I was able to finish the fabric repair on the crucifixion drop at the Pasadena Scottish Rite yesterday. The patches needed to fully dry overnight, so that the battens could be attached this morning before my departure. Everything appears to be still on schedule.
The reason that I love scenery restoration work is the uncertainty and surprise. You can never be positive of the outcome. Dye batches, textile mills, and the stage environment all wreak havoc with the scene over decades; there are no guarantees or standard guidelines to follow. Trying to rejoin a drop that has been ripped in half has a dozen possibilities for an unsuccessful end.
There could be puckering along the patch as the historic fabric and the fabric of the new patch shrink at differing rates. The glue can bleed through to the painted surface, causing unsightly dye lines. The fabric can have stretched to such an extent that the painted composition is a ½-inch off. Wrinkles may be introduced to the scene while gently pulling the two sides together as the fabric will stretch when damp before tightening up again. The list is unending and one cannot anticipate many of the problems that will be encountered.
Yesterday, everything went like clockwork as I slowly pieced the scene together with a series of patches. The patch must absorb the majority of the liquid in the glue before placing it onto a historic backdrop; this prevents potential dye lines. However, there is a small window of time when the patch is “perfect” for attaching to the scene before it becomes too dry to still adhere to the fabric. I was lucky today and had good help.
For all of the patches, the fabric was so thin that the glue immediately bled through to the painted surface, yet I was fortunate as there were minimal dye lines. I had to determine the perfect amount of glue and set time before applying the patch, preventing unsightly dye lines yet allowing the patch to hold. If there is not enough glue or the “set up” time is too long, the patch won’t stick or stay secure. You don’t know if the patch is successful and undetectable from the audience until the repair is fully dried. Every step is a gamble.
I waited an hour for the center seam to dry and then I began attaching the reinforcement strips along the top and the bottom edges. For the center seam, I joined the two pieces “face up.” I used this same technique for the 4” reinforcement strips at the top and bottom. Luckily for me, one of the volunteers showed up to help me with the reinforcement strips as they were over 20 feet long.
Then, I dealt with the splitting seams in the translucent areas. Although I used theatrical gauze for the central rip, the remainder of the seams were reinforced with a small amount of glue applied to the underside of the seam. This secured it without using a 1” strip that may be visible in the end. There were many other small patches to place, but it all went well and the repaired scene was completed.
It was a successful repair as the president of the building association couldn’t detect the original central rip.
In the afternoon, we met with the local TD who would secure a rigging crew to hang the scene. By the way, when is one of the worst times to locate a certified rigger in Pasadena? That would be immediately after the Oscars – this week. We are still hoping to get the drop up in the air before my departure. That is is something that I had not thought possible upon assessing the damage upon my arrival two days ago. So, off I go in great hopes that everything will continue to work out. Attaching battens is as risky as attaching a patch, and I am sure that there will be surprises along the way.
To be continued…
