Mike, Rick, Megumi, and I walked from the Theatre Royal Glasgow to the King’s Theatre on the morning of Sept. 16. There we met Alan Butland, who had journeyed up from Newcastle upon Tyne to spend the day with us.
Our visit to King’s Theatre had been facilitated by Gary Painter, of the UK’s Cinema Theatre Association, who had arranged for us to tag along with a public tour.
Mike Hume, Megumi, Wendy Waszut-Barrett, Rick Boychuk and Alan Butland at the King’s Theatre. Glasgow.
The King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland
Auditorium at the King’s Theatre, Glasgow.
Detail of ornamental decor at King’s Theatre, Glasgow.
Entrance of the King’s Theatre, Glasgow.
Architectural details above the King’s Theatre entrance.
The waiting area before entering the auditorium, known as the Wedgewood Room. We tagged along with a public tour.
Ornamental details that caused this waiting area outside of the main auditorium to be named the Wedgewood Room.
Ornamental details that caused this waiting area outside of the main auditorium to be named the Wedgewood Room.
View from center stage.
Proscenium and opera boxes.
Another view of the boxes.
The ceiling at King’s Theatre.
Designed by well-known English architect Frank Matcham (1854-1920), the King’s Theatre opened on Sept. 12, 1904. The stage house still boasts a paint frame at the back. The shuttered windows (top right in picture below) illuminated the scenic artists’ paint studio.
Paint frame at the back of King’s Theatre, Scotland.
Another view of the paint frame and studio space.
Another view of the paint framefrom the fly floor.
Looking up at the paint bridge (paint studio was to the immediate right of the bridge.
Rick Boychuk on the fly floor at King’s Theatre, Glasgow (stage right).
Mike Hume, Rick Boychuk, and I took the train from Newcastle upon Tyne, England, to Glasgow, Scotland, on Sept. 15. We were scheduled to meet up with Megumi (scenic art tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) and visit three theaters. Alan Butland also traveled up from Newcastle to spend time with us on our adventure.
Megumi in front of Wallace Studios, Royal Conservatoire Scotland. We first met at a CITT (Canadian Institute of Theatre Technology) scene painting workshop (2018, St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada).
For our Glasgow visit, Mike scheduled tours at the Theatre Royal, King’s Theatre, and the Citizen’s Theatre (the Citz). Our visit to both the Theatre Royal Glasgow and the King’s Theatre was facilitated by Gary Painter of UK’s Cinema Theatre Association. He could not have been more accommodating or kind!
Gary and Mike at the stage door, Theatre Royal Glasgow.
When all was said and done, we visited seven theaters before hopping a train for Edinburgh that evening.
Mike Hume in action at the Theatre Royal Glasgow.Hume’s theatre photography is not only beautiful, but also informative.
None of our theater visits would have been possible without Hume’s previous visits to the venues, and various relationships that he has cultivated over the years. Thank you again, Mike!
Here are a few of my photographs from our visit on Sept. 13, 2023.
Here is also the link to the Theatre Royal Glasgow’s website:
On the evening of Sept.12, 2023, Hume, Boychuk and I attended a production of Noises Off! (Hume’s favorite show). It was very well done!
Interestingly, Noises Off was produced at Theatre Royal Bath and returned the same day that we later toured the venue (Sept. 19). It was fascinating to examine the same set at both venues. Here is a link for more information about the Noises Off production and tour, as it is well worth seeing: https://www.theatreroyal.org.uk/events/noises-off/
Produced at the Theatre Royal Bath, the show stars Liza Goddard, Matthew Kelly and Simon Shepherd. Newcastle Theatre Royal was the second venue on a tour that ran from Aug 23, 2023 – Feb 17, 2024.
Auditorium,Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Safety Curtain brought down at intermission, painted in 2006by Phil R. Daniels.
View from the gallery. Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne, during Sept. 14 tour.
Detail of ceiling ornament.
Proscenium ornament detail.
Detail of spotlight box in gallery rail. A brilliant Frank Matcham touch!
Detail of balcony ornament.
The theater was also part of the international theatre conference tour on the morning of Sept. 14. Dr. David Wilmore gave a brief presentation of the history of the theatre, and then the delegates toured the auditorium and backstage areas.
Dr. David Wilmore leading Theatre Royal tour on Sept. 14, 2023.
Dr. David Wilmore leading Theatre Royal tour on Sept. 14, 2023.
Although the building’s façade dates from 1837, the interior dates is more recent. Frank Matcham designed the 1901 auditorium after fire destroyed the interior in 1899.
The Tyne Theatre and Opera House in Newcastle, England.
Last month I attended an international conference at the Tyne Theatre & Opera House in Newcastle, England. It was entitled Victorian and Edwardian Theatre in Performance, Music & Machinery – Stagecraft & Spectacle.
On the last day of the conference, Mike Hume, Rick Boychuk, and I, presented papers for the Beyond Britain panel. Later that afternoon Dr. David Wilmore led a demonstration of the newly-installed theatre machinery.
It was a devastating fire on Christmas Day 1985 that razed the Tyne’s backstage area. The conference celebrated the completion of the project dubbed “Drury Lane of the North,” highlighting the stage machinery. Here is a link to the project, led by Dr. Wilmore: https://www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk/heritage-project/
Dr. Wilmore describing the 1985 fire.
Image from Dr. Wilmore’s presentation.
It was the safety curtain saved the rest of the Tyne Theatre from being destroyed by fire.
Here are a few photos from our Tyne Opera House & Theatre tour:
Dr. Wilmore describing the stage machinery.
Here are a few photos from our tour of the theater and stage machinery on Sept. 15, 2023.
David Wilmore explaining the under stage machinery at the Tyne Opera House.
Poles for future scenery.
The stage floor retracts to reveal a working bridge.
The bridge being lowered into position.
Some of the machinery under the stage.
Here are some images of the auditorium.
The Tyne Opera House auditorium.
Auditorium ornament.
Auditorium ornament.
Ceiling detail
Proscenium detail.
Looking up at the grid.
A newly-constructed thunder run.
Mike Hume, Wendy Waszut-Barrett, Alan Butland, and Rick Boychuk.
On Sept. 12, 2023, Mike Hume, Rick Boychuk, and I visited the York Theatre Royal. It was only a short walk from our first stop that morning at the Grand Opera House.
Entrance for the York Theatre Royal.
Entrance of the York Theatre Royal.
Despite a very modern entrance, much of the complex was built in 1744, replacing a previous theatre located in the Minister Yard. The current theater was constructed on the same site as a medieval hospital, with remnants of the 12th century stonework still visible throughout the building, most often as archways.
Section with medieval architecture on upstage wall.
Amazingly, there is even earlier architectural elements below the stage, dating from Roman occupation.
Prior to our visit, Hume contacted Mike Woodcock about gaining access to the backstage area. It was Woodcock who arranged a tour with Grace Branch, Deputy Head of Stage. Although relatively new in her position, Branch is extremely knowledgeable, gracious, and accommodated all of our requests.
