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Travels of A Scenic Artist and Scholar: W. J. Moon, Stage Carpenter and Stage Manager at the Tabor Opera House

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The Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

It is often difficult to identify the work of nineteenth-century stage carpenters, seldom did they sign their work. When you factor in natural disasters, building renovations and changes of ownership, the challenge increases exponentially. Last month I evaluated a collection of nineteenth-century stage settings at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. Tucked away in the attic were dozens of wings, shutters and borders, placed there when the building was renovated over a century ago. On the back of one jungle wing was written the name of a local stage carpenter – W. J. Moon. Penciled in near the frame was “W. J. Moon stage carpenter and H. E. Burpey scenic artist, October 1890.” A bread crumb. It just takes a small bit of information to point the way.

Pencil marks noting W. J. Moon, stage carpenter, and H. E. Burpey, scenic artist, October 1890.

A jungle wing constructed by William J. Moon and painted by Henry E. Burckey for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1890. For over a century this scenic piece was stored in the attic of the opera house.

The stage carpenter was William J. Moon and the scenic artist was Henry E. Burckey. There is no question that scenic artist “H. E. Burpey” was actually scenic artist “H. E. Burckey,” as newspaper accounts place Burckey in Leadville during October 1890. Burckey also worked as the scenic artist at the Tabor Grand Opera House in Denver, Colorado. His scenic art connection to both the Tabor Opera House and Tabor Grand Opera House is noted in theatrical guides too. The earliest mention of Burckey’s role as scenic artist for the Tabor Opera House in Denver was in 1884. Although there is no indication as to when Burckey began working part-time in Leadville during 1890, he departed town on October 16. The “Herald Democrat” reported “Mr. H. E. Burcky left last evening for Denver.” Again, the jungle wings for the Tabor Opera House are also dated October 1890.

Painted detail by H. E. Burckey on a jungle wing at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1890.

Painted H. E. Burckey in 1890, here is one of eight jungle wings at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1890.

Back view of a jungle wing constructed by William J. Moon and painted by H. E. Burckey for the Tabor Opera House (Leadville) in 1890.

Back of one jungle wing. “3R” denotes this wing is placed int he third position (set of grooves), stage right.

This is the first of several posts about the Tabor Opera House’s nineteenth-century scenery collection. The stories of Moon and Burckey are quite complicated, each intersecting individual characters explored in past posts.

I am starting with the life and career of William “Willie” James Moon (1867-1920). The 100th anniversary of his passing is only eleven days away, and that was my sign to start with Moon.

“Willie” Moon was a local resident of Leadville, Colorado, moving to the area as a child. Historical records list Moon’s parents as Jasper O. Moon (1831-1880) and Charity Peterson Moon (?-1895). Born in Missouri, there is no indication of the Moons’ eastern roots or why the family moved west. However, the promise of wealth associated with mountain mining camps was often enough to uproot anyone.

The 1870 US Federal Census listed the Moons as living in Granby Township, Missouri. The household included thirty-year old farmer, Jasper, living with his wife Charity (30 yrs. old), son William J. (3 yrs. old), daughter Elva (1 yr. old) and Mary J. Peterson, Charity’s twenty-year old sister-in-law.

The 1880 census listed a 13-yrs. old William living in Leadville with his mother and uncle, John Peterson; Peterson, like Jasper, became a miner. William, Charity and John lived at 318 3rd Street, a few blocks away from the newly constructed Tabor Opera House on Harrison Avenue. The 1880 Leadville Directory listed Jasper O. Moon living next door at 316 W. 3rd; how odd.Moon spent most of his life in Leadville living very near the Tabor Opera House, only a few blocks away. While I was working in Leadville this fall, I was also living on 3rd St, just a little closer; only ½ block from the opera house.

