Dedication article for the Roxy, August 28, 1930

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This article appeared in the Forsyth Times-Journal, August 28, 1930.

FINAL ARRANGEMENTS BEING MADE BY WOLKE AND FAUST FOR BEAUTIFUL NEW SOUND EQUIPPED THEATRE TO MAKE BOW TO PUBLIC NEXT SATURDAY

The Roxy, new sound equipped theatre built in Forsyth by the management of the old Lincoln theatre, A. C. Wolke and F. X. Faust, stands today as practically completed and is expected to be ready for the showing of the first picture, September 6th, after months of planning by the management and weeks of work on the part of skilled workmen; work which began in June with the removal of the first shovelful of dirt for the basement and which will end next week with the placing of the sound equipment and test showing of the first picture.

Equipped with opera chairs that are the height of comfort, the projection booth installed with RCA Photophone sound reproducing equipment, and the building served with an Arctic Nu-air ventilating system, the beautiful new theatre stands as a great achievement in which both the management and the public of this community can take pride.

Work of constructing the building has occupied about two months and was rushed to completion as rapidly as possible after the contract was awarded to C. A. Haynes of Billings. Perfect weather conditions have prevailed during this time and consequently operations have gone steadily forward according to specifications furnished by the architect, Charles Wood of Spokane.

The Roxy is 40 feet wide and 110 feet long and is built on the site formerly occupied by the old Home Trading building, the tract being especially purchased for this purpose by Messrs. Wolke and Faust. The new building is said to be acoustically perfect, the architect designing it primarily for the showing of sound pictures.

The management has exercised great care in this respect, and after the structure had reached a stage where it might be tested for its acoustical properties, had an expert come here from Denver and make a survey of the house. He checked up on the building very carefully and stated that in his opinion the house would be perfect for the production of sound pictures.

SEATS 500
The seating capacity of the building is 500, the larger number of which are cared for in the auditorium while the balcony will seat 75. Three hundred new opera chairs with spring cushion seats and upholstered backs will be installed in the auditorium while the loge chairs in the balcony will have spring cushion seats upholstered in leather, and the backs in jacquard velour. The balcony chairs will command a slightly higher price than those in the auditorium, due to their position.

All the chairs in the theatre will be new, with the exception of a few front rows which will be supplied with the best seats from the old theatre. These will be in a location that is usually favored by children.

WELL VENTILATED
The new theatre will be heated by steam from the Forsyth Central heating plant in conjunction with the Arctic Nu-air blower. The air in the building will be re-circulated through a copper radiator and tempered with as much fresh air as is desired or necessary. The ventilating system is so arranged that during warm weather the air is not re-circulated. Instead of that it is brought in through ducts from above the roof.

The Arctic Nu-air blower supplies a complete change of fresh air every few minutes while running at capacity and will keep the building perfectly ventilated at all times.

In announcing that his firm had purchased the RCA sound reproducing equipment, Mr. Faust said this week, "It is with a great deal of satisfaction that I make this announcement. The invasion of sound into the motion picture industry presents a great problem to the exhibitor and particularly to the small town theatre owner. Coming as it did, almost overnight, there immediately followed a wide variety of so called sound projection apparatus, and while many exhibitors have, in the effort to meet the competition, installed models of the first equipment they could acquire, I made up my mind to investigate sound reproducing equipments of various types and choose only the best for the Roxy.

BEST AVAILABLE
"Those who have so liberally patronized our theatre when it was running in the old Lincoln building are the ones who are responsible for the construction of the new theatre. It has been their loyal support which prompted our putting up the new building that we have. Therefore, dependent as we are upon their continued patronage, we felt obligated to give them the best sound reproducing equipment available in our new building."

Inspiration for the name Roxy which has been bestowed on the new theatre, came from the Roxy Theatre of New York City, the showplace and finest of its kind in all Gotham. The management of Forsyth's new theatre felt that this would be a fitting name for their house, standing as it does, the finest of theatre structures in this section of the state.