Rick Boychuk and Grace Branchat the York Theatre Royal.
Here are a few more pictures from our tour.
York Theatre Royal auditorium.
York Theatre Royal auditorium.
Proscenium arch detail (top).
Opera box ornament at the York Theatre Royal.
View from the stage.
Theatre Royal York stage and auditorium.
View from stage right.
Looking up at the gridiron.
The fly floor.
Weight information.
Hall Stage counterweight system.
Weights.
Wendy Waszut-Barrett, Rick Boychuk, Mike Hume, and Grace Branch at the York Theatre Royal.
On Sept. 12, 2023, Mike Hume, Rick Boychuk, and I visited two theaters in York, Yorkshire, England. Today’s post is about our first stop and tour at the Grand Opera House York. Hume had arranged a tour with Technical and Buildings Manager, Joe Strange (pictured below).
Wendy Waszut-Barrett, Mike Hume, Joe Strange, and Rick Boychuk at the Grand Opera House York.
For geographical context, York is located north of London, at the confluence where the Foss and Ouse Rivers. Founded in 71 AD when Roman General Quintus Petillius Cerialis and the Ninth Legion constructed a military fortress. Roman origins remain quite visible throughout the city, forming the basis for later medieval structures.
Our walk to the Grand Opera House and Theatre Royal provided a wonderful opportunity to explore York. On a grey damp day, we passed by “The Shambles” (a medieval street), Sir Thomas Herbert’s House (Tudor), the Cathedral and Metropolitan Church of Saint Peter (York Minster), and the Assembly Rooms.
Walking through the Shambles section of York.
Sir Thomas Herbert’s House.
York Minster.
Another view of York Minster.
The Assembly Rooms. The building was erected by public subscription 1730-1736 to the design of Richard Boyle, Earl of Burlington.
The theater emerged from a previous building, dating from 1868. It was architect John P. Briggs who drew plans that converted a corn exchange and warehouse to a performance space. This 1902 venue recently underwent a major refurbishment.
Hume arranged a tour with Joe Strange, Technical and Building Manager of the Grand Opera House York.
Stage door and loading doors, Grand Opera House York.Joe is in the red shirt waiting at the stage door.
The exterior of the building still boasts tall doors; doors that provided necessary access for touring wings and other large flats. Here are several photos from our tour
A view of the auditorium from the stage.
Metal safety curtain at the Grand Opera House York.
Detail of safety curtain.
Backside of the safety curtain.
Ben Hur mural above the proscenium.
The Ben Hur mural above the proscenium arch.
Detail of the mural.
Detail of the mural.
Joe Strange in theupper gallery at the Grand Opera House York.
Auditorium Grand Opera House York.View of the opera boxes.
Opera Box detail.
More ornamental decor.
View of the stage and auditorium.
Looking up at the gridiron.
Rick Boychuk and Joe Strange discussing the grid.
The grid.
The grid.
The Fly floor looking upstage.
The fly floor.
This may be the most cozy fly floor that I have encountered to date.
My favorite backstage sign…“make it epic…”
The bridge (upstage/exterior wall). View from stage left.
I greatly appreciate the time that Joe spent giving us a tour of the building and sharing the history of this beautiful theater.
On Sept. 10, 2023, Mike Hume, Rick Boychuk, Grit Eckert, and I visited the Drury Lane Theatre.
Hume had scheduled a backstage tour with Michael “Biglad” Burgess-Shaw Head of Stage, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The tour was remarkable, both entertaining and informative as we explored the extensive the backstage area.
Rick Boychuk, Grit Eckert, Wendy Waszut-Barrett, Biglad, and Mike Hume backstage at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
A view from above the stage.
Although everything was fascinating, my favorite part of the backstage tour was visiting the old paint studio. There is so much history spattered on the paint frames, walls, and floor. I have traced the careers of so many scenic artists who worked here. There is nothing quite like standing in the same spot where so many scenic artists, brush in hand, stood for decades.
The paint shop with four paint frames (two in the center).
Paint frame detail.
Paint frame detail, looking up toward skylights.
Next to the paint shop was the scenery storage area; now the main office. Old drops (from a touring production of Oklahoma) now decorated only one wall, now the sole legacy of a space that once housed so many more.
Photograph by Mike Hume.
Drops from a touring production of “Oklahoma” now decorate one wall.
Biglad, Grit, Rick, Wendy and Mike at Drury Lane.
We returned to the theater on September 11 for a front-of-house tour. Mark Fox showed us the rest of the building. We couldn’t have had a better tour guide. Fox is an amazing theatre historian, archivist and advertising manager for LW Theatres. Fox even wrote the book Theatre Royal Drury.
Wendy Waszut-Barrett. Mark Fox, Rick Boychuk and Mike Hume.
The Auditorium.
The Royal Box.
View from the Royal Box.
View from the balcony.
The tour wonderful! Mark’s passion about the building is evident, and he is full of fascinating information about the theater’s history, renovations, and decor.
Print of the auditorium.
Print of the rotunda and principle staircases.
The rotunda.
Looking across the rotunda.
Section of a main staircases.
Main staircase.
View from the exterior balcony.
View of the same balcony from the street.
Here are a few more pictures of highlights from our visit.
One of my favorite paintings – Fortunes by G. D. Leslie, RA. It was for the Royal Jubilee, 1887 Exposition. It is now on display in room behind the Royal Box.
Painted detail.
Painted detail.
Painted detail.
The second painting in the same room of June (actress, singer, dancer) by Herbert Draper.
Painted detail.
Painted detail.
Painted detail.
Painting by Seymour Lucas, Study of a New Act Curtain, 1911.
On Sept. 8, 2023, I boarded a plane in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for London, England. Mike Hume, Rick Boychuk, and I were presenting papers at the Tyne Opera House and Theatre Conference: Victorian and Edwardian Theatre in Performance, Music & Machinery – Stagecraft & Spectacle, scheduled for Sept. 13-15.
We planned our itinerary to include a few historic theater stops, both before and after the conference. When all was said and done, we visited fifteen theaters over the course of ten days.
In London, the Globe Theatre was our first stop on the morning of September 10.
Mike Hume, Wendy Waszut-Barrett, and Rick Boychuk at the Globe Theatre, London, England.
The Globe Theatre, London.
Painted details at the Globe Theatre.
Painted details on the Globe Theatre stage.
More painted details.
The Globe Theatre stage.
The stage ceiling at the Globe Theatre.
Arriving a few days before the conference also gave me a chance to meet London-based scenic artist, Grit Eckert. Eckert and I virtually met in 2018. We both share a passion for historic scenic art and had been corresponding about people and processes for a few years. In addition to finally getting to meet Eckert in person, she was also presenting a paper at the conference. In fact, I was the chair of her panel on Sept. 15; a panel composed of Eckert, Jim Davis (Professor of Theatre Studies at the University of Warwick), and John Plunkett (Associate Professor, Department of English, University of Exeter).
