Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: The 1902 Little Rock Scottish Rite Scenery Collection and its Relocation to the Pasadena Scottish Rite in 1925.
Backdrop by the Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio of Chicago for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Little Rock, Arkansas. This scene was removed from the Little Rock Scottish Rite in 1923 and placed into storage until 1925. In 1925 it was sold to the Pasadena Scottish Rite and installed in their new theater. This same scene was also featured in the 1904 Souvenir Program for the Little Rock Scottish Rite Reunion.
Scenery by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Little Rock, 1902. This scene was installed in the Pasadena Scottish Rite in 1925, under the supervision of Thomas G. Moses.Scenery by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Little Rock, 1902. This scene was installed in the Pasadena Scottish Rite in 1925, under the supervision of Thomas G. Moses.Scenery by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Little Rock, 1902. This scene was featured in Little Rock’s 1904 Reunion program. This scene was installed in the Pasadena Scottish Rite in 1925, under the supervision of Thomas G. Moses.Scenery by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Little Rock, 1902. This scene was featured in Little Rock’s 1904 Reunion program. This scene was installed in the Pasadena Scottish Rite in 1925, under the supervision of Thomas G. Moses.Painted detail. Scenery by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Little Rock, 1902. This scene was installed in the Pasadena Scottish Rite in 1925, under the supervision of Thomas G. Moses.Painted detail. Scenery by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Little Rock, 1902. This scene was installed in the Pasadena Scottish Rite in 1925, under the supervision of Thomas G. Moses.Painted detail. Scenery by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Little Rock, 1902. This scene was installed in the Pasadena Scottish Rite in 1925, under the supervision of Thomas G. Moses.Backstage at the Little Rock Scottish Rite, 1904. Counterweight system by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Little Rock, 1902. This system was installed in the Pasadena Scottish Rite in 1925 by Harrey E. Naile, under the supervision of Thomas G. Moses.Number painted on top show arbor placement at the Little Rock Scottish Rite. Numbers on the side show current location at the Pasadena Scottish Rite.Backstage at the Pasadena Scottish Rite, 2016. Counterweight system by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Little Rock, 1902. This system was installed in the Pasadena Scottish Rite in 1925 by Harry E. Naile, under the supervision of Thomas G. Moses.Backstage at the Pasadena Scottish Rite, 2016. Counterweight system by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Little Rock, 1902. This system was installed in the Pasadena Scottish Rite in 1925 by Harry E. Naile, under the supervision of Thomas G. Moses.Backstage at the Pasadena Scottish Rite, 2016. Scenery and counterweight system by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Little Rock, 1902. This system and scenery were installed in the Pasadena Scottish Rite in 1925 by Harry E. Naile, under the supervision of Thomas G. Moses.
Thomas G. Moses, president of Sosman & Landis, became a Freemason in 1925, joining both the Pasadena Scottish Rite and Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. After forty years of designing and painting Masonic scenery, he finally became a Freemason.
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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