Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
We started the fourth day full of ambition. It was the first of two days to set up all of the interior settings. In the deep layer of flats against the upstage wall was an estimated four scenes. By that afternoon we would realize there were many more. Blissful in my ignorance that morning, I figured we would set up two scenes per day. We first set up the “Center Door Fancy,” being the first in the pile. It was a lovely series of flats depicting floral garlands on every wall panel.
While lashing the final flats together, one volunteer (Doug from Breckenridge) mentioned that there was a tag on the back of one flat. I raced over to the stage-right flat; full of excitement and knowing it was a
What makes this find such a big deal for me is that Sosman & Landis was deeply connected to both New York Studios and Kansas City Scenic Co. They shared artists, designs and projects. Having read about the regional affiliation between the studios, I had uncovered very little concrete evidence beyond brief notes in Thomas G. Moses’ memoirs and a few newspaper articles.
New York Studios was advertised as the eastern affiliate of Sosman & Moses.
Kansas City Scenic Co. was listed as a western regional office of Sosman & Landis.
Former Sosman & Landis employee, Lemuel L. Graham, initially left Sosman & Landis to form Kansas City Scenic Co. in the 1880s. Former Sosman & Landis employee, David H. Hunt, established New York Studios in 1910. There were connections everywhere to accommodate the ever-increasing demand for painted illusion.
I had always wondered how they handled the scenery being manufactured and shipped from one studio while contracted with another. Even though the Elks Opera House (Tabor Opera House) in Leadville, Colorado, contracted with the Kansas City Scenic Co. in 1902, a large chunk of scenery was shipped from the Sosman & Landis Studio in Chicago. We discovered multiple shipping labels, and it is possible that each piece came with two’ one on the top and one on the bottom. Salesman Fred R. Megan, representing the Kansas City Scenic Co., handled the contract for the Leadville delivery. At this time the firm was making inroads to the western market. Megan later partnered with Thomas G. Moses, the final president of Sosman & Landis, to form Moses & Megan Studio.
The American scenic studio system was one large family; sometimes they quibbled and sometimes they shared, but all stayed within a network beneficial to everyone. Theatre work was plentiful in 1902; demand outweighed supply and much of the competition between studios was friendly. Even though competing studios vied for the same projects, there was always more work around the corner if one lost out to a competitor. Also, when too much work came in at once, it was beneficial to have close ties to these same competitors when work needed to be subcontracted, thus affiliations and regional connections were established.
I believe that this is what was happening from 1901-1903 with the Kansas City Scenic Co when they manufactured the scenery bound for Leadville. In looking at the various projects rolling into the Kansas City studio, the firm had more work than they could handle and reached out to Sosman & Landis. The Sosman & Landis flat construction for the center door fancy is identical to many of the other scenes with the “Kansas City Scenic Co., Kansas City, MO” stencil.
Regardless of the scenery manufacturer, the center door fancy is absolutely stunning and completes the auditorium. The sheer beauty of the set, despite the visible deterioration and water damage, mesmerized the crew. In looking at the center door fancy and seeing my crew’s reactions, I realized that this was a wonderful
Her is the link to give:
https://www.taboroperahouse.net/donate
The Tabor Opera House has only one staff member who also gives tours; everyone else is a volunteer. There are two internationally significant scenery collections at this venue, and we are only uncovering one this time.
There is something magical about entering a historic stage scene, whether you are a performer, technician or theatre enthusiast. Being surrounded by beautiful painting with footlights before you and staring at the ornate auditorium is spellbinding. You think of all the performers who stood in that exact same spot, surround by the same within interior setting. Wile setting up all the scenery I contemplated the various personalities who handled these same flats. Stepping back in the past is a transformative experience. You are transported to another time and share a moment with those who came before, some more famous that we could ever imagine and others who changed the world.
And this was not the biggest discovery of the day. I will describe what occurred after setting up the center door fancy tomorrow.
To be continued…
