A reporter from Chicago’s “Inter Ocean” interviewed
Walter Burridge on June 8, 1902 (page 42). His interview took place while Burridge
worked on the stage set for “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz;” the production opening
at the Grand Opera House. This is a great snapshot of information pertaining to
his approach to a design and the production process.
Walter Burridge, from the “Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 6 Sept. 1905, page 22.
“How Scenic Work is Done.
“How does the scene painter go to work on a new
production? “ Mr. Burridge smiled at this question. “I don’t known just how to
begin explaining,” he said. “There are so many details that it is a hard matter
to explain. Suppose, however, that a manager tells me he has decided to produce
a play or opera or a description of the scenes furnished by the author. In such
a lay-out there is a detailed write-up of the action, as to whether a character
enters through a door and jumps over a cliff. These points are called the
practical notes, the artist making a careful study of the play and noting all
the important points, action, and locality, the period, time of day, etc.
“If possible the studies are made on the ground, and
should the scene be laid in the present time and in a place easily accessible
to the artist he obtains photographs and makes studies and sketches. When Mr.
Hamlin put on “Arizona,” three summers ago at the Grand he sent Frederick
Remington and myself to Aravalpa valley, and a delightful pilgrimage we had,
positively one of the most enjoyable artistic experiences in my artistic
career.
“In the case of “The Wizard of Oz,” however, the story is
laid in fairyland, so I am obliged to draw from my imagination for the scenes
to fit the action of the play. First of all I make a ground plan of each act
and the separate scenes, drawing a diagram on a scale of one-inch to the foot.
On this scale I draw the different parts of the scenes on cardboard, finishing
the model in watercolor, pastel, charcoal, or sometimes simply in pencil. When
the different parts are ready and cut out they are fitted and glued together
upon the line of the ground plan upon a miniature stage, the front of which is
modeled in shape like a proscenium opening of a theater. The model is a reduced
copy of the stage setting, so that one realizes the relative proportions in
color and composition.
“At the Paris Exposition, the scene model exhibit was one
of the features of the fair, being a picture history of the theater in France
for a hundred years. The creation of the scene and the model is one of the most
interesting of the many processes that constitute the scene painter’s art. The
uninitiated in the theatrical world would be surprised to see the odds and ends
used in the make-up of a model – glue, pieces of coal, clay, plaster of Paris,
sticks, wire, gauze, muslin, and colored gelatins. In one of the scenes of “The
Wizard of Oz,” the entire depth of the stage will be used to represent the
approach to the throne room of the Wizard, and it will be lighted with hundreds
of illuminated globes. In making my model I was obliged to use small pearls to
indicate the globes. The time spent with the models pays in the end. With a
complete model one thoroughly understands the practicalities of the scene, its
color, lighting, etc., and changes are easy to make. To re-make and alter the
scene proper, however, would entail an enormous amount of expense.
“After my models have been approved they were given to
the master carpenter who superintends their construction, builds the scenes and
delivers them to the artist to be painted. The different sections of scenery
are taken from the carpenter shop to the paint-room or ‘bridge.’ The paint
frame I am now using is the largest in this country. It is seventy-five feet
long and forty feet high, and it is lowered and raised by water power along the
rear wall of the stage of the Auditorium. The carpenter attaches to this frame
the different portions of scenery to be painted. Drops are tacked on the paint
frame, which are then raised to a level with the paint bridge floor. The
assistants then ‘prime’ a canvas with a coating of glue and whiting, and
artists begin work with charcoal placed in a crayon-holder on the end of a
stick, observing the proportions as they appear in the model. The artist, as a
rule, paints by daylight, so he must make allowance for the effect of
artificial light on his colors. He must make his tones stronger because the calcium
and footlights invariably bleach them out, and when a daylight effect is called
for of a moonlight one he must allow for the lighting-up of the scene as the
time and action differ in each set or scene. “Yellow or amber light dominates
the daylight effects; blue is the tone for moonlights-green is used by some,
but I prefer blue, as experience has taught me that a green tone tends to make
the faces of the characters appear ghastly.”
In 1914 Sosman & Landis created scenery for the Ringling
Bros. grand circus spectacle “Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.” Over a decade
earlier, the John Robinson circus also included “King Solomon and the Queen of
Sheba” at a circus spectacle. It
provided a rich and popular subject for a variety of nineteenth-century and
twentieth century entertainment venues.
King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba circus spectacle advertised in the “Wichita Beacon,” 18 Aug 1900, page 5.John F. Robinson and his circus spectacle “King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba” from the “Knoxville Sentinel,” Oct 15, 1903.
The King Solomon story was also staged for Ancient and
Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry degree productions at this time. Masonic designs included a variety of settings
from King Solomon’s reign, including the Temple, Sanctum Sanctorum, his private
apartments, audience chambers, and the throne room. The story of the construction of King
Solomon’s Temple was a subject dramatically presented in both Blue Lodge rooms
and on Scottish Rite stages as part of their ceremonials. The construction of the Temple and the
assassination of its chief architect Hiram, are a prominent topic in Masonic
degree work. This story dramatically presented in lodge rooms was theatrically
staged for Scottish Rite degree work. Never exclusive to the Fraternity,
the reign of King Solomon was a popular subject for a variety of visual
spectacles throughout the nineteenth century.
King Solomon degree setting for Scottish Rite degree work by Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio, ca. 1904.
In past posts, I
have covered the subject of King Solomon on both public and private stages,
including two 1840s touring show that featured “Chemical Paintings,” also known
as “Magic Pictures.” These were small painted backdrops that transitioned from
day to night as the composition was alternatively lit from both the front and
back (see past installment #320). Newspapers at the time reported, “by modifying the light upon the picture, exhibits two
entirely distinct representations upon the same canvas” (The Times-Picayune, 20
Dec. 1842, page 3). The “Inauguration of
Solomon’s Temple” was one of four scenes that toured with the show.
