Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

By Francis M. Falge* THE opening of any new theatre is of interest to theatre men in a casual sort of way, but when the designers and builders of a theatre do a bit of pioneering with new materials and new techniques, progressive owners and managers invariably want to know all about it. A case in point is the new Shore Theatre in Euclid, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. Built by the Associated Theatre Company, this new 1,600-seat neighborhood theatre is of particular interest because of its lighting. Fluorescent lamps have been used to provide both decorative and utilitarian lighting, and the results have de *Nela Park Engineering Dept., General Electric Company, Cleveland, Ohio. lighted everyone who has visited the new theatre. A person approaching the Shore Theatre at night is bound to be impressed by the attractive and attention-compelling marquee which is illustrated on the frontispiece of this issue. The luminous attraction-letter panels of cased-opal glass are lighted from behind by three rows of 36-inch 30-watt daylight fluorescent lamps. These impart a distinctive color which contrasts strikingly with the warmer tones of the many low-wattage filament lamps that are used exposed in the chaser border and on the marquee soffit. The chaser border contains 600 10-watt yellow lamps spaced on six-inch centers and the soffit 230 25-watt inside frosted lamps arranged in lines radiating into the entrance. Green fluorescent tubing is utilized in the vertical sign bearing the name of the theatre and a small amount of red tubing is used decoratively on the front of the marquee. A low tower finished in vertical stripes of red and white porcelain rises One of the four recessed poster niches in the lobby of the Shore. It contains one 36-inch 30-watt and four 2\-inch 20-watt daylight fluorescent lamps mounted behind the diffusing glass panels. above the entrance and is lighted by three 500-watt floods concealed on the top of the marquee. Lobby Lighting Impressive It is in the lobby that the visitor is particularly impressed with the effectiveness of colored lighting provided by fluorescent lamps. Here part of the general lighting is supplied by a rectangular ceiling cove which contains 34 36-inch 30-watt blue fluorescent lamps. The rest is provided by the various luminous elements which serve the double purpose of lighting advertising displays and adding to the general lighting. At either end of the lobby over the entrances from the street and to the auditorium is a luminous panel on which are mounted changeable letter signs to advertise coming attractions. The panels are 2'x24' and each is lighted by 14 36inch 30-watt fluorescent lamps arranged in two parallel rows. The sign over the street entrance, which is seen by persons leaving the theatre, is lighted with gold lamps; pink lamps are used in the sign over the auditorium entrance which presents itself to the view of persons entering. Mr. Reif, one of the owners, estimates that the saving result The Shore’s lobby is attractively lighted by a rectangular ceiling cove which contains 34 36-inch 30-watt blue fluorescent lamps. Daylight fluorescent lamps are used to illuminate the recessed poster niches, the free-standing poster display, and the changeable-letter attraction signs at either end of the lobby. The various luminous elements in the lobby contribute considerably to the general lighting. The MODERN THEATRE SECTION