The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 33

Erlanger Theatre Section ITUTION Erlanger Theatre Section CONS' THE ATLANTA ATLANTA, SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 26, 1926. VOLUME No. 195. BEST LEGITIMATE PLAYHOUSE IN SOUTH ATLANTA HAS THE ERLANGER THEATER MONDAY WITH OPENING 'Mouse fit unities9 Opens lis World-Famous Stars To Make Local Debut In City's New Theater Norman Hackett and Charlotte Walker in "The Green Hat" Follow Close on Heels of "Vanities," Manager Lewis Haas Brilliant Assemblage Of Beautiful Women To Add Pep to Opening Lou Powers, Famous Comedian, To Cavort With Chuckle Producers in Broadway's Famous Musical Comedy Production. Interior View of Atlanta's New Temple of the Spoken Drama i 'p i A v-t 4 fl ft in.ilr I if 'M'' Sv44 a 1 1 It; have put in a hundred or more seats, and still had the rows no further apart than they are in the average playhouse, but be wanted eomfort first at all costs.

The result, the Ions-legged can enjoy the show without getting callouses on their knees from the back of the seat in front. P.cnenth your feet, as you tread the stairways, or walk the promenades and aisles, is carpet a couple of inches thick of a pattern so fitting that, when the samples were seen in the New York offices of A. L. Erlanger, it was decided to use the same carpet for all the new theaters that big concern is building. The walls of the interior are of that eye-catching, yet quiet toned, tre-vartine stone.

It is. you rememlier. a soft grey tint with markings of black. The rails are, of course, cov- i erfti woo ui'avy imiMi ami me sok velour hangings and drapes are of I in I i i wn ill Ml 1 i stiff costliness. I Made in Atlanta.

The color scheme for the entire dec- i oration motif is mulberry green, ivory and gold, with a line of green almost KY RALPH T. JO.NKS. "I.efs go- to the Erlanger Soon, in one week more in fact, tliat is going to be the most popular suggestion to amusement-seeking At-liiiifans. for the new Erlanger theater, most beautiful of legitimate theaters south if the Potomac, and, in many respects if comfort, beauty and convenience, unique anion? theaters of the country, i-" to open Monday, December 27. Atlanta will then again have a real where New York companies may eoine direct from Broadway to shovv Iheir wares for he benefit of the metropolis of the great new soulh.

Theatergoers of the south are going to find, when they first pass through I lie entrance doors of the new Erlanger, a theater of exquisite charm, of perfect comfort, of ideal accoustics and of elegant taste. It is luxurious, but not sybaritic; beautiful, but not "gingerbready splendid, but not cir-: usy. In short, it is a refined home if the best in entertainment, fitting for people of appreciation in the truly rl ist it. Excellent Location. The location of the new playhouse is between Linden and North avenues, on the east side of Peachtree.

No more ideal spot for sut'ii a theater could hr.ve been found. Far enough from the center of the city to avoid the congestion, the nuisance and the worries if traffic, it is yet as convenient to it patrons us could be. There is nruplo space for parking the car, be it Lizzie or Limousine, and there is the comfort of knowing that there will "he no need for a crawl through slow-moving heart-of-the-city traffic after matinee or night performance, let it is equally well served by street cars, black, to set off the colors. The ornamental plaster work is from the studio fe- AHII; -III 11 of mi Atlantan. named J.erschi, an Italian.

The modeling, casting and all was done here and it won't tijke more than a minute's inspection to discover that Atlanta possesses in this man an artist of surpassing genius. Just how much of this ornamental plaster work there is in the house, is unknown. Workers counted something between t0 and tiO wagon loads delivered, then i lost count before the end. I The entire case which will exploit the "Vanities" at the Erlanger is notable for its talent and liveliness. Youth is written large over the entire ensemble, and stamps itself from the curtain's rise with a joyous spontaneity expressed both in terms of the brain and the feet.

