The National Theater Is one of the
pioneer legitimate houses In Wash
ington and during it's long existence
it has been the scene of debuts or ap-
pearances of many of the leading pro-
fessional actors, actresses and con-
cert artists of their day. Jenny Lind
sang there in the height Of her fame.
wachtel, the great German tenor,
sang there. The list Of notables who
have played" the National is too
long to state.
Suffered Two Fires.
From in front of the stage some of
the nations and the worlds greatest
men and women have viewed shows,
The theater has suffered several dis
asters, including two fires years ago,
and has been reconstructed q number
of times. At the time of the erection
of the Munsey building, adjoining the
theater property, more than a dec
ade ago, there were fears that the
walls Of the theater might be weak
ened, and a number of supporting
were built in to strengthen
the building.
Following the collapse Of the
Theater last January,
the National was closed by order of
the District Commissioners. along
with other downtown theaters, and
several changes and repairs were
made. before it was reopened.