Eckert is a PhD candidate at the University of Bristol. She started her professional life as a scenic artist in the workshops of a regional theatre in Germany. She moved to England to study Scenic Arts, and over the past two decades has examined scene painting practices from various different angles. Eckert both works as a scene painter and instructor. Like me, Eckert is fascinated with the history of the trade and those scenic artists who came before us.
Later in the day, we went backstage at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Hume had arranged a private tour with Michael Biglad Burgess-Shaw, Head of Stage. With a little time to spare, we wandered around a bit, visiting the Tate Modern, peering into the paint shop windows at the National Theatre, passing through the central courtyard of Somerset House, wandering into the Savoy, and strolling by the Vaudeville, Adelphi, Coliseum, and Garrick Theaters. After all, it is the Theatre District. We made our way back to Drury Lane, and eagerly waited to meet Biglad at the stage door.
Mike Hume, Wendy Waszut-Barrett, Grit Eckert and Rick Boychuk.
You may have noticed that it has been a while since my last blog post.
I was bombarded with a series of projects this summer. When I wasn’t on the road, my life consisted of scenic design, scenic art, restoration, paperwork, and caretaking (people, places, and things). My theme for 2023 continues to be “Damage Control.” If only each day could last more than 24 hours….
August and September became especially busy as my out-of-town trips included: CITT/ICTS (Canadian Institute of Theatre Technology) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; The Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion in Rollag, Minnesota; the Tyne Theatre & Opera House Conference in England; and Haymarket Opera Company’s fall production in Chicago, Illinois.
All of this travel could not have been possible without the support of my husband, Andrew Barrett, and children, Aaron Barrett, Isa Marceau, and Anna Marceau. In the midst of everything, Andrew and I celebrated 30 years of marriage on Sept. 11. Sadly, our celebration occurred 4,000 miles apart.
I finally have a moment to share a presentation from two weeks ago. My presentation was for the Tyne Theatre & Opera House Conference: Victorian and Edwardian Theatre in Performance, Music & Machinery – Stagecraft & Spectacle.
[Dr. Wendy Waszut-Barrett presenting Stage Craft & Spectacle: Immigrant Contributions to North American Theatre at the Tyne Theatre & Opera House conference on Sept. 15, 2023].
I have a “window of opportunity” to write today; one that stems from opening night of La liberazione di Ruggero dall-isola a’Alcina; all of my stage notes are done! Here is a link to the show: http://www.haymarketopera.org/caccini
I sit in a hotel room, extremely grateful for not only an exceptional group of colleagues, but also an extraordinary network of support; one that has never faltered over the years.
My journey to the UK began last fall when I opened an email from Mike Hume. Hume is an amazing theatre photographer and historian. His website showcases theaters from around the world. Here is his website: https://www.historictheatrephotos.com/
On Oct. 5, 2022, Rick Boychuk and I received an email from Hume proposing that we submit a presentation proposal for an upcoming theatre conference. He attached the following call for papers:
For context, Boychuk specializes in historic rigging systems and is the author of Nobody Looks Up: The History of Counterweight rigging History, 1500-1925.
In Hume’s October email, he described the Tyne Theatre and Opera House: “It’s one of the few UK theatres with early-stage machinery, albeit much of it rebuilt following a devastating fire in the stagehouse in 1985. The stage machinery at the Tyne Theatre is really very comprehensive. David Wilmore led the reconstruction project and is continuing with further projects at the theatre.” I first met David Wilmore in Stockholm at another conference in 2016. We managed to stay in touch over the years.
In mid-November 2023, Hume, Boychuk, and I scheduled a virtual meeting with Alan Butland, Trustee and Secretary at the Tyne Theatre & Opera House Preservation Trust. We wanted to see if there would be any interest in topics that examined stage technology and painted spectacle beyond Britain. In the end, we submitted a joint proposal for three topics under the heading “The Development of North American Stagecraft and Spectacle During the Victorian Period.”
Boychuk’s paper explored Booth’s Theatre in New York, Mike’s paper explored the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, and my paper provided context for both, each built during a time when the demand for painted illusion was greater than the supply of manufacturers.
We received a response to our proposals almost three months later. On Feb. 17, 2023, Mike emailed, “Pack your bags, folks, we’re going to Newcastle!”
Locations of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England
As we looked at tentative travel dates, our discussion began to include other historic venue; nearby opera houses that would be of interest. When all was said and done, we visited a total of fifteen theaters between Sept. 10 and Sept. 19, 2023. In the upcoming weeks, I will post a series of blogs about our stops in London, York, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Glasgow, Isle of Man, Bristol, and Bath.
We presented our papers on September 15, 2023. The chair for our panel was Iain Mackintosh.
Here is my full paper with PowerPoint images. It includes all of the original text, as some sentences were cut to stay within the 20-min. time limit.
Stage Craft & Spectacle: Immigrant Contributions to North American Theatre by Dr. Wendy Waszut-Barrett for the Tyne Theatre and Opera House conference.
[Slide 1]
I am going to “set the stage” for stage craft and painted spectacle between 1860 and 1890 in North America, touching on four major contributing factors – the Gold Rush, the Transcontinental Railroad, the Great Chicago Fire, and Immigration. Then, I will then explore the dissemination of two scenic art traditions, introduced by immigrants during the rise of the North American scenic studio system. These traditions merged to create a hybrid form of scenic art in North America that dominated popular entertainment for decades.
[Slide 2]
The discovery of gold in the American River during the winter of 1848 prompted what is now known as the California Gold rush of 1849, an event that drew people from all over the world. Exorbitant salaries were offered to theatre professionals, those willing to brave the journey and perform in very rough settings. Even the young scenic artist Phillip Goatcher left Sydney for San Francisco (invitation by Henry E. Abby of the Park Theater), and assisted William Porter. It was a series of gold strikes that fueled a national desire to complete the first transcontinental railroad, uniting east and west coasts.
[Slide 3]
The transcontinental railroad was completed on May 10, 1869, with the final golden spike driven at Promontory Summit in Utah.
[Slide 4]
The arduous cross-country from New York to San Francisco was reduced to 7 days by 1870. Thousands of communities were now connected, with Chicago centrally located and situated along the western shore of Lake Michigan, one of the five Great Lakes in a freshwater chain that connected the interior of North America to the Atlantic ocean.
[Slide 5]
A variety of entertainment venues were constructed in the railway’s wake, including the Tabor Opera House. Located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the mining town of Leadville, Colorado was approximately 3050 meters above sea-level. Horace Tabor, nationally known as the “Silver King,” constructed his flagship opera house in 1879, only a month before the railway arrived in town. Ample land, abundant funds, and an ever-expanding network of transportation offered seemingly endless opportunities for theater manufacturers and suppliers. Demand for painted front curtains, stock scenery collections, stage machinery and lighting systems outweighed the supply of craftsmen to manufacture them. An abundance of work with high profits drew people from across the country and around the world.