Here is the 1842 description of “The Inauguration of Solomon’s Temple”
as published in “The Times-Picayune:”
“This painting represents the
magnificent Temple of Solomon, son of David, which he caused to be erected in
Jerusalem. Seen in the daytime, it exhibits to the spectacular the richness and
elegance of its exterior architecture. The same Painting soon after passes
through all the modifications of light: then night comes on, (effects obtained
by the decomposition of light, a new process of painting invented by Daguerre,)
the Temple appears illuminated interiorly by degrees, reflecting a bright light
exteriorly, which discovers a great multitude of people flocking to adore the
Ark of the Covenant, which the High Priest has deposited in the Tabernacle”
(New Orleans, December 29, 1842, page 3).
Any Mason who attended
the 1842 exhibit might leave full of ideas that could make the degree work in
my small lodge room better. The scenic effects exhibited at the end of a
darkened room suggested the possibilities for dramatic effects during degree
work. By the 1850s, the first Scottish Rite stages began to appear, with
painted settings and costumed figures under stage lights. Fast-forward a few
decades.
In 1891, a King
Solomon spectacle was a feature for the Piedmont Exposition in Atlanta, with nightly
performances from Tuesday until Saturday (Atlanta Constitution, 19 Oct 1891, page 6). Although
met with some controversy from the conservative Christian faction of the time,
a series of rebuttals supported the productions. It was a popular production.
By 1899, the King Solomon story was picked up by the John Robinson Circus.
Newspapers in 1900 announced “a magnificence of a scenic
spectacle of Solomon and Queen of Sheba” produced by the John Robinson Circus
(Marshall County Independent, Plymouth, Indiana, 25 May 1900, page 8). It was one of ten big shows that toured with
his circus Advertised as the oldest circus on the road in 1824; by 1900 the
third generation of John Robinson descendants advertised it as the Robinson
Show (Fort Scott Weekly, 9 Aug. 1900, page 8). The John Robinson Circus was one
of the oldest running family circuses in the United States. The four
generations that managed the circus were John Robinson I (1807 – 1888), John
F. Robinson II (1843 – 1921), John G. Robinson III (1872 – 1935) and
John G. Robinson IV (1893 – 1954). Here is a link to the circus’ history as it
is quite fascinating: http://www.circusesandsideshows.com/circuses/johnrobinsoncircus.html
Three of the four Robinsons who would run the Robinson Circus.
John Robinson
Circus advertisements promised, “Nothing Old But the Name” and the “Wichita
Daily Eagle” reported, “The most interesting feature in the performance that
the Robinson show has is the spectacular production of King Solomon, which was
especially beautiful under the dazzling lights in the evening. This part of the
show is gorgeously staged and in effect if like the great spectacle production
in America of 1893. Triumphal marches, to the music of trumpets, and an
acceptionally [sic.] good band, fifty or more girls attired in oriental
costume, a hundred on horses representing various clans and allies, correctly
costumes true to history, and later ballet and dancers, the story in pantomime
of the judgment of King Solomon on the parable of the babe claimed by two
women, and closing with the visit of the queen of Sheba, were all produced in
magnificent manner. The regular circus performance which followed contained
some old features always seen, but it also contained many new features and
original idea which makes the show more interesting than the simple old
fashioned circus” (Wichita Beacon, 18
Aug. 1900, page 5).
Advertisement for the John Robinson’s circus “King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba,” form From the “Ottawa Herald,” 5 Aug. 1900, page 5.
In 1900,
Robinsons Circus advertisements noted that the production included 1,000 men
and women, 500 horses, elephants, camels and 100 ballet dancers, transported
across the country in several trains of cars.
Furthermore, $2,000,000 was purportedly invested in the show. There were
“20,000 seats for 20,000 people under an absolutely water-proof canvas,” “40
camels hitched to a $20,000 Golden Chariot,” and “Forty Soul Stirring,
Fearless, Madly Ridden Hippodrome Races, Forty” (Wichita Beacon, 18 Aug. 1900,
page 5).
John Robinson Circus advertisement from the “Kingman Journal,” 10 Aug. 1900, page 6
By 1902, the
“Knoxville Sentinel” advertised the Robinson Circus, reporting, “The Bible
contains within its covers no pages so attractive in interest, so impressive in
description, so reverential and so expressive of divine devotion, so rand in
developments, as those which relate to King Solomon and his reign. It was a felicitous
thought, then of the celebrated artist, John Rettig, that led him to
contemplate the reign of Solomon as the subject for a spectacle, and to select
that period of Solomon’s administration when the king is visited by the Queen
of Sheba, as the theme for his grand and all overshadowing masterpiece of vast
spectacular presentations (15 Oct. 1902, page 2). A year later, the “Courier
Journal” added, “It was a wise thought of the celebrated artist John Rettig,
that led him to take the reign of Solomon as the subject for a spectacle” (23
April 1903, page 4). The Robinson Circus show was designed by Cincinnati scenic
artist John Rettig and directed by Charles Constantine. Rettig (1858-1932) was
a friend of Thomas G. Moses and the two traveled in the same circles.
John Rettig, scenic artist and design for the John Robinson Circus spectacle, “King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.” From his obituary notice, May 2, 1932, page 2.
“The Oswego
Independent” published, “The ‘Queen of Sheba’ was a sight to behold, Arrayed in
circus tinsel, with cheap finery and frippery, supposed to represent the
original in her journey to view the wonders and glories of King Solomon, she
was a sight never to be forgotten, and was a libel on the original, as word
painted in the scriptures” (Oswego, Kansas, 31 August 1900, page 3). The
“Newton Kansan” added, “The spectacular representation of scenes in connection
with the lives of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba was a novel feature and
was one of the best things in the show, but would be vastly improved if
shortened as it becomes tiresome” (17 Aug, 1900, page 1). Most reviews,
however, were pleased with the presentation. The “McPherson Weekly Republican,”
commented, “The presentation of King Solomon’s court, the temple and the
amusements of the ancient Hebrew court were a big surprise in excellence and
would have done credit to a large opera house performance” (24 Aug. 1900, page
7).
Of the
production, an advertisement in the “Wichita Daily Beacon” stated, “King Solomon
and Queen of Sheba. Dwarfing and overshadowing to comparative insignificance
interior and out door spectacular events of the era. Replete in sacred
realisms, historical accuracies, Biblical events, colossal processions, and
introducing all the ceremonies with the original pomp and splendor of the Court
of Solomon.” In 1929, the John Robinson Circus was still featuring “King
Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.”
