Andrew Geis was a Chicago-based scenic artist during the early twentieth century. He parents were German immigrants (August and Anna Geis), coming to America in 1880 and 1883, respectively. Andrew had two siblings: Rose and Theodore. Andrew appears in the 1900 census, 1910 census, 1920 census and the 1927 Scenic Artist Ball program (Chicago). He has four interior designs (paintings) in the University of Minnesota Libraries Performing Arts Archives. Geis’ design book and a book on architecture are in the private collection of Wendy Waszut-Barrett.
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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