[Slide 6]
Hundreds of theaters were now connected by rail, prompting Chicago Illustrator and printer, John B. Jeffrey, to publish his first guide and directory to operas houses, theaters, and public halls across the country in 1878. Jeffrey provided practical information for touring groups with detailed information about stage houses, writing: “We realized the necessity for a book which would be a guide to agents and managers of all amusement enterprises.”
Jeffrey’s preface stated:
“Since 1860, the Amusement Professions have shared in the extraordinary developments visible in every material interest…Intellectual foreigners have been astounded at the rapidity with which a vast wilderness has been transformed into a Nation thickly dotted with centers of industry, commerce, and art…The full extent of this marvelous progress has not been recognized generally as it deserved…The American Stage ranks in importance with that of England and France…”
Jno. B. Jeffrey’s Guide and Directory was one of many innovations to come out of Chicago during the 1870s. At the time Chicago was in the process of rebuilding itself, reconstructing the downtown area after the Great Fire.
[Slide 7]
In 1871, disaster struck when fire ravaged 8.55 km2 of the downtown area, destroying 17,500 buildings and displacing 100,000 residents.
[Slide 8]
Two decades later the City later hosted the 1893 World Fair. In addition to recognizing the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival, the Columbian Exposition showed the world that Chicago has risen from the ashes victorious.
[Slide 9]
The rebuilding of the Chicago drew hundreds of thousands of tradesmen to the Midwest. 10,000 building permits were issued between 1872 to 1879. Chicago quickly became an American Hub of Economic and Industrial Innovation.
[Slide 10]
The rebuilding of Chicago coincided with shifts in immigration. There were three waves of immigration during the 19th century. The first wave primarily consisted of people England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Europe. The second wave included an increased number of people from western and central Europe. The third wave lasted from the end of the 19th century into the early 20th century, and mainly consisted of people from Eastern Europe and Russia. With access to western lands and opportunities, immigrants arrived in Chicago by droves.
[Slide 11]
The distribution of immigrants also radically changed as the country’s transportation network shifted to include railroads.
[Slide 12]
There was a demographic shift by the mid 19th-century from an earlier immigration wave primarily composed of those from the British Isles and northern Europe to western and central Europe by the mid-19th-century. This shift, occurred as the railroad network exponentially increased, distributing new groups of immigrants into the interior of North America.
[Slide 13]
By the mid-nineteenth century there was a dramatic increase in German immigrants. An 1874 Harper’s Weekly illustration featured Germans boarding a steamer for the United States. German emigration peaked between 1881 and 1885, when a million Germans arrived, many settling in the Midwestern United States.
[Slide 14]
Even today, we can trace the second wave German immigrants through the lives of their descendants. Here is a 2010 tracing the largest ancestry by county in the United States. There remains a large red swath that cuts across the country, known as the German Belt.
[Slide 15]
By 1890, 80% of all Chicago’s citizens were either foreign born or children of immigrants. From a Theatre History perspective, this made Chicago a melting pot of stage craft.
[Slide 16]
Two distinct scene painting traditions dominated the production of painted illusion in Chicago at this time – The English method of transparent glazing (left-side image) and the Continental Method of opaque washes (right-side image).
[Slide 17]
On the left, is an example of the English Method; a painted detail by William Thompson Russell Smith (1812-1896) for the Thalian Hall in Wilmington, North Carolina, in 1858. This was the stylistic approach employed by many scenic artists in eastern theaters, including Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and along the eastern seaboard.
On the right, is an example of the Continental Method; a painted detail by James E. Lamphere for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, in 1879. Note that the shape in the left image is defined by a successive layer of dark glazes, while the image on the left uses light on dark to define the shape.
[Slide 18]
These two “schools of scenic art” – translucent glazes and opaque washes – were publicly argued for, and against, in nineteenth-century newspapers and periodicals. In 1881, the British periodical, The Building News and Engineering Journal, published an article entitled “Secrets of the Scene Painter.” It simply stated, “The English school in which the greatest advances have been made, use thin glazes” and “The German, French and Americans use opaque washes, or, as it is usually expressed work in “body colour.” This 1881 article suggests that the adoption of the Continental method by many American scenic artists had already taken place by this time. In 1889, another article published in The Theatre Magazine (W. J. Lawrence, July 13, 1889) lamented the loss of the English tradition, “the days of glazing and second painting are gone forever. What matters is that the adoption of the broadest system of treatment possible – working slapdash fashion in full body colors.” In 1891, the San Francisco Call “English scenic artists as a class possess a breadth and freedom of style that are unequaled by those of any other nationality. These qualities, which are the highest excellences in scene painting, are especially noticeable in their landscapes, which are simply unapproachable, possessing, as they do at once a beauty, a realism and a fidelity to nature which we look for in vain in the work of the scenic artists of any other land” (A. Palmer, Feb 22, 1891).
[Slide 19]
Interestingly, the English tradition of frame painting remained the preferred method in the United States until the 1920s. Here is an illustration of American scenic artists for Harper’s Weekly in 1878; this was the first year that he started working for the publication. At the time, Graham was a well-known in Chicago as a scenic artist. He was later named the official artist for Chicago’s 1893 World Fair.
[Slide 20]
Here are two examples that illustrate the differences between the English method of painting on a vertical frame and the Continental method of painting on the floor. The Nineteenth-century American scenic artists favored the use of vertical frames. Much had to do with the design of the theaters allowing scenic artists to only access their work from the stage, there was simply not enough floor space, even after scenic studios built their own structures. The scenic artists worked on fixed or movable bridges above the stage.
[Slide 21]
I always include images of women painting in my presentations, as they were often left of the history books. As with people of color, they were present, just not counted. The left image shows Grace Wishaar painting in America, ca. 1902. The right image is from the 1927 publication The Continental Method of Scene Painting.
[Slide 22]
It is important to understand that both floor and frame painting necessitated a It is important to understand that both floor and frame painting necessitated a different approach. Although both used distemper paint and similar brushes, each approach determined the economy of brushwork. Here is an example of floor painting in the Continental Method, featuring French scenographer Auguste Rubè (1815-1899).
[Slide 23]
Here is an example of the English Method featuring American scenic artist Thomas Gibbs Moses (1856-1934). I paint both up and down, recognizing that each tradition has its strengths. That being said, as an aging artist, I recognize that I will be able to paint on a frame far longer than I will be able to paint on the floor.
[Slide 24]
Distemper paint was the traditional artistic medium for the stage, solely consisting of only two ingredients: pure color (dry pigment) and binder (diluted hide glue).
[Slide 25]
Dry pigment powder was transformed into wet pulp prior to mixing it with a binder.
[Slide 26]
Hide glue requires cooking and is diluted with water to create size. Strong size was applied to the fabric, preparing the fibers for paint. Strong size was further diluted to create working size, also known as size water, for the distemper painting process.
[Slide 27]
Here is an example of an American scenic artist’s palette, filled with bowls of pigment paste. The paste and size water were mixed together on the artist’s palette, then immediately applied to the fabric. This remained the standard methodology for North American scenic art until the mid-twentieth century.
