Arizona sun., 1948-07-30

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Raukb.oe Washington S
theatrical tradition
began early. One of the first theaters
here was the Washington theater at
Eleventh and c streets. 1t opened
in 1904 and it's ads proclaiming the
grand premiere added in small
type: mo Segars are to be smoked
during the performance"
When that edifice burned,
second Washington theater, seat
ing 700 persons, was opened in
1921. 1t boasted numerous inn
prOvements and innovations, in
cluding stoves, reserved seats,
improved acoustics, no liquor in
the box lObbieS and facilities for
Negro playgoers. "Facilities"
today wouldn't satisfy-accom-
mOdations would have to be on
a basis of race equality.
Fourteen years after the new
Washington theater had opened it's
doors the National theater appeared
on the site of the present movie
house-to-be. It is located in the very
center of what only recently has
been called downtown, on E
street which meets Pennsylvania
avenue just before it bumps into
the treasury building, skirts its
northern front and ambles past the
White House.
Important clubs, hotels, and res
.aurants are only few blocks from
the National today but when it was
built, it was, like any other point
in the young capital, well-nigh in
accessible in inclement weather.
When it rained or showed, Pennsyl-
vania avenue became mudhole.
Residential areas. except those in
Georgetown, weren't far from the
center of town in the early 1840s,
but because of the rough going (the
wealthy didn't like to risk their
fancy equipages out on bad nights).
it cost as much as $40 to get from
home to the show.
Now you can ride all the way
from Capitol Hill to what was
forest and farmland in 1885 for
30 cents.
The capitals greatest theatrical
development began right after the
Civil war and went on for three dec
AIDES. By the time I attended my
first show here in 1914, there was
no dearth of dramatic entertain
ment and sometimes three original
Broadway companies would be play
ing in different theaters at the same
time. It was a good town for open
ings up until fairly recently.
There is one theater. now a mu-
scum, which is still a point of in
terest for tourists. Originally it was
a Baptist church on Tenth street.
In 1861 it was converted into what
was called Christy's opera house
Later it became Ford's theater. In
the upper stage box of this theater.
President Abraham Lincoln was as
sassinated' by the actor, John
Wilkes Booth.
There was a saloon on the corner
below the theater where Booth was
said to have had his last drink be-
fore he crept into the theater. shot
Lincoln and leaped to the stage,
tripping on piece of bunting and
breaking his leg.
For many years, over the bar
of that saloon, hung crude pic
ture of the assassination, and on
the floor was a metal marker
where the half-mad actor was
supposed to have stood as he
warmed his courage in prepara-
tiOn for his theatric crime.
Washington theatergoers were
well acquainted with John Booth S
acting but better still with that of
his elder brother. Edwin, who had
the greater talent. But they never
saw Edwin Booth on a local stage
again. He was so heart-broken over
his brothers. /crime that he never
again played in the capital.
A theatrical performance in Wash
ington plays one role that it plays in
no other American city 1t becomes,
on certain occasions. few or many
according to the taste of the in
cumbent president, a ceremony of
state. No matter how private pres
ident wants to be when he sees a
show. he can't help being a public
parsonage on such occasions.
The secret service. responsible for