Copyright © 2023 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
On November 30, 2022, I received a FB message from Robert Van Dillen, a St. Louis-based scenic artist. He asked if I would consider being guest speaker for an upcoming scenic art event in St. Louis, tentatively scheduled for the beginning of 2023. Van Dillen explained that there was a group of local scenic artists who wanted to see the St. Louis Scottish Rite scenery collection before the building was sold. Unfortunately, the tentative date coincided with my trip to the Galveston Scottish Rite. We looked at a couple of possibilities, and then scheduled the event to coincide with my March trip to USITT.
My last visit to the St. Louis Scottish Rite theatre also coincided with USITT in 2017. This is a remarkable scenery collection delivered by Toomey & Volland, of St. Louis. I spent much of the conference documenting the scenery, stage machinery, and building.
Just prior to the conference, I documented the gridiron with Rick Boychuk and Richard Nix.
For the remainder of my stay in 2017, I painstakingly photographed one drop after another, trying to capture as many painted details as possible. I am afraid that I spent very little time at the conference that year. In hindsight, however, it was a good thing, as I may never have the time again. Here is one of the posts about my 2017 visit to the St. Louis Scottish Rite: https://drypigment.net/2017/05/17/tales-from-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-acquiring-the-fort-scott-scenery-for-the-minnesota-masonic-heritage-center-part-88/
On this trip, I arrived at the St. Louis Scottish Rite by 9AM on Sunday morning, March 19, 2023. I was accompanied by my close friend and colleague, Jenny Knott. Alessia Carpoca, Mike Monsos, and Martha (University of Montana – Missoula) soon joined us, as they had an early flight to catch; one that prevented them from staying for the entire presentation. From 9-10:30 a.m., we shifted furniture, set up the power point, and double checked the lines. I wanted to make sure that everything was in working order for my presentation. This also provided Mike, Alessia, and Martha, with the opportunity to see some of the drops before their early departure. I am very grateful to Mike for handling the operating lines during this time!
At 10:30 a.m., I gave a quick power-point presentation to provide some context, placing what we were going to see within the context of American scenic art and theatre history. By “quick” I mean thirty minutes! Then we brought in one scene after another for the next three hours. By 2 p.m. I called it quits, due my impending flight and grumbling stomach. We grabbed a quick bit to eat and then I was on my way to the airport.
The St. Louis Scottish Rite Theatre is a sight to behold. It is a three-thousand-seat auditorium that boasts a 90’-0” wide proscenium opening.
The size and scope of this Masonic scenery collection is almost unparalleled, with the McAlester Scottish Rite from 1929 being a major contender. There are 147 line sets, with stage machinery and scenery produced by the Toomey & Volland studio in 1923. There are a few drops that pre-date the building, a couple more that were delivered in later years.
Sadly, this may be the last time I get to visit and examine this remarkable scenery collection. Like many massive Masonic buildings, it is up for sale. Rumors of a sale had already begun in 2017. This is not surprising, considering a series of obstacles faced by many fraternal organizations; challenges that range from declining membership and insufficient funds to high utility bills and a long-term practice of deferred maintenance. My only hope is that when the building is sold, the scenery is somehow preserved for future generations. This collection really needs to be professionally documented, complete with lights and props, before it disappears.
Many thanks to Rob for organizing this event. I also want to thank his wonderful colleagues who so warmly welcomed me to St. Louis. I am grateful that we were able to share this experience together.
Here are a few pictures from our day at the St. Louis Scottish Rite.
It appears the original time honored and revered organizations passed down through generations, are in the process of slowly fading out. With the introduction of so many distractions added to daily life, and also the need for both adults in the family to work full time, many men don’t afford the time needed to be involved. Add to that, the many distractions that the introduction of the internet has produced! It’s sad, I only hope our Fraternity will eventually recover and expand again.
I also wish and hope the best for the future, with your scenery collection and your Lodge situation!