The sprightly juvenility of its delightful dancing is brilliant in its execution and thoroughly novel. In addition to the three great coini-dians named, the cast includes the "Perfect Venus," Louise Brooks. Other important members are Lew Miller, John Coyle, Alice Bradford, Mary Dowling, Kenneth Lackey, Aimee Archer, Johnny Dove, Ricco, Harry Sharpe, Beth Stone, Walter Hamilton, John Kirk, Mary Mansfield, Emma Dean, Virginia May, Mae Valle, Billie Menzics, Babe Bryant, Marie Goode and Ray Kavanaugh. Snappy Chorus Girls. Then there is the chorus you won't forget the chorus after you've seen the show.

But perhaps it is wt-ll to leave something to your imagination in advance and why not the chorus? Suffice to say that it is tloi fastest stepping, youngest, perpie.st bunch of girls ever seen here. AnJ costumes what there is of them pick your own adjectives. One advantage of an Atlanta audience which the possesses over the average musical revue, is th.it it satirizes timely topics of the dav, familiar to everyone, instead of presenting a series of parodies on current New York stage attractions. It ii thus unlimited by any of the restrict tions depending iipou an rudienee familiar with New York production giving to the "Vanities," with its wit, pep and whirlwind brand of comedy a universal appeal. Carries Own Orchestra.

The direction of the company is bj Joseph DeMilt, while Earl Carroll himself personally directed the entire production. The book was written, by William A. Crew and the music by (Jlarence Gaskill, while the dances and ensemble were arranged by David Bennett. The company carries with it the Earl Carroll Taeater orchestra, whicii is an important part of the show. Earl Carroll's '-Vanities" is the attraction which has been accorded the honor of opening the beautiful new Erlanger Atlanta's r.ew legitimate playhouse, on Monday, December 27.

For all of New Year's week the mammoth? New York production, featuring some of the greatest comedians and whole bevies- of the most lovely girls oti the modern stage, will octeupy the stage at the new house on Peachtree, between Linden and North avenues. In selecting this famous Iievue for his first attraction at the new theater, Manager Lewis Haase could not have chosen more wisely. With its elaborate and lavish scenes, involving 30 entire scenic changes, and necessitating a small army of stage hands, the attraction will demonstrate effectively that the stage and equipment of the new theater is capable of handling anything the New York pio-ducers can put out. Only those who hare witnessed this show in New York can realize the stupendous effects and tremendous pictures undertaken by stage director, scenic painter and chorus director when it was created. Large Cast on Stag.

The company to come here numbers over 100. On only a few stages outside of New York can the entire production, as it is seen here, be given. For there are only a few stages large en oi? and fully equipped for the presentation. Of tremendous interest to Atlantans is the fact that good old Powem is one of the principal comedians in the cast. I.ou stands at the peak of comedian popularity in Atlanta, by reason of his delightful work in various musical comedies.

notably Zieg-fold's "Sally" and bis work as principal comedian for the Municipal Opera company in their series of light opera productions last summer. Bert Swor, another Atlanta favorite, who was for years the chief lauh-producer with Al G. Fields minstrels, is another principal. Bert's inimitable, slow-moving, blackface comedy is one of the funniest things in modern life. Dave Chasen on Bill.

Dave Chasen, who some sjy is the funniest of the three, ia the third comedian. But to continue the description of the house arrangement From the mezzanine floor, instead of going down to orchestra, it is just as easy to walk through to the mezzanine, or forepart of the balcony. Here are probably the most desirable seats in the house. The arrangements is not exactly for the seats extend straight around the curve, but the nearness of the front railing to the stage and the beauty of the plan make them really more desirable as boxes. They have, therefore, been arranged in groups, so that parties of li' i A if i I 4b ss i 13- lt or may, if they wish, engage a half a dozen of the most important I section of seats and be divided into the same effect as an entirely separate box would give.

