Page 7 Musical Revives Orpheum Stage Drama, burlesque vaudeville, comedy, ministrals, civic programs, spectaculars and even a circus were among the 1890-91 presentations at the Grand House in Ogden, now known Orpheum Theater. Ogden citizens were excited { Prospects of a Grand Opera a. flocked to its Opera as the about House opening in ') December, 1890. It was an asset to the thriving city. Today Weber State College Alumni- Community Theater (ACT) has been ) invited to use the old historic theater for its productions and “There is so much untapped talent in our community,’ said Mrs. Hazel Robertson, president of ACT. She will also direct the first ACT show to be presented at the Orpheum, “‘A Little Night Music”’ scheduled for May 1921. The sophisticated musical comedy is winner of a Tony award and a Dramatic Critics award. It was written by Hugh Wheeler, author of award-winning ‘“‘Gigi.”’ Music and lyrics are by Stephen Sondheim. Mrs. Robertson said the play is a “comment on today’s society. It shows all the ridiculous things we do.”’ Unhappy marriages, guilty consciences, unruly children and _intertwined romantic interests lead to a comical situation. Cast members are John M. Slocum, Carol Hurst, John Rust, Karin Hurst, Ron Christensen, Pamela Stephens, Haze! Robertson, Ann Seamons, Gary Brough and Annette Terry. Quintet woe Alumni director, Alan Hall, is enthusiastic about the possibilities it offers. i ) Great Salt Lake {continued from Page 6) feet lower. Dr. Greer has made the first comprehensive map of Great ) Salt Lake which demonstrates these 7) various levels. ‘Israel is considering cutting ‘timnel to carry sea water a into the ) Dead Sea to help maintain its level yand the Russians are talking of bringing water from the Ob River hrough the Turgay Sink and tran- . Deon ferring S im- it into Greer said. the Caspian,’ Dr. stable | “There are at least three alterler to Jhative solutions to our present Dead J problem of controlling the level of the ea in ecent been rs. At Great Salt Lake,’’ said Dr. Greer. | "Pumping some of the brine out of the jake, speeding up evaporation by huilding fresh water ponds or up- e waS Jsream diversion. The cheapest of the time Jihree is to pump lake brine into the t was Jwestern desert. If we faced lowering ige 7) ‘Jlakelevels in the future the only Valternatives would be to transfer water from either the Colorado River yr the Columbia River into the Great Basin.” One of the main assets of the Great salt Lake is its chemical content. Two companies are presently extracting . aying that important minerals WGreat Salt “Bthemicals from Lake the lake. Minerals and potash and extracts “egricultural chemicals while National WSC “Wad is extracting magnesium metal. said, ained of the ; the rds. water Phe Volkswagen Company for “Bivample uses magnesium to make Bisht but strong auto engines and this atile metal has many other uses. “Great Salt Lake has been Bistimated to have 75-90 billion dollars 10N, jorth of chemicals, that’s 60 times SUP- > new - out oi Byhat we’ve already taken yards of plushes, velvets and satins and reclining upon eastern couches are seen a number of beautiful and shapely girls.”’ Cost of all this - $24,000. Another spectacular included “explosion after explosion, lasting out of »necott Copper Mine, “‘the richest ® . & on earth.” “It is almost beyond tomprehension,’”’ said Dr. Greer, nearly three hours with the applause vater ‘Bthat so much wealth could lie in such Of Bn innocent looking bodv of wtaer.’’ takes continued from Page 6) their or is a be discontinued. who § /he popular sport of fishing, aping though not a Weber State PE acwel pity, also could be jeopardized if rs, or stream flow drops. ’‘However,”’ he <4o added with a smile, “it would be easier to catch a fish in low-water apn noel servoirs and streams because wers heyd have a much limited chance of ge 7) elting away.”’ Lou Gladwell members are Robert F. Howe, Edward Freestone, Mae Christensen, Jackie Maxwell, and Marie Jeppson. The Orpheum (Grand Opera House) has been the ‘“‘stage’’ for many a colorful production in the past. In its first year Ogden boasted of having one of the finest opera houses in the west and became one of the “Silver Circuit,” attracting a large number and variety of theatrical companies. Each week an average of four performances were presented at the Grand. The opening of the theater is described in great detail in the Dec. 27, 1890 issue of the Ogden SemiWeekly Standard. ‘““‘The Grand Opera House opened last night ... it was a blaze of splendor. The bright flashes of the lights in the vast auditorium brought in a view a scene never before equalled in the goodly city ... the audience (nearly 2,000) was ... high class even viewed from the foyer; while the stage on either side of the paraquette the spectacle was that of brilliance itself.” “The beautiful white front, five stories in height, which stands on Washington Avenue, in the heart of the city ... is composed of white brick, made in Ogden specially for this building. The general style of the architecture, Romanesque, relieved in places with Morrish decorations in white metal. Rising as terraces with each story is the Turkish minaret, each being supplied with a balcony.” Details were given of the arched entrance, semi-circle foyer, large auditorium, interior, decorations, curtains, stage and dressing rooms. Features such as heating, ventilation and exits were outlined. One of the great spectaculars presented on the Grand stage and reported in the Jan. 7, 1891 issue of the Ogden Semi-Weekly Standard, had a “colored fountain ... with living water thrown upwards from sixty graduated jets ... the lights thrown on it from the swinging bridge above ... The colored mist rises and falls, lending an enchanting beauty to the surroundings pretty girls in armor, going through different evolutions with colored lights streaming over them. In the Harem scene the walls, drops and wings are hung with thousands of Backstage at the Orpheum (Grand Opera House), Alan Hall, Alumni director, and Mrs. Hazel Robertson, president of ACT and director of upcoming musical, discuss possibilities of the theater. at times deafening’’ the Standard reported Jan. 17, 1891. In March of that year a company came on a special train with one hundred and ten people and an orchestra of thirty pieces and the people wanted “bigger things this year than last.”’ John L. Sullivan was popular as well as the Salt Lake Home Dramatic Company and the Logan Opera Company. The paper praised them (continued on page 8) | 4