[Slide 28]
The scenic artist had to intimately know each color, as the wet paint applied to a backdrop would dry several shades lighter. In a sense, the artist worked solely from memory. Here is an example of wet distemper paint placed next to the same color once dried.
[Slide 29]
A strategic combination of colors applied by a skilled hand resulted in stunning compositions, that transported generations of theatre audiences to distant locations. Distemper paint is quite different from the pre-mixed paints used by Contemporary scenic artists as it fully permeates each underlying later; there is not a continued build-up with each successive layer paint.
[Slide 30]
Very little pigment is needed for the distemper painting process. This means that many distemper backdrops could function as translucencies. The image on the right is the same urn viewed from the backside of the drop. The original paint layer was quite thin, creating opportunities for backlighting. This also means that distemper scenes could be easily folded and packed in touring trunks.
[Slide 31]
Here is a detail from a distemper drop that I painted for the Haymarkt Opera Co. for L’amant anonyme (Chicago, 2022). When lit from behind, an entirely new range of colors is revealed, affecting the atmosphere of the scene without the necessity of colored lights.
[Slide 32]
To date, have written hundreds of biographies about American scenic artists, tracing their lineage to various countries. For today’s presentation, I am briefly going to touch on Harley Merry who painted in the English tradition in New York.
[Slide 33]
Harley Merry was the stage name for Ebenezer Brittain (1844-1914). Brittain began his theatrical career as both an actor and scenic artist. He worked in the theaters of London, Norfolk, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. It is relatively easy to trace his early career in newspapers from the time. In 1864, he married Louisa Maria Raven Rowe (1843-1915), who went by the stage name Adelaide Russell or Roselle.
[Slide 34]
After emigrating in 1869, the Merry’s worked all over the country, with Harley Merry painting scenery for theaters in New Orleans, St. Louis, Memphis, Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York.
[Slide 35]
Merry permanently settled in New York, where he operated an extremely successful studio until his passing in 1914. He was also a major influence in amusement park attractions, especially those on Coney Island in New York, as well as producing scenery for early Edison films. He was extremely influential in the development of American Theatre from both a performance and production perspective.
[Slide 36]
In America, Merry helped establish the Actor’s Order of friendship, joining Edwin Booth and Lawrence Barrett in 1888 to lobby congress against the importation of foreign productions.
[Slide 37]
He was also instrumental in the establishment of the American Society of Scene Painters in 1892. It was organized in Albany, New York, with the executive staff including Richard Marston (Palmer’s Theatre), Henry E, Hoyt (Metropolitan Opera House), Homer F. Emens (Fourteenth Street Theatre), Sydney Chidley (Union Square Theatre), Harley Merry (Brooklyn Studio) Brooklyn and Ernest Albert (Albert, Grover & Burridge). This group truly represents the English Tradition in American scenic art.
Three years later, the American Society of Scene Painters gave rise to the Protective Alliance of Scene Painters of America. In 1895, Merry was elected the organization’s first president and members included scenic artists from all over the country, representing both the English and Continental traditions. In short, it prevented stage employees from handling any scenery except that painted by members of the Alliance, stirring up excitement among English managers.
In 1896 when members gathered in their lodge rooms to install officers, the following statement was recorded: “If George Edwards brings a shipload of scenery from England to America, he will not be able to get a scene shifter or carpenter in New York to handle it, and the orchestra will not even play slow music. For that matter, no piece of scenery painted by a non-union man will be handled in any of the large cities in this country. We have to protect ourselves against the hordes of fresco men who dabble for a farthing, and some of the managers who care nothing for the art, but only for making money.”
Members included George Becker, Moses Bloom, Harry Byrnes, Sydney Chidley, James Fox, W. Crosbie Gill, Frank King, Richard Marston, Harley Merry, John A. Merry, Thomas G. Moses, Arthur Palmer, Seymour D. Parker, Frank Platzer, W. T. Porter, Adolf T. Reinhold, John Rettig, John W. Rough, Horace N. Smith, Orville L. Story, Howard Tuttle, A. G. Volz, Harry Weed, and David W. Weil were just a few of the participants actively involved in the establishment of the alliance.
This organization truly bridged the gap between the two schools of scene painting. Scenic artists across the country united for a common cause.
[Slide 38]
In addition to Merry’s legislative legacy, his artistic legacy continued from one generation to the next. One brief example was the studio established by two of his students – Walter Burridge and Ernest Albert, who partnered with Oliver Dennet Grover in 1890 to construct an astonishing scenic studio by 1891 measuring almost 4500 square meters. Brochures noted, “After a scene is painted, it can be hung, set and lighted in an open space – [the space, measuring] the full size of any stage in the country, so that a manager can not only inspect it as an entirety, and thus suggest alterations, but he can bring his company to the studio and rehearse with the new scenery.” They went bankrupt in two years.
[Slide 39]
This was a period in American Theatre History denoting a distinct shift in the manufacture and distribution of painted scenery. There was a transition from scenery being painted by itinerant scenic artists on site to scenic studio artists mass-producing and shipping scenery by rail.
[Slide 40]
No American scenic studio better exemplifies this shift that Sosman & Landis. Joseph S. Sosman and Perry Landis met and began working as itinerant artists in 1876. By 1879, they saved enough money to open a scenic studio in Chicago. Between the summers of 1881 and 1882, the firm delivered scenery to 74 theaters across the country, then established regional offices New York, Detroit, Kansas City, and St. Louis.
The success of Sosman & Landis was based on a stream of highly skilled scenic artists with national reputations coming in to do what they did best, and then leaving. This cut down on the studio’s overhead, while securing name-recognition from the beginning. Early on, the reputation of the firm was linked to the individual reputations of their scenic artists and stage mechanics.
Over time, the studio became a factory, with a main studio staff, annex studio staffs during times of high productivity, and road crews that painted some installation on site. By 1894 they had delivered scenery to 4,000 stages. Their catalogue that year announced, “Our Artists are selected with reference to their special abilities. Some excel in designing and painting drop curtains, others in landscapes, and other in interior scenes; so, we divide our work that each is given what he can do.”
[Slide 41]
In 1902, Sosman & Landis advertised that they had delivered scenery to more than 6,000 stages in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Carribean, and South Africa. The firm produced painted spectacle for a variety of popular entertainment, including moving panoramas, cycloramas, grand circus spectacles Wild West shows, amusement park attractions, industrial exhibits, charity events, and more. They knew stage craft and how to produce painted spectacle well.
[Slide 42]
During their reign, Chicago became the largest theatrical manufacturer and supplier in the country. They also diversified their business interests. In the 1890s, Sosman and Landis established the American Reflector & Lighting Company, as well as the theatrical management firm of Sosman, Landis & Hunt; the ran theaters and stock companies. Sosman and Landis even purchased manufacturing firms, such as the Tennessee Pottery Co., to directly source materials for lighting equipment.
