Se Page 7 Musical Revives Orpheum Stage 21: Ogden citizens were excited about { as Prospects of a Grand Opera House flocked to its opening in December, 1890. It was an asset to the ) thriving city. _ Today Weber State College Alumni- 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. ') Community Theater (ACT) has been invited to use the old historic theater for its productions and Alumni director, Alan Hall, is enthusiastic about the possibilities it offers. Great Salt Lake (continued from Page 6) )feet lower. Dr. Greer has made the irs: comprehensive map of Great Salt Lake which demonstrates these farious levels. ‘Israel is considering cutting a inel to carry sea water into the ead Sea to help maintain its level md the Russians are talking of , Deon . ringing water from the Ob River hrough the Turgay Sink and tranferring it into the Caspian,” Dr. Ss imsreer Said. stable “There are at least three alterler to ative solutions to our present Dead — problem of controlling the level of the ea in Great Salt Lake,’’ said Dr. Greer. ecent | ‘Pumping some of the brine out of the been — ake, speeding up evaporation by rs. At@ building fresh water ponds or up2 was stream diversion. The cheapest of the time ihree is to pump lake brine into the t was Pwestern desert. If we faced lowering ige 7) ‘Plakelevels alternatives in the future would be the to only transfer _ water from either the Colorado River m 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 important minerals from the lake. WSC saricultural chemicals while National ead is extracting magnesium metal. the ersatile metal has many other uses. water “Bistimated to have 75-90 billion dollars 10N, —“‘Pyorth of chemicals, that’s 60 times aying that WGreat Salt Lake Minerals “Bthemicals extracts potash and and said, e Volkswagen Company for ained “Bxample uses magnesium to make of the Bisht but strong auto engines and this 3 rds. SUP> NEW “Wi out oi Salt Lake has _ been Byhat we’ve already taken out of necott Copper Mine, ‘“‘the richest & on earth.” “It is almost beyond ‘eomprehension,”’ vater e “Great said Dr. Greer, “Pithat so much wealth could lie in such Of Bin innocent looking bodv of wtaer.’’ ae apie = whe continued from Page 6) will be discontinued. The popular sport aping though not a Weber State PE ac- we’]] rs. or guvity, also could be jeopardized if gpeam flow drops. ’‘However,’’ he io em dded with aping asier to catch a fish itical eservoirs streams wers heyd have a much limited chance of ge 7) petting away.” Lou Gladwell a smile, and of fishing, “it would be in low-water because 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. ae as the 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 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 nearly three hours with the applause 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 2. aa ) known 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 (continued on page 8) a House in Ogden, now | Orpheum Theater. ‘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 19- —a comedy, apa burlesque 0 Drama, J yaudeville, ministrals, civic programs, spectaculars and even a }circus were among the 1890-91 . p esentations at the Grand Opera