Category: Linen

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 520 – Palette & Chisel, October 1927 – Creating Stock Scenery

Part 520: Palette & Chisel, October 1927 – Creating Stock Scenery

Thomas G. Moses was a member of the Palette and Chisel Club in Chicago and contributed a variety of articles to their monthly newsletter during the late 1920s. His series “Stage Scenery” began during September 1927, however, it was originally written during the spring of 1918.

Here is the third part of Moses’ “Stage Scenery” in the Palette & Chisel newsletter during October 1927:

“The material used to paint on is a fine grade Russian linen and a heavy grade of cotton cloth. Linen is used for all scenery on frames; the cotton is used for drops and borders, usually called “hangers.” The lumber is a fine grade of clear, white pine, without knots or sap. It has to be very clear and straight grained so it will stand upright without too much bracing.

Bottom sandwich batten for backdrops
Bottom sandwich batten for backdrops

After the canvas has been carefully prepared with a priming coat of whiting and glue is thoroughly dried, the artist draws his design with charcoal, which must be carefully done. In many cases the model must be laid off in squares and the same is carried up on the drop or set pieces. This enables the artist to produce the model exactly as part of the paint frame is below the bridge most of the time so the artist cannot see all of the drop. After the scene is drawn in it is traced with ink, which enables the artist to lay in the main local colors without destroying the drawing. The drawing out of an interior is very laborious. The work has to be done very accurately and pounces and stencils made, as there are many pieces to be covered.

In case of a landscape, they sky is laid in first, distance follows, then the middle distance, and there are many pieces to be covered.

In case of a landscape, the sky is laid in first, distance follows, then the middle distance, and the foreground last. The trees are run up when the sky is dry, which takes a short time. After all the broad “masses” of the “lay in” are dry and a clean palette has been arranged by the “paint boy” and the pots and pails holding the “lay in” are placed under the palette, “(a clear space is required for the many tints that are mixed on the palette, several small cups of dark purple and a strong rich color is used to emphasize the darks in the foreground) comes the careful work of finishing a landscape; strong shadows and half tones in foliage up to the strongest flickering of sunlight. We now take a little more time for our work. The “lay in” had to be done very quickly as it is very essential that the colors be kept will blend, which, in turn, makes the “cut up” easier. A drop representing a landscape 24×36 feet in size can be “laid in” with a lot of rough detail inside of two or three hours and retain wet edges.

As the distemper colors dry out several shades lighter t causes many anxious moments to a novice. There was no trouble with color fading or changing before fireproofing; it eats all the blue (especially Cobalt) out of purple, leaving a bad color, neither a blue nor red, which makes trouble for the artist.

Showing difference between wet and dry pigment colors during the painting process

In most cases, in painting a landscape, the artist endeavors to obtain his dark colors in the “lay in” so that when the “cut up” comes it will be all light colors. Most of the artists start to finish the drops from the foreground, getting the strength of the foreground first. Big, broad strokes are what count. It may look rather coarse close by, but when the completed scene is properly lighted you will find a surprise awaiting you. We know how to light a scene, but often some of our best effects are purely accidental. We follow these accidents up, develop them, and find soft, atmospheric color, all to be done with electricity.

Looking up at a collection of backdrops and seeing the bottom battens

Stock scenery for small halls and opera houses and for large vaudeville theatres has grown to be quite a business. Scenic studios have sprung up like mushrooms all over the country. To get the very best facilities for handling all sizes of scenery, the studio has to have a height of at least 54 feet, allowing a drop 30 feet high to be painted from a stationary floor, 24 feet from the basement floor. The width of the studio should be at least 50 feet and 150 feet in length. A building of these dimensions will accommodate fifteen paint frames, giving work for fifteen artists, five paint boys, four helpers to handle the scenery on and off the frames, two sewing women and six carpenters to build and prepare the frames for the scenes. This would constitute a first class studio and turn put a lot of work.”

