Copyright © 2021 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
It has been a while since my last post.
I took a pause after spraining both wrists on May 1, 2021. It has been a long recovery, and if I could just sit still, they would probably heal faster. I wish that there was a wonderful tale to tell, but I simply tripped and fell in my driveway. Yes, I was going too fast and was preoccupied at the time. No, the injury has not slowed me down. However, the accident greatly limited my ability use the track pad on my laptop or move the mouse for my computer. Typing was also challenge.
Fortunately, this injury occurred after submitting my 1300-page report to the Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation, detailing the historic scenery and stage machinery at the venue. In the end, I divided the scenic artifacts into fourteen distinct theater collections, compiling conditions reports, replacement appraisals and an historical analysis of each piece. Some of the collections were founded on scenic artists, some on stage hardware, and others on textile manufacturers. This document far surpassed my doctoral dissertation, which says a lot. There were too many moving parts, too many pieces to juggle, cross-reference and illustrate. And yet, I continued to write my daily blog about the life and times of scenic artist and studio owner, Thomas G. Moses (1856-1934), entitled “Tales of a Scenic Artists and Scholar.”
In hindsight, my sprained wrists gave me permission to take a break from my blog and solely focus on a few major projects and my family. After all, since the fall of 2016, I had dutifully posted daily about historic scenic art, theatres, and theatre technicians. Then work started pouring in this spring as COVID-19 restrictions were lifted; everyone resumed projects that were placed on hold in 2020. Feast or famine.
As several of my projects received a green light, I began traveling again. In July, I headed to Colorado with one of my historic rigging advisors, Michael Powers. Our Colorado stops included Trinidad, Leadville, and Aspen.
The Leadville stop was to meet New York Times reporter Elisabeth Vincentelli, and photographer Benjamin Rasmussen. At the time, I couldn’t explain why I was staying in Leadville. While on site, however, I took the opportunity to further examine the historic wings and shutters still trapped above the attic loft.
Happily, the New York Times article was published yesterday! Here is Vincentelli’s article about this amazing venue and historic scenery collection:https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/11/arts/music/opera-sets-leadville.html?referringSource=articleShare&fbclid=IwAR3AZ3hM6B2k35j3G2gGZDFwhplGGhmS_TU_M6ZbkW9CBKF_NEuRnwEoFvc
Hi Wendy
I keep running into you and your work.
I’m Ross Carlyon from the Minneapolis Valley.
I wanted you to know we are starting back next week, up after a covid break.
I was looking for an image of a 5 column stage drop in this blog of yours.
I didn’t find one.
I just took one tonight and will pass it along if you want one.
we are just now re hanging the drops after years of no stage.
That’s great, Ross. Thank you for commenting. I donated a five-column backdrop that I painted years ago to the Minneapolis Valley. I hope that it the one you are referring to.