Moon began his theatrical career as a performer before transitioning to a stage manager and stage carpenter. In 1882, W. J. Moon traveled with the Tennessee Jubilee Singers and performed throughout Colorado. It is possible that he was picked up while the troupe was on tour in the region, like running away with the circus. On Sept. 2, 1882, Moon was listed as staying with the group at the Windsor Hotel in Fort Collins, Colorado. At the time, he would have been 15 years old. Other Tennessee Jubilee Singers at the time included Lew Johnson, Harry Mannaford, Z. A. Coleman, Ed Hawkins, Josh Bell, Effie Allen, Lottie Reno and Nellie Mark (“Fort Collins Coloradoan,” 2 Sept. page 4). Moon was still performing in 1884 when he toured Kansas with the Nashville Students, performing at Painton’s Hall. By this time, he was listed as the lead tenor in the minstrel production “Old Shady am Gwing up North,” featuring southern songs and dances (Weston Herald, Girard, Kansas, 8 May 1884, page 3). In 1885, the Nashville Singers were still touring and featured “original Jubilee and Plantation Melodies, as sung by the children of bondage in their own peculiar manner in religious and social meetings and on the plantation” (“The Record-Union,” Sacramento, California, 16 July 1885, page 2). Moon played the roll of “Pete (a young pickaninny).”

It was this same year that Moon returned to Leadville and was listed twice in the city directory. “Willie” Moon was listed as the stage manager at the Opera House, residing at 121 E. 7th Street, while William J. Moon was still listed at him previous home residence – 318 W. Although “Willie” would not be listed again, William’s home residence would remain on 3rd street in the 1885, 1886 and 1887 directories.By 1889 the Leadville City Directory listed Moon as the stage manager for the Tabor Opera House. He was also listed as the stage manager for the venue in 1891 and 1892. In 1890, however, Moon was listed as the stage carpenter for the Tabor Opera House in the Leadville Directory; this matches the jungle wing scenic notation from October 1890. Keep in mind that during this period stage manager and stage carpenter were often interchangeable titles, both being responsible for the construction of scenery and management of the backstage area.

Moon worked as a stage carpenter at the Tabor Opera House for at least a dozen years. The only difference was that the 1899 Leadville City Directory listed Moon as the stage carpenter for the Weston Opera House. For a time, the Tabor Opera House was named the Weston Opera House, initially under the management of Judge Algernon S. Weston and later under the management of his widow Leticia. By 1900, the Leadville City Directory again listed Moon as the stage manager for the Tabor Opera House.The 1900 US Federal census also listed Moon’s profession as a stage carpenter. Regardless of title, Moon was still listed as living at 318 3rd, but now with a wife and two daughters. Moon married Louise Buffer (alt. spelling Bueffehr) on September 11, 1894 in Denver, Colorado. [Note: my husband and I share the same anniversary as the Moons].

Louise actually worked as a dressmaker in Leadville before marrying Moon, although I have yet to discover what drew her westward from Kansas. It may have simply been the burgeoning economy at the time. In fact, the 1894 city directory listed Miss Louise Bueffehr, dressmaker, residing at 314 East 6th street. Louise was born in Big Creek, Kansas, the daughter of two German immigrants, John and Christina Bueffehr. She grew up on a midwestern farm, one of four children born to the couple, her siblings were Anna, John and Charley.William and Louise Moon couple celebrated the birth of two children by the turn of the twentieth century, with Algin arriving in 1895 and Doris arriving in 1897. Interestingly, Doris Marguerite Moon, born Aug. 16, 1897, was baptized in 1909, and at the time her father William was listed as having “no belief.” Her baptismal records also list the spelling of Bueffehr as her mother’s maiden name.

Moon transitioned from stage carpenter to bartender shortly after the opera house changed hands. The Tabor Opera House was purchased by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (B.P.O.E.) in 1901 and was renovated during 1902, necessitating new scenery as a fly loft was added to the building. The original wing and shutter scenery was simply placed in the attic and I have often wondered why is wasn’t sold or thrown out at that time. It is possible that Moon was a key individual in saving the old scenery, some of it constructed by both he and Burckey.

The 1902 Leadville Directory still listed William J. Moon as a stage carpenter, but his position soon changed. The 1903 Leadville City Directory listed, “Moon, William J., bartdr. Elks Opera House, rms. 303 Harrison av.” In 1910, Moon was still listed as a bartender in the directory, boarding at home of Julia Ross.Moon died at the relatively young age of 52 on 21 Oct. 1920 at 4:00 a.m. The cause of his death was listed as pneumonia. Moon is buried in the family plot at the Evergreen Cemetery in Leadville. His obituary was published in the “Herald Democrat” on October 27, 1920 (page 5) and in the “Carbonate Chronicle” on Nov. 1, 1920 (page 3).