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 509: The Orpheum in Salt Lake City

Part 509: The Orpheum in Salt Lake City

In 1905, Thomas G. Moses wrote that he worked for the new Orpheum theatre in Salt Lake, Utah. “The Salt Lake Telegram” reported that the new Orpheum Theater would open on Christmas day (5 Dec 1905, page 4). The theater did open on its targeted date, but it was a last minute rush. The newspaper noted, “With a few gilded trimmings and with walls and ceilings yet untouched by the hands of the decorator, the New Orpheum theater made its bid for public favor last night. Manager Bristes [sic] promised to have the home of vaudeville open Christmas night and he did, despite discouraging delays from one source and another” (26 December 1905, page 5).

Plans for the Orpheum, published in the “Salt Lake Tribune,” 16 July 1905, page 8
Entrance to the 1905 Orpheum Theatre in Salt Lake City, Utah. The drop curtain and scenery for this venue were provided by Sosman & Landis studio under the supervision of Thomas G. Moses.
Detail of the 1905 Orpheum Theatre entrance in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“The Salt Lake Telegram” explained a few of the delays, “The same mystery that surrounds the consignment of opera chairs also enveloped the two carloads of scenery that were shipped west from Chicago some days ago. Yesterday, word was received that the drop curtain and scenery had been located and would arrive from Denver not later than tomorrow morning, all of which lifts a great load from the mind of manager J. F. Bistes” (16 Dec. 1905, page 4). Misplacing two carloads of Sosman & Landis scenery must have been a nightmare scenario on the studio’s end too. The grand opening was December 25, and it still had to be installed at the venue. On Monday, December 17, two carloads of scenery and a drop curtain were unloaded and placed into position (The Salt Lake Telegram, 17 Dec. 1905, page 26).

The building, located on State and Olive Streets, was a three-story brick structure, reportedly costing $80,000 (Salt Lake Telegram, 30 Nov. 1905, page 9). The design by architect C. M. Neuhausen was advertised as “Modern in Construction” (The Salt Lake Telegram, 5 Dec. 1905, page 5). Excavation commenced during April and the building was ready for some interior work by September. The general color of the interior was green, white and gold with French plush hangings for the loges and draperies of rich red, decorated with gold arabesque designs. The seating capacity was 1300 with 705 seats on the first floor and 610 in the balcony, besides the seating in the boxes. There were hardwood opera chairs in the balcony and red leather “recliners” for the parquet levels. The seven exits were constructed so that the slightest pressure would open them, allowing the theater to be emptied in two minutes during an emergency. Amenities included “an airy nursery where white-capped maids would attend to children” on the second floor.

Arrangements were made with the Utah Light & Railway company to supply the lighting and such “motive power” for the installation of modern electrical effects. There were 1500 incandescent bulbs for the auditorium. The stage measured thirty feet in depth with eighty feet between the sidewalls. There was fifty-five feet from the stage floor to the rigging loft.

The newspaper reported, “The Orpheum Circuit company, through its general manager, Martin Beck, will direct the enterprise, the success of which seems assured by an affiliation with the most influential vaudeville interests in the West. There has been secured the booking co-operation of the Western Vaudeville Association, in whose Chicago offices contracts for all the big stars are made for the Orpheum circuit and other associate theaters. Salt Lake is thus assured equal advantages with theaters in many of the large Western cities from Chicago to San Francisco, to which this booking association sends the cream of the world’s best vaudeville talent. The importance of this booking alliance may be better appreciated when it is understood that it will give Salt Lake City the attractions that are supplied to the following important theaters: The Chicago opera-house, the Olympic, the Haymarket and the million-dollar Majestic theater (now building), all of Chicago; Columbia, St. Louis; Grand opera-house, Indianapolis; Columbia, Cincinnati; Hopkins, Louisville; Hopkins, Memphis; Orpheum, San Francisco; Orpheum, New Orleans; Orpheum, Los Angeles; Orpheum, Denver; Orpheum, Minneapolis; Orpheum, Kansas City; Orpheum, St. Paul; and the Orpheum, Omaha.”

