Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1920)

November 27,1920 (Equipment Service) 4131 Opening of Rivoli Is Great Event in La Crosse, Wise. Many Prominent State and City Officials Present on First Night THE opening of the Rivali theatre, La Crosse's new half million dollar motion picture house, marks an epoch in the theatrical history of the city. The big new house, declared to be the most beautiful and up-to-date of picture palaces in the Northwest, is located in North Fourth street, but half a block from the centre of the business district. The Rivoli is operated by the La Crosse Theatres Company, which also controls three other theatres in La Crosse, the Majestic, La Crosse and Bijou. Frank L. Koppleberger is general manager of the company, and at the head of the booking department is Harry Burford. Max R. Doolittle is director of publicity. The opening performances of the Rivoli were attended by upwards of six thousand persons, this establishing a record for the city of La Crosse. The day was stormy, but despite the rain long lines of people, which at times stretched from the theatre entrance to Main street, half a block away, blocked traffic in Fourth street for hours during the afternoon and evening. The new Rivoli was erected for the La Crosse Theatres Company by Frank Schwalbe & Sons, contractors. Parkinson & Dockendorff were the architects, and the Odin J. Oyen Company had charge of the decorations throughout the entire building. Convenience and beauty are combined in the new Rivoli to make it one of the most attractive temples of the silent art, and an important addition to the city plan that is making La Crosse beautiful. The building is a handsome four-story structure of brick and tile construction. At either side of the theatre entrance are commodious, up-to-date store accommodations, while the portion of the three upper stories not occupied by the theatre proper is devoted to office rooms. The main entrance of the theatre is on Fourth slreet, with exits on the alley at the west and south sides of the building. Three large decorative entrance doors on Fourth street give access to the main lobby and the " T " lobby, which, in turn, has an exit leading to the sidewalk on Fourth street. In front of the lobby doors is set the box office, of ornamental screen on a marble counter, with marble base, commodious enough to accommodate two cashiers during rush hours. National ticketmachines and lightning coin changers have been installed. The spacious lobby is decorated in the Adam design and has a wainscoting of marble, with noiseless floor of linotile. At the sides are ornamental poster frames in keeping with the general design of decoration. In the " T " lobby the same style of decoration is followed. At the left there is a marble fountain, with an infant Neptune and a dolphin as the central feature, and with palms and ferns arranged to give a garden effect, while to the right are the ladies' and gentlemen's rest rooms. The lobbies are lighted with lantern design fixtures. Upon entering the theatre the first impression is one of great size and space. The auditorium, which seats fourteen hundred persons, is 80 feet by 120 feet, and embodies in its construction the newest ideas in theatre building. The seating arrangement is all on one floor, so designed as to afford a clear view of the silver sheet from every seat in the house. The orchestra pit is three feet below the level of the floor proper and has separate exits leading to the alley in the rear. The sense of space is enhanced by the vaulted ceiling and the skilful choice of color-tones in decoration. The same unity and directness of purpose is evident all through the theatre, lobbies and rest rooms. The keystone of the decoration of the auditorium is the mural painting, " Day Quitting Night," which occupies the space above the proscenium arch. This is the work of Mr. A. E. Soderberg, and in it he has worked out a difficult matter of dimension and color tones, which brings together and harmonizes the scheme of the whole interior. Resisting the temptation to overelaboration and intricate symbolism, Mr. Roderberg has kept the painting what it should be, a suggestion and enrichment of the decorative design. The whole scheme of decoration in the new Rivoli invokes the Greek inspiration of the Adam period. In the silent tilepaved lobbies, wainscoted to shoulder height with Tennessee marble, the color scheme is laid on in broad tones of ivory, amber and sienna. In the auditorium the color is a bit more elaborate. The ceiling panels use an Adam motif, as does all of the decoration, and the walls are stenciled in damask effect. Throughout an effective color combination of ivory, amber, old gold and plum color is used. Light for the auditorium is furnished by two huge chandeliers of opalescent glass, suspended from the ceiling by plum-colored stems, and the five-color cove lighting system from which emanates the indirect light used while the pictures are being shown. Stained glass medallions of the chandeliers and the wall fixtures repeat a Front of new Capitol, Redondo, Cai, showing unusual panelled design