Here is the obituary in its entirety:

“WILLIAM J MOON

The funeral of the late William J. Moon was held from his residence at 222 West Third Street yesterday afternoon at 2 o’clock and was attended by a large gathering of friends of the pioneer. Samuel Thomas, chaplain of the B.P.O.E. order, presided over the services which were marked by the ringing of three duets by Miss Kate McCoy and Mrs. Frank E. Brown who were accompanied on the piano by Miss Anna McLeod. The hymns were “Beautiful Isle of Somewhere,” “I’m a Pilgrim” and the “Home of the Soul.” [Note: I absolutely love “Beautiful Isle of Somewhere].

The casket was covered completely with beautiful flowers and a bouquet by a surviving daughter, Mrs. G. H. Gordon, of California.William J. Moon was born in Missouri in 1868 and during the period of his young manhood came to Leadville where he has resided ever since. He entered the Elks lodge here as one of the charter members ad in the early days was interested in a great extent in mining. When the great Tabor Opera House was operating under the management of Judge A. S. Weston Mr. Moon became stage manager of the house and served in that capacity for a period of two years.

Mr. Moon is survived by his widow, Mrs. Nellie Moon, a daughter, Mrs. C. H. Gordon of San Francisco, a sister, Mrs. J. Olds, of Basalt.The pall bearers, all of whom were close friends of Mr. Moon and fellow members of the Elks lodge, of which he was a charter member, were S. B. Crosby, Gus Ouren, Joe Mann, Alva Bless, Erwin Lockhart and George Hartung. Interment was made in the family plot at Evergreen cemetery.”

To be continued…

CPR (Colorado Public Radio) Article About My Visit To The Tabor Opera House

From September 20-28, 2020, I visited Leadville, Colorado. My mission was to document the historic scenery in the Tabor Opera House attic. This was the second phase of a project began last February. Six months ago, I examined all of the scenery stored on the Tabor Opera House’s stage. Last month I returned to document the scenery placed in the attic after the Tabor Opera House was renovated, 1901-1902.

During my stay, I was interviewed by Nancy Lofholm at Colorado Public Radio. Lofholm wrote, At The Historic Tabor Opera House, The Old Stage Scenery Is Now The Big Show from September 29, 2020:

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 1086 – Wendy Returns

I return to the life and times of Thomas G. Moses in 1921. That spring Moses and his wife Ella journeyed south for nine weeks. The primary reason was work; Mitchell and Halbach hired Moses to decorate the Majestic Theatre in Dallas. Other projects included scenery for the Dallas Shrine and an upcoming design for the Little Rock Scottish Rite.

Moses later wrote, “On our return home we stopped in Kansas City for a day, and a day in St. Louis, after an absence of nine weeks. I could sit down for only a day before I was off to Fort Wayne for a contract for a vaudeville act, which we got.”

A constant stream of activity defined Moses’ career was often characteristic of late-nineteenth-century and early-twentieth-century scenic artists. Even those who represented a particular studio were often on the go, as many projects still occurred on site. As I track the travels of these artists I am astounded by the time spent on the road. By 1921, Moses was working for Sosman & Landis again, on annual contract. In 1918 he resigned as president of the firm and sought other opportunities at New York Studios and the Chicago Studios. He had previously left the firm a few times before, always returning home to Chicago and the main studio on Clinton Street.

In regard to Moses’ 1921 diary entry, he noted stopping by Kansas City and St. Louis. This was standard, as he kept close contact with fellow scenic artists, both friends and competitors. For years, Moses stopped by the Noxon and Toomey Studio to visit his good friend Patrick J. Toomey. Likewise, there were several artists that Moses remained close to at the Kansas City Scenic Co. The scenic art network was essential during times of plenty, as one studio would draw on the resources of another. For example, Kansas City Scenic subcontracted Sosman & Landis in 1902 to deliver a large scenery installation to the Elks Opera House (previously Tabor Opera House) in Leadville, Colorado.

