Copyright © 2025 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
This is my second post about a scenery preservation process in Cuba, Kansas. A roll drop at the Czech Community Hall suffered extensive damage after an individual fell into it while decorating for a wedding. When the guilty party asked what he should do, the response was, “You better leave town real quick.”
Sadly, this is not an unusual occurrence. Last year I returned to the Sokol Hall stage in St. Paul, Minnesota, to repair punctures in book flats. They had been damaged during another rental event. Each organization had invested heavily into the preservation of their historic scenery collection, hiring me to clean, repair, and consolidate dusting paint. Despite their best efforts, the scenery was still damaged. Over the years, I have repeatedly repaired historic scenery damaged during social events and sponsored activities.
Why does this continue to happen?
It all comes down to knowledge and respect. You must understand the historical, cultural, and replacement value of an item in order care for it. Those renting a stage packed with historic scenery fail to understand the fragility of the collection. How could they, unless they were told of its significance. Most rental contracts, even those that include damage deposits, do not specify the proper handling nor significance of the large-scale artworks.
Damage to historic scenery collections especially occurs when the stage is used as a storage area. In St. Paul, balance beams and other gym equipment are packed into the stage after each practice. There is not enough space to protect their scenery collection. Damage will continue to occur unless there is a change in protocol.
Constant contact with people and objects jeopardizes the longevity of the scenery, accelerating its deterioration. Until an organization is faced with the expense of a repair, no one really takes notice of the painted scenes. Even after the damage and subsequent repair, it is hard to fix the problem if the guilty party doesn’t pick up the tab. There is no incentive to be careful at all. These large-scale artworks are not only costly to repair, but also irreplaceable.
At what point do stage settings become large-scale artworks, unable to withstand contemporary handling techniques or extended periods of display? How can a venue safeguard its scenery while displaying it?
It all comes down to education and marketing. Each historic theatre needs to share the significance of their collection. Furthermore, local citizens need to take part in its preservation and care. This is why I so often work with volunteers on site, even if it is to only help me unload my supplies and set up the workspace. If I show them that I, an outsider, treasure their history and artifacts. They immediately begin to form a new appreciation for their stage. They look at their painted scenes in a new light.
I always try to place each painted scene within a local, regional, national, and, when possible, international context. Establishing artistic provenance is imperative before the condition of a collection is assessed. Condition reports carry more weight when the object is valued by the local community. Artistic provenance ultimately directs the development of preservation plans, as well as the care and management of a collection. It helps all stakeholders plan for their future.
My project in Cuba, Kansas, was quite short: I drove down on Wednesday, July 23; completed the project on Thursday, July 24; and headed for home July 25, after hanging and rigging the roll drop.
I am going to walk you through the project timeline and preservation process, before exploring the life and career of scenic artist who painted scenery for the Czech Community Hall. Byrl E. “Jack” Ballard is the subject of my third, and final, post.
It is approximately 550 miles to drive from my home in Minnesota to Cuba, Kansas. This is at least an 8 ½ hrs. trip without stops…and I always stop for research along the way.
On my way down, I stopped in Seward, Kansas, birthplace of scenic artist, Maj. Don Carlos DuBois.
DuBois worked in Kansas City before establishing the Atlanta Scenic Co. in Georgia. Later in life, he returned to Kansas City, painting Masonic scenery for the Great Western Stage Equipment Co. This was the first scene design collection that I processed for the University of Minnesota Performing Arts archives. At the time, I was an undergraduate, my work was funded by an Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) grant.
My hotel was located in Belleville, Kansas, approximately 10 west of Cuba. I arrived in town early enough to unload my supplies (too hot to keep in the car overnight) and stop by the Republic County Historical Society Museum. I got to meet the new curator! It was unbearably hot and I discovered that the corn fields contributed to the overall humidity. It was the first time I heard the term “Corn sweat.” The term refers to the amount of moisture, the humidity that the plant takes from the soil to cool off.
On Thursday, July 24, I started work in Cuba at 8:30AM. After unloading my supplies and placing the roll drop on plastic, I quickly assessed the extent of the damage. As usual, I put on some (Minnesota Public Radio Classical) and began to envision each step.
Occasionally, the universe gives you a sign, some kind of celestial nod that affirms that you are on the right path. That morning, I began listening to MPR Classical (Minnesota Public Radio) as I examined the damage. The first song to play was Mozart’s Symphony No. 38 in D. Major, also known as the “Prague Symphony.” When I heard the song’s title announced, I immediately thought, “That’s my sign!” And as if to agree with my sentiment, the next musical selection was Bedrich Smetana’s “Má Vlast” (My Country). The station then returned to Strauss’ “The Artist’s Life”; one of my absolute favorite waltzes. By the end of the song, I was ready to proceed with my project, thoroughly in my happy place! This project was certainly not easy, but extremely satisfying. I love fixing broken things. It makes me feel like I am able to solve one small problem in a world that is spiraling out of control.
The seam had split, but other seams were also showing deterioration. This meant that they would all need to be reinforced. That secondary project would sporadically take place when the main repair was drying. Reinforcing split seams is a preventative measure that can only be done before the fabric panels separate.
Adding a series of fabric reinforcements is not always an option with roll drops; the added thickness can cause damage to the painted composition. For this project, I applied glue to two selvages, adhering them to one another together. I made sure to only cover the inner seam and not the surrounding fabric.
For the main repair, my first task was to stabilize one of the selvages, carefully gluing it to the drop. This is a painstakingly slow process, and the area must be cleaned and weighted down to prevent the fabric from shifting. I also had to be careful concerning the amount of glue that was brushed onto the fabric, as it could seep through the thin cotton sheeting.
Once that step was completed and the area fully dry, I prepared and attached a long patch to the other selvage.
By now it was lunch time. After an hour, I returned to my project, flipping the roll drop face side up. It helps immensely to see the painted composition when you are joining the split seam together. Now, all the project needed was dry time – all night long.
We met the next morning at 6:30AM to hang and rig the roll drop, making sure that no wrinkles were introduced during the process. Wrinkles will destroy the painted surface; huge cracks will form and paint will flake off of the fabric.
I was packed up and on the road by 8:00AM. It was a long drive back, but I was determined to document a few historic sites along the way. My first stop was Diller, Nebraska, the hometown of Jack Ballard. As noted above, Ballard was the scenic artist who painted the Prague roll drop. He is the topic of my next post.
To be continued…
Wendy, When gluing the two selvage edges together, is there any danger of one side having been stretched more than the other during the damage causing event, resulting in misalignment between the two parts of the painted image? If so, how would you approach that problem?
This post truly gives an insight into not just the precision and skill of your work, but also your dedication and the sheer hard work that you put in!