This is my second post about a scenery preservation process in Cuba, Kansas. A roll drop at the Czech Community Hall suffered extensive damage after an individual fell into it while decorating for a wedding. When the guilty party asked what he should do, the response was, “You better leave town real quick.”
A section of the split seam. Drop curtain in Cuba, Kansas. Photograph from July 24, 2025.
Sadly, this is not an unusual occurrence. Last year I returned to the Sokol Hall stage in St. Paul, Minnesota, to repair punctures in book flats. They had been damaged during another rental event. Each organization had invested heavily into the preservation of their historic scenery collection, hiring me to clean, repair, and consolidate dusting paint. Despite their best efforts, the scenery was still damaged. Over the years, I have repeatedly repaired historic scenery damaged during social events and sponsored activities.
Why does this continue to happen?
It all comes down to knowledge and respect. You must understand the historical, cultural, and replacement value of an item in order care for it. Those renting a stage packed with historic scenery fail to understand the fragility of the collection. How could they, unless they were told of its significance. Most rental contracts, even those that include damage deposits, do not specify the proper handling nor significance of the large-scale artworks.
Damage to historic scenery collections especially occurs when the stage is used as a storage area. In St. Paul, balance beams and other gym equipment are packed into the stage after each practice. There is not enough space to protect their scenery collection. Damage will continue to occur unless there is a change in protocol.
Gymnastic equipment that is stored on the stage of the Sokol Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota. Photograph from Feb. 2024.Gymnastic equipment stored on the stage a the Sokol Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota. Photograph from Feb. 2024.
Constant contact with people and objects jeopardizes the longevity of the scenery, accelerating its deterioration. Until an organization is faced with the expense of a repair, no one really takes notice of the painted scenes. Even after the damage and subsequent repair, it is hard to fix the problem if the guilty party doesn’t pick up the tab. There is no incentive to be careful at all. These large-scale artworks are not only costly to repair, but also irreplaceable.
At what point do stage settings become large-scale artworks, unable to withstand contemporary handling techniques or extended periods of display? How can a venue safeguard its scenery while displaying it?
It all comes down to education and marketing. Each historic theatre needs to share the significance of their collection. Furthermore, local citizens need to take part in its preservation and care. This is why I so often work with volunteers on site, even if it is to only help me unload my supplies and set up the workspace. If I show them that I, an outsider, treasure their history and artifacts. They immediately begin to form a new appreciation for their stage. They look at their painted scenes in a new light.
I always try to place each painted scene within a local, regional, national, and, when possible, international context. Establishing artistic provenance is imperative before the condition of a collection is assessed. Condition reports carry more weight when the object is valued by the local community. Artistic provenance ultimately directs the development of preservation plans, as well as the care and management of a collection. It helps all stakeholders plan for their future.
My project in Cuba, Kansas, was quite short: I drove down on Wednesday, July 23; completed the project on Thursday, July 24; and headed for home July 25, after hanging and rigging the roll drop.
I am going to walk you through the project timeline and preservation process, before exploring the life and career of scenic artist who painted scenery for the Czech Community Hall. Byrl E. “Jack” Ballard is the subject of my third, and final, post.
It is approximately 550 miles to drive from my home in Minnesota to Cuba, Kansas. This is at least an 8 ½ hrs. trip without stops…and I always stop for research along the way.
The location of Cuba, Kansas, in the Midwestern United States of America.
On my way down, I stopped in Seward, Kansas, birthplace of scenic artist, Maj. Don Carlos DuBois.
A stop along the way. Town Square in Seward, Nebraska, the hometown of Maj. Don Carlos DuBois.
DuBois worked in Kansas City before establishing the Atlanta Scenic Co. in Georgia. Later in life, he returned to Kansas City, painting Masonic scenery for the Great Western Stage Equipment Co. This was the first scene design collection that I processed for the University of Minnesota Performing Arts archives. At the time, I was an undergraduate, my work was funded by an Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) grant.
Wood scene painted by Maj. Don Carlos DuBois for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Galveston, Texas.
My hotel was located in Belleville, Kansas, approximately 10 west of Cuba. I arrived in town early enough to unload my supplies (too hot to keep in the car overnight) and stop by the Republic County Historical Society Museum. I got to meet the new curator! It was unbearably hot and I discovered that the corn fields contributed to the overall humidity. It was the first time I heard the term “Corn sweat.” The term refers to the amount of moisture, the humidity that the plant takes from the soil to cool off.
View from my hotel room in Belleville, Kansas.
On Thursday, July 24, I started work in Cuba at 8:30AM. After unloading my supplies and placing the roll drop on plastic, I quickly assessed the extent of the damage. As usual, I put on some (Minnesota Public Radio Classical) and began to envision each step.
Occasionally, the universe gives you a sign, some kind of celestial nod that affirms that you are on the right path. That morning, I began listening to MPR Classical (Minnesota Public Radio) as I examined the damage. The first song to play was Mozart’s Symphony No. 38 in D. Major, also known as the “Prague Symphony.” When I heard the song’s title announced, I immediately thought, “That’s my sign!” And as if to agree with my sentiment, the next musical selection was Bedrich Smetana’s “Má Vlast” (My Country). The station then returned to Strauss’ “The Artist’s Life”; one of my absolute favorite waltzes. By the end of the song, I was ready to proceed with my project, thoroughly in my happy place! This project was certainly not easy, but extremely satisfying. I love fixing broken things. It makes me feel like I am able to solve one small problem in a world that is spiraling out of control.
The split seam on the Prague drop curtain in Cuba, Kansas. Photograph from July 24, 2025.
The seam had split, but other seams were also showing deterioration. This meant that they would all need to be reinforced. That secondary project would sporadically take place when the main repair was drying. Reinforcing split seams is a preventative measure that can only be done before the fabric panels separate.
Adding a series of fabric reinforcements is not always an option with roll drops; the added thickness can cause damage to the painted composition. For this project, I applied glue to two selvages, adhering them to one another together. I made sure to only cover the inner seam and not the surrounding fabric.
Glue went between the two selvage edges to reinforce the fabric.
For the main repair, my first task was to stabilize one of the selvages, carefully gluing it to the drop. This is a painstakingly slow process, and the area must be cleaned and weighted down to prevent the fabric from shifting. I also had to be careful concerning the amount of glue that was brushed onto the fabric, as it could seep through the thin cotton sheeting.
The brush used to apply glue to the selvage edge.
Once that step was completed and the area fully dry, I prepared and attached a long patch to the other selvage.
Preparing to place the fabric patch along one side of the seam.Patch attached to the selvage edge. The other selvage edge was glued flat.
By now it was lunch time. After an hour, I returned to my project, flipping the roll drop face side up. It helps immensely to see the painted composition when you are joining the split seam together. Now, all the project needed was dry time – all night long.
Preparing to glue the seam while the drop was painted-side up.
We met the next morning at 6:30AM to hang and rig the roll drop, making sure that no wrinkles were introduced during the process. Wrinkles will destroy the painted surface; huge cracks will form and paint will flake off of the fabric.
Hanging the drop so that the top batten is parallel to the stage floor. The next step was rigging the roll.Part of my morning crew: (from left to right) Deb, Merl, Ken, Cope, and Lynette. We celebrated the repaired drop with egg bake, tortillas, and milk (provided by Lynette).
I was packed up and on the road by 8:00AM. It was a long drive back, but I was determined to document a few historic sites along the way. My first stop was Diller, Nebraska, the hometown of Jack Ballard. As noted above, Ballard was the scenic artist who painted the Prague roll drop. He is the topic of my next post.
Cornfields near Cuba, Kansas. Photograph from July 24, 2025.
This is the first of three posts about scenic art for Czech Halls.
Damaged backdrop prior to preservation work at the Czech Community Hall in Cuba, Kansas. Photograph taken the morning of July 24, 2025
This first post focuses on the history of the Czech Community Hall in Cuba, Kansas, detailing my first visit in 2014. The second post will examine the use, and abuse, of extant scenery at historic venues. My third, and final, post will explore the life and career of Jack Ballard (1878-1952), the Nebraska scenic artist credited with painting the scenery.
On May 3, 2025, I was contacted by Lynnette, a representative of the Cuba Booster Club. Their only roll drop had suffered extensive damage during a recent wedding at the hall. While decorating the stage, an individual had fallen into the painted composition, causing a seam to fail. Fortunately, my previous fabric reinforcements along the edge had prevented the entire drop from ripping in two.
Split seam on roll drop at the Czech Community Hall in Cuba, Kansas. Photograph taken the morning of July 24, 2025.
I was extremely familiar with this drop, having preserved the entire scenery collection in 2014.
The history of the Czech Community Hall in Cuba, Kansas, is fascinating. The current building replaced an earlier opera house constructed by three Bohemian Lodges, c. 1907-8. After fire razed the building in 1928, a second structure was erected in 1930. The facade of the hall prominently states, “Česka Narodni Sin” (Czech National Hall). Over the years, the hall hosted a variety of events besides live theatre and musical concerts. Meetings, basketball games, roller skating, weddings, family reunions, and other social events drew families to town. The hall remains a vital community hub. Despite a vibrant beginning, membership in the sponsoring lodges declined over the years. The City acquired the building in 1950 and completed a few renovations that included closing off the original balcony and lowering the ceiling.
My first adventure in Cuba was detailed in an article entitled “Czech-American Theatre as Scenic Art Depositories” published in the USITT Northern Boundary Section newsletter (May 2014 issue). I am including a bit of my original text from the article, as well some new information. It will provide much-needed context for my most recent trip to Cuba, Kansas.
Czech-American theatre scenery collections represent one enduring aspect of the Czech culture and a primary resource for cultural historians and theatre practitioners in the Midwest. They depict an aesthetic shift in stage design and scenic art during the late-nineteenth through mid-twentieth centuries. Whereas Scottish Rite theaters contain massive collections in state-of-the-art facilities that showcase dozens of Masonic scenes, Czech-American theaters contain much smaller collections that showcase both their European and American homelands.
Drop curtain at the Sokol Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The front curtain for a Czech-American stage often depicts the city of Prague, beckoning Czech immigrants to remember their homeland and the importance of the Prague National Theatre. As with many immigrants, their is an innate desire to safeguard their homeland’s heritage. After the formation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1867, a mass migration of Czech immigrants flooded into the United States. Major Czech settlements were established in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Kansas, and Texas.
By the 1880s many of these Czech-American communities founded chapters of Czech cultural organizations, such as Cesko-Slovansky Podporujici Spolek (CSPS), Zapadnf Cesko-Bratrska Jednota (ZCBJ), and the SOKOL, often immediately constructing public meeting facilities with designated performance areas. These ethnic halls often incorporated elevated theatre stages into their design, complete with roll-drop scenery collections for Czech dramatic productions and other community activities. In some larger communities, Sokol halls included a fly loft with a full set of stock scenery for professional theatre troupes to utilize when on tour.
Taken from the Slavic word for falcon, the Sokol movement was a social, cultural, and gymnastics organization founded in Prague during 1862. My first encounter with Czech scenery was in a CSPS-SOKOL Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota. Located at 383 Michigan Street. The hall is the longest-serving Czech-Slovak cultural center in the United States, and the oldest in the State of Minnesota. Three decades ago, I had the privilege of preserving their historic scenery collection, consisting of a front curtain, two European street scenes, two American street scenes, a landscape scene, and a woods scene. In addition to these roll drops there were several painted flats that included wood tormentors, residential tormentors, a double-painted fancy/rustic interior box set, a standard interior box set, and a rustic cottage flat unit. The scenery was painted by Victor Hubal (1888-1972), a local Sokol member. As a scenic artist, Hubal worked for a variety of notable studios, including Chicago’s Sosman & Landis in the early-twentieth century.
My second encounter with Sokol scenery took place in Cuba, Kansas, over a decade ago. The Prague roll drop in Cuba, Kansas, depicts a street scene from Wenceslaus Square in Prague. By the way, St. Wenceslaus is the patron saint of Bohemia. During the fall of 2013, residents Fred and Karen Baxa contacted me concerning the restoration of their purportedly “only” painted scene – a roll drop originally created for the Cuba Sokol in the 1920s.
Painted detail from the drop curtain at the Czech Community Hall in Cuba, Kansas.
The Baxas had attended a dinner with representatives of the Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia, Kansas; another of my historic scenery preservation projects. The Brown Grand passed along my contact information.
The Baxas hoped to have the roll drop restored before Cuba’s annual Rock-A-Thon. This is an annual fundraiser where people rock (in rocking chairs) around the clock for a whole week each spring. For a city of only 156 people, this fundraiser generated approximately $35,000.00 each year. During the week-long event, the hall hosted a variety of activities, including Polka dancing, Czech artifacts, Czech food, and lectures on Prague.