The is when the past and present intersect. For the past four years I have traced a network of scenic artists from 1870-1930, based upon individual entries in the 1931 memoirs of Thomas G. Moses. I am daily astounded at the scope of work produced by Moses during his career, 1873-1934. Until the past twelve days, I have dutifully written 1 ½ pages each day about Moses’ life, work and colleagues. When I have been on the road, I often transition from “Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar” to “Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar,” describing a specific historic theatre or scenery collection. From Sept. 20-27, 2020, I was in Leadville, Colorado, documenting a historic scenery collection that was stored in the Tabor Opera House over a century ago. The collection was primarily composed of historic pieces from 1879-1890, once used on the original stage before the Leadville Elks (BPOE) purchased the building and renovated the stage. Upon returning to my office in Minnesota, there would still be a month’s worth of research and writing to compile historical analyses, conditions reports, replacement appraisals, and a collections care and management program.

I posted many of my Colorado discoveries, with the intention of returning to the Thomas G. Moses timeline on September 30 when I returned home. Within two hours of my arrival in Minnesota, we received a call from our eldest child about a medical emergency. By the next morning I was on the road again, hoping to offer support while awaiting test results; we are still waiting for a definitive diagnosis. On my 4+ hour drive, I planned for the worse and hoped for the best. In the midst of everything, I was also planning the 14^th birthday celebration for our youngest child; I had scheduled my Colorado trip to return with ample time to prepare for the event.

This brings me back to Moses’ mention of Fort Wayne in 1921. This morning I decided that it was time to return to my blog; without writing every spare moment I feel like a rutterless ship. Recognizing that I would likely never be able to locate the specific show in Fort Wayne, I decided to search for a mention of “Sosman & Landis” in Fort Wayne newspapers. Casting my net wide, they was a mentioned in 1884, just as Landis & Sosman. The firm was competing for the Masonic Temple scenery work, submitting a bid alongside Noxon, Halley & Toomey, St. Louis; Kover & Sons, Cincinnati; and Moses & Co., Kalamazoo. The Moses & Co. is Thomas G. Moses and Lemuel L. Graham; Graham being the future founder of Kansas City Scenic Co. The irony is that I have been “living” in 1884 for the past two weeks. While waiting for test results, I decided to start doing some preliminary research on the Tabor Opera House attic scenery colleciton, tracing down two artists and exploring their careers during the early 1880s. Keep in mind that the original scenery for the Tabor Opera House was delivered in 1879, with additional pieces being delivered in 1888 and 1890. In the meantime, the Tabor Grand Opera House was constructed in Denver. Both H. E. Burkey and Henry C. Tryon were associated with the venue; Burkey was also listed as a scenic artist for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville. As I traced the lives and careers of various Tabor Opera House artists, Tryon kept popping back onto my radar; he and Burckey partnered for other projects during this time too.

I have written about Tryon in the past, as he and Thomas G. Moses not only worked together at Sosman & Landis, but also went on a sketching trip to West Virginia in the 1880s. This brings me back to 1884, just after Tryon painted scenery for the Salt Lake Theatre; at the time he was listed as Henry C. Tabor, scenic artist of the Tabor Opera House, Denver. Between 1880 and 1884 Tryon published several lengthy articles on scenic art; I just transcribed one from 1884 yesterday. It is one of the most comprehensive writings about the trade and scenic art process, identified by region, that I have come across to date. Last night, I was trying to figure out when to add this bit of information into my blog. It seems that tomorrow is an appropriate time.

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Day 7 at The Tabor Opera House. September 27, 2020.

We finished the attic scenery documentation today, cleaning and measuring the last nine borders by noon. The 28’-0” wide borders had holes for only two operating lines, much different that the current ones designed for use with three operating lines. The nineteenth-century borders depict blue sky, treetops and a fancy pink interior ceiling. These were intended to accompany the wing and shutter sets for the 1879 stage; the borders measuring just 2’-4” in height. This narrow strip of painted fabric would have been just enough to conceal the gas jets above the stage. No sandwich battens at the top of the borders either, just a 4” board and double rows of tacks. I have encountered this technique several times. It is astounding that these tattered border curtains managed to survive in the attic for over a century without irreparable damage, but it is a testament to a long succession of stewards.

Carl, Mary Ann and Greg placing a wood border for documentation

The most recent scenery collection stewards for the Tabor Opera House include Mary Ann Graham-Best, Carl Schaefer, Tammy Taber, as well as many, many other volunteers. Those who I have worked during this month and last February Mary Ann, Carl, Tammy, Kan, Theresa, Ruth, Curt, Janel, Greg, Allie, Derrick, Jen, Mike, Scott, Eric, Theresa “T”, Robin and Donna. My apologies if I missed anyone.