Sans Abominations. There is one box arrangement at either wicg of the mezzanine, but the theater is without those abominations, the stage boxes. I The same luxury of seat, of decora- tion, of carpeting prevails here as in the orchestra. And the closeness to the stage is remarkable. In fact, the lines passing its front doors on fre-iuent schedule at al hours, and half a dozen more lines either passing its rear exits on Courtland street or running wiihin a bloc or two.

The theater runs through from IVachtree to Court land street, with gallery entrances and exits ou the latter thoroughfare. There are, likewise, exits from orchestra and balcony entire house, from top gallery to ground floor, is remarkable for the I intimacy of the seating arrangements. 1 which lead cither to front or rear. Manager 1ewis lloose displayed tin- You can't find a seat anywhere that-. fit wisdom in selecting tne lea- 1 view or rne Viti- 3 "'S- canny 'IS i reuse anu an seem exceptionally close.

lion for this theater. It is but another I rom this mezzanine you are almost looking directly down on the footlights and. as a tip, the mcszza-nine offers what is probably the 1 choicest location of all. Hack of the mezzanine, of course, is factor in the ever-moving spread of important edifices out 1'eachtree, and is lietter suited to the needs and convenience of theatergoers there than it nulil possibly be anywhere else in the the balcony, with the same comfort featuring seats, same deep carpeting. rime ample leg space and, in fact.

Erlanger Plaster Work By Clyde M. Watson Co. jsnme luxuries the entire house attempt to describe the interior Modern Heating. Rack of the rear aisle behind the I balcony, is the latest invention in heat- ling and ventilating apparatus. Orna adequately would "require an expert on architecture, on interior decoration, on heater-planning and electrical equipment and on half a dozen other pro-i'-ssions.

Inasmuch us this viewer is hut a more or less versatile newspaper miter a jack of all trades, as it A view of the interior of the new Erlanger theater, on Peachtree between Linden and North avenues. This picture is crosswise from one comer of the stage, showing the magnificent decorations at the side of the house, with the inset mirrored mental grills are set into the wall all tak I along, and the simple pulling of a plunger beneath each one, either lets 'in cool air. or brings in warmth and window panels, the great pillars and magnificent sweep of mezzanine. It will be noted that there isn't a single pillar to intercept the view of the stage from any seat and that every seat in the house commands a clear view of the entire stage. 'allows the risinsr cold air insido to Incidentally, boxes scattered around in accordance of the theater in electric lisht in front, sicians of the orchestra.

with the fire ordinance. lhey need it miht be mentioned that there are company who were well versed in such art. Only highest praise has been given of this phase of the work of Atlanta's newest show house by visitors who have inspected the new bouse. Mr. Watson has done plastering and contract work in Atlanta for the last three years and during that Jtne has completed some of the biggest work in the city in that line.

He and his employees are experienced in plas-teriug and their work in the Erlanger is a distinct tribute to their ability and training. In addition to regular plastering work the firm also has done outside stuccoing and has handled other contract work. Mr. Watson is well known in Atlanta business circles and his When the Erlanger theater opens its doors to the public Monday night one of the first sights that will catch the eyes of thousands there to see the theater and the show will be the beautifully done walls aud plastering work. The work, of highest artistic finish, was done by the contracting firm of Clyde M.

Watson company, 1)92 North Boulevard. It is considered by those who have seen the work as one of the finest jobs of its kind ever completed in Atlanta. The intricate work of plastering the big theater involved much work and many weeks were spent in perfecting the job. A large force of workmen only serve decorative and rassurin 2S( lights in the manpiee. It extendi, were the technical stories must be I escape.

hit to others, better tilted. i Again, however, the description of IVrhaps, however, to the average 1 nd eooling system of the 'house must be deferred to a later part nu.ii or woman who suml.my knows i storv ThprP arp four nothing of these various tcclinicalit.es, i trances and exits to the balcony, a description from the eyepoint of the Mounting the highest section, the nonexpert will be more understand-' gallery, once more we find the jfortabl seats and the clear, intimate view of the stage. I he entraiise I. ver. wuue small Fine Accoustics.