[Slide 43]
Over the past few decades, I have identified 113 Sosman & Landis employees, tracing their lives and careers. Although this is only a small fraction of their total employees, it exhibits an unprecedented diversity in the American Theatre industry. The Sosman & Landis scenic studio was the proverbial melting pot of stage craft, a successful blend of old-world traditions and new world innovation. Here is a list of nineteen Sosman & Landis scenic artists who were born overseas in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Denmark, Sweden, and the Germany Empire (Prussia and Bavaria).
[Slide 44]
Here is a list of thirteen 1st-generation scenic artists, the children of emigrants who were Bavarian, Polish, Czech, Dutch, English, French, and German. Again, these are the artistic who are confirmed, representing a small fraction of the complete employee total.
[Slide 45]
With a corresponding map, so you can see the specific region.
[Slide 46]
Seventeen employees came from families who had been in the country for quite some time, but they had been raised in the east; in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. These scenic artists trained in the English Method.
[Slide 47]
With a corresponding map, so you can see the specific region.
[Slide 48]
Thirty-five scenic artists were born and raised in the Midwestern States of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska; a hodge podge collection of descendants representing the United Kingdom and Europe; many raised on a farm, or the children of local merchants. These individuals became scenic artists, trained in both the English and Continental methods. Many were trained in the hybrid method, using opaque washes on a vertical paint frame.
[Slide 49]
With a corresponding map, so you can see the specific region. Please keep in mind that these slides of lists do not include the dozens of stage carpenters, seamstresses, salesmen, or office staff who worked at Sosman & Landis in Chicago or many of the branch offices. The slides also failed to include those who never make the news; underrepresented communities, and those people of color who were passing for white.
[Slide 50]
Statistically, thousands of scenes painted by nineteenth-century scenic artists remain scattered across North America, with many now tucked away in storerooms, under stages, or above auditorium rafters. They are primary sources for future generations of theatre scholars and practitioners to study. These historic artifacts not only represent the legacy of American scenic artists, but also the legacy of immigrant artists and their homelands.
Sosman & Landis were listed as “scenic artists of Chicago” by 1877 but did not permanently move to Chicago until 1879.
Years later, Landis described the the firm’s early years in a Dramatic Mirror interview. He explained, “…we had to decide whether New York of Chicago was to be the field of operations.”
The reporter asked: “Why did you choose Chicago. New York is surely a more lucrative field?”
Landis: “I know it is, but when we started, we were totally unknown, and New York presented a good deal of formidable competition. It’s the name you want in our business, and, at that time, we hadn’t got it. Since then, it has come, and we’re doing as much business as we can handle.”
They made a good choice. In 1880 Sosman & Landis was the only listing under the “Artists (Scenic)” section of the Chicago Directory.
Sosman &. Landis did not permanently move to Chicago until 1879. Landis described this early period of their partnership:
“Sosman and I went from town to town doing what jobs we could get, and saving all the money we could. By-and-bye we had saved enough to start in business seriously.” Starting in business “seriously” meant renting a studio space in Chicago. Prior to this time, their work was all completed on site. For example, in 1877, all of the scenery for the new opera house in Wilmington, Ohio, was painted at the theater. Wilmington’s new entertainment venue was located above the town hall.
City Hall, Wilmington, Ohio
The history of Wilmington’s public hall is included in The History of Clinton County Ohio (W. H. Beers and Co., 1882, p. 527-528).
Here is the entry about the Hall in The History of Clinton County Ohio:
“WILMINGTON PUBLIC HALL.
On the 17th day of March, 1876, the Council authorized an election to decide the question of levying a tax for the purpose of erecting a public hall and engine house. The election was held April 3, 1876, and resulted in a vote of 383 to 146 in favor of the enterprise. A special act of the Legislature was passed March 17, 1877, authorizing the Council to issue bonds not exceeding. in amount $15,000, and to levy a tax not to exceed 2 1/2 mills on the dollar valuation of the taxable property of the village. The first stone in the hall was laid on Friday, May 25, 1877, by Robert McMillan, and the building was completed in the spring of 1878. It is an imposing structure two stories high, with a mansard slate roof. The front is formed of three towers extending to the roof. The middle tower is surmounted with a small belfry, beautiful in design and finish, and in each roof of the other towers are two dormer windows. The front presents a number of ornaments of freestone and galvanized iron. On the outside walls on either side, are five buttresses extending from the ground to near the top of the building, four of which culminate, after making two offsets, in as many chimneys. On the first floor of the building are eight rooms as follows: East half, front room, Mayor’s office; middle room, for township purposes; rear room, Council chamber, west half occupied by the Fire Department; large room in front, engine room; three rooms in the rear occupied as a residence by the engineer. The second story entire comprises the auditorium. Across the rear end of the auditorium is a gallery. The building is lighted by gas and heated by hot air.
The contract for building the hall was awarded to Messrs. Fisher & Hughes for $16,980, and they sublet the brick and stone work to McMillan Bros.; the galvanized iron and slating to Farquhar & Sparks, and the painting to Griffin & Gustin: The plastering was clone by P. J. Murphy, under employment of the contractors. The plans and specifications were drawn up by William M. Cleveland, architect; but in the course of the construction of the building, some changes were rendered necessary, and the cost of the building was increased to $18,399.49. The scenery, chandeliers, etc., increased the above sum, and the total cost of the building as it stood at its completion was $20,006.52. There are chairs in the auditorium for over six hundred persons, and sufficient seats in the gallery for 250 more; but 1,200 persons can be accommodated without much crowding. The stage scenery is attractive, the chandeliers of a new and beautiful pattern, and the whole audience room is commodious and beautiful. Taking it all in all, the hall is a model one. For outside show, the building is an imposing one, not overdone in the way of decorations, but tasteful and attractive. The hall was formally opened and dedicated tinder the direction of the Town Council on the evening of Thursday, April 18, 1878, with the following programme:
Music, by Wilmington orchestra; Anthem, by choir; Music, by orchestra; Address. Presentation of the hall by Mayor Hayes; Address. Reception of hall by W. B. Telfair, Esq.; Music by orchestra.
In consideration of $2,000 paid by the Trustees of Union Township to the village of Wilmington, the latter granted them a perpetual lease on the room heretofore described as occupied by them for township purposes.
Work was plentiful for scenic artists at this time. In addition to the construction of new opera houses, many public buildings were either being constructed with theater spaces or renovated to include theatrical stages. This meant that scenic artists began working for city councils; a relationship that often led to other painting projects in the vicinity. Announcements of an artist’s arrival in town to paint scenery almost read like an advertisement.
On Dec. 20, 1877, Clinton Republican of Wilmington, Ohio, reported, “The Town Council have contracted with Messrs. Sosman & Landis, scenic artists of Chicago, for the painting of a drop curtain and seven scenes for the stage of the new Town Hall. These gentlemen will begin the work about the 1st of January, and it will take them some six weeks to two months to complete the job. They come highly recommended, and no doubt will do such good work as will add to the general attractiveness of the capacious and beautiful Auditorium” (page 3). A description of the stage was included in the 1882 issue of The Jno. B. Jeffrey’s Guide and Directory to the Opera Houses, Theatres, Public Halls, Bill Poster, Etc. of the Cities and Towns of America:
“Size of stage, 20×30, Seating capacity, 1,200. Eight sets of scenery” (pg. 238).