Volunteers for Day 7 at the Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Co. (Left to right) Ziska, Mary Ann, Wendy, Tammy, Donna and Carl; we were holding out breath, so don’t panic.

This trip, Michael Powers also traveled with me to volunteer; his work in the attic with Carl helped make lowering the scenery from attic to stage floor safe and secure. Without their support, much of the scenery may be still sitting under a layer of dust, undocumented. The scenery has managed to survive despite a massive renovation (1901-1902), the Great Depression and a series of other financial obstacles. The survival of a historic venue is dependent upon strong leadership leader and community support. A small band of theatre people is not enough, you need the support from those outside of our industry too.

Evelyn E. Livingston Furman was one of the great leaders and scenic stewards for the Tabor Opera House. She also wrote “The Tabor Opera House: A Captivating History.” In the publication, Furman includes some details of the early scenery. Her words leave a legacy.

There are a few things to keep in mind as we explore the nineteenth century scenery delivered to the Tabor Opera House…In 1879 Horace A. W. Tabor purchased wing and shutter scenery for the Tabor Opera House. Some of the earliest scenes included a mountain setting (Royal Gorge), forest, garden, palace, plain chamber with balcony, and a prison. We know that more scenery was delivered in 1888, and included a horizon (seascape), European street setting, rustic country setting, rocky pass, and Eastern street scene. This is the same time when some of the original stock scenery were repainted and a few new scenes were added to the original wings, shutters and roll drops. Only eight shutters that remain, some double painted. The six surviving settings include a rocky pass, rustic country landscape, cut woods, European street scene, Eastern street scene, and winter scene. These all have flat sheaves that make the settings glide across the stage floor on wheels. In 1890, a series of eight jungle wings were also added to the stock, built by William J. Moon and painted by H. E. Burpey.

The technical specifications for the Tabor Opera House stage paints a pretty picture, including a 6” rake. The 1884 issue of “Harry Miner’s Dramatic Directory” noted that the Leadville’s Tabor Opera House had a seating capacity of 800. H. A. W. Tabor’s second theater, the Tabor Grand of Denver, boasted a seating capacity almost twice that – 1,500. Tabor’s second theater was much larger than that in Leadville. The proscenium opening in Leadville was 23 feet wide by 17 feet high , whereas the proscenium opening in Denver was 34 feet wide by 33 high.

The size of the Tabor Opera House stage in Leadville measured 34-feet deep by 60-feet wide. The Tabor Grand Opera House stage in Denver measured 45-feet deep by 75-feet wide. The grooves (for wings) measured 16 feet in height at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville and 20 feet in height at the Tabor Grand in Denver.

“Harry Miner’s Dramatic Directory” also listed that Leadville’s Tabor Opera House boasted 12 sets of scenery, whereas the Tabor Grand had much more, 50 sets of scenery. The two venues were drastically different when examining the types of stage scenery and machinery. In Leadville, the Tabor Opera House used wings, shutters, and roll drops, there was only 19 feet from stage to rigging loft. In Denver, there was a grid 66 feet above the stage floor, accommodating a series of leg drops, cut drops and backdrops., in addition to grand interior setting.

At the current Tabor Opera House, there is a significant amount of used scenery produced for an earlier, and larger, venue. These pieces likely belonged to the Tabor Grand, and the scenes include borders, interiors settings and at least one set piece (step unit). There also pieces left on site from touring shows.

In short, there is a treasure trove of scenic art and stagecraft, depicting the delightful transition from Nineteenth-century itinerant artists painting stock scenery on site to early twentieth-century studio artists painting scenery at a distant location.

I have about four weeks of work in front of me once I return this week. It will take a while to decipher the information collected on site, compiling historical analyses, conditions reports, appraisals and a collections care and management program. Although I have written about 700 pages pertaining to the 1902 collection delivered by Kansas City Scenic Co. and Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio, there is much more to go. I am taking three days off to return home and then will resume “Tales of a Scenic Artist and Scholar,” about the life and times of Thomas Gibbs Moses (1856-1934)

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Day 6 at The Tabor Opera House. September 26, 2020.

