Part 537: W. H. Clifton and the Washington Opera House in Maysville, Kentucky
In 1899, Sosman & Landis had a project in Maysville, Kentucky. Maysville is located just down stream of Cincinnati along the Ohio River. W. H. Clinton, a Sosman & Landis’ stage carpenter, in the city to install scenery and stage machinery in the new Washington Opera House. The original Washington Opera house from 1851 had recently been destroyed by fire during January 1898. As with many communities of the time, as soon as one opera house down, plans were implemented for its replacement. Theaters were a significant part of many communities. The new Washington Opera House in Maysville was a combination Opera House and Fire Department. The “keeper of the keys” became the President of the Washington Fire Company, and not the theater manager. Interestingly, he was also the Editor of the local newspaper –Thomas A. Davis.
According to Harry Miner’s Dramatic Directory from 1884, the original Washington Opera House had a seating capacity of 600. At the time, Mayville also had a 500-seat Court House and 300-seat hall, both listed as available for touring shows in Miner’s directory. The size of the original stage was 36×47 and included a “full set of scenery.” Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide from 1896 provides a little more information about the the 1851 Washington Opera House. The proscenium opening was 26 feet wide by 22 feet high and had five sets of grooves. The height of the grooves accommodated painted wings that were 13 feet high. The size of the stage was listed as 38×45, and the height to the rigging loft was 24 feet. This venue likely used a wing and shutter system, with a few roll drops thrown in for good measure.
The new opera house boasted a rigging loft 66 feet above the stage floor with fly scenery, or drops that could be flown in and out during a production instead of rolled. By 1901, Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical guide noted “no grooves” at the second Washington Opera House, reinforcing that the venue was an up-to-date performance venue for touring shows.
The 1899 opening weekend for the second Washington Opera House was on February 9th, 10th, and 11th (Maysville, Kentucky, 23 Jan. 1899, page 1). The first program included a series of tableaux vivant presented by Maysville women and a Corps Drill by men from the Commandery Knights of St. John No. 89. There was one nail-biting moment during opening week, however, and that was the scenery was delayed in its arrival.
On Monday February 6th, only three days before opening, he “Public Ledger” reported, “The scenery for the Opera-house arrived Saturday and was immediately started for its proper place on stage. This statement is made so that any misgivings as to the opening Thursday night may be dispelled” (6 Feb. 1899, page 4). I am sure that this delay caused quite a bit of anxiety, especially for the local performers. However, on Sunday, February 13, “The Evening Bulletin” reported “Mr. W. H. Clifton, the stage carpenter who put up the scenery at the opera house, left for home in Chicago Sunday” (Maysville, Kentucky, 13 Feb 1899, page 4). Clifton stayed for all of the opening activities to ensure the scenery all worked properly and then immediately headed home.
A local newspaper reported the final cost of the New Washington Opera House (The Public Ledger, 20 Feb. 1899, page 1). Of the $23,543.28, Sosman & Landis were paid $1474.99 for “scenery and stage equipment.” The 1000-seat Washington Opera House included a proscenium opening measuring 28 feet wide by 26 feet high. Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide for the 1900-1901 season noted that the height of the scenery was 18 feet and the height to the rigging loft was 66 feet. There were no grooves, suggesting leg drops for masking. The depth under the stage was 12 feet with 3 traps. The Washington Opera House is listed as the fifth oldest performing arts theatre in the United States.
To be continued…
