There is still an astounding amount of historic scenery tucked away at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. When the building was renovated in 1902, the stage was enlarged, and all of the original wings and shutters (c. 1879-1900) were placed above the auditorium. This space is now considered the 3 ½ floor, seventy-steps above street level. Last September, I led a crew of volunteers to remove the scenery from the attic space to the stage floor. Here is a link to a previous post: https://drypigment.net2020/09/23/travels-of-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-day-2-at-the-tabor-opera-house-september-22-2020/
The 3 ½ floor, now referred to as the attic, once consisted of several hotel rooms. Over the decades, the walls dividing each room were removed and the enlarged space became home to abandoned artifacts. Stage artifacts included wings, shutters, and painted profiles.
I returned to the attic yesterday, fully prepared with my N95 mask and work gloves. My focus was on the scenery above the rafters. There are several shutters and wings trapped in a web of ceiling joists and electrical wires. I needed to ascertain what was left to plan their removal and cataloguing.
Here are a few pictures of what I discovered yesterday; the many hidden treasures, with much concealed under a layer of soot.
Scenery still stored above the attic at the Tabor Opera House. Leadville, Colorado.Scenery still stored above the attic at the Tabor Opera House. Leadville, Colorado.Scenery still stored above the attic at the Tabor Opera House. Leadville, Colorado.Scenery still stored above the attic at the Tabor Opera House. Leadville, Colorado.Scenery still stored above the attic at the Tabor Opera House. Leadville, Colorado.Scenery still stored above the attic at the Tabor Opera House. Leadville, Colorado.Scenery still stored above the attic at the Tabor Opera House. Leadville, Colorado.
To be continued…
Author: waszut_barrett@me.com
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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