1929 photograph of the John Robinson Circus for sale online. Note the costumes for the King Solomon circus spectacle.1929 photograph of Robinson’s Circus production “King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba” from the Library of Congress digital database. Here is the link: Circus tent pix source: https://www.wdl.org/en/ item/10696/view/1/1/Detail of 1929 photograph of Robinson’s Circus production “King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba” from the Library of Congress digital database. Here is the link: Circus tent pix source: https://www.wdl.org/en/ item/10696/view/1/1/
By 1914, spectacles
depicting King Solomon’s life were still a popular to many, including the thousands
of men who continued to tell the story in Masonic ceremonials. The Ringling
Brothers’ spectacle of “King Solomon,” however, was produced on a much grander
scale than any other circuses or fraternity. The Masonic settings at Scottish
Rite theaters paled in comparison with the grand spectacle at the circus, yet
the same scenic artists were painting the sets for each venue.
For the
past few posts, I have explored the appearance of Joy & Cannon Scenic Co., established
by Boyd P. Joy and Gerald V. Cannon in 1916. Joy founded a second studio only
two years later – Universal Scenic Studio. At the time, Cannon was enlisted in
the U. S. marine Corps as their first camouflage artist, therefore Joy &
Cannon Scenic Co. lay dormant, but it had not yet closed it doors. Joy &
Cannon Scenic Co. would sporadically continue business after the war and appear
in various newspapers throughout the 1920s.
In regard
to Universal Scenic Studio, the firm was first founded in South Dakota, but
moved to Minnesota by 1920, appearing in city directories. By 1928, Joy moved
Universal Scenic Studio, Inc. to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
An interesting article was published in the “Argus-Leader” on March 22, 1919: “Sioux Falls has an organization which is making a real contribution to making the theater of today different from the theater when it began. There wasn’t any scenery and the nobles who had seats slept through the plays; the rest of the populace stood up and used its imagination. The scenic artist of today has made possible the attractive drop curtains and varied rear and side drops which make for half the attractions of today. And the Universal Scenic Studio of Sioux Falls, on East Tenth Street, under the direction of Boyd P. Joy, is providing for this section of the northwest products of the best experience of a man who was for a number of years connected with the best studios of New York and since coming west a few years ago has become one of the recognized leaders in scenic art production. This institution is working with the National Engraving company, under the same management, with the engraving department continuing the work of Mr. Worsick and Mr. Williams, under the direction of W. P. Hamilton, formerly of the Chicago Evening Post engraving department and for 16 years connected successfully with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, News-Tribune, and Des Moines Register and Leader. The first big work the new company is anticipating is in the line of soldier souvenir books. The company reports 60 men in the field now collecting data and photos for these booklets. The building is being enlarged and within 90 days the managers claim they will have an up-to-date electrotyping plant in operation which will give employment to a number of people who will become permanent residents of Sioux Falls, and work with the new equipment being introduced to produce the best in art, with Sioux Falls the center of development.”
Boy P. Joy, picture in the 1919 “Argus-Leader” article
After Sioux
Falls, Joy returned to St. Paul and was listed the president of Universal
Scenic Studio, Inc. in the St. Paul City Directory. He then moved to Milwaukee,
still functioning as the president of Universal Scenic Studio. A catalog from
the Milwaukee branch of the Universal Scenic Studio was found among the
personal belongings of Victor J. Hubal, Sr. Hubal worked for both Joy &
Cannon Scenic Co. and Universal Scenic Studio in St. Paul. Lance Brockman copied
catalogue during the 1980s. I am including photographs of Brockman’s copy today.
Although some of the images are poor, it provides a good glimpse into Universal
Scenic Studio, Inc., Milwaukee.
Universal Scenic Studio, Inc. Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Universal Scenic Studio, Inc. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, “scene building department.”Universal Scenic Studio, Inc. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, “scene painting department.”Universal Scenic Studio, Inc. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, “scene painting department.”Universal Scenic Studio, Inc. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, “drapery department.”Universal Scenic Studio, Inc. Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Universal Scenic Studio, Inc. Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Universal Scenic Studio, Inc. Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The
prologue of the Milwaukee Universal Scenic Studio catalog states, “We make no
effort here to give you a great number of illustration of various designs for
stage scenes and sets; these may be had
on request. We aim to cover the stage equipment field from the time it
decided to build a stage, until it is completed, equipped and ready for use –
and to this end we offer in the following pages some important suggestions for
the correct construction of a properly built stage and methods of installation
stage equipment.”
The second
paragraph of the catalog’s Prologue addresses “Service,” stating, “An important
part of any business is its service to the buying public. Ours includes the
making of specifications covering stage scenery and operating equipment to fit
your individual stage and its special requirements. We make no charge for this
service. It is yours at request.”
In terms of
“Prices,” the catalog notes, “All stage scenery is made to fit the individual
requirements of and stage and price depends on size, materials and design. By
mailing us the enclosed blank properly filled out, you will enable us to quote
intelligently and definitely on your requirements.”
At the end
of the Universal Scenic Studios catalog, the “Epilogue” includes a personal
note from Boyd P. Joy, president of Universal Scenic Studio, Inc. of Milwaukee.
“We have
endeavored to make clear to you in the preceding pages – First, the importance of lighting – next, the desirability of properly equipping your stage with
curtains and scenery that is well designed, well made and correctly installed,
secured from a firm well and favorably known, that has a background of experience
and a plant capable of producing the very best obtainable in this line.
We
sincerely trust your trip through our studio – following the various processes
of the work from raw lumber to the finished product delivered and installed –
has been worth while and that we may have helped even in the smallest way to
clear up some lack of knowledge on your part as to what “Stage Scenery” is all
about. When we have done this we are repaid for our effort, but let us not drop
each other here. Remember we are anxious to help if we may and we solicit your
future inquiry and giving you of our most courteous consideration and prompt
response.
Thank you,
Universal Scenic Studio, Inc.