For additional installments, go to www.drypigment.net

Saturday was our last big day to lower scenery from the attic at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. It was the sixth of seven workdays in a row. We did manage to hit our goal of lowering all remaining shutter scenes, plus a few other pieces, to the stage floor. The attic looks positively bare. Only eight borders remain for me to document today. That being said, some scenic pieces still remain in the loft above the attic and on platforms high above stage right and stage left. Documenting the final shutters, wings and borders will have to wait until next time. The amount and the scope of the scenery at the Tabor Opera House is staggering.

Two rocky pass shutters pieced together on the stage of the Tabor Opera House after spending a century in the attic. The shutters were painted by Frank Cox in 1888.

The backside of the rocky pass shutters. This scene was also painted by Frank Cox in 1888.

Two shutters forming a European street scene. The Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

Two horizon shutters and three wings. There are five remaining wings, but all have been cut down; one is missing.

The biggest surprise this week was discovering a marked piece of scenery from the Tabor Grand Opera in Denver. This was Tabor’s second theater. There are some interior set pieces and borders obviously created for another, and much larger. There are also a few pieces from touring productions that never left the Tabor during the nineteenth century. It will be fun to track down more information in the upcoming weeks.

The majority of the work this week was completed by volunteers without any background in theater. Their careers varied from nursing and teaching to law and public service. Some were born in Leadville and others not; all were passionate about the project.

Volunteer crew on day 6 at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

Painted border, likely created for another venue due to size. This border matches the palace interior setting that we assembled earlier this week.

Painted scenery produced for the stage a century ago continues to have a broad appeal to the general public. Well painted scenes still cause people to gasp, as did much of the scenery at the Tabor Opera House. It is just magical.

Painted detail from the rocky pass shutters. Note the seam between the to shutters.

For the next few weeks, I will continue to post images from this week’s documentation, focusing on individual scenes and painting techniques. More tonight.

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Day 5 at The Tabor Opera House. September 25, 2020.

I feel wonderfully exhausted after today’s activities. There have been too many long days spent at the theatre, and too many short nights spent at home deciphering the day’s information.

I was asked tonight by Colorado Public tonight what it felt like to uncover scenic treasures at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado. It took me a minute to respond, as “magical” is too simple a response; the experience is much more than that for me.

Removing the layers of dust from an historic stage setting is like stepping back in time and embracing old friends. Seldom am I overwhelmed with emotion when a scene is lowered to the stage. In most cases, it is like the comfort of a warm banket on a cold day. Today, I teared when the first two shutters were joined, creating a rustic country scene. We sat in the audience admiring the painted shutters by Frank Cox from 1888. It had taken more than a century for this onstage reunion and we reveled in the moment.

Two shutters by T. Frank Cox for the Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado, 1888.

Painted detail. A shutter by T. Frank Cox for the Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado, 1888.

Lowering a shutter by T. Frank Cox for the Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado, 1888.

Two cut shutters by T. Frank Cox for the Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado, 1888.

Some of us feel we were born into the wrong era, embracing the aesthetic of another time and place our entire lives; I am one of those people. Today, I would have given anything to stand in the wings and help position these freshly painted new shutters into place for the next scene.

What a transformative experience.

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Day 4 at The Tabor Opera House. September 24, 2020.

Volunteer crew at the Tabor Opera House, day four of the attic scenery documentation.

There is more scenery at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado than I expected – go figure. In addition to the attic scenery and that in the attic loft, historic scenery was spotted in two other locations – the fly gallery and the corresponding stage left platform. This is on top of that already documented on the stage. I had to check the finds out.

The first thing that I did this morning was to climb up a wooden ladder to the stage-left platform. This was about twenty-five feet above the stage floor; one of those wooden original wooden ladders that always make me a little nervous.

Top of the ladder near more historic scenery.

A side view of a ground row depicting water, stored high above the stage at the Tabor Opera House.

Some of the dust encrusted scenery high above stage left.

Yes, there are more treasures up there, including a bridge profile piece, some ground rows depicting water, several platforms and a few crumpled soft goods. I doubt that they will come down this trip. There was also a deteriorated flat on the fly gallery level, once used to block sunlight from a window. It was from the same setting that we set up yesterday; the missing sixth wing. Sever deterioration and faking allowed me to examine the primer and a previous base coat of paint.