For geographical context, Wilmington, Ohio, is located only 50 miles northeast of Cincinnati, Ohio. The two remained in Wilmington for two full months.
On Feb. 28. 1878, the Clinton Republican reported, “Messrs. Sosman & Landis, Scenic Artists, have completed the work of scene making for the stage of the new City Hall, and the same has been accepted by the Council. All who have seen the work of these gentlemen express themselves as surprised at the superior characters of the scenery and the near approach of the completion of the Hall only adds to the general commendations as to its beauty and excellence every way” (page 3). The dedication of the hall took place on Thursday, April 18, 1878.
While working in Wilmington, Landis took the opportunity to visit the nearby town Lebanon, Ohio. Lebanon was approximately 24 miles away toward the west, a little closer to Cincinnati. Landis was accompanied by Robert McMillan, builder of Wilmington’s city hall, and local clothier W. H. Rannels. On Feb. 7, 1878, Clinton Republican (page 2). A short article from the Lebanon Gazette was republished in the Clinton Republican reporting, “Messrs. W. H. Rannels, Robert McMillan and Perry Landis were here from Wilmington, on Wednesday last, for the purpose of looking through their new hall. Mr. Landis, a scenic artist of rare accomplishments, and is engaged at present, in ornamenting the hall at Wilmington. These gentlemen expressed themselves well pleased, with the grand outside appearance and exterior arrangements of our hall.”
Sosman & Landis’ 1878 scenery installation was remembered when Landis returned to town three years later. On Jan. 27, 1881, the Clinton Republican reported, “Perry Landis, of the firm Sosman & Landis, the gentlemen who furnished scenery for our City Hall. Has been in town the past few days. He proposes, provided the Council are willing, to place an extra curtain in the front of the stage at the hall, free of charge, the pay to come from advertisers who have their cards inserted on the margin” (page 3). Landis was peddling an advertising curtain. Instead of solely approaching theater owners to purchase scenery, the firm now solicited local business owners. The businesses paid for ad spaces, the income covering the price of the painted scene.
Advertising Curtains
Example of a advertising curtain sketch with proposed business spaces. University of Minnesota Libraries, Performing Arts Archives. https://umedia.lib.umn.edu/item/p16022coll116:116
Advertising curtains for theaters were a profitable extension of business charts and signage.
The sale of advertising curtains marks is a significant moment in the development of Sosman & Landis. These projects guaranteed payment in advance and significant profits. They were guaranteed work for sign painters wishing to transition into the world of scenic art.
The first scenic artist on staff at Sosman & Landis in 1880 was Thomas G. Moses. Moses recalled that advertising drop curtains were a mainstay for the firm before his hire that year. In 1880, Moses wrote, “My first work was to go to Kenosha, Wisconsin, and start the first job of scenery that Sosman & Landis ever did. Up until this job they had been doing nothing but advertising drop curtains.”
Thomas G. Moses, pictured in the Inter Ocean on Feb. 26, 1886. He was 30 years old at the time.
Moses’ statement is not entirely accurate as Sosman & Landis had delivered stock scenery collections prior to moving to Chicago. However, when Moses was hired in 1880, the focus of the firm may have been advertising curtains, as the projects guaranteed payment in advance. Low risk and high profit helped offset the expenses of leasing a studio in Chicago. Moses painted dozens of advertising curtains prior to joining Sosman & Landis. For example, in 1877, Moses was paid $160 to paint and advertising curtain, a two-week project. For context, $160 in 1877 is equivalent to $4650 in 2023.
Sosman transitioned from painting business charts to advertising curtains between 1875 and 1877. In 1875, Sosman and his previous partner, J. C. Blaine, painted several business charts for local post offices. On Nov. 4, 1875, the two were mentioned in the Fairfield Ledger for painting “the most beautiful and attractive business chart ever seen in Fairfield.” The article reported, “In size it is 8×16 feet, and contains the business cards of about twenty of Fairfield’s businessmen. The chart is made of wood, securely fastened to the wall. The cards are beautifully and artistically finished in oil. The work is very creditable to the artists, Messrs. Sosman & Blain, who handsomely painted the scenery at Semon’s Opera House.” They painted a similar chart for the post office in Washington, Iowa.
On Dec. 17, 1875, the Washington Gazette listed “Sausman [sic. Sosman] & Blaine – New style of advertising” in the “New Advertisements section (page 3). The article about their endeavor reported:
“New Style of Advertising.
The center attraction to the crowds who visit the post office is the new and elegant advertising bulletin recently put three by Messrs. Sausman & Blaine, the scenic artists and commercial advertisers who have just completed the painting of the scenery for “Everson’s Opera Hall.” The work throughout stamps them as first-class artists in their line, and the bulletin is certainly the handsomest, neatest and most attractive thing we ever saw in the line of advertising. It is painted on canvas, in oil colors, and in size is 8 x 16 feet. The cards. Twenty-five in number, are beautifully and artistically designed and are ornamented with the names and businesses of twenty-five of Washington’s most enterprising and wide-awake businessmen. The whole number of cards were taken the first day, and numerous applicants for cards were made after the required number was obtained, which pointedly shows that our business men know how to appreciate a good thing when they see it, but Messrs. S & B have made an imperative rule to take as advertisers but one firm in each distinctive branch of business, and erect but one bulletin of twenty-five cards in each city, and have adopted as their motto ‘first come, first served,” hence but first-class advertisements have or will be taken. In conclusion, we can heartily endorse Messrs. Sausman & Blaine as gentlemen who fulfill their contracts satisfactorily in every respect, and we wish them success and bespeak for them the liberal patronage which their work deserves, wherever they go.”
City Hall, Elyria, Ohio
Map of Elyria with image of Town Hall in lower left-hand corner, 1868.
Elyria Town Hall became home to the opera house after a renovation in 1878.
Elyria Town Hall was home to the opera house after renovation in 1878.
In the fall of 1878, Sosman & Lands delivered scenery to a theater in Elyria, Ohio. Their project was mentioned in Sosman’s hometown of Macomb, Illinois. On Dec. 26, 1878, The Macomb Journal mentioned Sosman in the “Personals” section.
The article reported, “Jos. S. Sosman returned, Friday last, from Elyria, Ohio, where he has been engaged for some time, painting the scenery for a new Opera House. He came straight to the JOURNAL office and divided the fruits of his toil. Mr. Sosman, as a scenic artist, is gaining a reputation that extends beyond the State, and he deserves it, for few artists decorate the interior of theaters than that self-same Joe” (page 3). Sosman was working at the refurbished town hall in Elyria. A new addition was added to the building, completed that September. Elyria’s town hall was listed in Jno. B. Jeffrey’s Guide and Directory to the Opera Houses, Theatres, Public Halls, Bill Poster, Etc. of the Cities and Towns of America. The following description of the stage was included:
“Size of stage, 30×40. Seating capacity, 1,000. Seated with chairs. Fourteen sets of scenery” (pg. 222).