Boyd P. Joy
President”
Universal
Scenic Studio consistently appears in various articles over the next few decades,
surviving the Great Depression. They were often rewarded contracts after
submitting the lowest bid, completing with many other scenic studios at the
time, including the Twin City Scenic Co. of Minneapolis. Whether is was scenery
and stage machinery for city halls, public schools, opera houses, vaudeville
theaters, or fraternal buildings, Universal Scenic Studio managed to stay in
the game. Tomorrow, I will examine a Masonic job completed by Universal Scenic
Studios for Leavenworth, Kansas.
An advertisement curtain created by Universal Scenic Studio, St. Paul, Minnesota that was recently discovered during the spring of 2018.
While looking for additional information pertaining to
Thomas G. Moses’ Kansas exhibit at the 1911 Chicago Land Show, I came across an
interesting article about a panorama painted for the Omaha Land show that
opened in the Omaha Coliseum on October 16, 1911. It was the artist that caught
my eye, a new name for me. As I
researched his history and artistic philosophy, it prompted me to include him
in the storyline. Arts education for children and its benefits for society are
not a new concept, individuals have been fighting for the inclusion of art
classes in American public schools for over a century. What my generation once
took for granted, daily arts classes, metallurgy, or woodworking, is not
necessarily part of out children’s academic experience anymore.
Here is the article published in the “Daily Bee” that
initially brought George L. Schreiber to my attention (“Vale depicted in
Panorama,” Omaha, Nebraska, 11 October 1911, page 5):
“One of the first big exhibits for the Omaha Land Show which
opens in the Coliseum next Monday arrived from Salem, Ore. The displays are
representative of eight counties in the Willamette valley.
A novel and interesting feature will be the panoramic
painting depicting the characteristics of the fertile land in the valley. The
panorama was painted by George L. Schrieber, who is already here to install the
big canvas. As a painting it is a work of art and it is bound to attract much
attention. Electrical effects to show the variation of the light from the break
of day until sundown will make the canvas all the more realistic. W. T. Groves,
who will have charge of the soil products display from Willamette valley, has
arrived in Omaha and is awaiting the arrival of the exhibit. He will display
fruits, grasses, forage and garden products, demonstrating the wide diversity
of crops raised in his section of the country. In addition to the exhibit there
will be a lecturer here to give illustrated talks on the Willamette valley.”
In additional to this grand painting, the article continued,
“The Bolster-Trowbridge Company has announced that it will give away a carload
of grape juice to the visitors at the Land Show. The liquor will come from
California, where the company has large interests. The wines made in California
are regarded highly among connoisseurs and the Trowbridge-Bolster booth at the
Land show will no doubt be found every attractive to many visitors.”
Of Schrieber’s work, “The Statesman Journal” reported “a
representative of the Kansas City exposition was enthusiastic in his praises of
the display and was very anxious to have the same exhibition at Kansas City”
(Salem, Oregon, 7 Nov. 1911, page 1). There was a Land Show in Kansas City the
following year.
Little is known of Schreiber, beyond a dozen newspaper
article that provide a peak into his life in Chicago, and later, Salem, Oregon.
Although few, the story is compelling and tells of his passion to teach art. In
January 1894, Schreiber taught semi-weekly courses on the history of art at the
Chicago Art Institute( Inter ocean, 24, Dec. 1893, page 15), His classes were held
at the Newberry Library Center, using Mrs. D. K. Pearson’s collection of Braun
photographs. For the Columbian Exposition,
Schreiber was selected to do the painted decor for the Children’s Building,
illustrating the decorative movement in education (Chicago Tribune, 11,
February 1893, page 9). What is fascinating is that Schreiber’s work was
directed by a committee of kindergarteners.
In 1896, Schreiber was on the advisory committee of artists,
alongside James William Pattison and Caroline D. Wade for the juries of
selection and admission to the Chicago Institute of Art (Chicago Tribune, 26
July 1896, page 42). The following year, he exhibited several pieces at the
annual exhibition of the Cosmopolitan Club held in conjunction with the
chrysanthemum show at Battery D. He showed a large number of works combining
the figures of children in landscapes. The “Chicago Tribune” reported that
Schreiber also exhibited “a portrait of himself, a figure of a mother caressing
her child, and a fantasy of a Japanese girl surrounded by chrysanthemums” (7
Nov. 1897, 43).
The Children’s Building, Columbia Exposition, from the “Chicago Tribune,”11 Feb 1893, page 9 The Children’s Building, Columbia Exposition, from the “Chicago Tribune,”11 Feb 1893, page 9The Children’s Building, Columbia Exposition, from the “Chicago Tribune,”11 Feb 1893, page 9
It was his participation in the 1900 national conference for
the Mothers’ League in Chicago that caught my eye, however. Schreiber was one
of the featured speakers for the event and his topic was “What Shall Art Mean
to the Child?” (The Saint Paul Globe, 22 July 1900, page 21). For the remainder
of his life, Schreiber was an advocate for art, giving many lectures on the
benefits of art, not only on children, but also the life of the community. His
passion for arts education brought him to the public schools in Salem, Oregon.
By 1911, Mr. George L. Schreiber was listed as the
supervisor of drawing in the Salem public schools (The Capital Journal, Salem
Oregon, 22 Sept, 1911, page 5). His
assistant was Miss Virginia May Mann and the two were quite a pair, enriching
the lives of the area’s children. “The Capital Journal” reported that Salem is “probably
the only city in the state which the pupils are not required to buy textbooks
in drawing, the teacher himself being the textbook. The school board furnishes
the drawing paper, clay, charcoal, and materials for basketry, and the pupils
buy their own watercolors at the bookstores. Drawing is one of the most
practical and useful studies in the public schools, and one in which the pupils
are becoming more interested.” In addition to drawing, the pupils of the
grammar grades were taught sewing and woodwork, the former to the girls of the
seventh and eight grades, and the latter to the boys of these grades.