The city of Cuba was founded in 1868 by American southerners traveling westward after the Civil War. Receiving its name from a settler who had once lived on the island of Cuba, it did not accurately depict the later demographic of the small town. Many of the early settlers were Czech immigrants from Bohemia, bringing their cultural heritage and food to Kansas. Citizens soon founded a local Sokol chapter to preserve their language and traditions. The spouses of Cuba’s Czech community proclaimed themselves to be “Czech-mates.”
In March 2014, I pulled up in front of the local café on Cuba’s main street. We broke bread – or kolaches – before unloading my restoration studio supplies into the theatre. In addition to a rather battered backdrop, there were several painted flats depicting interiors and woodland scenes that the locals immediately pulled out in addition to the Prague roll drop. Residents explained that much of the damage occurred during wild Czech dances that were held each Saturday night. These massive events often ended in a full-fledged brawl that spilled out on Main Street. In addition to dances, roller-skating, basketball games, and high school plays, were all performed in the Czech Hall. However, all the events were so “rowdy” that many of the teenagers from neighboring French, German, and Swedish towns were prohibited from attending activities with the Czechs.
Czech Community Hall in Cuba, Kansas, 2025.
Residents also explained that the construction of the current (and larger) Czech Community Hall building in 1930 had an equally exciting history. According to residents, the original hall was destroyed by arson in February 1928 as a result of a “love triangle.” A banker’s wife from the neighboring town of Belleville, Kansas, fell in love with a local Czech resident and Sokol member. She was the Czech Hall’s pianist for many of the city’s events. After her husband discovered the amorous liaison, he set fire to the wooden structure. Fortunately, Cuba’s residents were able to rescue the Prague curtain from the burning building and install it after rebuilding their new theatre. There might be some truth to this tale as there were scorch marks on the top stage-right side of the roll-drop that I uncovered during cleaning. After the fire was extinguished, the banker was immediately apprehended and brought to the Belleville jail. Here, he was temporarily released to fill necessary medical prescriptions at the pharmacy across the street. The banker left the jail, entered the pharmacy, purchased some cyanide, and committed suicide in the nearby alley.
The colorful tale was one of many that I heard during my week in Cuba. One story included Laurence Welk’s performance at the Czech Hall and his unintentional stay with a local family when the1936 blizzard prevented his departure. Other tales described various theories surrounding local mafia connections, Al Capone’s possible burial site, and the distribution of alcohol dropped by airplane into haystacks during Prohibition. These stories were my entertainment throughout the duration of the restoration project. Dozens of locals passed through the doors every hour to watch the restoration process and share their local history. This is one of many reasons that I enjoy completing restoration projects on site and working with local volunteers.
Studio stencil on the back of scenery a the Czech Community Hall in Cuba, Kansas.
Regarding the historical significance of Cuba’s painted scenery, Jack Ballard & Son delivered stock scenery to theaters in Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, and California. Their theatrical contributions will be in a separate post.
The entire scenery collection was produced with distemper paint (dry pigment paste mixed with diluted hide glue, also known as size water). As with any preservation process, a series of curve balls were thrown my way. The drop was initially primed with a combination of whiting and diluted hide glue (the binder). Unfortunately the binder was mixed too weak, contributing to the overall deterioration of the prime coat. This caused the whiting to shed off of the fabric over time. As the whiting flaked off, layers of distemper paint also fell to the floor, revealing patches of raw fabric. Furthermore, not all of the pigment paste had been properly prepared prior to its mixing with size water. For example, the original sky color incorporated a small amount of Dutch Pink. Some of the Dutch Pink granules never fully dissolved in the sky color mixture. This meant that the consolidation of loose pigment was quite tricky to complete.
In addition to the poor preparation of glue and binder, the roll drop exhibited deterioration from excessive use and constant contact. Much of the original paint was missing from the sides. This type of damage frequently occurs when people repeatedly brush past a roll drop, catching their clothing or costume on the edge of the fabric.
Damage caused by repeated contact at the Czech Community Hall in Cuba, Kansas. Photograph from 2014.
Fortunately, there was enough information left on the roll drop to recreate the entire painted composition.
Roll drop painted by Jack Ballard for the Czech Community Hall in Cuba, Kansas. Photograph after preservation work was completed by Dr. Waszut-Barrett in 2014.
I spent four days in Columbus, Ohio, last week. The trip was sandwiched in between load-in and tech week for the Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Co. production of Patience. The trip also fell between the opening and closing of my son’s first high school musical as a performer. Aaron was cast in the role of Nigel Bottom for Armstrong Highschool’s production of Something’s Rotten.
My journey to Ohio was for three specific projects:
1.) Documenting an 1883 historic scenery collection in Fort Recovery.
2.) Teaching a paint lab class at USITT (United States Institute of Theatre Technology) in Columbus.
3.) Photographing the birthplace of Joseph Sosman in Chillicothe.
It is hard to pinpoint the highlight of my trip, but documenting the Sosman & Landis scenery is certainly close to the top.
Two Sosman & Landis shutters delivered to the Morvilius Opera House in 1883, Fort Recovery, Ohio. Site Survey by Richard Finkelstein during the early days of its restoration. Site visit was on March 4, 2025. This photo is by Richard FinkelsteinLorri Kaup in front of the Morvilius Opera House in Fort Recovery, Ohio. The stage is located on the second floor of the building. The front windows are on the upstage wall. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett on March 4, 2025.Morvilius Opera House in Fort Recovery Ohio. Site Survey by Richard Finkelstein during the early days of its restoration. Site visit was on March 4, 2025. This photo is by Richard FinkelsteinMorvilius Opera House before the wings and shutters were removed from the stage.The ceiling of the Morvilius Opera House before the ceiling was repaired and repainted. Sadly, not all of the original ornamental painting was preserved or replicated.
Prior departing for Ohio, I recognized that my journey would be fueled by coffee and chaos. I took a very early flight to Columbus and immediately headed west to Fort Recovery. Morvilius Opera House steward, Lorri Kaup, picked me up from the airport and we began our two-hours drive.
Our drive passed though farmland, a picturesque rural route reminiscent of any midwestern drive. Fields are mostly dormant now, but dotted with both wildlife and live stock. We were extremely fortunate that the weather cooperated throughout most of our drive. However, a series of incoming storms on March 5 provided me with ample resources for future painting projects. Here are a few scenes from our trip back to Columbus.
Farmland near Fort Recovery, Ohio. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett on March 5, 2025.Farmland near Fort Recovery, Ohio. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett on March 5, 2025.Cemetery near Fort Recovery, Ohio. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett on March 5, 2025. Cemetery near Fort Recovery, Ohio. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett on March 5, 2025.Cemetery near Fort Recovery, Ohio. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett on March 5, 2025.
My Fort Recovery project was to document the scenery collection and stage of the Adams Opera House (now known as the Morvilius Opera House), as well as lecture about the cultural and historical significance of the venue. That evening, I was scheduled to give a presentation to members from the opera house board, placing the original scenery, stage machinery (grooves), and lighting system (gas) within the context of local, regional, and national histories.
1883 with upper grooves for wings and shutters. Morvilius Opera House in Fort Recovery Ohio. Site Survey by Richard Finkelstein during the early days of its restoration. Site visit was on March 4, 2025. This photo is by Richard FinkelsteinFlat sheaves on the shutters at the Morvilius Opera House in Fort Recovery, Ohio. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, March 4, 2025.Electric and gas footlights. Morvilius Opera House in Fort Recovery Ohio. Site Survey by Richard Finkelstein during the early days of its restoration. Site visit was on March 4, 2025. This photo is by Richard Finkelstein
Kaup and I had worked together for over a year. Last summer, she even attended my scenery preservation workshop at the Theatre Museum of Repertoire Americana in Mount Pleasant, Iowa – http://thetheatremuseum.com/.
Lorri Kaup and Grace Swank-Davis cleaning a historic drop at the Theatre Museum of Repertoire Americana in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. June 2024.Theatre Museum of Repertoire Americana in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, June 2024.
In Iowa, I instructed students in the cleaning and minor repair of painted settings. Richard Finkelstein was also on site at the time, documenting my process and artifacts throughout the museum. He later created a virtual tour of the Theatre Museum of Repertoire Americana.
Richard Finkelstein and Jenny Knott joined me in Fort Recovery on March 4. We met at the opera house, then headed to document scenery in an off-site storage facility. Jenny was on her way to USITT where we were scheduled to teach the Paint Lab class “Foliage and Flowers: A Lesson in Color and Speed.”
Wendy Waszut-Barrett, Jenny Knott and Richard Finkelstein. March 4, 2025.
In Fort Recovery, Jenny and I photographed details and painting techniques, while Richard focused on the larger compositions (working his photographic “magic” once back home).
Wendy Waszut-Barrett and Jenny Knott documenting painting techniques in Fort Recovery, Ohio. March 4, 2025.
Much of the Morvilius scenery is currently stored at the Kaup’s warehouse where Lorri is not only cleaning the painted compositions, but also repairing some of the damaged fabric. Once the wings and shutters are cleaned and stabilized, I will be back to address paint preservation and other conservation tasks.
Here are a series of photographs from our site visit. Unless noted, all the images below were taken by Richard Finkelstein. Please credit his work if you use any of the images.
Morvilius Opera House in Fort Recovery Ohio. Site Survey by Richard Finkelstein during the early days of its restoration. Site visit was on March 4, 2025. This photo is by Richard FinkelsteinProscenium arch detail, Morvilius Opera House in Fort Recovery Ohio. Site Survey by Richard Finkelstein during the early days of its restoration. Site visit was on March 4, 2025. This photo is by Richard FinkelsteinPainted detail from proscenium mural. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, March 4, 2025.House left side wall, Morvilius Opera House in Fort Recovery Ohio. These murals were done at a later date (and by a different artist), but intended to match the proscenium mural. Site Survey by Richard Finkelstein during the early days of its restoration. Site visit was on March 4, 2025. This photo is by Richard FinkelsteinSL wings. The Morvilius Opera House in Fort Recovery Ohio. Site Survey by Richard Finkelstein during the early days of its restoration. Site visit was on March 4, 2025. This photo is by Richard FinkelsteinWendy Waszut-Barrett and Lorri Kaup moving a profile piece, in the SR wings. The Morviliius Opera House in Fort Recovery Ohio. Site Survey by Richard Finkelstein during the early days of its restoration. Site visit was on March 4, 2025. This photo is by Richard FinkelsteinRoller for a drop curtain on the stage of the Morvilius Opera House in Fort Recovery Ohio. Windows are all along the upstage wall, facing the street. Site Survey by Richard Finkelstein during the early days of its restoration. Site visit was on March 4, 2025. This photo is by Richard FinkelsteinSosman & Landis shutter painted for the Morvilius Opera House in Fort Recovery Ohio, c. 1883. Site Survey by Richard Finkelstein during the early days of its restoration. Site visit was on March 4, 2025. This photo is by Richard FinkelsteinSosman & Landis shutters painted for the Morvilius Opera House in Fort Recovery Ohio, c. 1883. Site Survey by Richard Finkelstein during the early days of its restoration. Site visit was on March 4, 2025. This photo is by Richard FinkelsteinSosman & Landis shutter painted for the Morvilius Opera House in Fort Recovery Ohio, c. 1883. Site Survey by Richard Finkelstein during the early days of its restoration. Site visit was on March 4, 2025. This photo is by Richard FinkelsteinTwo Sosman & Landis shutters painted for the Morvilius Opera House in Fort Recovery Ohio, c. 1883. Site Survey by Richard Finkelstein during the early days of its restoration. Site visit was on March 4, 2025. This photo is by Richard Finkelstein.Scenery collection from the Morvilius Opera House, currently stored off site in Fort Recovery, Ohio. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, March 4, 2025.
Interior of the hall and stage at The Forum. Sept. 28, 2023.
A remarkable Sosman & Landis drop curtain was discovered on the south-side of Chicago this year. On Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, I scheduled a visit to examine it and other historic scenery at The Forum in Bronzeville. Located approximately six miles south of Chicago’s Loop, the building is situated on the northwest corner of East 43rd Street and South Calumet Avenue. It is immediately east of 43rd Street ‘L’ Station, making it very accessible from other areas of the city. The Forum is part of the Grand Boulevard community, with other Bronzeville communities including Douglas and Oakland. The stage is situated on the second floor with retail spaces below.
The Forum scenery collection first came onto my radar this summer. On July 18, 2023, Brian Traynor sent me a photograph with the text, “Guess what I’m looking at.” It was a Sosman & Landis signature on the corner of a drop curtain.
Photograph texted to me by Brian Traynor on July 18, 2023.
This prompted a flurry of exchanges, with me asking for more information. Traynor was at the Forum with Mary Margaret Bartley and several other Forum stakeholders. After visiting the Forum earlier that year, on an open house day, it was Bartley who set the wheels in motion to unroll and examine the drops with Traynor in tow.
