New Britain herald., 1926-11-10


 massiveness but also by the har- monious beauty of design, decora- ton and appointment To the left of the entrance, in handsomely decorated niche. is bubbler drink ing fount. A marble topped balus- trade is behind the last row of seats and three aisles lead to the chairs. From the ramp in the rear of the main floor one may look upwards. through the mezzanine floor well to the charmingly lighted and decorated mezzanine ceiling. glimpsing the mural wall paintings or. looking to- ward the stage. glimpse attractively designed ceiling lights under the bal cony, get a view of the luxuriously silk lined walls with the artistic wall lights and, far down in front. the massive stage with the orchestra pit in front.
 The walls of the auditorium are of unique and delightful decorative design. The wall tapestries are old rose silk while the walls themselves are decorated in tints of old gold, old ivory and suggestion of pale green.
 Vision Range Is Perfect
 The seats are comfortable and roomy while from any part of the main floor the stage is perfectly vis- ible, even from the extreme side seats. Tn designing this theater the architects laid out 2.20o individual "eye lines" That Is. from 2.200 diff ferent places about the auditorium where people will ultimately be seat ed. lines converging on the stage were drawn. From these lines was developed the pitch of the floor. The pitch in the Strand is slightly great CT than in the older playhouses, architects having developed a more accurate curvature In recent years. So delicate task is the plotting of the pitch that survey of the floor Ing. before the seats were in place, showed that there Is hardly an inch of space on the same level. The whole floor is like a huge saucer, with the dips and pitches to permit perfect vision from every place and all angles.
 Sound Proof Flooring
 The flooring all over the house also Is something new and distinct. A composition under the carpeting. known as mastic. is laid and not only does this have the quality of retaining warmth in cold weather. but also 1t makes the house entirely sound-proof insofar as footsteps or other moving about Is concerned. The laying Of mastic itself Is no easy task and six days are required to lay 1t and have if set satisfactorily.
 View From the Balcony 1 The view from and on entering the balcony Is also nightly attrac- tive. Entering from the mezzanine through spacious aisle-way on an easy incline. one arrives at point about midway of the balcony. Just below are the loges and just above are the balcony chairs. The ap- rearance of the house is gorgeous. High overhead is the great vaulted dome suspended from the center Of which Is the mammoth crystal chandelier containing o.4no incan- descent lights and weighing three tons. This chandelier Is even larger than the one at the Capitol and 1t was purchased from the Black and Boyd company at a price of s3.SOn An Idea Of It's size may be obtained when It Is explained that from bot tom to top 1t measures 22 feet. It is raised into position. and lowered when necessary. by a huge winch automatically controlled.
 Old gold. and a very pretty hue if Is, is the background of the great dome. with intricate and artistic de- signs in old ivory. faintly traced sil- yer and delicate greens emblazoned thereon. Surrounding the dome, on the main ceiling of the house. the same Adam desirn scheme is carried out with excellent effect.
 Looking to the front of the house the view possibly Is even more im- pressive than that from downstairs since the massiveness Of the place is easier to see.
 Great proscenium Arch
 Looking directly In front is the great prosceniun arch with its spread Of SS feet and it's opening of S6 feet. The same tinting that characterizes the whole interior is carried out in this arch and the old gold grillwork. behind which are the organ pipes and sounding boards as we'll as part of the ventilating sys- tenn. but add to the effect. Again l the combination of the old rose silk wall fittings are clearly brought out. | As the sides of the proscenium arch widen out to the main side walls of the theater the plainness is broken by a box on either side. These boxes. backed by flowing tapestry curtains of Cheney silk velour, are slightly above the main auditorium level and a bit below the level of the balcony and loges.
 There are approximately 200 loge seats and about TOO balcony and rear balcony seats. The pitch of the balcony is said to be as near perfect as mechanics can make it and aglin there is no position from which the stage is not visable. while away back at the rear Is an open passageway. More decorative grills. holding ven tilating apparatus, Is at the top of |, the balcony.
 Something New In Booths
 The motion picture booth is con- spicuous by it's absence. Only sig nificant windows and slots in the rear balcony wall indicate that there is a machine booth anywhere. for this room is not in the balcony. but l located apart from fl and behind it.