We continued to lower attic scenery to the stage throughout the day, forming neat little piles of flats, divided by composition. Lowering each piece from the attic door, the scenes were guided by an individual on the pin rail while a group in hard hats waited below. We are now all in sync and the process is going beautifully. Regardless, this is a relatively slow process, and I desperately tried to be in two places at once – both the attic and stage, while still documenting scenery in various locations. The surges of adrenaline from each new discovery kept me energized throughout the day, well into the board meeting this evening.

Preparing to lower a scene from the attic of the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

Allie working guidelines as scenery is lowered to the stage from the attic.

One more scene successfully lowered to the floor. This is the backside of a jungle wing painted in 1890.

Scenery against the upstage wall at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

The majority of the scenery (once stored in the attic) has been removed and is patiently awaiting further instructions on stage. We have saved many of the larger pieces for tomorrow; reducing the number of smaller pieces that surrounded the largest ones. Despite the camaraderie and constant stream of adrenaline, it was another physically exhausting day for all. The entire crew, including myself, are volunteers. We each have participated in the documentation process because we believe in the cultural significance of these artifacts. That being said, I am being hired to create documents containing a historical analyses, condition reports, replacement appraisals and collections care managements forms.

I ended by day attending a zoom meeting with the Board of Directors and the architects. It is so wonderful to meet with such a group of passionate individuals. We all understand that this is a crucial moment in the future if the Tabor Opera House. We see the potential in the building and scenery collections; it extends throughout the area. Even Ziska Childs drove over from Aspen and volunteered today, cleaning off some dust from flats before they were sent to the stage floor. It was so wonderful to share the beauty of these painted shutters with a friend and colleague. Similarly, Bruce Bergner from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, has also been on site for two days. It is so wonderful to work with him on this project. And I cannot forget to mention that Michael Powers traveled with me from Des Moines, Iowa, to help on site this week.

Sharing shutter discovery with friend and colleague, Ziska Childs.

Cleaning scenery before it is lowered to the stage floor. Note the contrast on the back of the wing.

The most exciting discovery for every are the shutters. I have been waiting for over two years to see each shutter on stage with its mate. Of course, the shutters have been waiting even longer since they were placed into storage over a century ago. Tomorrow, we will commence with the arduous task of lowering the shutters to the stage floor. The 12’ x 16’ pieces will be a challenge as they are lowered floor some 40 feet below.

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Day 3 at The Tabor Opera House. September 23, 2020.

Volunteer crew for day 3 of scenery documentation at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, CO.

We all experience those tactile moments that conjure up images from the past, offering an instantaneous connection. It can be as simple as using your grandmother’s mixing bowl or your grandfather’s tools. There are so many ways to reconnect and remember times gone by.

Handling historic scenery offers a special connection to the past, especially if the setting has not been assembled for decades. I often wonder if the original creators are patiently waiting in the wings for their scene to appear once again on stage, occasionally stepping in to guide our fumbling hands.

Today, we set up two historic scenes on the stage of the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado; ones that had been stored in the attic for well over a century. Damaged and dusty, we carefully pieced together two interior sets. I spent a significant amount of time, both last night and this morning, contemplating how I would “put Humpty Dumpty back together again.” Some of the of pieces were intended to work with grooves, effortlessly sliding on an off stage. Others had anchors for stage braces. Some had no indication as to how they were supported. In the end, it just took time, muscle and a crew that trusted my gut instincts.

Stage setting stored in the Tabor Opera House attic for more than a century.

Doors added to setting, but the appropriate plug for the arch is still missing.

The doors and arches were the backside from the first setting. They are double-painted with a composition on each side.

The process was almost as satisfying as the outcome. It is hard to express my emotions as the stage was transformed today.

I first laid eyes on a piece from the setting two years ago. At the time I could only envision how this would look on stage. Seeing it assembled surpassed all of my expectations. Although some of the colors are faded and some of the fabric is torn, there is an insuppressible beauty to the painting. It was absolute magic.

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Day 2 at The Tabor Opera House. September 22, 2020.

