10/10/1949
Cohen Sees Higher Prices for Seats
Sam Cohen, Liberty Hall superintendent, eased himself into one of the hall's new plush seats. "I've got problems," he said, gesturing at the hall's pink and maroon interior where workmen were busy hammering, testing electric switches and measuring the floor for carpets.
"No one will know how many problems I'm going to have when this is finished. Liberty Hall is going to be beautiful. But it's going to be expensive."
That to Superintendent Cohen is problem No. 1—the expense. The County is spending $267,140 to remodel the hall. Too much, Mr. Cohen thinks.
Patrons to Pay More
But the real bite will come when Liberty Hall patrons, who used to pay from $3 to $3.90 for front row seats at top shows, will shell out $4 for any good seat at any good show, Mr. Cohen said.
Booking agents will have to charge more per seats because there are fewer places to sit now. Liberty Hall, as a splintery, draft structure, had 2984 seats. But in taking out the splinters and the drafts, the County also took out 587 seats.
Mr. Cohen plans to use the woman's touch in cleaning Liberty Hall.
An all male crew used to do it.
Women with vacuum cleaners now because of the thick carpets must be hired. More police will have to be on duty to prevent vandalism. The old Liberty Hall was a target for that, and still carries some of the vandals' scars.
One ruined seat in the new hall means a $25 repair job. Mr. Cohen patted a finished wall in the hall lobby. It will be covered with plastic wainscoting, giving the appearance of a finished cocktail lounge.
So will the door leading from the lobby down the carpet aisle.
"I hate lo think what will happen if a knife got into this." Mr. Cohen said, fingering the plastic.
Renovation Brings Other Problems
'No other theater in North America has this."
Liberty Hall has another feature which Mr. Cohen believes is a No. 1 in North American theaters— its elaborate dressing rooms.
They are finished with (10 feet of mirrors, neon lights, tile floors, six showers and toilets. Most are located in the basement where rats once scampered.
Liberty Hall stars will have mirrors on all four walls of their dressing rooms back of the stage. They will walk on carpets costing $20 a yard.
'That's too much to put in dressing rooms," Mr. Cohen said. "This isn't a hotel. I need all the money spent on dressing rooms for maintenance."
Seats Without Vision
That brought the superintendent face to face with another problem.
"How are we going to get heavy equipment down into the dressing rooms?" he asked, "There's no direct entrance."
He seated himself again. "Look, no hands," he said. The seat sprang down in place from a folded position.
"But look at this." He moved to an end seat in the front six vows. "No vision. You can't see the middle of the stage from here or any other end seat in the front six rows.
"I tell you, I've got problems.
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