In a 1912 article, Professor George L. Schreiber delivered
an address to the men of the “Salem Six O’clock Club.” His talk explored the
influence of art and the effect it has on the life of the community. The speech
is really quite wonderful, especially with Schreiber’s primary point being,
“The child or the man who has once opened his eyes to beauty is safe to trust
because he thereby becomes a caretaker.” I believe that the sentiment holds
true today, especially when you look at the individuals who are attacking the
necessity of art in public education or any sort of funding for the arts. In
1912, Schreiber also addressed the beautification of public spaces, public
parks and the corresponding result of civic pride in one’s environment;
artistic endeavors enrich a community and bring individuals together. Schreiber’s
closing remarks in the “Salem Six O’Clock Club” speech stressed, “If we have
faith in our community, let us then invest it with our faith and clothe it with
beauty, and, in the years to come, when our heirs shall possess it they will
say, ‘Our fathers have builded well; they have given us a fair inheritance.”
We live in a time when the arts are a constant target. Will
our children and grandchildren feel that we have given them a “fair
inheritance.” I hope so.
In 1911, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Some more work at Memphis,
Tenn., Masonic.” Sosman & Landis delivered additional scenery two years
after the initial installation. In 1909, Moses recorded that Sosman &
Landis produced a scenery collection for the Scottish Rite in Memphis,
Tennessee. At the time, scenery was purchased through M. C. Lilley and work
subcontracted to Sosman & Landis.
The auditorium and drop curtain at the Memphis Scottish Rite. Scenery was delivered by Sosman & Landis in 1909 and 1911Photograph posted online by the Memphis Scottish Rite of their spring reunion work.The auditorium at the Memphis Scottish Rite.Architectural ornamentation at the Memphis Scottish Rite auditorium.
The first reunion in the Memphis Scottish Rite building was
held from November 15 to 19, 1909. Over the years, a variety of Masonic activity
at the Memphis Scottish Rite Temple was reported in newspaper articles,
personal correspondence, and business letters.
In 1916, a letter from Charles Rosenbaum of Little Rock,
Arkansas, to Frank A. Derr of Guthrie, Oklahoma, addressed the use of footlights
in Scottish Rite theaters. The letter noted that the Scottish Rite in Memphis
Tennessee employed the use of footlights for their degree productions. The
Guthrie Scottish Rite was considering the installation of footlights for their
stage.
Rosenbaum responded to Derr’s query on June 10, 1916:
“I note what you say about footlights, but what use are they? In our old synagogue [the Albert Pike Cathedral, 1896], we had footlights; we found them sort of a nuisance. When we built on 8th and Scott [the Albert Pike Consistory Building, 1902] we left them out entirely.
While in New York several years ago talking to Stage expert
equipment people they showed me foot light equipment they were building for a
High School building and it had a nice disappearing arrangement, which was all
right.
I asked what was the necessary for foot lights, and why they
were used.
The answer was —You have to have them to throw up the
light on the people on the front of the stage to light up and destroy the
rawness of their makeup, which means the paint and stuff they use on their
faces, they said you can’t get along without them for that reason.
I said —Suppose there is no makeup, and I described our
use of a stage, and they said it would be foolish to have footlights at all,
and only in case we rented the building for theatrical purposes would it be
necessary, because when Actors and Actresses made up the necessity would it be
evident.
So —as we don’t rent for any such purpose and don’t make
up our faces, and have no business very far out toward the front of the stage,
or for that matter in front of the curtain line, we have no use for ‘foot
lights, to high light our faces and they have no use for them in Memphis either
unless they rent for shows of one kind or another.’”
There is something to consider beyond the topic of
footlights that Rosenbaum discusses in the letter. When many Scottish Rite stages were
constructed, they were never intended for public use or rentals. Times have
changed and public rental income is a necessity. This mean that many stages have been altered
to accommodate a renter, or make it more appealing for public rentals.
Over the years, the Memphis Scottish Rite altered their building
for a variety or reasons, including a movie set. While examining the history of
the building, I discovered an article that reporting the theater was “expanded
and refurbished” when used to film performance scenes for the 2005 movie “Walk
the Line,” starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspon.
In some ways, the rental of Scottish Rite buildings and
stages for filmwork has provided much necessary income for many Scottish Rite
Valleys. However, the money comes at a price.
Damage inevitably occurs over time as various lighting systems and other
equipment are installed for a specific film scene, or temporary structures are
anchored to existing walls.
I think of the continued television and film work that occurs
in the Santa Fe Scottish Rite and recognize the recent changes that have compromised
a once unique system. The original counterweight system, known as Brown’s
Special System, has been irreparably altered from its original state. Photographs
of this system that were published in “The Santa Fe Scottish Rite Temple:
Freemasonry, Architecture and Theatre (2018, Museum of New mexico Press) depict
a pristine system, one that remained unaltered since its installation in 1912.
No matter the historical significance, or words of caution, nothing could have
prevented its alteration over the past two years.
I understand that change is inevitable as the Fraternity responds
to declining membership. In many
instances, the loss of membership means a loss of annual revenue, prompting Scottish
Rite Valleys to respond in various ways, such as public rentals. Some renovate
the space that generates the greatest rental income; in many instances it is
the stage and auditorium. For an organization that remained locked in time for
decades, a few individuals are irreparably altering their spaces. Stage houses, specifically the scenery, stage
machinery and other systems, are often repaired, altered, or renovated, without
any undertstanding of the system. Furthermore, these alterations are often
completed without the knowledge of the membership or staff. Sadly, a few members consider these historic
buildings as their personal playgrounds, completing one “home-improvement”
projects after another and using unrated hardware, duct tape, contact cement,
and other inappropriate products for their work.
Go visit your nearest Scottish Rite theater now, as change
is coming and it might be different by tomorrow.
Thomas G. Moses and Fred R. Megan became partners in 1923. They purchased the Sosman & Landis name after Hoyland and Lemle purchased the company contents at that same time. While they were negotiating the purchase of the name, Moses and Megan worked under their own names – Moses & Megan. However, they needed to wait for Sosman & Landis to completely liquidate and get their own charter before commencing work as the new “Sosman & Landis.” During this time, they leased the old Fabric Studio in Chicago.