enouga lu give that feeling of irii- Careful trials have been held of ev-maiv, of personal hominess so de- rrv sent 111 lne gallery, both as to s.rable, is yet ot proper proportions jKtaKC view and acoustics and. in the corner seat of the last row, you can lor artistic beauty and larg- enoujju sre perfectly cud hear with full dis-I.) accommodate iiie mcoiuiii- timings, tinetness a conversation, on anv part tiere are two ticket windows at Uie 0f ie stage, carried on in an ordinary right, as you enter. Manager Lcwisltm, of voice. what more is pos-liaase dm mention some heavy sum s.itle tiiat he paid for the ornamental brass i grills which cover them, but sutistics' gallery there is an m-hdve no in this story. novation in the shape ot an enclosed promenade, wh.ch runs the entire .) limiup.

I width of the theater. Here gallery In the puddle of the entrance foyer. in weather which keeps them firm is recognized as one of the leading contracting and plastering firnw it might be mentioned that there is room in the orchestra pit for 2S performers, and it is equipped with the best and latest in seats, music racks etc. The sprinkler system back stage is something new. It is known as the "rate of rise." system.

There are tliree big cut off valves, controlling it in various sections of the stage Its advantage ljes in the fact that excess heat, ia one spot, will only turn on the water over that spot, instead of opening the safety valves all over the stage and ruining unnecessarily mncu equipment, as under the old plan. AVhen the cause of the extra heat in the one spot is removed, the water may be immediately cut off there and all of the trouble is over. Complete Switchboard. Perhaps the mos't important single piece of equipment in the entire the- was employed in the work and it was directed by employees of the Watson in the city. purposes here, however.

HanKin? fiiu the center dome is a magnificent chrysfal chandelier with 112 electric lisht slobes and over a ton. Jt. is suspended from steel bars which are rested and bolted upon steel At the sid there art also crystal chandeliers of brilliant beauty. The lighting scheme as a whole is of the "Indirect'' type, with no "lobes showing. Ou the.

mezzanine floWr alone. 4'2C globes are used. Aliove the orchestra seats, set into the ceiling beneath the mezzanine and balcony, are inset lights with pure silk covers, which shed a soft slow of light throughout. And. in that zanine foyer of which more has yet to be said, the indirect lights are unseen behind the decorative at the wall tops, but shed their bright effulgence al! around.

I'ltra Modern. This fover. which runs across th' not only over the theater entrance proper, but over the show windows while no announcement lias yet been made, it is understood that they ar already under lease to important local retail establishments. Now, having given as full a description of the audience sections if the theater as memory permits, lets step back stage and see whether -r not the life of an actor is pjeasant or otherwise in this day and time. The stage openius, to begin with, is 40 feet wide and 30 feet high.

For the sake of comparison, this is four feet wider than the old Atlanta stat-e which, you will remember, wis plenty big enough for the biggest New York productions. More Atlanta Creatisn. The grand drape? and tormentors you know what they are on either side, are of mulberry and gold. The grand draperies are old cold, witb all be has to do is pull one switch. When the next scene lighting comes due he pulls one more switch.

And so on through the play. Just how many miles of electric wiring were needed for the stage and house lighting is not known. The electrical expert who installed it all gave a figure. It ran up into the thousands. But figure for yourself, use your imagination and then multiply by a hundred and you'll maybe approximate a small part of what was needed.

Below stage is the heating, cooling and technical equipment for the theater. A great boiler room provides the heat while ice troughs in another room with the ice dripping on an arrangement of metal slats provides the cool air for warm weather. Another Novelty. There is an adjoining ro- fitted with two great motor fans, which run constantly. Tbcse force the heated or cooled air throughout, the entire theater, just as desired.