There is a variety of historic scenery tucked away in the attic at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. When the building was renovated, the stage was enlarged, and all of the original wings and shutters were carefully tucked away above the auditorium ceiling. This attic space was also once home to a few hotel rooms, divided by a central sky hall that allowed natural light for each room.

Over the decades, the walls dividing each hotel room were removed and the third floor became home to abandoned artifacts, including theatre scenery, drop rollers, and much more. By the way, it is quite a climb to the attic, over 70 steps in all. This climb, combined with an altitude of 10,000 feet, certainly separates the locals from the flatlanders, like me.

On the attic wall adjacent to the stage and above the proscenium arch is a loft. Well, not quite a “loft,” as there are no floorboards, just joists. We threw down a few planks to walk on.

Loft in the attic of the Tabor Opera House, Leadville, CO.

In this space are some additional wings, rolls, and shutters placed high above. I started my second day in the attic loft. This involved climbing up a wooden ladder with my camera, balancing my way across a few boards, and contorting myself to photograph a few dust-encrusted wings and shutters.

In the meantime, the crew started to clean and remove some of the wings from the attic wall above the proscenium arch. Several flats had been cut down and nailed into the wall above the proscenium arch; no idea why this happened at all. The careful removal of 10’ wings involved detaching the ladder that led to the loft and grid, as it partially covered one wing. A team of three then carefully carried each wing down the winding staircase to the stage.

Ladder to the loft in the attic of the Tabor Opera House, Leadville, CO. Painted wings were cut down and nailed to the wall.

Removing the painted wings for documentation purposes at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, CO.

Meanwhile, plans for the lowering all other stage scenery commenced in earnest. The majority of pieces range from 5’ x 16’ to 12’ x 16’ – sizes too large to carry down the staircase. These pieces were lowered directly from the attic by way of about fifteen feet above the pin rail. By the end of the day, seventeen scenic pieces were lowered with this method. Although there were a few rough starts, some frightening moments, and a couple panicked cries, each piece made it safely to the stage floor. By the end of the day, we established a system, and everything worked like clockwork.

Lowering one of the scenes from the attic to the stage floor.

One of the seventeen scenes lowered to the stage floor tonight.

Tomorrow we will set up two of the scenes before lowering more. Due to size, we are saving the shutters for last, focusing on interior sets these first few days. Despite the hard work, it was a wonderful experience and a fantastic group of people to work with. My sincere thanks go out to Carl, Mary Ann, Tammy, Greg, Kan, Curt, Michael, Jane, and Bruce; such an outstanding group of individuals.

The volunteer crew for Day 2 at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Day 1 at The Tabor Opera House. September 21, 2020.

Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

Today was my first day on site at the Tabor Opera House. I am in town to document the historic scenery collections in the attic; last spring I documented the scenery collections on the stage. This is such a very important collection, in both in the scope of American theatre history and world theatre history.

Some of the volunteers handling historic scenery in the Tabor Opera House attic. Leadville, Colorado.

We spent much of the day cleaning and organizing about 75 pieces; shutters, drops, borders and other set pieces were placed in storage when the Leadville Elks purchased and renovated the stage and auditorium in 1901-1902. New scenery was delivered to the opera house and old scenery carefully tucked away. Much of it is still there, albeit a little worse for wear and covered in a century’s worth of dust.

Some of the scenery piles in the attic of the Tabor Opera House, Leadville Colorado.

I knew what to expect when we climbed steep steps to the third floor today and had my game plan. But there was so, so, so much more scenery than I expected; much more than anyone expected to find today. We uncovered and shifted scenic pieces produced in 1879, 1888, and 1890. This is on top of the 100+ scenic pieces from 1902 currently housed on the Tabor Opera House stage.

Painted detail from a shutter at the Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado.

One shutter, leaning against an attic wall at the Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado.

By the end of the day, the scenery was divided into piles, organized by setting, and I am starting to compile an inventory. We were also able to clean and lower some pieces to the floor. There were many big surprises; surprises included shipping tags and scenic art signatures.

Signature by T. Frank Cox on the back of a wood shutter. Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado.

Cartoon by T. Frank Cox on the back of a wood shutter. Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado.

It was a delightful, yet exhausting, day for me; one that ended with a Colorado public radio interview. I’ll write much more tomorrow, but too pooped to pen any more now.

To be continued…