Newspaper Article Jan 27, 1919

DOUGLAS DAILY INTERNATIONAL                MONDAY JANUARY 27, 1919

Record Breaking Crowd Opening of Grand Theatre

By far the largest audience that ever assembled in a building in Douglas was present Saturday night at the opening of the new Grand theatre. The building seats exactly 1600 persons and when the first performance began at 7 o’clock every seat was occupied and as many persons were standing up as the law would allow. Before the second show began there were 500 people standing outside waiting for the doors to open. Between two and three thousand persons were in the theater during the evening. The new building practically doubles the seating capacity of any other auditorium in town.

The public availed itself of the privilege of inspecting the new theater and the management was the recipient of innumerable congratulations from the visitors, all of whom were enthusiastic in their praise of the magniture and magnificence of the new theater. During the evening punch was served in the tea room. The girl ushers in uniform made a hit the men seeming to be especially pleased with this feature. The crowd showed its appreciation of the jazz music furnished by the First cavalry band by frequent applause.

It seemed rather strange to the old timers to see such a large crowd at night along that part of G avenue of which the Grand is the hub, and marked the entry of this part of G avenue into the night life of the city.