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(1816 To 1860) By Chas. H. Haswell Originally published 1896 |
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without cushions, and occupied exclusively by men and boys; the boxes were enclosed in the rear, the entrance to them through a locked door jealously guarded by a keeper. There was an advantage in this which fully compensated any inconvenience attendant upon it, inasmuch as the rear wall of the box reflected sounds from the stage; from which cause, added to the circumstance that the interiors of the buildings were less ornate than at a later day, the voices on the stage were much more audible than with the open seats. This arrangement left a wide space for lobby or foyer, in which it was customary for the male portion of the audience during the acts to promenade. In the second tier there was a moderate restaurant, and in the third tier a bar. In this theatre there was a very perfect whispering gallery; the peculiar face and arching of the proscenium enabled a sound delivered on one side in the third tier to be distinctly audible on the opposite side. Upon this becoming known it was availed of by humorists, to the dismay and annoyance of many who were ignorant of it. n the third tier of theatres before this time, and for many years after, the class of females erroneously termed demi-monde were permitted to be present, and on several occasions parties who had better have been absent, being seated in the end-box, and near the arch, were dismayed at hearing a voice near to them advising them to go home and attend to their families, etc. Prior to the closing of the theatre for the summer recess, it was the custom to set apart one night's performance, known as "ticket night," for the benefit of the employes of the house.
Not a few citizens yet living find pleasure in reviving in their conversation the glories of the old Park." No doubt its scenery and appointments were primitive, compared with the elaborate provision made for modern theatres, as a result of the singular development of scenic art which has appeared in recent years. Excepting
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Reminiscences Of An Octogenarian Of The City Of New York Main Menu |
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Exercising for Fun and Fitness |
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UBERHIPPY |