Society On Hand at Empress
Salt Lake's Newest Playhouse Presents Bright Scene at Opening
Salt Lake Telegram, 4 November 1911
"Salt Lake has a population of 100,000, mostly theatregoers," said former Governor Heber M. Wells in his dedicatory address at the opening of the beautiful Empress theatre last night; "and when a good show comes to town the average Salt Laker will be there, if he has to rob the baby's bank."
Whether many babies banks were robbed or not, a lot of Salt Lakers were out last night to see the prettiest playhouse in the city inaugurate Sullivan & Considine vaudeville in this city. The house seats 1700, and every seat was sold within a short time after the box office opened Saturday. Many extra chairs were placed back of the loges last night, and they, too, were occupied. Then, while the first show was going on, a large crowd waited impatiently outside for a chance to outer for the second performance, for it is the policy of the S. & C. people to start one show at 7:30 and a second at 9:15 o'clock every night, with a matinee every day, except before the opening night.
Many of Utah's most distinguished citizens occupied boxes and loges last night. Probably no finer audience has ever assembled in a local playhouse. Smartly dressed women and men in evening clothes added a touch of attractiveness to the gorgeousness of the house furnishings. And it takes a big occasion to get Salt Lake men to wear anything but business suits.
Daniel F. McCoy, manager of the theatre, showed his handiwork in arrangements about the theatre. As one entered the first pleasant shock was the brilliancy of the glass pendant lights in the lobby. Then above the first entrance to the foyer were floral decorations, while inside were magnificent flowers everywhere.
The boxes, with their green plush draperies, caused exclamations of admiration. The comfortable, splendidly situated loges also came in for remarks of approval. The dainty gold tints and the paintings on the proscenium arch added much to the artistic beauty of the theatre.
But what a shock when the ugly, multicolored advertising curtain was lowered.
It was an awful blow in aestheticism. A genuine aesthete would have given up the ghost. All the splendid effect attained by the finished touch of the scenic architects and the decorators was knocked silly by that eye wounding spectacle. The only theatre of importance in town that offers such a shock to the eye is the Orpheum, where there is also an ugly advertising curtain that doesn't belong in any first class place.
When the curtain with the painting of Lake Phoebe, in Big Cottonwood Canyon was shown, however, the audience applauded, for it is a piece of art. And all the other drops are pretty, too.
Among the prominent persons entertaining at box parties were former Senator and Mrs. Thomas Kearns, Mayor and Mrs. Bransford, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Park, Joseph F. Smith, former Gov. Heber M. Wells and Mrs. Wells, Judge Orlando W. Powers and Mrs. Powers, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Sheets, Mr. and Mrs. Benner X. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. W. Mont Ferry. Society was well represented.
After the orchestra, under Willard Youngdale's leadership, played a friotic air, the audience standing, former Governor Wells delivered a dedicatory address.
"The management invited Governor Spry to make the address, but not being able to procure him on account of his absence from the state, a kindly disposed person connected with the enterprise asked me to officiate.
"I am proud of the honor. In the words of the gentleman who extended to me the invitation, who is always eloquent and convincing and who is no less a celebrity than Judge Orlando W. Powers, 'You will get an opportunity, ex-office holder as you are, to appear again before a public, which, some years ago, relegated you to oblivion - an opportunity, ex-actor, as you are alleged to be, to appear again behind the footlights; and opportunity, old and obscure as you have become, to have the calcium shine again upon your poor, bald head and let its reflective effulgence, as it were, hold the mirror up to the nature for a brief transitory spell. Besides all this,' he said, 'you will get a pass for the opening performance good for yourself and wife and several invited guests.'
"That seemed fair enough, and so I accepted.
"Many years ago," he continued, "when this place was infested with the coyote, the jack rabbit and cricket, when at night no sound was heard on Main street save the casual croak of a belated frog: before even Dick Keyes, the original Gentile pioneer, had arrived, there stood on Temple square, within a stone's throw of this magnificent edifice, an old bowery with only branches of pine and balsam hewn from the adjacent mountains for a covering. It was there the people of a primitive settlement gathered in Sunday service, and there also on weekdays, as early as 1851, to participate in home theatricals given by the best talent the humble community could afford."
Mr. Wells said that the first play produced was "Robert Macaire," afterwards, in New York, reincarnated as an opera under the name of "Erminie," in which Francis Wilson made his first big impression. The cast of this first theatrical production in Utah was named by Mr. Wells. John Kay played Robert Macaire; Hyrum B. Clawson, Jaques Strop; Phil Margetts, Pierre; Miss Orem, Marie; and Miss Margaret Judd, Clementina.