The Orpheum Circuit was a chain of vaudeville and movie theaters. It was founded in 1886 and operated through 1927, when it merged with the Keith-Albee theater chain, ultimately becoming part of the Radio-Keith-Orpheum (RKO) corporation. Salt Lake was the smallest city on the Orpheum Circuit in 1905.

Of the scenery for the old 1905 Salt Lake Orpheum, the “Salt Lake Telegram” noted, “The management made an effort to have these painted in this city, but under the time limit imposed that was impossible (The Salt Lake Telegram 14 Dec 1905, page 5). By 1912, a new Orpheum was already under construction and the “Salt Lake Telegram” reported “New Scenery for Orpheum Painted Here” (14 August, 1912, page 5). The article contended, “heretofore every new theatre with the exceptions of the old Salt Lake, has imported its scenery drop curtain and sets from one of the big New York or Chicago houses which make a specialty of equipping new theatres. The new Orpheum, now under construction on West Second South Street will have all of its scenery built and painted here.” Charles Wallace, a scenic artist employed by the Orpheum Circuit, arrived from Los Angeles to paint the scenery for the new theater in 1912. The article described, “Wallace took off his coat, his diamond pin in his pocket-book and climbed into his overalls and then up the paint frame. He is now throwing color on several sets, with the result that when the vaudeville season opens Sunday, a new outfit of scenery will greet the eyes of the first nighters. Another feature is that owning to the hard knocks scenery receives in vaudeville special linen has been shipped in from Syracuse, N. Y. The average theatre considers Indian Head calico good enough for scenery, but the Orpheum proposes to have the best. While Mr. Wallace and his assistants are “throwing color” the entire Orpheum force is housecleaning and getting the theatre ready for the opening.”

The new 1912 Orpheum was managed by the Salt Lake Orpheum Realty company (The Salt Lake Tribune 4 April 1912, page 20). The company selected the site where the Salt Lake Hardware Company once stood for their new building. They then granted a twenty-year lease to the newly formed Utah Orpheum Company, incorporated in California only a few days before the Salt Lake Orpheum Realty company was organized. The Utah Orpheum Company included some incorporators who also controlled the Salt Lake Orpheum Realty company; a win-win situation. It was the Utah Orpheum Company who would furnish the attractions while the Salt Lake Orpheum Realty company provided the space. At this same time, a merger was planned for the State Street Orpheum (1905), controlled by the Orpheus Vaudeville company, and the Utah Orpheum Company. In other words, the newer Utah Orpheum Company would absorb the older Orpheus Vaudeville company.

The 1905 Orpheum later became the Lyric Theatre in Salt Lake City after the new Orpheum was built in 1912.

The architect, contracted to provide the new drawings for the proposed building was Mr. Landsberg. The older 1905 Orpheum building eventually became a movie theatre. The auditorium and main lobby were refurbished several times over the decades, each time the venue changed hands in fact. Except for the stage, little remained of the original building as a series of renovations altered the auditorium. The theater was first converted to show movies in 1918. Over the years, the theater was known by other names, including Loew’s Casino Theater (1920), Wilkes Theater, Roxey Theater, Salt Lake Theater, and Lyric Theater (1947). In 1971 the Lyric closed when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints bought the theatre. They restored the building for church plays, renaming it the Promised Valley Playhouse. By 1996, however, the theater closed due to structural problems. In 2000, the Church replaced the playhouse by building a new 911-seat theater as part of its new Conference Center. The final owners of the building, Zions Securities, eventually demolished the auditorium in 2003 to build a 400-car parking garage. The facade and lobby are the only elements that remain of the original building.

The renovated 1905 Orpheum Theatre after the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints bought the building and renamed it the Promised Valley Playhouse.
Only the facade and lobby is left of the original 1905 Orpheum Theatre in Salt Lake City. The remainder of the building was demolished to create a 400-car parking garage.

To be continued…