Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado – Repainted Garden Scene, ca. 1884
In 1884, scenic artist Henry C. Tryon (1847-1892) wrote: “A general overhauling is made of the stacked-up scenery, and anything will do which is near the size of what is required – the shape doesn’t matter… The same set pieces have done versatile duty in most of the theatres here for years.”
Here is an example of what Tryon was talking about. A previous door flat was flipped on its side and repurposed for a garden scene, despite the door. I have also included some remaining pieces of the scene as it no longer exists in its entirety. The repainted door flat was again repurposed for the wall of a shack.
A door flat at the Tabor Opera House that was repainted for a garden setting.Remaining pieces from the repainted scene.Remaining pieces from the repainted scene.Painted detail. Remaining pieces from the repainted scene.Painted detail. Remaining pieces from the repainted scene.Painted detail. Remaining pieces from the repainted scene.Painted detail. Remaining pieces from the repainted scene.
Author: waszut_barrett@me.com
Wendy Rae Waszut-Barrett, PhD, is an author, artist, and historian, specializing in painted settings for opera houses, vaudeville theaters, social halls, cinemas, and other entertainment venues. For over thirty years, her passion has remained the preservation of theatrical heritage, restoration of historic backdrops, and the training of scenic artists in lost painting techniques. In addition to evaluating, restoring, and replicating historic scenes, Waszut-Barrett also writes about forgotten scenic art techniques and theatre manufacturers. Recent publications include the The Santa Fe Scottish Rite Temple: Freemasonry, Architecture and Theatre (Museum of New Mexico Press, 2018), as well as articles for Theatre Historical Society of America’s Marquee, InitiativeTheatre Museum Berlin’s Die Vierte Wand, and various Masonic publications such as Scottish Rite Journal, Heredom and Plumbline. Dr. Waszut-Barrett is the founder and president of Historic Stage Services, LLC, a company specializing in historic stages and how to make them work for today’s needs. Although her primary focus remains on the past, she continues to work as a contemporary scene designer for theatre and opera.
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