"Of these celebrities, two, Mr. Kay and Miss Orem, have gotten to that bourne from which no traveler returns and one, Mr. Margetts, is ill at his home in this city. But Mr. Hyrum B. Clawson and his good wife, Mrs. Margaret Judd Clawson, so please you and, thank God, are my honored guests for the evening in yonder box."
Whether many babies banks were robbed or not, a lot of Salt Lakers were out last night to see the prettiest playhouse in the city inaugurate Sullivan & Considine vaudeville in this city. The house seats 1700, and every seat was sold within a short time after the box office opened Saturday. Many extra chairs were placed back of the loges last night, and they, too, were occupied. Then, while the first show was going on, a large crowd waited impatiently outside for a chance to outer for the second performance, for it is the policy of the S. & C. people to start one show at 7:30 and a second at 9:15 o'clock every night, with a matinee every day, except before the opening night.
Many of Utah's most distinguished citizens occupied boxes and loges last night. Probably no finer audience has ever assembled in a local playhouse. Smartly dressed women and men in evening clothes added a touch of attractiveness to the gorgeousness of the house furnishings. And it takes a big occasion to get Salt Lake men to wear anything but business suits.
Admire Beauty of Place
Daniel F. McCoy, manager of the theatre, showed his handiwork in arrangements about the theatre. As one entered the first pleasant shock was the brilliancy of the glass pendant lights in the lobby. Then above the first entrance to the foyer were floral decorations, while inside were magnificent flowers everywhere.
The boxes, with their green plush draperies, caused exclamations of admiration. The comfortable, splendidly situated loges also came in for remarks of approval. The dainty gold tints and the paintings on the proscenium arch added much to the artistic beauty of the theatre.
But There Is Curtain
But what a shock when the ugly, multicolored advertising curtain was lowered.
It was an awful blow in aestheticism. A genuine aesthete would have given up the ghost. All the splendid effect attained by the finished touch of the scenic architects and the decorators was knocked silly by that eye wounding spectacle. The only theatre of importance in town that offers such a shock to the eye is the Orpheum, where there is also an ugly advertising curtain that doesn't belong in any first class place.
When the curtain with the painting of Lake Phoebe, in Big Cottonwood Canyon was shown, however, the audience applauded, for it is a piece of art. And all the other drops are pretty, too.
Among the prominent persons entertaining at box parties were former Senator and Mrs. Thomas Kearns, Mayor and Mrs. Bransford, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Park, Joseph F. Smith, former Gov. Heber M. Wells and Mrs. Wells, Judge Orlando W. Powers and Mrs. Powers, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Sheets, Mr. and Mrs. Benner X. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. W. Mont Ferry. Society was well represented.
After the orchestra, under Willard Youngdale's leadership, played a friotic air, the audience standing, former Governor Wells delivered a dedicatory address.
"The management invited Governor Spry to make the address, but not being able to procure him on account of his absence from the state, a kindly disposed person connected with the enterprise asked me to officiate.
"I am proud of the honor. In the words of the gentleman who extended to me the invitation, who is always eloquent and convincing and who is no less a celebrity than Judge Orlando W. Powers, 'You will get an opportunity, ex-office holder as you are, to appear again before a public, which, some years ago, relegated you to oblivion - an opportunity, ex-actor, as you are alleged to be, to appear again behind the footlights; and opportunity, old and obscure as you have become, to have the calcium shine again upon your poor, bald head and let its reflective effulgence, as it were, hold the mirror up to the nature for a brief transitory spell. Besides all this,' he said, 'you will get a pass for the opening performance good for yourself and wife and several invited guests.'
"That seemed fair enough, and so I accepted.
"Many years ago," he continued, "when this place was infested with the coyote, the jack rabbit and cricket, when at night no sound was heard on Main street save the casual croak of a belated frog: before even Dick Keyes, the original Gentile pioneer, had arrived, there stood on Temple square, within a stone's throw of this magnificent edifice, an old bowery with only branches of pine and balsam hewn from the adjacent mountains for a covering. It was there the people of a primitive settlement gathered in Sunday service, and there also on weekdays, as early as 1851, to participate in home theatricals given by the best talent the humble community could afford."
Mr. Wells said that the first play produced was "Robert Macaire," afterwards, in New York, reincarnated as an opera under the name of "Erminie," in which Francis Wilson made his first big impression. The cast of this first theatrical production in Utah was named by Mr. Wells. John Kay played Robert Macaire; Hyrum B. Clawson, Jaques Strop; Phil Margetts, Pierre; Miss Orem, Marie; and Miss Margaret Judd, Clementina.
"Of these celebrities, two, Mr. Kay and Miss Orem, have gotten to that bourne from which no traveler returns and one, Mr. Margetts, is ill at his home in this city. But Mr. Hyrum B. Clawson and his good wife, Mrs. Margaret Judd Clawson, so please you and, thank God, are my honored guests for the evening in yonder box."