Evening star., 1927-09-19
NEW FOX THEATER
TO OPEN TONIGHT
Exclusive Audience will At
tend Premiere-Artistic
Splendor in Playhouse.

The new Fox Theater, garbed and
appointed in artistic splendor in keep
ing with the promise of it's owners
to make 1t the most luxurious palace
of entertainment south of New York,
stands ready to open its doors tonight
for the premiere. An exclusive and
distinguished audience headed by
President and Mrs. Coolidge and made
up chiefly of the elite of Washington.
which. Of course, includes its govern
ment officials. diplomatic corps and
those high in the social realm, will
be there for the gala opening.
Interior decorators, electricians and
numerous other artisans worked late
last night putting the final finishing
touches on this gorgeous castle. S. L..
Rothafel, better known as Roxy"
under whose personal direction the
theater will function, was there. too,
supervising the eleventh-hour activ-
tiles and at the same time trying
to put his group of popular enter
tainers through the last rehearsal.
Imposing Array Summoned.
Roxy" has personally fashioned
the premiere program and has
brought from New York the most i'm
portant members of his artistic
gang" of entertainers. Such stars
as Nine. Maria Gambarelli (Gamby),
a petite ballerina: Gladys Rice, Doug
las Stansbury and a host of others
whose voices are already well known
to thousands of radio listeners
part in this performance, in addition
to a ballet, ensemble and male chorus.
Aside from these entertainers the
theater boasts of an orchestra of so
pieces under the direction of Adolphe
kornSpan, and an organ that ranks
with the best in any theater in the
country.
An imposing array of Broadway's
noted talent and theatrical producers
also is coming to participate in the
dedication ceremonies. Among the
Fox officials there will be William
Fox, president Of the Fox Film Cor
poration; Winfield r. Sheehan, vice
president and general manager, and
John Zanft, vice president and gen.
eral manager of the William Fox
Theaters.
The theater located in the preten-
tious new National Press Club Build
ing at Fourteenth and F streets, has
risen almost like magic since the be-
ginning Of construction a year ago.
The entrance from F street opens
practically direct into the heart of
the theater on the mazzanin floor, a
work Of art itself with marble col
umns, bronzed rallied balconies, oddly
shaped chandeliers and tapestry effect
in the drapes. Benches, consoles and
other pieces of furniture are arranged
on a heavy carpet with sufficient
motif of crimson to arouse a warm
friendly appeal.
The grand stairway looks as If it
might have been lifted from some
medieval castle and modernized. 1t
leads to the promenade back of the
main body of the theater and contains
an ensemble of period furniture, works
of art and other distinctive decora-
tions.
Women's Smoking Parlors.
There also are two smoking rooms
for men and two rest rooms and
smoking parlors for women, one each
on the mezzanine and upper floors.
Each of the women's rooms opens into
what is described as a cosmetic
room" These rooms are furnished
with individual mirrors, tables and
chairs, designed especially for COM
fort
Then there is drawing room called
the "Aubuson ROOM" named for the
furniture it contains, which resembles
drawing room in a French castle.
On the balcony level there is an in
teresting gallery effect, achieved by
the use Of specially designed pieces
of period furniture and decorations.
The woman's room on this level bears
the name of 'Du Barry" and 1t is
masked by the richness of its furnish
ings. Two Of the pieces of furniture
are originals of the Louis XIV period.
The panels in this room are Of yellow
damask. A cosmetic ROOM also
opens off the Du Barry rnom