Elyria Opera House building pictured on a postcard.
For geographical context, Elyria is located just six miles from Lake Erie, approximately 20 miles from Cleveland. Elyria City Hall was built in 1867 and is still standing. During extensive renovations in 1878 the second floor was converted to an elaborate opera house, and this was when Sosman painted scenery for the venue. After the building was repeatedly repurposed and renovated, it is once again the home to City Hall. This was their last project before leasing a permanent space in Chicago.
Moving to Chicago
By the onset of 1879, Sosman and Landis accumulated enough funds to establish a studio in Chicago, Illinois. On January 9, 1879, Indiana’s Rushville Republican, reported, “Perry Landis visited his father’s family in this place, a few days ago. We understand that he intends to locate to Chicago.”
On Feb 5, 1879, The Macomb Journal reported, “To quote the Independent ,’it never rains but it pores,’ and scarce were we over our perturbation at the leader of the Macomb Band going away, then came by post a letter from Joe S. Sosman, another member of same institution. Said letter directed us to send his paper in future to 277 South Clark street; and a card enclosed gives us information that Sosman & Landis have located their office as scenic artists within a block of the Grand Pacific, and for a time, at least, another horn will cease its sweet blow. The card of the firm says, ‘our references are strictly first class.’ You bet – there’s the JOURNAL, one of that class, that Joe, like Harker, can draw on at any time for all the reference or endorsement he wishes, and every draft will be honored at sight” (page 3). Sosman was part of the Macomb Coronet band, as was William “Bill” Harker, the lieutenant and leading horn.
Again, in the Dramatic Mirror interview, Landis explained why they picked Chicago to set up shop:
“…when we started, we were totally unknown, and New York presented a good deal of formidable competition. It’s the name you want in our business” (June 27, 1891, page 8).
Sosman & Landis’ established their first studio at 277 and 279 South Clark Street in Chicago, located on the northeast corner of Van Buren. An advertisement for the space was published in the Chicago Tribune on May 25, 1879 (page 1). It was a multi-purpose structure Isaac Marks of 277 rented a large store at No. 279 South Clark-st.
Advertisement for 279 S. Clark-st. from May 1879.
That fall, the same address same address was listed in the Amusements section of the Chicago Tribune as the venue for “J. W. Couch’s Menagerie” (20-21 Nov 1879, page 2). On Nov. 23, 1879, the Chicago Daily Telegraph announced, “J. W. Couch’s Menagerie, Museum and Aquarium, 277 and 279 South Clark-st. Admission, 10 cents; children under 12, 5 cents. Fifty cages of live animals; 25 living alligators, 2 performing buffalo, herds of antelopes, hundreds of curiosities, dens of wonderful reptiles, Prof. Dun Bar with his forty performing canary birds, are among the many great features of this week” (page 8).
Last listing includes Sosman & Landis’ studio address in 1879 – the same location used by J. W. Couch’s Menageri at 277 and 279 South Clark-st.
Sosman & Landis offered mail order scenery, publishing a list of available scenes. On May 17, 1879, an advertisement in Chicago Tribune on May 17, 1879, stated that their painted scenes were “suitable for small halls or amateur societies” and could be shipped to any part of the country.
Sosman & Landis 1879 Advertisement with scenery prices.
This same advertisement gave pricing for the most common stage settings:
Elegant landscape drop-curtain, $30
Parlor scene, $18
Wood scene, $18
Street scene, $18
Kitchen scene, $15
Prison scene, $15
For context, $30 in 1879 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $910.09 in 2023. Now consider the $160 that was paid to Moses two years earlier to paint an advertising curtain.
Each continued to visit friends and family near Fairfield, as they continued to seek scenery contracts throughout the region. On July 9, 1879, the “Fairfield Ledger” announced “Perry Landis is on the streets this week” (page 5). Landis was likely on his way to their next project in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Dohany’s Opera House, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Dohany’s Opera House in Council Bluff
On July 22, 1879, The Daily Nonpareil of Council Bluffs, Iowa, announced, “Dohany’s Opera House will soon be supplied with a handsome new drop curtain and a number of new scenes. The work will be done by Mr. Perry Landis, of the firm Sosman & Landis, of Chicago, who is now in the city for that purpose. The drop curtain will be covered with an attractively painted business directory of the city” (page 4). In 1882, Dohany’s Opera House was listed in Jno. B. Jeffrey’s Guide and Directory to the Opera Houses, Theatres, Public Halls, Bill Poster, Etc. of the Cities and Towns of America. The following description of the stage was included:
“Size of stage, 31×44. Seating capacity, 800. Six sliding and eight rolling scenes.” A picture Dohany’s Opera House was included in the in the 1887 publication, Council Bluffs Iowa Illustrated.
Photograph of Dohany’s Opera House in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
In 1879, Landis returned twice to Freeport, Illinois, during the spring of 1879. Their potential client was the Wilcoxon Opera House. On April 17, and May 9, 1879, “Perry Landis, Chicago,” was listed in the Freeport Daily Bulletin as an arrival at the Brewster House in Freeport, Illinois. He was bidding against other scenic artists in the region for this lucrative contract.
By the end of summer, Landis once again returned to Fairfield, Iowa. On Aug 21, 1878, the Fairfield Ledger announced, “Perry Landis has been in town for several days” (page 6).
Although Landis helped Sosman paint in the beginning, he primary ran the firm’s office in Chicgao. He immediately hired his younger brother, Frank Landis. In 1879 Frank began working as a traveling salesman for the firm. On August 16, 1879, the Atchison Daily Patriot announced, “Frank Landis, representing the firm of Sosman & Landis, is in Atchison” (page 4). The firm was rapidly expanding its territory. Between the summer of 1881 and 1882, they would amass a staff and deliver scenery to 74 theaters. This was a far cry from the handful of stock sets produced between 1878 and 1879 when they were on the road.
As explained to the Dramatic Mirror in 1891, “Landis did not know anything about the painting part, but he took charge of the business while Sosman wielded the brushes.” Sosman was the artistic visionary, working as the firm’s art director. Although he was a skilled scenic artist, Sosman sought out better-known names, understanding that “It’s the name you want in our business.”
When Sosman & Landis first arrived in Chicago they were not well-known. They needed to use the names of other artists to get work and move ahead in the business. That was one of the many reasons that Sosman first hired Thomas G. Moses. Moses had already made inroads in the scenic art world and was recognized throughout the region.
As business continued to increase, the studio staff was rapidly expanded. Nationally-recognized scenic artists and stage carpenters were brought on board, with Landis making sure their credential and association with Sosman & Landis made headlines. Landis truly understood the power of the press.