On July 19, I spoke with Bernard Loyd, PhD, current owner of The Forum. He is also the founder and president of Urban Juncture and on the Build Bronzeville Team.
Occasionally, you meet a person who radiates so much positive energy that they instantly draw you into their vision. That is what happened to me when I shook hands with Loyd and ascended the Forum’s grand staircase during my visit. The energy radiating from both Loyd and the building are palpable, creating an inescapable pull to this project as you envision the potential. You don’t even have to shut your eyes to imagine what this space once was, and what it could be again.
Loyd’s fight to preserve the Forum from the wrecking ball is part of a much larger movement in within the neighborhood. In 2019, Three years later, the the Bronzeville-Black Metropolis National Heritage Area was established with the hope of preserving more than two hundred locations between 18th and 71st Streets.
During my visit we unrolled the scenery and discussed the subject matter, use and current condition of the collection.
Michael Beavers and Brian Traynor preparing a roll drop for storage.
Here are the rolls of scenery that were discovered by Michael Beavers in the attic.
Loyd contacted Book Club Chicago journalist Jamie Nesbitt Golden to be there and possibly write a story about the significance of the painted scenes. Colin Boyle. Also, in attendance that day were Book Club Chicago photographer Colin Boyle, Michael J. Beavers, Brian Traynor, and Ayana Simone Loyd.
Left to right: Brian Traynor, Bernard Loyd, Colin Boyle, Jamie Nesbitt Golden, Ayana Simone Loyd, and Michael Beavers.
After our visit, Loyd followed up with an email to the group. It ended with his writing:
“I can’t help but comment on how the Forum drop seems like a perfect metaphor for both The Forum and the Bronzeville community, of which The Forum was a central hub. They’ve all been challenged, battered, and all but discarded, but against all odds they’ve survived and they’re still incredibly rich and connected. As we figure out how to tap into that cultural wealth and reactivate those dormant links, we will bring the drops, The Forum, and our community back to their full vibrancy.”
You may see why I am compelled to help Loyd and the Forum History Team. Seldom do I meet a theatre owner who immediately understands the cultural significance of the extant scenery.
My post could end here with some lovely shots of the scenic art. This is far too great of a cultural discovery to dismiss. For the past few days, I decided to do some extensive research for the Forum History Team, placing this scenery collection within the context of local, regional and national histories.
This project also ties in with my current research regarding marginalized groups in technical theatre history, those that were often left out of theatre history books. For the past few years, I have been exploring the lives and careers of 113 Sosman & Landis employees, a firm that employed both women and people of color. When people were not included in written histories, it does not mean that they were not present.
The Forum Scenery Collection
The Forum’s historic stock scenery collection includes a drop curtain, landscape, street scene, grand border, and three sky borders (light blue).
Drop Curtain and grand border delivered by Sosman & Landis to The Forum in 1897.
Painted detail on drop curtain with extensive water damage.
Street Scene roll drop delivered by Sosman & Landis to The Forum in 1897.
Painted detail on street scene.
Painted detail on street scene.
Landscape roll drop delivered by Sosman & Landis to The Forum in 1897. Brian Traynor (left) and Michael Beavers (right).
Painted detail on landscape drop.
These seven tattered and water-stained pieces are all that remain of the Forum’s original stock scenery collection, delivered by Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio in 1897.
For context, when a stage does not have space above the stage to raise painted scenery, the only viable option is to used roll drops or framed shutters.
The Forum stage.
Here are a few example of a roll drop collections to help understand how these pieces were stored above a stage without a fly loft.
Roll drop collection in Danville, Virginia.
Roll drop collection in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Roll drop collection in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
End view of roller on a drop at The Forum.
There are a few miraculous moments that saved The Forum scenery. The first moment was when the scenery was lowered to the stage floor for a final time. It was carefully rolled, not ripped away from the top battens or bottom rolls. The second moment was when these scenes were moved to the attic for safe keeping. It is amazing that the scenery was not either given to another venue or thrown away. Someone made the decision to keep the scenes and tuck them away in the attic. We may never know who the person was, or what their motivations were; however, I consider this unknown individual to be the first steward of the Forum scenery collection.
The third moment was when Michael Beavers discovered the dust-laden rolls and knew that they were historic theatre scenery. The fourth moment was when Loyd immediately understood that they were worth saving, signaling new stewardship.
Stage Scenery
I am going to start with the functionality of the drop curtain, and accompanying stage masking.
The drop curtain was designed to pair with not only painted top border, but also two side tormentor wings. Only The Forum drop curtain and grand border survive. Here is an example of a grand border and two tormentor wings.
Grand Border and Wings delivered to the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, by the Kansas City Scenic Co. in 1902.
This top piece is also referred to some as a valance or teaser. Keep in mind that terminology varies from one region to another, and one decade to the next. When it was manufactured and installed by the Sosman & Landis studio, they termed the painted top piece as a “Grand Drapery Border.” Its listing in the firm’s 1894 catalogue included the following definition: “Made to represent rich and massive drapery and matches the drapery on the tormentor wings.”
The grand border delivered by Sosman & Landis in 1897.
Painted detail on grand border.
The measurement for the grand border and three sky borders were 30’-0” long. The three sky borders were painted as a single 9’-0” x 30’-0” drop in the studio and then cut into the three pieces. The original size remains on the back of one sky border.
Charcoal notation with measurement for the piece of Fabric that was sent from the fabric room to the paint studio at Sosman & Landis. This was standard procedure throughout the firm’s history.
The catalogue described the accompanying side pieces:
“Tormentor Wings – Represent columns with elaborate base and rich drapery at top and side. These wings are stationary ones, set three or four feet back of and parallel with the drop curtain.”
Here is an example of a tormentor wing design, like what may have been paired with The Forum’s drop curtain and grand border. These three pieces (drop curtain, grand border, and tormentor wings) typically reflect the color scheme of an auditorium or hall, unifying all decorative elements.
Drapery detail on drop curtain. This color scheme was reflected in the extant grand border and would have been incorporated into the two missing tormentor wings.
Tormentor wings were framed pieces that functioned as masking, to conceal the side stage. Working in conjunction with the grand drapery border, when the drop curtain was “out” (rolled up to reveal the stage), the three pieces framed all other painted compositions, such as the Forum’s landscape and street scenes.
A description of a standard drop curtain was included in the 1894 Sosman & Landis catalogue:
“Drop Curtain – Representing some romantic or historic view, with rich and elaborate drapery and gold frame.” The selection of “some romantic or historic view” often included popular artworks of the day.
It was quite common to replicate a painting or sketch, with the scenic artist taking a few liberties. Henry C. Tryon used William Linton’s painting, “A City of Ancient Greece – Return of the Glorious Armament” for the subject of the Salt Lake Theatre drop curtain in 1882. Tryon titled his drop curtain, “Return of the Victorious Fleet,” for the Salt Lake Theatre in 1882.
Illustration of William Linton’s painting (left) and photograph of Henry C. Tryon’s drop curtain for the Salt Lake Theatre (right). Both are from the Twin City Scenic Co. Collection. University of Minnesota Libraries, Performing Arts Archives.
William Linton’s painting, “A City of Ancient Greece – Return of the Glorious Armament.”
Similarly, an artist at the Twin City Scenic Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota, designed a drop curtain with the central view replicating Thomas Moran’s “Sunrise on Ruins at Cuernavaca, Old Mexico.” Paint droplets still coat the copy once used by the scenic artist. Prints were readily available of his work and even included in the 1912 publication Three Wonderlands of the American West by Thos. D. Murphy.
A print of Thomas Moran’s “Sunrise on Ruins at Cuernavaca, Old Mexico” (left) and Twin City Scenic Co. drop curtain design (right). Both are from the Twin City Scenic Co. Collection. University of Minnesota Libraries, Performing Arts Archives.
Here is an example from the Twin City Scenic Company Collection of the scenic artist’s source, the design and final drop curtain for Milton, North Dakota.
Print and corresponding drop curtain design. Both are from the Twin City Scenic Co. Collection. University of Minnesota Libraries, Performing Arts Archives.
Realized backdrop by Twin City Scenic Company scenic artists for the Opera House in Milton, North Dakota. Photograph by Dr. Lawrence Hill.
Black and white photograph of Milton Opera House that shows more detail. Photograph by Dr. Lawrence Hill.
This brings us to the central subject on the Forum drop curtain – the Roman Forum.
The central composition of the drop curtain for the Forum. Painted by a Sosman & Landis scenic artist, currently unidentified.
The Subject
The composition is almost identical to the Stefano Donadoni (1844-1911) watercolor painting entitled “Foro Romano.”
It was his red signature (S. Donadoni) in the left corner that caught my eye; a signature with the same color and placement as the Sosman & Landis signature on the 1897 Forum Drop Curtain.
Red signature by Stefano Donadoni.
Sosman & Landis signature on drop curtain and The Forum (left). Sosman & Landis signature on drop curtain for the opera house in Lisbon, North Dakota. This is the first Sosman & Landis signature that I have encountered in red.
This Donadoni watercolor painting has been repeatedly sold at auction over the past few decades. However, I found that in 2007, it sold as part of a pain.
Painting listed a Bonhams when sold as part of a pair in 2007. More recent auctions took place in Florida.
I located mention of an “S. Donadoni” painting titled, “The Forum, Rome,” as part of the Bath and West England Exhibition at St. Alban’s (Bathe Chronicle 4 June 1896, p. 6). I have yet to find an exact date for the painting. Nor do I have any indication of how many Donadoni paintings depicted the Roman Forum. However, Donadoni watercolor paintings are listed as part of exhibitions in English newspapers as early as 1893 (Western Morning News, Exeter, 25 Aug 1893, p.3).
Donadoni’s work was also known in the United States, kept in both private and public collections. For example. Donadoni’s “Castle of St. Angelo and St. Peter at Rome” was even listed for as part of an exhibition (the Wilbur Collection) at the Morgan Building in Buffalo, New York (The Buffalo Commercial 24 April 1900, p. 10 and The Buffalo Review 21 April 1900., p. 4).
As mentioned above, nineteenth-century scenic artists used illustrations, photographs and prints when replicating subjects for drop curtain composition. I have yet to find any concrete evidence of a scenic artist using an original fine art piece as a source during the scene painting. Part of this has to do with liability. Painting near an original artwork is also risky, for fear of platter damaging the work.
As with Donadoni’s watercolor painting, the Sosman & Landis drop curtain depicts the Roman Forum with several figures to for scale. The addition of figures in any composition helps the viewer understand the scope of a landscape or the height of a building. Such is the case with the Forum drop curtain.
Of the ten figures, four are located on Via Sacra (Sacred Street), the large main street of ancient Rome that led from the top of Capitoline Hill to the Colosseum, passing through religious sites and the Forum. Four are positioned in front of the Temple of Saturn (colonnade): one is looking back toward the Via Sacra; and three are gazing at the Basilica Julia ruins. It is extremely unlikely would be pointing to something outside of the picture. It is very telling that he is indication to the ruins of a public building that once housed meetings, shops, and hosted civil court cases.
What is truly remarkable about this active group is that they are not all white. This is the first time that I have ever encountered a grouping of black people on an extant drop curtain. After closely examining the paint application, finish, placement, shadow work and the surrounding area, the inclusion of these three individuals appears to be original. I don’t believe that any of the figures were added after the painting was delivered.
These figures are so small that their race would not be discernable from more than ten feet away.
My hand next to the figures for scale.
Detail of figure.
Detail of figures on Via Sacra railing.
Detail of figures on beyond the Temple of Saturn .
Detail of figures on Via Sacra railing.
From another historical perspective, the Forum was the center of daily life in Rome for centuries. This was the setting for speeches, processionals, public trials, and gladiatorial events. It is now surrounded by the ruins of several government buildings. For many, this iconic space is the most celebrated meeting place in the world. In many ways, Forum Hall shared a similar function, with the drop curtain solidifying this connection. There is no mistaking that the subject matter for the curtain was based on past and present notions of “Forum” in 1897.
Forum Clubs were quite popular in 1897. Some were debate teams attached to colleges and universities. Others were literary organizations with guest lecturers. Other Forum Clubs were formed to discuss the state of inequality.
For example, on Saturday, Dec. 25, The Appeal in St. Paul, Minnesota published the following announcement:
“Prof. O. M. Woods in his report to the Forum Club, reviewed the ‘criminal status of the Negro race.’ He scored the convict system of the South, and cited facts and statistics showing the comparative length of terms served by white and Afro-American criminals for the same offense, and the alleged manner in which the entire administration of justice was so warped to the prejudice of the Afro-Americans that their condition in many states was rendered but little better than that of the slaves of ante-bellum days” (p. 2).
