It cost a quarter-million dollars, which was a substantial amount of coin in 1910. According to “Show Houses Twin Cities Style” by Kirk Besse, the opening night act was Viola Allen, starring in a play called “The White Sister.” Fifteen bucks bought the best seats – again, no small price. Alas:
“ . . . the Shubert had developed a reputation as a gloomy theater. Due to the poor lighting system audiences were forced to sit in semi-darkness between acts. So when the influenza epidemic of 1989 forced all places of amusement to close, the Shubert used the time to remodel.”
They just did the interior, though. The exterior – well, you’ll see. And if you’re asking if the theater existed in the middle of a field instead of a city, click on. |