Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 153, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 June 1911 — NEW THEATER PROVES BIG: CHANGES PLANS [ARTICLE]

NEW THEATER PROVES BIG: CHANGES PLANS

Smaller House Will Be Built for “Intimate” Drama. The founders of The New Theater, New York, have issued a statement which clears up the future plans of the institution and dispels the rumors which have recently been published concerning it. Following a recent meeting held at the home of William K. Vanuerbilt, president of the founders, it was announced that a new and smaller building will be immediately constructed, and that this will be subsidized lor a term of years. The present building will be leased during the coming year for dramatic productions of a character suited to the structure, and may later be employed In connection with the Metropolitan Opera company lor the production oi operas requiring a smaller auditorium than the Metropolitan Opera House. The change has been decided upon, as the present New Theatre is too large for the presentation of "lull mate ’ drama, which must form a part of the repertoire. The plans are being formulated for keeping the company together as an organization until its new home is built, but what form these plans will ultimately take cannot be foretold. Here is the official statement: I-

“The founders of The New Theater have no thought of abandoning the The New Theatre movement. The experience of the last two years has demonstrated that the present building, although designed under the advice of a leading theatrical expert, Is not suited for the class of dramatic performances contemplated by the founders. Productions of such scale as 'The Blue Bird” and "The Piper” would undoubtedly have filled the theater for the entire season, but the founders have been unwilling to limit the performances of plays of that class, meritorious as they are, because the aims of Ahe enterprise and the claims of box-owners and subscribers have called for & wider range of productions.

“Although, during the two seasons now closing. The New Theater has been more liberally supported than any other theater in New York de»o.ed exclusively to dramatic productions, the founders have been compelled to reach a conclusion adverse to the continued uke of the present building as the borne of the enterprise. “The founders slimly maintain their belief In the mission and purpoee or The New Theater, and. in order -to thoroughly test the soundness of their belief and,the willingness of the people of New York to lend their cooperation, they will immediately proceed to erect upon a site conveniently accessible to all classes of theatergoers a theater of moderate size especially adapted to the production by a stock company of a repertory oi modern and classical plays chosen primarily for their artistic merit. “To enable the enterprise to be Independent of immediate commercial success, the founders will provide, foi a term of years, a guaranty fund which will correspond to the subsidy by which theaters with similar aspirations ate supported iu most of tht capitals of Europe. “An opportunity will be afforded tc subscribers for boxes and seats in the present New Theater to continue at subscribers to the performances in the new building under an arrangement which will permit greater latitude in the distribution of productions than it possible under the present arrangement.

“Plans are under discussion foi maintaining the present company oi players as an organization to the end that, with auch changes In the personnel as may be deemed advantageous, it may appear in the new home a year from the coming fall. During the season of 1911-1912 it may be sent on tour, under the direction of Mr. Winthrop Ames, In a selection of plays from the present repertory, possibly playing for a few weeks in New York. ‘lt is the hope of the founders that, lu co-operation with the Metropolitan Opera company, the present New Theatre building will eventually become the home for the productioa ol such operas as require for their most effective presentation a smaller auditorium than the Metropolitan Opera House—a purpose for which the building is admirably adapted. As no definite arrangements to that end arc in immediate contemplation, the house will be leased for the coming year for dramatic productions of a character suited to the building.” 4