The Wrangell sentinel., 1930-05-15

 NEW COLISEUM OPENS TONIGHT
Wrangell Now Has a Play. house That Would Be a Credit to a Much
 Larger City

The opening tonight of the new Coliseum Theatre with its introduc- tion of talking pictures to Wrangell, marks the farsightedness and enter prise nf ". D. Gross, manager of the Alaska Film Exchange and owner of a chain of eight Alaska theaters, in eluding the Coliseum in Juneau and the Coliseum in Ketchikan.
 MT. Gross bought the Starland Theatre in Wrangell during the lat ter part of March. In less than the two months since that time the old building has been completely re- modelled, redecorated, refurnished and reopened. Too much credit can not be given the mes who have so efficiently labored to put through this project on record time and with such satisfying results.
 The Coliseum of Wrangell stands as a little gem of a theater. There are bigger theaters but it is believed there is not a more beautiful or more comfortable theater anywhere.
 The remodeling began with the front of the building. A Neon sign, Coliseum" is placed on top of the marquee while another Neon sign reading "Vitaphone" is above the box office. A cement ramp leads up to the new box office and the entire lobby has been changed with new advertising signs at each side and at the front. The woodwork of the box office and the aew doors open ing into the foyer are stained a French gray.
 The foyer is very attractive with its soft red carpeting, .ts wicker and walnut furniture, and the various lighting fixtures and full length mirror. A nicely furnished ladies rest room opens from the left of the foyer, while the mems room opens from the right. stairways on each side lead to the balcony.
 The heating is furnished by new automatic oil burner. The box of flee, foyer, rest rooms and the man. ager's office are heated through ra- diators, while the main auditorium and balcony are heated with the new fan system which combines a heating and ventilating system. fresh air being brought in over hot steam pipes and forced into the room. Plenty of heat is assured without sacrificing the supply of fresh air. Further comfort for pa irons is supplied by the arrangement of doors between the foyer and au- ditorium which keeps out any draft from the front doors.
 The color scheme of the foyer is carried on through the main audi torium where the ceiling Is finished in rough blue plastic paint overshot in sprayed gold and with harmo- nizing walls. The soft, deep red of the thick aisle carpeting is caught again in the beautiful red plush cur tains which protect the screen, and in the huge cast plaster of paris proscenium arch decorated with clusters of red roses.
 Four French windows with col ored lights softly gleaming back or the gold mesh curtains are on each side of the main auditorium. The many lovely ceiling, side light ana aisle light fixtures contribute their share to the beauty and restfulness of the theater.
 The loge seats are directly inside the doors into the auditorium and are large comfortable wicker chairs. The new roomy opera chairs which have been installed throughout the rest of the theater, were shipped d. rectly to Wrangell from the Chicago factory of Haywood Wakefield Co., manufacturers of the best theater chairs now in use. The chairs are of the noiseless hinge type, and are stained a beautiful French gray. They are fitted with red leather spring seats.
 Smoking will be allowed only in inc balcony. where there is cement floor. The seats are the same seyie of opera chair as on the lower fioor' and the same decoration scheme also prevails here.
 The projection room has oeeh e