In 1897, there was also a Forum Club that met in Forum Hall. Purportedly it was a dancing organization, but I am suspect. On Sept. 12, 1897, The Chicago Chronicle announced “A new dancing organization, the Forum Club, has been organized on the south side, and will give its opening party at the Forum hall, Calumet avenue and Forty-third street, Wednesday, Sept. 29: (p. 40). Another announcement appeared later that month, providing a little more information about this new social organization. On Sept. 29, 1897, in the Inter Ocean announced:
“The Forum club, a new social organization of about 100 young men of the neighborhood, will give here a series of parties this season. Officers have yet to be chosen, and thirty more members will be elected.”
This Forum Club was an all-male organization with limited membership and elected officers, like any business or fraternal organization at this time. It is possible that the Forum Club was meeting for reasons other than dancing. However, advertising and meeting as a “dancing club” allows a large group of 100 young men to not only gather, but also publicly announce their gatherings without any repercussions.
When Forum Hall was built in 1897, there are several other aspects of American history to consider. I’m going to start with the use of the word “Forum” in in the establishment of organizations dating from 1897.
The Forum Club of St. Louis
I am going to pause for a moment and look at the Forum Club of St. Louis, as it provides context withing the framework of American history in 1897-1898. At the time, the St. Louis Globe-Democrat described the organization’s membership as “leading business and professional men of the negro race” (13 Dec 1897, p. 10).
As noted in the 1897 Chicago Tribune newspaper article: “The Civic League will stand for good citizenship and be based somewhat on the Forum Club of St. Louis.”
The Forum Club of St. Louis was described in St. Louis Globe-Democrat on Jun 15, 1896, published an article entitled, “The Colored Contingent,” reporting “The Forum Club, a Republican organization, composed of over 1500 colored business and professional men of this city” (p. 9). This was a gathering of African-American delegates for the National Republican Convention in St. Louis. Representatives from all over the country attended the event, including Hon. George W. Murray, described as “the only negro Congressman in the present House of Representatives.” On May 25, 1896, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch “The Forum Club, an organization of the leading colored citizens of the city, is making a special effort to properly entertain the colored delegates to the National Republican Convention” (p. 8).
This stain on our democracy should never be forgotten.
The Forum Club of St. Louis responded to the tragedy. Newspapers across the country reported on their response. On Nov. 25, 1898, The Clinton Register of Clinton, Illinois, reported, “The Forum club of St. Louis has compiled as address to President McKinley asking him to recommend to congress such legislation as will do away with the massacre of negroes in the south” (p. 8). Here is the link to the “Address of the Forum Club, of St. Louis, Missouri, to Hon. William McKinley, President of the United States, November 1898” at the Harvard Libraries: https://curiosity.lib.harvard.edu/slavery-abolition-emancipation-and-freedom/catalog/74-990012311570203941
The Forum Club of St. Louis as a Model for The Civic League in Chicago, 1897
The founders of the Civic League in Chicago were from the city’s south side.
On Jan. 22, 1897, the Chicago Tribune published an article about the formation of an organization modeled after the Forum Club in St. Louis, Missouri (page 7). The article was entitled, “To Lift Up the African”, with subheadings “Chicago Colored Men will Organize the ‘Civic League.’ Body will make war on crime and degradation with the especial object of improving socially and politically the Black Race – Forum Club of St. Louis suggests the foundation lines – Dr. George C. Hall on a meeting for Sunday.”
The article continued:
“Representative colored men of Chicago are banding together for a war on crime and for the advancement, in all legitimate ways, of reputable representatives of the negro race. The organization, which will be formed next Sunday at No. 2718 State street will be known as ‘The Civic League.’ It’s president will be Dr. George C. Hall of No. 533 State street.
Interested with Dr. Hall in the new organization are T. W. Jones, W. W. Lytle, George Allen, Hannibal Carter, Dr. G. M. Crissup, Dr. A. M. Curtis, Dr. E. E. Barr, W. F. Taylor, and others. These men recently at No. 2718 State street and entered into a full and elaborate discussion of the negro problem.”
[I am going to pause here to mention that 2718 State Street was a building with retail space below and apartments above. In the early 1890s the retail spaces had included as saloon. The address was also listed as a 4th Ward polling place, and continued to be listed as such in 1908]
The article continues:
“As a step in the direction of settling it, it was decided to form ‘The Civic League.’ Dr. George Allen, T. W. Jones, W. W. Lytle, and T. J. Bowers were appointed a Committee on Constitution and By-Laws, and will report next Sunday. Discussing the aims and purposes of the proposed league, Dr. Hall said last night: ‘To the fact that the American negro has entered upon the second quarter of a century of his emancipation without having obtained full measure of American citizenship decreed to him by the Constitution it is unnecessary to give more than passing attention. Self-evident truths need no argumentative demonstration. What we mean to do is simply this: To take a survey of the relative position and importance of the negro citizen as compared with other citizens of this community in which he lives; and when we find two classes of citizens, under the same auspices, with equal civil advantages, the one rising to a degree of almost unexampled power and eminence and the other sinking into a state of comparative obscurity, it is our determination to trace out the causes which have led to the elevation of one class and the depression of the other, and to use our most earnest endeavors to utterly extirpate whatever opposes the program and prosperity of any class of citizens in this country.
‘This survey we have casually made. We do not complain that our liberties are few, but that in this land of boasted freedom, where ability and good citizenship are the standards by which all the competitions of life are governed, the negro’s tenure of almost every public right is somewhat mutilated by arbitrary discriminations against him. In fact, in every race in which he enters he is first declared an inferior competitor and then handicapped and hobbled by an unjust race prejudice.
‘It must be recognized that the better the negro citizen can be, the better it will be for all classes of citizens. The negro’s grievance is that the better public citizen’s he tries to be these discriminations that are made against him are the most unbearable from the fact that they act as impediments not to his lower nature but to the aspirations of his higher nature.
‘As long as the negro is content to be a ragamuffin and a bootblack, frequent the vilest and lowest places of amusement, hang about the streets, shun all public places designed for the intellectual and moral welfare of the citizens, shun schools and colleges, keep out of professions and trades, no white man on earth could be much more free than he finds himself. But the moment he attempts to rise above such a life as this he is galled and tormented with ignominious discrimination against him as a public citizen, both by custom and (in some States) by law; and finally his mother, wife, his sister, and his daughter are encouraged to lead ignoble and are discouraged to lead nobler lives.
‘Many white men have had the honesty and boldness to step forward and proclaim the truth, while others have willfully traduced the negro, who proposes to stay in this country and is eager to be a citizen without any special rights or restrictions.
‘The Civic League is going to help the negro if it can, but not by pulling down the white man. It will make a feature of suppressing crime, and will act in full harmony with any existing organization which has for its objects the betterment of the whole people. Only by these means can the standard be raised.
‘We shall not demand anything, while we may respectfully request a number of things. We would like representation where labor of all kinds is employed, but we will leave it optional with the employer who he hires, contenting ourselves with giving endorsement of the league to a man we may decide is worthy to represent our race.
‘The Civic League will stand for good citizenship, and be based somewhat on the Forum Club of St. Louis. It’s officers will be business-men who can live without politics. If we cannot stop crime, we can locate the blame and fight that.”
On Jan. 25, 1897, The Chicago Chronicle announced,
“Civic League of Illinois
Colored Citizens Organize.
The Civic League of the state of Illinois was formally brought into existence yesterday afternoon at a meeting of colored persons held at 2718 State street. Thirty-two men in business and professional occupations discussed the methods to be employed by the new organization under the presidency of George C. Hall and voted on a constitution and by-laws and elected officers. The object of the league is to get the moral support of the north to enable the league to educate its kindred in the south and to endeavor to get trades unions to raise the bar they have placed against the admission of colored men” (page 7).
The same day, an announcement was made in the Inter Ocean published an article entitled, “To Educate Colored People” (page 8). It reported:
“The Civic League of the State of Illinois was formally brought into existence yesterday afternoon at a meeting of colored people held at No. 2718 State Street [3rd Ward]. Thirty-two men in business and professional occupations discussed the methods to be employed by the new organization under the presidency of George C. Hall, voted on a constitution and by-laws, and elected officers. The object of the league is to get the moral support of the North, to enable the league to educate its kindred in the South, and to endeavor to get trades unions to raise the bar they have placed against the admission of colored men. The league also expects to make the members of the race rejected by the white people in the communities in which they live. The following officers were elected: President Dr. George C. Hall; first vice-president, Hannibal C. Carter; secretary, Dr. G. M. Crissup; treasurer, T. W. Taylor. The board of directors will be selected at a future meeting, but it was determined to apply for a charter at once. The purposes of the league, as pronounced in its constitutions, are to foster and promote by every lawful use of the pen, the press, the mail, the law, the courts, by public assemblage and petitions, and by all proper stimulation of public sentiment, the legal and conventional recognition, establishment, and protection of all men in the common right of humanity, and of all citizens of the State of Illinois in the free enjoyment of every civic right, without distinction on account of birth, race, or private social status.
President Hall was very enthusiastic in his belief that the league would meet with success in its efforts. He said that it would not be allied in any manner in politics, except in the highest sense, and that the organization would aim to help the colored man in every possible manner. The roll members admitted yesterday contain the following names: J. E. Brown, George W. Lytle, Dr. SA. M. Curtis, S. J. Evanz, H. J. Bowers, H. S. Sanderson, R. W. Lacey, James H. Tillman, George D. Allen, E. J. Alexander, A. S. Cooper, H. M. Gibson, R. B. Cabell, and W. F. Tyler.”
Dr. George C. Hall, The Civic League’s first president
Dr. George C. Hall lived in Chicago’s 4th Ward
I am going to take a moment and examine Civic League’s first president, Dr. George C. Hall. He, and vice-president Hannibal C. Carter, both lived in Chicago’s 4th Ward; Hall at 3616 Dearborn and Carter at 3236 Dearborn. Although the ward’s boundaries continued to shift since formation in 1837, in 1887 the 4th Ward was bounded by Lake Michigan, 33rd and 39th streets and Stewart Avenue. Here is a map of the 4th Ward in 1900 when both Hall and Carter were counted in the census. Keep in mind that The Forum was immediately below the 4th Ward, in the top section of the 32nd Ward.
Image of Chicago’s 3rd and 4th ward in 1900. Image from Chicagology.com
In 1901 the ward was extended west to the Chicago River, where it would remain until 1923 when the City was divided into 50 modern wards.
Dr. George Cleveland Hall was born on Feb. 22, 1864, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, the son of John Ward Hall and Romelia Buck Hall. His father was a Baptist minister and the family moved to Chicago where Hall attended public schools. He matriculated at the Pennsylvania’s Lincoln University, graduating in 1886. He returned to Chicago where he received medical training at Bennett Medical College, graduating in 1888. In 1896 he graduated from Chicago’s Harvey Medical college, assisting in gynecology the nation’s first black-owned and managed hospital, Provident Hospital. The following year, he became president of the Chicago Civic League. His accomplishments are remarkable, and Hall is remembered for his many civic activities, including the founding of the association for the ASALH at the Wabash YMCA in Bronzeville with educators Carter G. Woodson, William B. Hartgrove. A. L. Jackson, and James E. Stamps. This later became the largest organization of black professional and public historians. From a medical standpoint, Hall remained active with Provident Hospital as a surgeon, trustee, chief-of-staff, and organizer of the first postgraduate courses. Hall also founded the Cook County Physician’s Association of Chicago, an organization of black doctors. This list of his accomplishments goes on and on.
Hannibal C. Carter, The Civic League’s first vice-president
H. C. Carter. His portrait was attached to his obituary in many newspapers, included “The Appeal” of St. Paul, Minnesota, on 11 June 1904, p. 4.
Here is a little information about this remarkable man. There are several biographies floating about with conflicting information. Here is what I have gathered from historic records and newspaper accounts. Keep in mind there were a few men living with the same name at the same time.
Capt. Hannibal Caesar Carter was born in February 1835 in New Albany, Indiana, the son of George Washington Carter and Ann Hill Carter. Although his family briefly moved to Canada, between 1837 and 1839, where two children were born, they returned to New Albany by 1840 where they were counted in the census. They were again listed in the 1850 census report for New Albany, Floyd County, Indiana. Interesting, in this census the occupation for Carter’s father was listed as “digging gold Cal.” In 1862, military records list Carter as a Captain in the 74th Regiment US Colored Infantry (Companies C and H). More information about his military history was detailed in The Appeal on July 25, 1891, “With his father he was on the Mississippi Steamer Vicksburg when the war broke out. This steamer ran on the lower Mississippi and a few days after Nutler occupied New Orleans, Carter, and his brother Edward made their way to him in safety. Shortly after they arrived, they petitioned General Butler to allow them to raise a regiment of Colored troops. This request was granted, and in October 1862, was mustered into the service….He was captain in the Second regiment Louisiana Native Guards, Corps d’Afrique. He assisted in the reconstruction of Tennessee, in 1867, and was elected from the Eighth congressional district in 1868. In 1868 he went to Mississippi and assisted in the reconstruction there. He represented Warren County, Miss., in the state legislature three times and was twice appointed secretary of the state. He was a candidate for congress in the famous district against General J. R, Chalmers …He removed from Vicksburg ten years ago and assigns as a reason that it ceased to be a healthy locality for a free man” (p.3). When Carter moved to Chicago, he was initially listed in directories as a clerk and notary. His 1906 obituary remembered, “He has resided in Chicago for over twenty years, and has taken a great interest in politics, and was quite an orator and political worker” (The Appeal, 11 June 1906, p. 4).
