Copyright © 2024 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
Many of my projects take years to plan and implement. Such was the case with the main drape and valance at the Ruby Theatre in Chelan, Washington.
The drapes were intended to accentuate a newly acquired photo-player. The old ones having fallen into an irreparable state of disrepair.
Proving to be a bit of a diva during installation, theatre owner Larry Hibbard, appropriately named his photo-player Valentina. Photo-players accompanied silent movies with both music and sound effects. By the way, Valentina rises from the original orchestra pit, now hidden below the thrust. Hibbard explained that Valentina demanded this grand entrance after learning about the history of photo players from her big-city cousins .
“Valentina” – the photo-player – on stage at the Ruby Theatre in front of the new draperies.
Here is a link to an interview with Hibbard about his photo-player, named Valentina, for Wenatchee World (January 2021)- “Bringing Back a Piece of History to Chelan’s Ruby Theatre.” https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=416089849649129
Exterior of the Ruby Theatre in Chelan, Washington.
I was first contacted by Hibbard in November 2021. He was interested in replicating the main drape, complete with hand-painted border.
In January 2022, Hibbard shipped half of the main drape to my studio so I could examine the fabric and stencil. The arrival of the curtain at my studio coincided with another Washington State theater event that made national news. On Jan. 27, 2022, CNN reported, “A couple renovating a 115-year-old building discovered two 60-foot-long hidden murals.” The next day I received an email with a link to the article from my Canadian colleague John Madill. Madill was the first of many colleagues to share the online article; all urging me to contact the couple. I was hesistant as my schedule was already booked for the year.
The next day, on Jan. 29, 2022, I received the following FB message:
“Hi, Wendy! My husband and I recently uncovered a 60ft mural from 1915 and are hoping to conserve it. I was wondering if you could offer any advice or expertise as it looks like a theatre backdrop. There are videos and pictures on our Facebook group (mural restoration at the historic Timm building). Thanks so much.”
Great. I decided to see exactly where Okanogan was located. Amazingly, it was less than an hour north of the Ruby Theatre in Chelan, Washington. That was my sign to plan a quick trip.
Here is a map of the area – west of Spokane, Washington.
The Okanogan Murals were located in a building once known as the Hub Theatre.
A small section of the mural, delivered to the Hub Theatre by the J. M. Deeds Scenic Studio of Spokane, Washington.
They were only seen by the public for three years before being encapsulated behind a wall of plaster. In 1918, the building was again renovated, becoming the Paramount Theatre.
The renovated Hub Theatre when it became the Paramount.
I did a little research, and soon discovered that J. M. Deeds Scenic Studio decorated BOTH Okanogan’s Hub Theatre and Chelan’s Ruby Theatre. On Dec. 7, 1915, the Okanogan Independent announced, “Improvements at Hub’s.” The article reported, “Hub Carlton has contracted with J. M. Deeds of Wenatchee for interior decorations, new screen and new curtain for the Hub Theatre that will greatly improve the inside appearance of this popular playhouse. Mr. Deeds came up from Wenatchee last week and is now supervising the work, which is being done by W. J. McConnon, and experienced decorator who has been in Mr. Deeds employ for some time. Mr. Deeds has just completed decorations for the Wenatchee theater, which is said to be one of the finest in this part of the state, and also is the man who did the decorating for the Ruby Theatre of Chelan, known far and near as one of the most attractive playhouses in the country. The new improvements at the Hub include 120 feet of panoramic landscape scenery in light tans. The picture screen will be 11×13 feet in size and have frame effects of moulding. There will also be a pretty drop advertising curtain with an overhead roll, noiseless I operation and will be controlled from the operator’s booth. Mr. Carlton is sparing no means to improve his place of business and is making additions to his equipment as rapidly as business will warrant.”
Here is a link to my previous post about James Marion Deeds: https://drypigment.net/2022/03/07/travels-of-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-j-m-deeds/
After a quick visit to meet with both theater owners in Okanogan and Chelan, I was soon back in Okanogan to supervise the removal of both murals from a water-drenched building. As they were created with distemper paint (pigment paste and diluted hide glue), time was of the essence.
Removing the murals at the Old Hub Theatre in Okanogan, Washington. March 2022.
That fall, I again led a crew to clean and stabilize the murals before again placing them back into storage.
The murals hanging in an Okanogan Fairground building after Phase 1: cleaning and stabilization. October 2022.
All the while, I remained in contact with Hibbard about the Ruby Theatre project. It took us quite some time to locate a similar fabric. Creating a custom-dye job was not financially feasible, as the project was too small.
In the end we hired Liba Fabrics to manufacture the draperies with a lovely rose-colored fabric that shifted color under light.
They were shipped to the Ruby Theatre during the spring of 2023.
The plain curtains, valance, and side curtains, installed at the Ruby Theatre in 2023.
My trip to paint the draperies was scheduled for spring 2024. Prior to my April departure, I replicated the stencil and completed several samples to look at on site before commencing the project with local assistants. As light altered the fabric to an alarming degree (that was the magic), we wanted to make sure that everything would work with the space.
Here is one of the three-color stencils…
The base color for the stencil.
Detail of the base color. I came up with a technique that made it look like velvet appliqués.
Two types of gold were applied for detail; warm and cool to help it take dimension from a distance.
Two types of gold paint were used for the second stencil.
Although photographs make it difficult to see the gold, it reflects light beautifully – especially in low-light conditions.
Completed stencil.
As anticipated, the “R” stencil would prove to be problematic. Enter, Patrece Canoy-Barrett. She re-stitched the top and flipped a pleat.
On site assistant, Patrece Canoy-Barrett, who re-stitched the pleats to make the “R” hang flat.
Addition highlight to “R” so it would “pop.” The seam disappears from a distance.
Completed stencil with Valentina, after painting the proscenium arch . Thrust lights are only used when Valentina emerges from the pit.
During my time on site, we also moved a drop curtain from the local museum back to the Ruby Theatre. I really wanted Hibbard to see how a painted element shifted the space. It was so successful that an event was planned to feature Valentina and the historic ad drop. The drop has since been returned to the Museum where it will be on display.
Moving the drop from the Museum to the Ruby Theatre.
Ad drop painted by J. C. Carpenter in 1932 for the Ruby Theatre.
To be continued…