The Winter Garden Opens
The fourth New York City theatre bearing the name Winter Garden opened on March 20, 1911 at 1634 Broadway. Lasting nearly four hours the opening comprised of Bow Sing, Chinese Opera, by Caroll Fleming, Arthur Voegtlin and La Belle Paree-A Jumble of Jollity by Edgar Smith, Edward Madden, Jerome Kern and Frank Tours (Al Jolson in the cast).
The Billboard, March 11, 1911:
"The Winter Garden stage is second in size to that of the Hippodrome and is equipped with every modern convenience and theatrical appliance.
The new playhouse will be operated according to the European idea of variety and music hall including assortment of novelty features unlike anything heretofore seen."
Excerpts from the New York Times, March 21, 1911:
"Not the least attractive part of the Winter Garden is the simplicity and harmony of the decorations of the auditorium. The walls and balcony are in old ivory and gold, and the ceiling marked off in lattice squares in old ivory, behind wihich is an artificial sky of blue."
"The audience last night found the seats wide and comfortably spaced with a receptacle for cigar ashes attached to the back of each chair. In the rear of the auditorium there is a wide promenade. A large smoking room, with service room and bar, is located on the ground floor and on the balcony level, on the Broadway side, there is a refreshment room finished in Delft blue."
"The main entrance to the building, on the Broadway side, is finished in plain gray stone effect, of Colonial design, with five pilasters rising to the height of the two stories of the building and supporting a gabled cornice. Five mahogany doors open directly from the sidewalk into the spacious lobby. The building was designed by William Albert Swasey and built by John McKeefrey."