The faii3 and ART EXHIBIT OPEPHT OPERA IN 'VANITIES' CAST ON NEW YEAR'S DAY uon w-s, Lima correct t.i u- tlic orchestra floor, is a broad flight of and smoke. There are also ample windows for light and these may be opened for further ventilation just as ater is the" electrical switchboard. It back of the mezzanine and orchestra, cren tassels, while the tormentors are of green with gold Thev are and which is reached from the main desired. At the rear of the gallery is the jro-! jection room to used tr the big stijiT-feature in the tioii picture line, which cotne now Priva-te exhibition of paintings nnd other works of art owned by the High Museum of Art, or loaned it, will be held for members of the organization from 4 to o'clock Saturday entrance by two short ramps. on-i of the most striking tilings in recent theater entistriiettcon.

Nothing1, within th bounds of artistic taste, has been spared to make it attractive, and it will undoubtedly prove a pop the air vents are under thermostat I afternoon, January according to J. between acts wten ular promen.it! the regular shows start coming nere. At either end, the decoration motif "A comedian's lot is not always a happy says Lou Powers who fills this position with the Earl Carroll "Vanities'' coining to the new Frlanger theater next Monday night. "It's all very well to sny that it must be fun to make people laugh, but I think this entertaining business should be confined to the theater. It isn't always though as the following in cident will show.

"Last summer, here in Atlanta. I was ruling in a street car when something went wromc and the car come to a dead stop. Everything was quiet when suddenly a little boy iminted to me and yelled at the top of his lungs, 'O look Mama, there's the funny Everyone turned around to look at me nnd as I couldn't very well explain that this was a delicate tribute intended for my work at the theater, I had to stand the stares and giggles and fervently pray that the floor might open and swallow me up." Mr. Powers' w-ork in Ziesfeld's "Sally." Dillingham's "Good Morning Dearie," Greenwich Village Follies," and the Municipal Ojera ompan. are well remembered by Atlanta theatergoers.

He always bring the work of another Atlanta firm, the Stage 'rnft studios, which consist Andrrw Fe tiger. r.nd Frank Fates. They have devoted a labor of love to rbes important features of the new playhouse and have succeeded in their ambition to outdo anything yet produced, anywhere, in this line. The stage has every jiossible equipment, to handle every possibility that the producers may ever conceive in their brains. From the asbestos curtain to the top fly gallery, not a thing has been overlooked.

It is all in readiness now for the first show to roll its scenery and settings up to the door. Now for the actor's pleasure. There are 10 dressing rooms. Provision, all told, for a cast of 130 performers. There are star rooms, and rooms which "will accomodate 25 chorus girls at a time.

They arc ell equipped with metal tables, chairs, mirrors, etc. Kach is an outside room, with generous window space. is an eoucatioti in useit to usien to the expert electrician iu charge, describe its conveniences. To the average stagegner, perhaps the most, interesting item is that never again will it bo necessary for the parlor maid, the heroine, or the bachelor hero, nor somebody, to turn on tin? rending lamp on stage and wait for a moment or two for the electrician offstage to make the ttrres ponding switch to bring on the light. For, under the new switchboard, the light on stage is connected directly with the switch and, when the actor pulls, the switchboard, be actually turns on the one, or many lights, desired by the action.

That, however, is hut a minor point. The board is of the type which allows advance preparation of the lighting requirement for an entire production. Something New. Suppose the electrician, when be gets his written instructions for the play which is to occupy the boards for the entire week, finds that there are six scenes with different lighting requirements for each. lie simply stauds before bis board moving levers and switches here and there for five niin-uts and he has then has the entire sieps.

On eitntr side is a slight ramp, leaning no to a glorious mezzanine lover, so to-aut it ul that fuller description must be deterred to a Inter p'i. tun. nee to the orchestra floor may hf had inner by the stairway up the ramps, a Ion- the mezzanine to.Mr io ther au.l Mt'ps. Oil the orchestra t.w.r are sjts aud everyone, front row, Hack row. center or either side, gives a lull and uninterrupted view ot the stage.