By 1924, Megan was on the road most of the time, with Moses
making models in his studio. The two would close the contract for the Salt Lake
Consistory during 1926. The two would also provide the scenery for the Oakland
Scottish Rite in 1927. Moses and Megan would continue working together until
1931. In 1931, Moses turned 75 years old.
Since 1901, Megan had worked as a salesman for Kansas City Scenic Co. In 1910, he was mentioned in an article published in “The Wichita Daily Eagle” (8 Dec. 1910, page 3). I am including it today as I near the end of 1910 in the life and times of Moses. It also provides great insight into border lights in that year delivered by Kansas City Scenic Co.
Border lights installed by Sosman & Landis in 1909, Winona, Minnesota.
Here is the article in its entirety:
“For More Stage Life.
Scenery Agent Says Forum Stage Will Be Too Dark.
F. R. Megan of the Kansas City Scenic Co was in the city
yesterday and advised the city commissioners that more border lights are needed
for the stage of the Forum than the number ordered. Mr. Megan says that the
stage of the Forum is second only to that of the New York Hippodrome and that
five series of border lights will be required to properly illuminate the stage.
The specifications call for two borders of 216 lights each. Of this number 120
are white lights, 48 are red and 48 blue lights.
Mr. Megan advised the commissioners that the freight on 5
border lights will be no more than that on 2 pieces of these lights and that as
the work of installing the additional lights will be immaterial, practically the
only added expense will be the cost of the three extra pieces which is $385 per
border, or $1,165. The present order calls for two borders at $385 each, or
$770. Mr. Megan said that as the switchboard which is being built will
accommodate five borders and as the lights will be needed now is the time to
order them, for if they are not installed with the other lights, the three
extra pieces will cost more than $385 each.
Commissioner Roetzel said he wished to give the local
electrical supply companies a chance to figure on these lights.
The matter of purchasing the additional lights was referred
to a committee consisting of Mayor Davidson and Commissioner Stewart.”
Yesterday, I examined the drop curtain for the Empire Theatre
by Hugh Logan Reid. It was described in the article “Well-known Drop
Curtain in Philadelphia Theatres” (The Philadelphia Inquirer, Dec. 18, 1894). While looking for information about
Reid, I came across another project that I feel compelled to share.
Reid painted the scenery and drop curtain for the Columbia
Theatre in Boston. On September 13, 1891, “The Boston Globe” described the new
theater in detail. Located at 978 to 986 Washington Street, the building
occupied an entire block. Of the architectural style, the article reported, “In
design it follows the Moorish style. Its towers, grand in their proportions,
rise far above the surrounding buildings. The front is composed of pressed
brick and terra cotta, supported by cast iron columns and arches, while a
second circle on the fourth floor level is surmounted with the name of the
theatre in bas-relief letters. The upper portion of the lower arch is so
constructed as to form a magnificent window of cathedral and stained glass. The
architect has taken ‘The Alhambra,’ the perfection of Moorish art, as his ideal
for the construction of the Columbia, and both exterior and interior have been
worked out of the minutest detail.”
The Columbia Theatre in PhiladelphiaThe interior of the Columbia Theatre in Philadelphia
Of the drop curtain painted by Reid, the “Boston Globe” described,
“It depicts the Conquest of Granada, and shows the surrender of the city by the
Moors to the Spaniards in 1492. On the right of the picture is seen the Moorish
generals delivering the keys of the city to King Ferdinand, who is accompanied
by Queen Isabella and retinue. There are over 60 figures painted on the canvas,
most of them being life size. The work is from the brush of Scenic Art H. L.
Reid.” This particular description made
me think of the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Santa Fe that was also based on the
Alhambra, almost two decades later.
There are numerous nineteenth and twentieth century buildings in American that were inspired by the Alhambra, and were considered Moorish-revival style buildings. Many were Masonic, including various Shrine mosques with massive theaters. Another example was the Santa Fe Scottish Rite Cathedral, completed in 1912. However, the mural above the proscenium arch in Santa Fe depicts the same composition as the drop curtain painted by Reid and described above. Above the proscenium arch is a mural painted by J. G. Vysekel depicting the moment when Boabdil (Mohammad XII of Granada), the last Nasrid king of the Emrirate of Granada in Iberia surrendered the city of Granada to the Catholic monarchs. The mural was installed at the Santa Fe Scottish Rite in 1915; three years after the building opened. Vysekel was a commercial artist who worked for Mandel brothers of Chicago.The painting was almost identical to ”La Rendición de Granada” by Francisco Pradilla y Oritz from 1882.
”La Rendición de Granada” by Francisco Pradilla y Oritz, 1882.The mural above the proscenium arch at the Santa Fe Scottish Rite Cathedral by J. G. Vysekel. Photograph by Jo WhaleyThe drop curtain by Sosman & Landis studio of Chicago for the Santa Fe Scottish Rite. Photograph by Jo WhaleyThe Santa Fe Scottish Rite Cathedral auditorium
In regard to the Columbia Theatre’s stage, “The Boston
Globe,” reported, “A visit behind the curtain reveals one of the largest, best
arranged and most perfectly appointed stages in the United States measuring 75
feet from the floor of the stage to the gridiron. On either side, far above the
stage, are two fly galleries, used for working all the overhead rigging, such
as border lights, grooves, borders, drop scenes, etc. To the left are the prompter’s
quarters, which are indeed worthy of more than casual notice. The gas table for
all the gas lighting in the house controls about 800 burners. The gas table is supplied
with all the necessary valves and by-passes, and contains the most modern and improved
appliances.
Close at hand is the electric switchboard with its
elaborate and handsomely finished switches and appurtences for working the 1378
electric lights required to illuminate the theatre. The curtain or proscenium
arch is 36 feet in height by 38 feet in width.
The depth of the stage is 50 feet; width from wall to
wall, 71 feet; the first fly gallery is 30 feet; the second fly gallery, 71
feet; and the gridiron is 75 feet above the stage.
In fact the stage is large enough to set any production
that may be desired. The trap cellar is of unusual size, with an extra pit for
trick scenes. A full set of working traps, bridges, etc., are all available
when required…
The curtains, drops, scenes, etc., are of the most
complete character. First there is the asbestos fireproof curtain, an absolute
preventative of fire communicating with the auditorium from the stage, notably
so in this theatre, as at either side the curtain runs through a slot in the
brick wall, and is held in place by a strong cable.
