Ke Alakai o Hawaii, Volume VI, Number 2, 11 May 1933 — ENTERTAINMENT IN RADIO CITY [ARTICLE]

ENTERTAINMENT IN RADIO CITY

the quest of many thousands who will dally visit the new "Radio City" in New York, has called into its service science and mechanics to an extent hitherto unequalled.

Nearing completion are the Roxy theatre and the InteniaUonkl Music hall; the former especially dedicated to motioMictures, and the second to productioias of a nature laborate than ever before J i|¥- ■ tempted. I The titanic buildings of Rock-1 erfeller center (tlie largest sin-i gle program of construction everj attempted, represenuing an invesfcmen.t of & quarter hillion 4ollars) have on their west side these two great theatres. Eaeh is erected and decorated in the most modern style, and has a record seating capacity. The Roxy, sheathed with flreproofed wood is then lined with - ia by a fabric to give a soft surface preventing echoes. īts seats, self releasing, are spaced widely to ! permit easy entrance and exit, and equipped with program lighters—though fche theatre itself has soft indirect lighting, whieh does not interfere with the screen presentation. One of the decorative feafcures is a 25foot ehandelier, So large is this that it requires a special cooling system to carry off the heat of its 104,000 watts of colored lamps.

&. The Internatlonal Music hall is even more striking in many of its meehanieal arrangements. The stage, the largest in the world, is 144 feet wide and 81 feet deep; the curtain whieh falls across lts 100-foot proscenium weighs 48 tons and is eon%rolled by several mdtors.

Eefore the orchestra pit is the console, from whieh not only color effects on ' the stage and from the projection room ean be controlled tby the director's finger, but a!so sounds.' Wind, thunder, and ail the noises whieh music does not proyide are coxitrolled by switches ar.d buttoais froaa tie great keyboard.

Three large stage platfonns eaeh independently operated by elevators 16 feet wide by '70 long, have been installed. They include in their center floor area a revolving platform 47 feet in di&meter. These stage p!atforms may be raised from the basemēnt to 14 feet above the level of the stage proper.

The orchestra plt Is also equipped with an elevator 3 and may be raised or lowered in.depedently or in \mison with the stage elevators,—E.S,M,