Thiuk that over, ou unfortunates who have squirmed behind posts or strained your necks trying to make periscoites of yourselves trj-in; to see round a corner of tlie wall in old-fashioned theaters. Find No l'osts. There isu't a post in the place, and there is such an arragumeut of seats that every patron looks straight ahead between the two in front and needn't worry about bij beads or fluffy hair bobs. And, to reiterate, every sat, eveu at the far sides, can see "the entire stage. The scats are the latest and best iu theater comfort.

They are built fit the shape of the body. like the lii'viem automobile seat and, when you "ccupy one. you feel as though sirting in a omforrahle lounge chair. Also, there is ample- leg room between th ions. Mataser llaase said be could J.

Haverty, chairman of the art committee. The museum will be open to the public free the following Sunday afternoon, and will continue to be open to the public for- several days. In addition to the collection owned by the galleries, there will be an exhibition of a group of silhouettes by Joe Cranston Jones, of Augusta, and the architect's drawings for the new million dollar Shriners' mosque, recently submitted, in competition. The mosque is to be erected on Pi-achtree, opposite the Georgian Terrace. gives the effect of rising suns, to add to the sunlight effect of the indirect lighting scheme.

On either side at the rear of the orchestra floor, are smoking and toilet rooms, one. for ladies and one for gentlemen. They are perfect in th appointments. The ceiling1 in the men's room is of old Dutch beam type, while the ladies' room is papered with silk phlox paper. are three check rooms, a public telephone room and many other conveniences.

Kunnicg ice-water is provided in both ladies' and men's smoking then t. Tip lne promotion room i-i. cn-irse, of concrete vteel. ami embodies tie latest ideas tor jH-rfect screen presentation. Th theater, by the way.

is exceptionally well provMed with entrance and exits. For the orchestra floor there are four entrances from the IVachtree side, and six side exits, three on either side, to wide, open-air walkways leading to Courtland street, as well as IVachtree. Both balcony and gallery have four entrance and exit doors. Complete Safety. All these doors, of steel with the latest and easiest opening locks on the market, are for convenience rather than safety not that they aren't the most perfectly safe in the world, but because there is no fire danger anyway.

Aside from the chairs and carpets, there isn't a flung in the theater to burn. Everything is steel, stone concrete. There are orUy three wimvIoii floors thes in the manaser's oftii-e suit in the entire place. And. despite this immunity from fire hazard, there are fire hose control.

The engineer 'simply sets the thermostat at the temperature reading desiring in the theater and then, if it goes above or below this point, the thermosttt switches the fan and opens or shuts the vents as needed. There are advertising rooms, prop rooms, supply in ample plenty, also below stage. This description of the new theater is probably extremely inadequate. It is rambling and disjointed. But it is an effort to draw a word picture of the magnificent new asset for the city.

It is something to advertise to the world as another Atlanta advantage. Manager Haase -has dropped several indirect hints to the effect that arrangements will probably be made to keep it open weeks out of the year. Its location demands this continuous operation, it would seem, pud it will certainly be tremendous asset to the I'eachtree-Ponce de Leon section to have such a distinguished playhouse Mom. Toilet roni equipment is of And each is equipped with private the latest tv pe is provider gneron? tfits aml shower atiuit ion ber 27. with a mammoth production.

from New York, of Earl t'arroll's "Vanities." Read all about this iittrac-tion in another column of this naier amplitude. to identv of washstand Itl n( lAsht. Shifters Have Room. to bis parts just tli- right touch's of and then mke your reservations and characterization. His performance in see for yonrelf any time during New i the Vanity's' stands out as the there.

However, the house opens Decern-J me rront entrance to tne tneater is a special rom for the use sir sets arranged for the entire period is tentared by a wide marone. of elv- of the stage hands, snd a looker room of the production. From then on when orate decoration, and with the name aud smoking-lounse room for. tae aiu-1 tb first act lights called-for, Year's week. fmett of bis career..