Here is a link for more information about the Corps d’Afrique: https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/1st-louisiana-native-guard-usa-corps-d-afrique-1862-1863/
It is sometimes difficult to track down individuals who served with multiple regiments or those that were consolidated. For the record, in April 1864, the three Native Guard regiments (1st, 2nd, and 3rd Corps d’Afrique) were dissolved, and its members were placed in the newly organized 73rd and 74th Regiments of the United States Colored Troops. By the end of the war, there were 175 USCT regiments, constituting about -one-tenth of the army’s manpower.
I am going to briefly pause here and make a connection. Sosman & Landis were founded by Joseph Sosman (1846-1915) and Perry Landis (1848-1904), both Civil War veterans who fought with the Union Army. Sosman’s older brother, Capt. William Sosman fought in the war for several years; his final commission being second lieutenant in the 106th regiment, U. S. Colored troops. Capt. Sosman’s son, worked as a scenic artist at Sosman & Landis during the 1890s. At one time most Sosman & Landis employees had fought in the Civil War. I have yet to locate any of their staff who were members of the Confederacy.
Joseph S. Sosman (top left) and Perry Landis (lower right) pictured in their 1889 catalogue.
Albert Emmet Kent
On April 7, 1897, The Chicago Chronicle announced “S. A. treat has designed a two-story store and hall building which A. E. Kent proposes to erect at Forty-third Street and Calumet avenue. It will be 130×83 feet. The hall will have a seating capacity of 700 and the building will be furnished in the modern style at a total cost of about $20,000” (page 21). A. E. Kent was Albert Emmet Kent (1830-1901), a well-known businessman who many considered to be the founder of the Chicago’s great meat packing industry. As remembered in his 1901 obituary, “Thirty years ago Mr. Kent was one of the leaders in the commercial life of this city. He was one of the organizers of the Corn Exchange and old Third National banks, and of the board of trade. He was also the originator of the optional system of trading, without which boards of trade would be impossible. But his greatest achievement lay in the founding of the great packing industries which have made Chicago famous the world over” (The Inter Ocean 9 Jan 1901, p. 3). His story is quite something.
For health reasons, Kent moved with his family to San Raphael, California, in 1871. By the way, he moved prior to the fire. Although he remained in the West Coast, his name continued to be listed in dozens of Chicago real estate transaction and building projects. His only surviving child, William Kent, had long charge of his father’s great real estate interests. In 1890, William became a partner in the real estate firm, A. E. Kent & Son, Co. Although A. E. Kent was listed as the owner of the Forum Building, it is highly unlikely that he participated in the planning or décor. This was simply a profitable investment for his real estate firm, intended to be rented to local residents. The demand for popular entertainment and meeting facilities often surpassed the supply theaters. The Kents likely considered another factor when constructing the theatre – transportation. The South Side “L” began making stops at 43rd, 47th and 51st streets in the Grand Boulevard community. The 43rd street stop for the “L” line was right at the Forum Theatre building. There is a fantastic page at the Encyclopedia of Chicago Website that examines the shifting demographic of residents and how Grand Boulevard became the “hub” of “Bronzeville.” Here is the link: http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/537.html
Samuel Treat
Now I am going to explore the career of The Forum’s architect, Samuel Atwater Treat (1839-1910), and his connection with Sosman & Landis.
On April 3, 1897, the Forum Building was described in an article for The Economist: A Weekly Financial, Commercial, and Real-estate Newspaper (p. 374):
“Samuel A. Treat, Fisher Building, has prepared plans for the improvement of the northwest corner of Calumet avenue and Forty-third street. The property is owned by A. E. Kent, and the plans show the entire frontage of 130 feet on Forty-third street and 83 feet on Calumet avenue are to be covered with a two-story building to be devoted to stores on the main floor. On the property immediately on the corner above the stores there will be erected a lecture and amusement hall, 61×64 feet. The auditorium will have a seating capacity on the main floor and gallery of about 700. It will be reached by two flights of stairs, the principal one being from the Forty-third street entrance, and the other from Calumet avenue. Dressing rooms for ladies and gentlemen will be provided and also a dining room and kitchen. The interior views show a tasteful and appropriate arrangement of the gallery, proscenium and inglenook. The building throughout will be heated by steam and the auditorium will be ventilated by mechanical devices. It will be lighted by incandescent lights. The cost of the building will be $20,000, and it is to be ready for occupancy September 1. The same architect is making extensive improvements in the building at 51 and 53 Plymouth Place for Mr. Kent.”
When Treat designed The Forum, he was 57 yrs. old.
Born on Dec. 29, 1839, in New Haven, Connecticut, he worked for the architectural firm of Sidney M. Stone after graduating from the Collegiate and Commercial Institute in 1856 (now known as the Russell Military Academy).
This means that as a young man, Treat in the same town as Sosman & Landis scenic artist, David Austin Strong, nine years his senior. (1830-1911) In the 1850s, Strong worked as a sign painter, scenic artist, and stage manager at Homan’s Theatre, located in the Exchange building.
In 1867, Treat relocated to Chicago initially working with the form Randall & Co. After the 1871 Great Chicago fire, he partnered with Fritz Foltz to establish Treat & Foltz. The two worked together for almost two decades. Foltz was extremely connected with the musical scene in Chicago during their time together. From approximately 1890-1910, Treat conducted his own business in Chicago. Less than a year after Treat’s passing, Strong also died.
Strong had moved to Chicago in 1874, working at various Chicago theaters until joining the staff at Sosman & Landis in by 1886, where he remained until his passing in 1911. Strong was extremely well known in the throughout the country, as was his employer. On Feb 28, 1886, an article in the Inter Ocean included his portrait and a short biography: “Among the oldest and best-known scenic artists in Chicago is David A. Strong, whose name adorned Haverly’s bills in the latter’s palmy days, but who is now in the Sosman & Landis establishment. He was born so far back that he skillfully dodges the issue when questioned as to the exact time. His professional career was commenced in Howard’s Atheneum in Boston twenty-five years back, He was then engaged several years stocking the larger New England theaters with scenery. He painted in the National Theatre in Washington for four years during the war. Then went to the Chestnut at Philadelphia, under Len Grover’s management, He then worked in New York at the Olympic and later at Niblo’s. While at the latter place with Marsden he got up the original scenery for the ‘Black Crook.” He then painted the panorama, ‘The Mirror of Ireland,’ famous in the East some time ago, and traveled with it for four and a half years. When Grover and Call opened the old Adelphi in this city, Mr. Strong was induced to come West, and has remained here ever since, working in several of the first-class theaters” (page 9).
David A. Strong pictured in 1886.
Meanwhile, Treat partnered with Fritz Foltz, and the two worked together until 1897. There is much more that can be written about Treat, but I am going to stop here, and 1897 forms another link with the Sosman & Landis Studio.
On Dec. 11, 1897, Treat was listed as an architect for the Western Electric Co. in The Economist (p. 665). The Western Electric Co. Building was located directly across Clinton street from Sosman and Landis Scenic Studio. They had shared a long history with Western Electric erecting its plant in 1883 and Sosman & Landis building their studio three years later. In 1893, Western Electric worked close with the scenic studio on several Columbian Exposition projects, including a large display in the Electricity building.
Western Electric’s Egyptian Temple Pavilion in the Electricity Building, Columbian Exposition, 1893.
The Sosman & Landis studio not only included an electrical department, but the firm’s founders were instrument in establishing and operating the American Reflector & Lighting Company. In fact, Perry’s older brother, Joseph Landis, was the general manager. There is no doubt in my mind that Treat had worked with Sosman & Landis before The Forum project.
Sosman & Landis Scenic Studio, 1897
1897 was a big year for Sosman & Landis. It was their 18th year in Chicago, having first set up shop at 236-238 Clark Street. In 1886, they constructed a scenic studio that was advertised at the largest in the country.
The Sosman & Landis Studio on Clinton Street.
Interior of the Sosman & Landis studio on Clinton Street
Another view of the Sosman & Landis studio on Clinton Street, c. 1910.
By 1894 the firm had delivered scenery to approximately 4,000 theaters throughout North America. By 1902, that number had increased to 6,000. In addition to stock scenery, the firm also painted spectacles for touring shows, grand circus spectacles, amusement park rides, world fair attractions, industrial shows, charity events, and more. I am in the process of writing the book “Sosman & Landis: Shaping the Landscape of American Theatre.”
There was so much work coming into Sosman & Landis during 1897 that they had two studio spaces in Chicago, and several regional branches. The main studio was located on Clinton Street, with a second studio at the Alhambra Theatre. Thomas G. Moses (1856-1934), the firm’s first employee in 1880, oversaw the second studio, often referred to as The Annex. After Sosman passed away in 1915, Moses was elected president of the firm.
1897 projects included stock scenery for the Alhambra Theatre (Chicago, Illinois), the Overland Theatre (Nebraska City, NE), the Pike Theatre (Cincinnati, OH), the Valentine Theatre (Toledo, OH), the Grand Opera House (Columbus, OH), the Opera House (Deadwood, SD), the Opera House (Grand Rapids, Wisconsin), and the Cedar Rapids Highschool (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), to name a few. In addition to delivering painted illusion, draperies, stage machinery and lighting systems, they also painted settings for a variety of 1897 touring productions that included “Booming Town” (Phil W. Peters and James Brown), “Pulse of New York”, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” (Davis Bros. Co.); “The Grand Duchess” and Amorita” (Kirkland Calhoun Opera Co.)
In addition to their theatrical supply and manufacturing firm, Sosman & Landis were also heavily invested in theatrical management. In 1897, Sosman & Landis were listed as managers of the Masonic Roof Garden Theatre (Chicago). They were also operating a second theatre agency with David H. Hunt, known as Sosman, Landis & Hunt. They leased the Pike Theatre in Cincinnati and ran a touring stock company, as part of the Western Circuit of Vaudeville Theatres.
Sosman & Landis’s electric scenic theaters at the Masonic Temple Roof Garden were even featured on the front page of “Western Electrician” on June 9, 1894.
Detail of Sosman & Landis’ Electric Scenic Theaters.
This brings us to the question: “Who was the scenic artist for The Forum’s drop curtain?” I am currently in the process of reconstructing the studio staff for each year, having already written biographies for 113 staff members. This is a project that I have been working on for decades. It just takes time.
Opening Forum Hall in 1897
The dedication of The Forum was announced in The Inter Ocean on Sept 29, 1897, reporting: “Opening of the Forum.
New South Side Social Center is Fittingly Dedicated.
The opening night of the Forum, corner of Forty-Third street and Calumet avenue, inaugurated last evening a pleasant addition to the South Side’s social centers. The new hall is large and well appointed, and the Forum club, a new social organization of about 100 young men of the neighborhood, will give here a series of parties this season. Officers have yet to be chosen, and thirty more members will be elected.
A mixed programme of music and recitations was the inaugural feature, and the attendance was quite large, especially of the people of St. Alban’s church, just around the corner on Prairie Avenue. Those contributing the entertainment were from this parish, and the rector, Rev. G. W. Knapp, lent his presence. There was an overture by the Wadner orchestra, a banjo solo by Master Scott Dowd, a song by Mr. G. St. John Knefler, a whistling solo by Miss Raney, a piano duet by Misses Edna Morgan and Maud Lightner, reading by Miss Carolyn Cook, solo by Master Tommy Anderson, and a song by Miss Eugenia Bayard, and at 10:30 came informal dancing. Among those who shared the enjoyable evening were:
Messrs. And Mesdames –
W.M. Speer, Thomas Edwards, J. D. Eaton, Morgan.
Misses – Grace Dodge. Rose Hess, Mable Hess, Bella Waller, Ethel Moody, Nannie Fetterly, Leofoldine Morgan, Edna Morgan, Laura Taylor, Jeanne Wilcox, Mary Webber.
Messrs. – Otto Langbien, John Morgan, Clarence Morgan, C. R. Cole, Ed Fetterly, G. P. Fetterly.
As with all theater openings, not everyone who attended a dedication was counted. Often, there is neither rhyme nor reason to who is included apart from entertainment and social standing.
As the building boasted a seating capacity of 700, I highly doubt that only a few dozen attended the opening. What I am certain of, however, is that this was an event primarily attended by locals.