The act drop, as well as the drop curtain, is a marvel of beauty. A full set of borders and one of the largest scene lists ever put into a new theatre are to be placed in this house as fast as they can be prepared. This important work has been entrusted to the hands of Mr. H. L. Reid, one of the most noted scenic artists in the country. The stage furniture consists of a set in white and god, upholstered in brocatelles of different colors; a set covered in Wilton rugs with mohair plush trimmings; a set of English oak with tapestry coverings, and asset of gothic design. There is the usual inventory of stage cloths, carpets, rugs, etc.”
On July 10, 1904, the Los Angeles Times announced “Big Masonic Enterprises” were being planned (page 47). They included “a site bought for the Scottish Rite Cathedral,” “ New Masonic Temple to be Part of Plan,” and “Fresh Torture Invented by Mystic Shrine.” I am not even touching on the third part of the article.
The Los Angeles Scottish Rite was planning to build a cathedral estimated at $100,000. The article reported, “The site has been purchased, and the deal closed yesterday.” The site was selected by committee as it was equally accessible from all parts of the city. In conclusion, the article noted, “There will be no business rooms in the building, and every section of the cathedral will be devoted to the exclusive use of the Scottish Rite Masons.”
Plan for the Los Angeles Scottish Rite Cathedral published in the “Los Angeles Times,” 16 April, 1905, page 9
On April 16, 1905, the Los Angeles Times announced,”Ground will soon be broken for a hansome and commosioud Masonic edifice, which promised to be one of the finest of its kind in the West” (page 9). In the article “For the Cathedral of the Scottish Rite,” the plans for the auditorium was described, “60×70 feet and 33 feet high with a stage 32×60 feet” on the first floor. The stage house would be “48 feet high and will be arrangd to permit the production of elaborate scenic effects.” A large balcony surrounding the main auditorium was included in the plans.
The completed Los Angeles Scottish Rite Cathedral, from the “Los Angeles Herald,” 23 July 1905, page 19
A committee of eleven members were selected to have full charge of the arrangements: Perry W. Weidner, Will R. Hervey, Willam D. Stephens, Simon Conradi, W. C. Patterson, Henry Baer, Franklin Jordan, Niles Pease, Otto Sweet, A. W. Skinner and Frank H. Pfaffinger. By this point in the planning, the endeavor was now estimated at $125,000. Hudson and Munsell were the architects.
The Los Angeles Times, published the article “Bedeck for Dedication” on June 1, 1906, (page 23). The newspaper described, “Over the banquet hall is the auditorium, capable of seating nearly 2000. The stage is a marvel, completely appointed and furnished with the finest switchboard in the West. Alongside of the rows of handles that controls the lights is a set of six dimmers with thirty-six switches, making it possible to shade the lights from nothing to the fiercest glare. On one wing is an orderly row of ninety-four weights in their slides show how many drops are hung up in the flies.” This was a description of Brown special system, with the “slides” being the wood arbor frames.
The Los Angeles Scottish Rite auditorium, published in “The Los Angeles Times,” 1 June 1906, page 23
Postcard depicting the Persian palace setting at the Los Angeles Scottish Rite
By July 23, 1905, the Los Angeles Herald further described the theater:
“The auditorium, where all the floor work will be illustrated, is off the foyer and is 62×71 feet in dimensions, extending from north to south, with stage 35×62 feet and a 26-foor proscenium arch, finished in stucco work, The stage is fully equipped with every accessory needful for the elaborate presentation of Scottish Rite work, The auditorium will be finished in mahogany and olive green, tipped with ivory, and will have an elaborate emblematic ceiling. The foyer, connecting with a hall at the south side of the auditorium from front to south and west, connecting with rooms for candidates and other purposes. The candidates’ room is 25×40 feet, the property room 30×48 feet, the storage rooms 18×24 and 18×18 feet. The auditorium balcony will seat 600 people. On the balcony floor is a billiard room 22×28 feet, a card room 16×20 feet, and the lodge room 35×38 fett. All of these rooms will be finished in maple and wainscoted and will be provided with ornamental fireplaces and bookcases.” (page 19).
I have been exploring the lighting specified for Scottish Rite stages during the first decade of the 20th century. Another example of a Scottish Rite stage using white red and green lights was Fort Scott, Kansas. The Fort Scott Tribune and the Fort Scott Monitor published an article on April 30, 1904 describing the opening of the Scottish Rite Cathedral and dedication ceremony.
Postcard depicting the 1904 Fort Scott Scottish RIte
Bestor G. Brown, Past Grand Master for the state of Kansas, gave an address during the event. Nespapers reported, “He made a fine impromptu talk which reflected great credit on his ability as an entertainer. He amused the audience and kept the guests in good humor all the time. In addition to his princely proclivities in this respect Mr. Brown is an orator and has a fine command of English.
“A Temple of Liberty.
Scottish Rite Cathedral Dedicated Last Night.
Fitting Ceremonies.
Hundred of People in Evening Dress Astonished at Magnificence of Structure and Furnishing.
