The Athens Theater

Manager Lisemer is making a number of iuiproveiiieuts in the opera house that will greatly add to itsoonifort the corui ng season. Carpenters, painters and plumbers are busily at work putting the place in shape for the openiüg of the season iu September. Ths biggest iruprovement will be in the arrangement of the flies above the stage. The groves in wbioh the sceuery slides have been jointed and hinged so that they can be raised up clear out of the way and tbus allow the use of alruost every pieoe of speoial scenery tbat is carried by any oompany traveling, besides giving fnlly 10 feet more of spaoe on the sides of the stage. The old boxes have also been taken out. One row of seats has been taken out in front and the orohestra box has been widened so as to allow of the comfortaIbe seating of a larger orchestra. For the coming season Mr. Lisemer bas engaged the services of the Ann Arbor orebestra of 14 pieoes, which should add greatly to the popularity of the house from a musical standpoint. The house is being repainted, seats, walls and all, and will look quite fresh and nice. New oarpets will be procured for the stage and dressing rooms, and new matting for the aisles. The drop curtain is also to be repainted and it isunderstood that a view of the Falls of Niágara will be reproduced on it by W. E. Pew, who has the job. The old name of "Grand Opera House" is to be discarded, and as Ann Arbor is known as the Atbeos of the West, the opera house will fall in line and will be known as "The Atbens Theater." The orchestra will also take the name of the house and will be kuown as "The Athens Orchestra." So the old theater will beqaite transformed and it ia to be earnestly hoped Eor the better. The manager has already got 30 firet class shows booked for this season and will book fully 20 others as soon as arrangements can be made.