I was able to track down most individuals listed above, with almost all coming from the 3rd, 4th, and 32nd wards. In fact, most were listed in the 1900 census report. This means that I was able to look at the neighborhoods to see the examine the demographics. Many of the street included both white and black families. This really is a project for someone to sit down and map out; the households from one street to the next. I think of the 2009 publication entitled “Suburban Promised Land: The Emerging Black Community in Oak Park, Illinois, 1880-1980.” There needs to be a book that looks at the emerging black community near the Forum.
Activities at The Forum
The Forum was identified as a “lecture and amusement hall.” When the hall opened in 1897, a variety of groups used the space. Interestingly, newspaper announcements were published by those renting the space, not managing the space. This is a little odd, and I would live to track down who was opening the building and turning the lights on.
I have examined the following events between 1897 and 1901: wedding receptions, evening dance classes, orchestral programs, Calumet Assemblies events, Republicans of the Thirty-second Ward meetings, Thirty-second Ward Democratic Meetings, Political rallies, Violet Club receptions, Progressive Club gatherings, informal dances, lectures, Carter H. Harrison meetings for the Thirty-second Ward, St. Elizabeth Institute receptions, The Young Ladies Guild of Holy Angels Church card party and receptions, Colonial Club elections, De la Salle Alumni association reception and cotillons, the Gibson Informal, and Englewood Union Hospital Alumnæ association receptions. There are likely many more groups that used this space.
Interestingly, the William Kent (son of owner A. E. Kent) was listed as an attendee at a Forum event in 1898. Kent attended a meeting of the Thirty-second ward Republicans who gathered for the denunciation of Allen Law; Kent was listed as an ex-Alderman of the 4th Ward. (Chicago Tribune 2 Jan 1898, p. 10). By the way, here is the link to the William Kent Family Papers in the Yale archives: https://archives.yale.edu/repositories/12/resources/4044 The scope and contents of the collection “document Kent’s career as a municipal reformer in Chicago and Northern California; his interests in conservation, recreation, and public control of water power; his campaigns for election to Congress; his service in the United States House of Representatives and on the United States Tariff Commission; and his business interests in cattle ranches in Nebraska and Nevada. The papers also include materials relating to the activities of Kent’s wife, Elizabeth Thacher Kent, her family, and the Kents’ seven children and grandchildren. Papers of Elizabeth Thacher Kent document her interests in women’s suffrage, the Equal Rights Amendment, and international peace.” This is a rabbit hole that I cannot go down at this time.
Fraternal Activities
I have only located one stage production that took place in 1897. On Nov. 20, 1897, The Inter Ocean described a three-act war drama as as part of Thanksgiving festivities (p. 374). The article reported,
“SONS OF VETEREANS.
Colonel Ellsworth camp, No. 87, will give a grand Thanksgiving entertainment Thursday evening at Forum hall, corner of Forty-third and Calumet avenue, consisting of a three-act war drama and exhibition drill by the Burns Military School cadets. The entertainment will be followed by a dance. The Sons of the Veterans of Austin will visit the camp and G. A. R. post at Oak Park next Thursday evening” (p. 11).
Colonel Ellsworth Camp, No. 87 represented the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Middletown, Pennsylvania. This was an allied order of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), intended to preserve the history and legacy of the veterans who fought during the Civil War. Here is a link for more information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sons_of_Union_Veterans_of_the_Civil_War
There was another fraternal activity that caught my eye when I entered the building for the first time – The Elks. There still is a door clearly marked with the Fraternity and C. A. Brown.
Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World at The Forum. This door likely led to the secretary’s office, as in most fraternal buildings.
The Forum also was home to the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World (I.B.P.O.E. of W.). This is not the same as the B.P.O.E. As Prince Hall Freemasonry, it was a fraternal order fueled by racial inequality.
Founded in 1898, the group is now considered the largest Black fraternal organization in the world. In 1906, Chicago Lodge No. 43 was incorporated by W. D. Langford, T. J. Wilson, and R. L. LaCasse (Chicago Tribune 22 Nov 1906, p. 13). I believe that the Lodge is now known as Great Elks Lodge No. 43 and have contacted the fraternity to confirm.
After a little preliminary research, here is what I uncovered about the three gentlemen listed in the 1906 announcement:
W. D. Langford, was listed as a physician listed in the 1907 Chicago Directory, practicing at 500, 39 State Street.
Ralph L. Lacasse (1861-1909) worked as a porter and usher. I was also able to find his will that listed his Prince Hall Masonic association (Garden City Lodge. No. 59) and membership with the Knights of Pythias (Hannibal Lodge). Here is a link to Prince Hall Freemasonry Archives with Garden City folders at the Chicago Public Library: https://www.chipublib.org/fa-prince-hall-freemasonry-archives/
Thomas Jefferson Wilson, Jr. (1877- 1963) worked as a porter for the Pullman company in 1900. That year he roomed with his first wife Anna B. at the Payton family home, 4731 Armour Avenue in 1900. He later worked as a clothing salesman, marrying his second wife Yolanda Charleston.
I remain uncertain as to when the I.B.P.O.E. of W. started meeting in the Forum, but I have located a newspaper article from 1944 that confirms they were situated in the building (Chicago Tribune 26 Aug 1944, p. 8). For more information about this fraternal organization, visit https://www.ibpoew.org/history If you do a little digging, there is a fascinating history out there.
In Summary
There are many historic scenery collections across the country that are important. Extant backdrops that are linked with significant people and events in American history. They connect performance venues to local, regional, and national histories, often allowing us to discover the people who created it, delivered it, manipulated it, performed in front of it, and saved it.
That being said, The Forum drop curtain is one of a kind; there is nothing else like it in North America. It should be used as a forum for discussing the past, present, and future.
Please spread the word that the Forum exists, that it has historic scenery, and that it needs financial support.
Throughout my career, I have encountered examples of scenic art that took my breath away. My most recent experience occurred during a visit to the Gaiety Theatre and Opera House in Douglas, Isle of Man.
The act-drop, painted by William Thompson Hemsley (1850-1918), is exquisite.
Photograph by Mike Hume while I am attempting to document painted details.
It is obvious that Hemsley was at the peak of his painting career when he produced this large-scale artwork. Hemsley’s economy of brush stroke and color combinations are quite remarkable. In fact, they are inspirational. Seeing this drop should be on every scenic artist’s bucket list. You will learn so much about the brevity of scene painting when examining his work.
Detail of dancer’s foot in W. T. Hemsley’s act drop at the Gaiety Theatre.
This post will examine Hemsley’s drop in detail, placing it within the context of theatre history. It will also examine its current condition and past repairs. My next post will look at the life and career of scenic artist W. T. Hemsley (1850-1918). Then I will continue with my last two theater visits in the UK during September 2023.
As with most front curtains for Victorian performance venues, Hemsley’s design for the Gaiety Theatre unifies the auditorium’s color palette and décor. Although the central subject exhibits an exotic eastern theme, the painted surround seamlessly blends with the architectural surround and auditorium designed by Frank Matcham.
Detail of painted curtain next to proscenium arch.
Detail of painted curtain next to proscenium arch.
I am going to briefly touch on theatre terminology first. Hemsley’s “act drop” design is identical to many “drop curtain” designs in the North America. Drop curtains, also labeled in the US as front curtains and main rags, were frequently lowered in between acts, unless an advertising curtain was employed. In many cases the terms act-drop, drop curtain, painted front curtain, and main rag can be used interchangeably. Terminology is based on where you live. It is very important to not get caught up in the name, but to look at the actual function of the scenic piece. I think of the dispute between “hot dish” and “casserole” in the United States. They are both a one-dish meal, baked in the oven. Same thing, different name.
Back to the act drop…
This type of scenic design frequently includes a central “painting” – one that often replicates a popular artwork or subject matter. This central “artwork” is surrounded by an ornate frame, draped in lush fabrics. These drop curtains were often the pinnacle of an auditorium’s décor, tying everything together while concealing the magical realm behind the footlights. As audience members waited in their seats for the show to start, or the next act to commence, the drop curtain (act-drop) provided theatre patrons with an opportunity to study the grand work of a scenic artist. The proscenium opening became a gallery wall, providing many scene painters with an opportunity to flaunt their artistic abilities. Painting a successful drop curtain required extensive skill, as well as a thorough understanding of distemper painting techniques for landscapes, architecture, draperies, and, in some cases, figure painting.
There is an article entitled, “Well-known drop curtains in Philadelphia, published in The Philadelphia Inquirer on Dec. 18, 1894.” It examines the significance and subject matter of drop curtains at the time. The article describes the work of Matt Morgan, Russell Smith, William M. Voegtlin, Alfred Voegtlin, Hugh Logan Reid, E. H. Chase, Lee Lash, Gaspard Maeder, and Frederick Schaefer, are featured in the article. Here is an excerpt from the article:
“The drop curtain is the most expensive piece of furniture in any playhouse. Managers are most solicitous about the care of a handsome drop curtain than almost any other appointment in the theatres. They are usually painted by the artists of wide fame in the peculiar branch of art which they represent, whose charges for the work range from $1000 to $3000…It is claimed by managers that a handsome drop curtain has much to do with the drawing qualities of the house. A charming landscape depicting the greenest of lawns, sparking fountains, rare shrubbery and bright flowers, the dimpled surface of a placid lake, with magnificent hills or rugged mountains in the distance to kiss the brightest fleecy clouds, forms an ensemble well calculated to put the audience in good humor to witness a play. And when let down between the acts, it has a tendency to calm the soul after turbulent passages and rouses it to cheerfulness after tearful ones.”
Only a small percentage of historic backdrops that I have documented include figures, especially on those dubbed drop curtains. Most recently, I documented an 1897 drop curtain for the Forum Theatre in Bronzeville, Illinois (a community on the south-side of Chicago). The forum scene depicts very small figures to suggest the scale of their monumental surroundings.
Painted detail from Sosman & Landisdrop curtain at the Forum in Bronzeville.
My hand showing scale of the figures on the Forum drop curtain.
The inclusion of larger, or full-scale figures, is extremely rare in extant scenery collections. In fact, the only times that I have consistently encountered figure-work is painted on scenes at Scottish Rite Theatres; specifically, group scenes for 18th degree productions. For context, many North American Freemasons theatrically stage their “degree work”, like a morality play. It is performed for the educational purposes of members. Here are a few examples from Scottish Rite scenes for context.
Painted scene by Toomey & Volland Studio (St. Louis, Missouri) at the Masonic Theatre in Deadwood, South Dakota.
Painted scene by Toomey & Volland (St. Louis, Missouri) at the Masonic Theatre in Quincy, Illinois.
Although some of the work is quite skilled, in some cases there have been few questionable choices. This detail of a foot may simply indicate the speed at which these scenes were painted. Keep in mind that most American scenic studio artists were working in a factory setting to mass-produce painted illusion.
Painted detailfrom cut-drop created for the Scottish Rite Theatre in McAlester, Oklahoma, c. 1908. This painted scene is now used at the Scottish Rite Theatre in Salina, Kansas, USA.
The Gaiety Theatre act drop holds a unique place in World Theatre History, when considering not only the artistic skill of Hemsley, but also the subject matter.
When I first encountered Hemsley’s design for the Gaiety Theatre, it reminded me of a drop curtain design by scenic artist John Z. Wood (1846-1919). At the time, Wood was working for the Twin City Scenic Co. in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Wood’s design also incorporated a dancing girl. Interesting aside, Wood was born in England and emigrated with his family as a young both, eventually settling in Rochester New York. For more information about Wood and his artistic style, here is a link to one of the many posts that I have written about him: https://drypigment.net/2019/12/10/tales-from-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-john-z-wood-scenic-artist-1846-1919/
Wood, John Z. “Drop curtain.” University of Minnesota Libraries, Performing Arts Archives., Accessed November 02, 2023.
Painted detail. Wood, John Z. “Drop curtain.” University of Minnesota Libraries, Performing Arts Archives., Accessed November 02, 2023.
Painted detail. Wood, John Z. “Drop curtain.” University of Minnesota Libraries, Performing Arts Archives., Accessed November 02, 2023.
Wood’s scenic designs are part of an online digital database.Here is the link to the design: https://umedia.lib.umn.edu/item/p16022coll116:1819
Sadly, Wood’s central composition is somewhat obscured under a layer of glue; another central design was pasted over this original composition at a later date. The original work was discovered when the Twin City Scenic Company Collection was catalogued, under the supervision of my mentor, Prof. Emeritus, C. Lance Brockman. Between 1999 and 2000, I assigned metadata to each of the artifacts. My familiarity with four scenery collections in the online database has allowed me to help link designs with extant scenery over the years. Here is the link to access the collection in its entirety: https://umedia.lib.umn.edu/search?facet_field=collection_name_s&facets%5Bcollection_name_s%5D%5B%5D=Scenic+Collections
Although I have read descriptions of exotic eastern scenes for Victorian stages, few have survived. Here are some photographs of Hemsley’s act drop so that you can appreciate his skill and attention to detail.