The Scottish Rite Cathedral, the existence of which is due largely to the unceasing efforts of the officer of the Scottish Rite bodies and the members at large, was fittingly dedicated last night. The services were impressive and the program carried out consisted of a couple of impromptu addresses by members of the Consistory and several musical selections, all of which was hugely enjoyed. The door of the cathedral for the reception that preceded the short program opened at 8 o’clock and the scene that was afforded by the hundreds of guests that crowded into the spacious building was one of attractiveness, and everybody was so surprised at the luxury that predominated and was seen at every nook and corner and all expressed delight and congratulations for so magnificent a place. The dining room and kitchen, which apartments are in the south wing of the third floor of the building, and also the small lodge room on the second floor and in the back part of the north wing were not completed and consequently was not furnished, but the principal parts of the cathedral wer e furnished in elaborate style. The parlor, lobby, ant-roooms, and the main auditorium were carpetd with fine velvet carpet of exquisite pattern. The stage and scenery was the delight of all. Never did the people of Fort Scott suspect that such finery could be crowded into a place like the Rite cathedral, but all know the members of these bodies. Nothing is too good for them and never do they do things in halves. The decorations in the auditorium are simply fine. The hall is finished in white and gold with panel sides and the walls and ceiling are studded with rows of incandescent lights, surrounded with individual mirrors. On either side of te auditorium near the stage there are two imitation boxes, and while one of these is used for the music room the other is simply there to complete the architectural beauty. The balcny is one of the nice features of the auditorium. It has a large seating capacity and this, together with the auditorium, was jammed with humanity. When the auditorium is lighted up the scene is a rare one. Of the guests that were present last night from out of this city all expressed themselves most forcibly on the arrangement of the cathedral. To some extent the hall was patterned after the Little Rock cathedral, which is one of the finest in America. The magnitude is not so great but the arrangement and decorations are as fine.
The scenery which was installed at a cost of several thousand dollars, is the finest in the west beyond all question. The electrical effects are even greated and this arrangement was the work of Freeman Martin, who wired the building. The lights used on the stage are white, red and green and the effect is caused by their use is most brilliant to the eye. During the program last evening a half dozen scenes were displayed to the audience, and they excelled in effect and grandeur even the best opera houses in Kansas City and St Louis. Over 400 lights are used on the stage. All of the curtains are drops and this is not only more convenient than the slide scenes but is more satisfactory in other respects. The scene of hades was elaborate.”
The original Hades scene for the Fort Scott Scottish Rite was enlarged for their second stage.
Detail of 1904 Hades drop for the Fort Scott Scottish Rite
On the eve of the Scottish Rite Cathedral dedication, a Mr. C. E. Benton gave a brief history of the Fort Scott Scottish Rite Bodies. He explained that the Fort Scott Consistory had only been established six years prior to the building. Those instrumental in getting a permanent home of the Fort Scott Scottish Rite bodies included Dr. C. A. Van Velzer and Joe Liepman. The current building was purchased for $20,000 by the Scottish Rite Association in Fort Scott. $40,000 was spent remodeling the hall after the purchase.
The newspaper reported, “He stated that the temple of all that is good and noble, the temple of justice and liberty and brotherly love would stand after we are dead; our children’s children are dead, as a school for Masonry. In closing he stated that the cathedral is a credit to the city and state and everybody should well feel proud of the undertaking.”
The building was home to the Scotttish Rte for only two decades. Grander plans began and the final Scottish Rite home was planned and constructed from 1924-1925. Again Thomas G. Moses of Sosman & Landis provided the scenery. The old scenery was returned on credit for the purchses of a new collection. However, a few scenes were reerved and enlarged for the new stage. One of the refurbished scenes was the scene of hades that the newspaper described as “elaborate.”
Part 690: Proper Lighting for Scottish Rite Stages
In 1881, The Building News included the article “Art on the Stage.” A small section addressed the scenic artist’s involvement with lighting at the time:
“The last thing that the scene-painter does before the production of a new play is to have his scenes set upon the stage at night in order that he can arrange the lighting of them. The “gas-man” of a theatre is the artist’s mainstay. It lies in his power to ruin the finest scene that was ever painted. Ground lights turned too high upon a moonlight scene, calciums with glass not properly tinted, or the shadow of a straight edged border-drop thrown across a delicate sky – all these things are ruin to the artist’s most careful work. The proper lighting of a scene is, therefore, a matter that requires the most careful study. The artist sits in the centre of the auditorium and minutely observes every nook and comer of his scene under the glare of gas. Here a light is turned up and there one is lowered until the proper effect is secured. The gas-man takes careful note of his directions, and the stage-manager oversees everything. Long after the audience has left the theatre on the night before the production of a new play, the stage-hands, the artist, and the stage manager are at work, and the public sees only the charming result of their labours when the curtain rises on the next night.”
Over three decades later, electric border lights and other lighting instruments replaced their gas predecessors. In 1913, Bestor G. Brown, western sales manager for M. C. Lieelley & Co., wrote a letter to William G. Bell at the Austin Scottish Rite about the proper way to light a Scottish Rite stage. He cited the recently installed lighting system at the Santa Fe Scottish Rite installed the year before. Brown described the electric border lights:
“Each border ought to be hung the same way as we hang our scenery, on counterweighted cable; it requires a little larger counterweight frame for these border rows on account of the weight. We ordinarily install the border rows where we furnish the fixtures, at the time we install the scenery.”
A stage lighting pamphlet was created by M. C. Lilley during the early twentieth century to identify the recommended lighting equipment for Scottish Rite stages. The equipment for a Scottish Rite stage was classified as border lights, ground rows, floor pockets, strip lights, bunch lights, arc lights, dimmer plant and switch board. M. C. Lilley & Co. offered either three-color or four-color options for border, strip lights and ground rows.
Of the colors, a three-color system for the Scottish stages recommended by M. C. Lilley & Co. included white, red and green. In the case of their four-color systems, the company recommended white, red, blue and amber. Around this same time, the increased use of amber was noted by scenic artist Ernest Albert. In 1913, Albert addressed appropriate lighting colors for the stage. It was in an interview with “The New York Dramatic Mirror,” He commented, “we are now avoiding many of the hard qualities of the electric light by greater use of ambers, straw colors, and pinks.”
Border lights at the Yankon Scottish RIte
Border lights at the Yankton Scottish Rite
Border lights at the Austin Scottish Rite
Border lights at the Deadwood Scottish Rite
Border lights at the Grand Forks Scottish Rite
The M. C. Lilley pamphlet also noted the additional expense incurred by a four-color light system
noting, “The incorporation of the fourth color not only increases the size of the fixtures, but materially increases the expense. For the majority of Masonic stages, the three color lights are found to be ample.” That being said, the three-color systems of white, red and blue appear to be visually more successful, for the night scenes.
For a stage depth of thirty feet, six border rows were recommended, with each border measuring the same length as the proscenium width. Similarly, there would be a minimum of six ground rows, each measuring four feet long.
