Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-02-12
STRENGTH and
BEAUTY GO TO
MAKE THEATER
Country Combed For
Decorations i'm S125,-
400 Capitol; Open
ing Tuesday

Everything is in readiness for the
opening Tuesday night Of the city's
biggest amusement venture, the new
Capitol theatre. at Eleventh and Le-
streets, John Tanning, manager,
said Saturday.
Indications were that the house
would be sold out long before time
Tor the curtain to 90 up at S;l5 p
m. The tickets were placed on sale
at the theatre Thursday noon, and in
less than two hSlrs requests for
more than a hundred seats had rolll
ed In. Every seat in the house will
be reserved for the opening perform
ance.
The new house here will be oper-
ated by the Delta Amusement COM
psny, Of which Ed Brady, of San
Benito, is president and Blown
White, also Of San Benito, is vice
president. Mr.. Tanning is secretary
and treasurer in addition TO man
ager of the enterprise here.
The theatrical supply houses Of
the country were combed for the ma
terials to equip and decorate the
Capitol. From the back drops on the
ot8AQ ~ tHC pAOICIhASu MGNAAACg "
Gated ut the extreme upper rear, the
eam of theatrical accessories have
been secured.
The projection machine, for which
n of the most competent operators
in the city has been obtained, is one
Of the most modern type, which, with
the specially prepared screen, will do
away with the "waveness" so COM
mon with some motion picture
Greens.
The lighting system will be Of the
latest, most improved type on the
market. Lights will range from a
dim, candle-iike glow to a glaring
brightness, and can be switched to
any color scheme desired.
Scenery and decorations have been
supplied by the famous King Scenic
! company of New York, the big front
irop of silver plush alone, represent
ling an outlay of several thousand
1 dollars.
Another feature OF the house will
sbe the organ. It is of Kilgen make,
and was installed at a cost of S10,-
800. A noted artist has been secured
to play it, in order that none of the
full rich tone may be lost through
inexperienced playing.
The cooling system was selected
after weeks of thought and study OF
the climatic conditions in Browns
vile. II will run a temperature Of
several degrees lower than the out
side air on the hottest days, but
cooled in such a manner as to dc
away with the dampness that makes
so many cooling systems objection
>able in this section.
I Seating facilities are of the best
cbtainable, the seats themselves be-
ing upholstered with leather ali
cushions, to insure comfort and de-
sway with any stuffiness that plush
Or some other material might coca
/ sion.
There is not a post in the en-
eire house to obstruct stage or screeT
! eiew Of any spectator, while the
seats were built on such an anrl,
4 that the maximum amount of com
fort may be obtained while viewing
J the show. Craning forward in ordei
kto see what is going on ahead vii
he unnecessary, wen from the mos
remote seat in the upper balcony
The acoustics are almost perfect.
As it stands completed the Capito
theatre represents an investment o.
approximately S125. 900 and the faitl
of ]. NJ. Nix in Brownsville. Wher
tae idea of a new theatre here wal
first advanced, few could be found
to evince any enthusiasm over The
project. but the millionaire hote
man favored it from the start.
Ground for the structure was brok
en- in September by the II. N. Jones
Construction company, of San An
tonic, and since then the efforts
Of the builders to complete the house
on time could be made to read like
a page from a fiction srorv
Shortly after the excavation worl
vas started q hard, two-day rair
filled the new huge foundzti space
with water, and a long delay wa
accustomed when il was pumped dr.,
again. Then the workmen had to q
many additional feet re find eartl
solid enough to hold the heavy con
I crete pillars on which the hous'
rests.
Later, when the building was prac
4 tically finished, a long. wet col
srell prevented the plaster from
! driving, and delayed the interio
4 naintinr for many days,
The building is of steel and con
crete throughout and is thorough,
~fire-proof. The projection room il
built entirely OF ~fire-proof material
ana on top Of that there are mor'
than the usual number of emergenc.
exits
With a seating capacity Of ap
rroximately 1000 persons the theatr'
IL divided into three seating units
the first floor, the family circle an'
the balcony.
The first dozen rows Of the bal
ronv have been divided off into the
family circle, while the remainder
will be general admission seats.