Central dancer.
Dancer’s shoes.
Looking even closer at fabric and brush stroke.
Reclining man.
Hand detail of man in composition.
Detail of frame.
Fabric and frame detail.
Fabric and frame detail.
Painted detail of floral arrangement.
Painted detail of tapestry.
Another painted detail.
Painted fabric next to practical fabric.
Tassel detail.
Hemsley’s act-drop is the first fully-framed drop that I have ever encountered. It also meant that the cleaning of this act drop in the 1990s became problematic. The restoration team requested that the framed piece be relocated upstage and face the paint-frame floor. Roy McMillan describes the process in his book A Full Circle, 100 Years of the Gaiety Theatre and Opera House:
McMillan wrote,
“To carry out the work, the drop had to be removed from its fly-bar at the front of the stage, walked (that is, moving one end forward a few feet while the other remains stationary, then repeating the process with the other end) halfway to the back, rotated through 180 degrees, then re-flown and the cleaning done from the paint frame floor. When Mervin and David were releasing it from its fly-bar onto the floor, the side struts nearly buckled. The canvas ballooned out like a wind -caught sail; a few seconds more of the strain and the drop would have been gone forever…[They] managed to haul it back into its original position on the fly-bar and decided another method would probably be safer. It would, however, take more time.
They fixed the drop by three tie lines along a bar. It was moved back one side at a time, one bar at a time, with both of them clamoring up and down ladders to secure it or to untie it, to the center of the stage. Once there, two of the three ties were released, and the center left alone. The intention was to rotate it, so the painted side faced upstage and be attended to on the paint frame floor. But as they turned it, they realized that it was three inches wider than available. This was not a design feature of the drop or a miscalculation. It was because a bridge between the left and right side of the fly floor gallery had been built at the front of the stage, making it impossible to turn the drop round. This bridge was not in the original theatre and has since been removed to allow the house curtain to rise correctly, but it was very much present at the time. Faced with the choice of cancelling the first project of the restoration, or dropping the act drop onto the floor again, they chose a much more straightforward means of solving the problem. They cut a chunk out of the bridge…Once in position, the backing canvas was removed. On the painted side of the canvas itself, the copper-headed nails that held it to the frame had oxidized and rotted the canvas in the immediate area…Its delicacy meant it had to be repaired in situ and the frame rebuilt around it.”
The preservation of the painted composition is also described in McMillan’s publication. McMillan wrote, “In order to avoid glare when lit by the footlights the drop had to be painted in stage paint. This is a powdered water-paint mixed with size – a sticky, globby gel that serves as a fixative.”
[I am going to pause here to correct this statement. This drop was painted with distemper paint. The distemper painting process necessitates that dry pigment is turned into a paste and placed on the scenic artist’s palette. Some artists in the UK refer to distemper painting as Size Painting. Regardless, during the painting process dry pigment paste is mixed with diluted hide glue (size) on the palette and directly applied to the drop. The size cannot be used as “a sticky, globby gel.” If the size were this consistency, it means that it has been mixed too strong and will dry with a sheen, thus reflecting stage lights. When size it properly mixed, it will not gel, unless a studio is kept at an abnormally cold temperature. In my humble opinion, there is no way, that Hemsley (then at the age of 50 yrs. old) would have made this amateur mistake. If he had, the whole drop would look like the painting were sealed with a gloss coat.
Here is an example of a restoration process that used size that was too strong and formed a sheen.
Scene at Scottish Rite theatre in Louisville, Kentucky.
McMillan continues to describe the restoration process:“However, as it was water-based, if the surface was rubbed, the paint smudged immediately,”
[I must explain that distemper -“water-based”- paint is not subject to dusting unless the binder has failed over time. There are hundreds of extant drops, c. 1900 or earlier, that show no signs of dusting and are stable.]
McMillan continues “To clean it required an intermediary layer between the surface and the restorer’s brush. It was achieved using mulberry tissue paper, infused with a liquid that caused the dirt to soften on the paint surface and stick to the paper, leaving clean paint of the original drop beneath.”
I am curious to know what about the “liquid.” I have cleaned hundreds of historic scenes cannot envision how this process worked. However, it may explain the extensive spotting throughout the composition.
Spotting that looks like small areas of water damage as there are tide lines and pigment loss.
Areas with spotting near the bottom of drop.
Spotting that looks like small areas of water damage as there are tide lines and pigment loss.
Spotting that looks like small areas of water damage as there are tide lines and pigment loss.
In the past, I have removed both surface contaminants and embedded dirt from extant drops. If the pigment is relatively stable (meaning that the binder is still working) surface contaminants are easily removed with low-suction dust extraction, Absorene putty, and/or Absorene sponges.
Example of removing surface contaminants with low-suction dust extraction.
Example of using Absorene sponge to remove surface contaminants left after low-suction dust extraction.
Half of a scene that was cleaned at the Scottish Rite Theatre in Duluth, MN.
If the pigment is severely dusting, the loose paint must be consolidated so that it does not continue to dust. This is when conservators debate whether to remove the dirt and cause minimal pigment loss or encapsulate the dirt when the loose paint is consolidated.
McMillan further explains, “if the surface was rubbed, the paint smudged immediately.”
I don’t really know how to interpret this statement. When distemper paint comes into contact with any liquid, even a damp cloth or humid environment, the paint will immediately reactivate. This is why I don’t understand how “mulberry tissue paper, infused with liquid” works in removing surface contaminants from distemper drops.
If McMillan meant that the distemper paint smudged when dry, that indicates the binder was failing; the pigment dusting from the fabric.
Despite the hard work to preserve Hemsley’s work, the curtain is again compromised. There are a few scrapes that will need attention before the damage spreads, again compromising the longevity of the artwork.
Damage documented during my September 2023 visit.Thankfully, the cause of the scraping has been rememdied.
Detail of the damage.
Theatre backdrops are unique and cannot be preserved like large-scale paintings that hang in stationary positions on gallery walls. They are metamorphic in nature, intended to be constantly handled or shifted. That is magic of painted scenery; artworks that come to life under stage lights.
In early-twentieth-century North America, many stunning act-drops were replaced with fabric draperies, movie screens, or a combination thereof during the twentieth century, the original scenes long forgotten by theatre audiences. Instead of raising a painted curtain to reveal the mysteries of Thespis, heavy draperies were drawn apart to show a movie. The Gaiety Theatre has three front pieces:
Main draperies (that draw apart).
Hemsley’s act drop (also known as a drop curtain).
A contemporary advertising curtain (also known as an ad drop).
It is remarkable how each piece changes the energy in the auditorium. It is certainly a testament to the importance of what fills the proscenium opening.
My next post will be about the creator of the Gaiety Theatre’s act-drop, William T. Hemsley, scenic artist and sculptor.
Painted detail from the Twin City Scenic Co. drop curtain delivered to Shieldsville, Minnesota, c. 1914-1915.
My relationship with the Church of St. Patrick in Shieldsville, Minnesota, began in 2015. That fall, the office administrator, Tracy Velishek, contacted me about preserving an historic backdrop.
She wrote:
“Wendy, Attached is our old social hall which will be torn down in December. The other is the backdrop we would like preserved. I got pictures of the other backdrop but am not very techy and cannot figure out how to send it to you from my phone. I will have my son help me later today. It is our understanding that the building was an opera house in its early days. We are trying to find out what we can about it. Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you. I have the backdrop we want to save in our new social hall rolled up so after Thursday I will know a timeline as to when we will be doing something with it.”
Picture of old St. Patrick’s social hall sent to me in 2015.
Musicals and dramas were presented in the Church of St. Patrick’s parish hall under the ministry of Father John J. Molloy (1866-1962). He served at the Shieldsville parish for 52 years, from 1909 to 1961. By the way, this was the first Irish Catholic parish in the State of Minnesota, founded in 1856.
Rev. J. J. Molloy was responsible for purchasing scenery from the Twin City Scenic Co. in 1914.
Molloy’s service was included in Margaret Hagerty’s 1940 publication “Meet Shieldsville: The Story of St. Patrick’s Parish Shieldsville.”
Hagerty’s entry for Rev. J. J. Molly:
“Rev. John J. Molloy was born in the County Mayo, Ireland, and was educated at St. Patrick’s college in Kildare. He was ordained at Maynooth in 1891 and a few months later came to America. He was assistant pastor at St. Patrick’s in St. Paul from October 1899 to April 1900 and then spent one year at St. Mary’s in St. Paul. The next three years he was assistant pastor at St. Anthony’s in Minneapolis. He then organized St. Joseph parish in Montevideo and was in charge there three years. The next two years were spent at St. George’s parish at Glencoe and then nine years were spent at St. Mary’s, Wilmar. He came to Shieldsville in 1909 and for the last thirty years has made a splendid record. “Father Molloy faced a tremendous task when he arrived in Shieldsville. The place was sadly run down and in need of repairs, so he astounded us all by taking off his coat, rolling up his sleeves and going to work. Up to that time none of us knew that a priest’s coat or a Roman collar were removable, He had the house remodeled, cleaned, and painted. The church too was redecorated, and the landscape worked over and improved. A new fence was built around the cemetery. To keep the young folks near home for entertainment a pavilion as built in the grove, and it proved to be such a success that Father Molloy was encouraged to build St. Patrick’s hall. Much of the work on the hall was donated and every man in the parish was busy. The women raked their brains to think up ways and means to pay for the lumber and furnish the kitchen. It was a delightful change for the ladies of St. Patrick’s parish to have a spacious kitchen to work in and to have a dining room large enough to serve 100 people at a time.”
In 1961, Father Molloy was observed as the oldest priest in the St. Paul Archdiocese and the priest with the longest service, serving under four bishops. He passed away on June 29, 1962, and is buried in St. Patrick Cemetery at the site of the Crucifixion monument, erected in the 1950’s.
Molloy’s dramatic contributions were again remembered in “History of Our Parish,” written by Catherine Spartz in 1971:
“Father Molloy loved people around him and believed in having the social life of his parishoners inherent with their religion. Musicals and dramas were presented in the hall during Father Molloy’s ministry, with the principal performers, members of the parish. St. Patrick’s day in March and the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin in August were special times in Shieldsville, Father, who himself had a beautiful speaking and singing voice, organized an outstanding choir.”
The St. Patrick’s Hall stock scenery collection was delivered by the Twin City Scenic Studio, c. 1914-1915, and included a drop curtain, two painted grand tormentors, a garden roll drop, a rocky mountain roll drop, four folding wood wings, a double-painted interior set (center door fancy/rustic interior), and an advertising curtain.
Painted detail from garden drop.Painted detail from folding wood wing.Drop curtain detail with Twin City Scenic Co. signature.
Over time, the stage fell into a state of disrepair and much of the stock scenery found its way to an attic where it was subjected to water damage from roof leaks and stains from bat guano.
Two interior flats brought to the new social hall while I was working on site in 2017.
In December 2015, the old social hall was torn down, but the scenery survived. At the time, Tracy’s son (Andy Velishek )was running a local theatre troupe and hoped that the flats could be repaired and used for upcoming productions. Despite the filth that covered the scenery, Velishek rescued the scenery and stored them in a barn.
There, they sat in relative safety for the next two years.
Conversations with the Church of St. Patrick resumed during the spring on 2017 when I was contracted to restore the ad drop and install it in the new social hall.
Restored Ad Drop. 2017.The new social hall is pictured on the right side.
While working on site that summer, Andy Velishek brought over some of the other salvaged scenery, including the two other roll drops, the woods wings, grand tormentors, and some interior flats. Despite the extensive damage, their beauty was unmistakable.
Before and after restoring the Drop Curtain. 2018. The greatest challenge was identifying the original colors, as so much of the composition had dusted off and was faded.Painted detail showing before and after restoration. 2018.
Studio stencils and shipping tags clearly indicated the collection’s artistic provenance.
The backside of stock flat delivered to Shieldsville in 1914.Shipping tag clearly noting Rev. J. J. Molloy as recipient.
By the beginning of 2018, I restored the three remaining roll drops – drop curtain, garden drop, and rocky mountain pass.
Removing bat guano from the garden drop.Matching distemper colors and restoring areas with paint loss in 2018.The restored garden drop and rocky mountain pass in the new Church of St. Patrick Social Hall. 2018.The Social Hall at the Church ofSt. Patrick in Shieldsville, Minnesota, where four of the historic drops are displayed. 2018.
They were installed in the new social hall attached to the sanctuary at the Church of St. Patrick’s in Shieldsville. When I delivered and hung the drops that spring, I considered my work with the St. Patrick’s Hall scenery collection over.
