Cut drop by Toomey & Volland of St. Louis, Missouri, c. 1902Cut drop by Toomey & Volland of St. Louis, Missouri, c. 1902Painted detail. Cut drop by Toomey & Volland of St. Louis, Missouri, c. 1902Painted detail. Cut drop by Toomey & Volland of St. Louis, Missouri, c. 1902Painted detail. Cut drop by Toomey & Volland of St. Louis, Missouri, c. 1902Painted detail. Cut drop by Toomey & Volland of St. Louis, Missouri, c. 1902Painted detail. Cut drop by Toomey & Volland of St. Louis, Missouri, c. 1902Painted detail. Cut drop by Toomey & Volland of St. Louis, Missouri, c. 1902Painted detail. Cut drop by Toomey & Volland of St. Louis, Missouri, c. 1902Painted detail. Cut drop by Toomey & Volland of St. Louis, Missouri, c. 1902Painted detail. Cut drop by Toomey & Volland of St. Louis, Missouri, c. 1902Painted detail. Cut drop by Toomey & Volland of St. Louis, Missouri, c. 1902
The cut drop was part of a palatial scene for King Darius (16th degree), but was also used to supplement stage settings for King Cyrus (15th degree) – despite the different time periods.Here is a link for more information about my preliminary site visit to the Richmond Scottish Rite in October 2020
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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