Middletown transcript., 1922-03-04

Few events in the history of Milford
have been more notable than that of
Wednesday evening, Feb 22d, when the
large and handsome new playhouse
yclept the "Plaza Theatre" all ablaze
with multitude of electric lights with
in and without, opened its doors TO
about 1900 patrons and visitors, with
the presentation of the attractive CON-
edy, why Girls Leave Home" besides
many beautiful bits of scenery from
that wonderland of the picturesque
The National Park
The town looked quite metropolitan
with its fire gilt new, $l00, 900. 90 uo-to-
date Theatre thronged with its own
representative citizens and large parties
from Philadelphia. Wilmington, George
town, Frederick, Dover. Smyrna, Mid
dletown and many other towns through
out the State.
A committee composed of Milford $
leading business men. greeted the
towns patrons and the visitors from
outside. The evening program opened
with prelude on the $40, 600, 900 organ
making it the biggest musical event OF
that mature in the State. This movie
organ has many attachments apable of
reproducing all sorts of sounds, musical
and otherwise.
The theatres architect was Hoffman
& Henon of Philadelphia, and the build
ers j. A. Bader & Co., of Wilmington,
Del, and both have every reason to be
proud of their superior workmanship
The building is very strongly construct
ed of tling, the girders < ,g supported
by numerous, huge brick pilasters %
inches square. The entire concrete
surfaces are handsomely colored and
frescoed and ornamented with tasty
scroll work.
The Fl ie front is built of vitrified
straw colored brick artisticalIy ar
ranged. Among other striking features
is a big arch flanked by twin pilasters
. on either side, while beneath is sus-
pended an ornamental marquee. A
large electric sign stands out perpen-
dicuarly in front of the theatre and
bears it's name "PLAZA THEATRE"
in big letters encircled with intermit-
tent electric lights.
1t is said the roof will su, port 2I feet
of snow, and that the gallery will carry
the weight of 450O people averaging
$50 lbs. each without bending, and that
twice that weight wou d be required to
crush it. So, IN every way extreme
care has been taken to make tie theatre
absolutely safe. There are fire escapes
outside. and exits with ''panic doors,
q new patent which axes crush i'm
possible because the pressure of the
crowd automatically forces the doors
open.
The latest and best system of .'ope.
rating room" is made perfectly safe
with thick concrete and iron floor, cell.
ing and walls. Four machines are used
in this fire-proof enclosure, two Simplex
machines to give continuous roll and 8
third to rewind the film besides 9
fourth, the "spot light" to give GER
tain beautiful lighting effects The
screen is SAID to be even better thar
the 'silver SCREEN
On the mezzanine floor in the real
are ladies' retiring room and gen
tlemen's smoking room, bt tn comfort
ABLY provided with rocking chairs an,
lounges, etc.
The wall frescoing and color schem
of old rose throughout the whole build
ing are at once simple and artisticall
effective, there being an entire absen
of the commonplace gingerbread 8
often seen in such cases.
The stage is ample enough to permi
!. large theatrical presentations of tn
regular drama, political and other pull
lie gatherings, ETC.; while in the rea
are the usual scenery pieces with tn
various machinery for their handling
. The two handsome blue plush curtain
in front of the stage, adorned with
double row Of gilt braid. and whic
c'ose from side 10 side instead Of ii
sIsss.ias's :lIes'si aE9p .i's s''Es,| g e ,sesp''