I was surprised to receive the following text on Nov. 4. 2022:
“Hey there, Wendy. Tracy Velishek here. Don’t know if you remember me but you finished our backdrops at St Patrick in Shieldsville a few years ago. I hope you are doing good and still doing the work you love… Our son Andy still has a bunch of flats that he has to get rid of because he has run out of room…Do you know if anyone who would want them? They have not been cleaned and one or two have some tears…If he doesn’t find someone to take them, he is going to burn them. I would hate to see that and hope you would know of SOMEONE who would want them. I look forward to your reply.”
Burn them…if she had texted anything else, I may have put this project on hold for a few months. I was opening a show that evening and traveling to the Louisville Scottish Rite theatre for a restoration project the next week.
The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Co. “Pirates of Penzance” setting, 2022. Distemper paint (dry pigment paste and diluted hide glue) was used for the entire set (facade, drop curtain, wings, borders, shutters, and painted fabric masking).
After striking Gilbert and Sullivan Very Light Opera Company’s “Pirates of Penzance” on Nov. 20, I found myself driving south to Lonsdale, Minnesota, where the historic scenery collection was now stored. Half of my rental trailer was occupied with set from “Pirates.” It was a small wing-and-shutter stage.
A grand tormentor and foliage wing when the were set up in the new social hall at the Church of St. Patrick in Shieldsville, Minnesota. 2018.
The other half of my rental trailer was reserved for the historic scenery. Amazingly, the St. Patrick’s Hall stock flats would also work in my small Pirates stage.
When I picked up the scenery, Tracy gave me a big hug and handed me a gift bag with four jars of their homemade jelly. Historic scenery and a bag of jelly; who could ask for more?
My bag of jelly from Tracy when I picked up the scenery.
The scenery is currently at my studio, awaiting cleaning, repair, and a second life on the stage. I will continue to update this post as each piece is restored and displayed.
The historic flats, as they are currently stored in my studio.
My recent scenery restoration project at the Louisville Scottish Rite Theater began three years ago in 2019. These projects are often years in the making, and it really takes the right person to set the ball in motion. I have watched scenery collections crumble from both indecision and poor stewardship. Time is often of the essence when historic scenes start to fail. Scenery that survived decades against an upstage wall can rapidly deteriorate over the course of a few years if the conditions are right.
My initial visit to the Louisville Scottish Rite was a side trip while attending USITT (United States Institute of Theatre Technology). Whenever I attend the annual conference, I try and schedule a visit to a nearby Scottish Rite theatre or historic opera house. These side trips provide me with an opportunity to learn and document “just one more” scenery collection.
Visiting the Louisville Scottish Rite during the USITT conference in 2019.The Louisville Scottish Rite Auditorium.The Louisville Scottish Rite.
The only day that I could photograph Masonic scenery while attending USITT in 2019 was on Wednesday, March 20. Preparations for the Scottish Rite reunion were scheduled to start the next day. I had from 9AM to 3PM to document as much as possible and make my way back to the convention center for a meeting.
I must have made an impression, as the Louisville Scottish Rite hired me that fall to assess the collection. I was contracted to compile condition reports, historic analyses, and replacement appraisals for each drop in the collection. My documents that December were so well-received that I was asked to visit Louisville and present my findings at a special event.
The Egyptian Setting for the 31st degree was one of six settings featured during my presentation on March 7, 2020.
On March 7, 2020, I was the guest speaker for Family night at the Louisville Scottish Rite. I gave a presentation about their historic scenery collection, tracing the history of Masonic scenery in the United States and placing the Louisville Scottish Rite scenery collection withing the context of American theater. At the time I was also asked to work as an historical consultant for upcoming interior renovations throughout the building. After speaking at the Scottish Rite in Louisville in March 2020, the pandemic put everything on hold.
March 2020 – May 2022
Eventually, I lost touch with the Louisville Scottish Rite and moved onto other projects, yet the Louisville Scottish Rite scenery collection continued to lurk in the back of my mind. Surprisingly, Randolph Starks, Secretary of the Louisville Scottish Rite, reached out again last spring. On May 2, 2022, I received the following text: “Hi Wendy. It has been a very long time since we spoke, but I have enjoyed seeing your Facebook posts, the reports of your travels, and the images of your beautiful artwork. I would like to renew our conversation about you providing advice and guidance on some renovation and painting of our Scottish Rite temple. Let me know when you would be available to schedule a phone call to discuss this.” I received this on the same day that my mother went into the ER, so our conversation was again placed on hold for a few more months.
Stark contacted me again on June 29, 2022, but for another reason.
I received a series of pictures of the Egyptian cut drop, with the text message, “Hi Wendy. We just discovered this damage to this scenery drop today. I don’t know how it happened. I would like to know if it would be possible to repair and restore it.”
Damage to the Egyptian Cut Drop at theLouisville Scottish Rite.Damage to the Egyptian Cut Drop at theLouisville Scottish Rite.
My response was, “Yes. You will need to take the drop down, or damage will continue- I am mid-project, but can chat tomorrow afternoon.” Realistically, I was in no position to take on another project and knew that I would have to mostly advise from afar. Starks gathered a team to lower the drop, and I then directed its preparation for short-term storage, until I could travel to Louisville that fall. We tentatively scheduled my visit for November. I would not only repair the scene, but also advise on some upcoming interior renovations. I was also scheduled to again speak about the history of the Louisville Scottish Rite scenery (another Masonic event on Nov. 10, 2022).
Repairing the Egyptian Cut Drop
Unfortunately, there were a series of obstacles to overcome before rolling and storing the cut drop to await my future repairs. The first obstacle was removing wood from the backside, as several “stiffeners” were glued to the cut edge. Many cut drop openings without netting for support curl over time. As a preventative measure, some scenic studios attached wood stiffeners upon installation. These stiffeners were frequently thin strips of pine that were secured to the drop with a strip of glued muslin. Removing an original stiffener is often simple, as the fabric and wood easily peel off of the fabric.
Over the decades, Masonic stage crews tried to replicate this technique. Unfortunately, instead of using thin strips of light-weight pine, they improvised, using a variety of hard woods and solvent-based or inappropriate adhesives. Over the years I have encountered oak strips attached with contact cement (Wichita, KS), lathe attached with wood glue (Fort Scott, KS), yard sticks attached with plaster of paris (Fargo, ND), just to name a few.
Patch on a cut drop at the Scottish Rite Theatre in Fargo, North Dakota.
In Louisville, however, an enterprising Mason opted for a black substance that looks like coal-tar pitch; this was a new one to me.
Photograph sent to me by Jordan Morgan, showing stiffeners attached with a black adhesive.Wood attached to the backside of many cut drops at the Louisville Scottish Rite.
In addition to the stiffeners, ¼”-thick black flexible foam was secured to all of the cut edges with spray adhesive. Sadly, I have encountered this before too, at the Scottish Rite in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Although it works in the short term, it wreaks havoc when repairs need to occur. In Louisville, a solvent-based spray adhesive was used, partially melting the foam and permanently affixing it to the backside of the drop.
Removing the flexible foam from the Egyptian cut drop.
And there was one more thing…
The original netting in the cut opening was replaced with plastic netting that was hot glued on.
Plastic netting attached with hot melt glued, placed over original cotton netting.
Although I feel like a broken record, constantly repeating myself, here goes…NEVER use hot melt glue on historic stage scenery. Hot melt glue has no place in historic preservation, as it severely damages fragile fabric, embedding itself in the fabric’s fibers. Often the hot melt glue is even visible from the front, marring a once beautifully painted composition. Attaching anything to historic scenery with hot-melt glue makes the repair irreversible and flammable. It is especially unfortunate if the new netting is plastic or poorly positioned in the cut opening. Both were the cases with the Egyptian cut drop at the Louisville Scottish Rite. When conducting the initial examination of the scenery, I recognized that the plastic netting would have to remain, as there was so much hot melt glue applied to the fabric that it is now permanently affixed to the cut drop.
The stiffeners, foam, and plastic netting prohibited any expedient storage of the scene last summer until my fall arrival. Fortunately, one diligent Masonic volunteer, Jordan Morgan, spent over thirty-hours removing both foam and wood. Despite his diligence, some areas were left for me to deal with once on site. As I expected, removing the foam and stiffeners could not occur without damage to the painting and fabric. Some of the foam remains firmly adhered to the cut drop.
Egyptian cut drop with flexible foam around cut openings.Removing the flexible foam.
My trip to repair the scenery was slotted for November. During my stay, I would not only fix the damage to the cut drop, but again speak as a guest lecturer and continued to function as a historical consultant for a few anticipated interior renovations.
On the afternoon of Nov 8, 2022, my plane touched down and I was off to the races. This was well after casting my vote at 7AM; it was election day, and I was thankful that the Minnesota polls open so early. After renting a car, checking into my hotel, changing into work clothes, and driving to the Scottish Rite, I began the slow process of setting up the workspace. Once everything was set, I carefully unrolled the damaged cut drop and assessed the damage, simultaneously planning my attack. Despite the dozens of pictures that were sent, nothing replaces examining the damage in person. I went to bed that night, weighing the pros and cons of various approaches to the damage.
The Egyptian cut drop on the stage at the Louisville Scottish Rite.Beginning the repair
Arriving at the Scottish Rite the next morning, I met my onsite assistant, Jordan, and we began the painstaking process of cleaning both the cut drop. This is necessary before any fabric repair.
Cleaning the backside of the fabric prior to repair.
I focused on the biggest damage, before tackling the dozens of small punctures. By midmorning, I realized that the project would go far beyond patching visible damage. I had to do some preventative care – placing vertical reinforcement strips on every seam and weak area. The culprit of the anticipated damage? Flame retardant.
Split seams caused from repeated applications of flame retardant over the decades.
A repeated application of flame retardant often causes the greatest damage to historic scenery; it is like giving the drop cancer. Applying different flame retardants over the decades creates a toxic environment for the fabric and the very fibers begin to break down. Therefore, I need to help support the fabric so that the weight of the fabric will not cause stress that results in tears.
Now, I was dealing with a few different problems. The central portion of the drop is much older than the top and the bottom; the oldest portion dating from the previous building, c. 1910. Toomey & Volland Scenic Studio records indicate that scenery was delivered to the Louisville Scottish Rite in 1910.
Original fabric (below) and fabric extensions (above) added in the 1920s.Original fabric (below) and fabric extensions (above) added in the 1920s.
These drops were later refurbished, enlarged, and installed in the current building during 1923. Over the years, there have been several alterations made to the collection. Initially, the top sandwich batten was removed and replaced with jute webbing and ties lines. This likely occurred when the 1910 scenery was refurbished and moved into the new building. The first-generation bottom sandwich battens were replaced with pipe pockets at this time too.
Flexible black foam attached to the cut edge with spray adhesive.
However, over time, as the pipe pockets failed, ripping off, second-generation pipe pockets were added, the latest being thick, clear plastic that was glued to the back.
Plastic pipe pocket glued to the back of a Louisville Scottish Rite backdrop.
Additional scenery was purchased from Volland Studios between 1951 and 1952, then again in 1968.
Additional repairs, fabric reinforcements and attempts to consolidate loose pigment occurred continuously over the decades. For example, olive green edging (similar to a coarse bias tape) was sewn onto the offstage edges. This was an early attempt to prevent tearing from contact. Although this has prevented some damage and deterioration, the actual sewing greatly damaged the painted surface and has weakened the fabric over time. Other drops have large pieces of mesh glued to the entire back, possibly an attempt to prevent rips. However, the added weight is now jeopardizing the top of each scene.
Mesh glued to some of the backdrops at the Louisville Scottish Rite.
Over the course of three days we cleaned, patched, and reinforced the fabric of the Egyptian cut drop. Paint touch-up of visible patches will occur on my return. I only transport my distemper palette by ground, and therefore will drive on my next trip.
On the morning of Nov. 12 (my fourth day), I supervised the hanging of the repaired cut drop. Everything looked perfect!
Front view – the repaired cut drop.The repaired cut drop, as viewed from behind.Details of repaired damage. Egyptian Cut Drop. Repair work Completed from Nov. 8-12, 2022.
I then assessed the remainder of the collection and began planning for the complete preservation of the entire collection.
Painted detail from another Louisville Scottish Rite scene.
By the afternoon I was on my way home, only 96 hours after my arrival. It was an action-packed trip that I have yet to recover from.
In regard to the history of the Louisville Scottish Rite scenery, my research indicated that Kentucky may have been the earliest state in the Southern Jurisdiction to use stage scenery for their degree work. Here is an excerpt from the document that I submitted in 2019 as it helps frame the significance of the scenery collection and my restoration project.
“The History of Degree Productions at the Louisville Scottish Rite.
Scottish Rite Valley’s bordering the geographical demarcation between the Northern and Southern Jurisdiction were experimenting with stages in Masonic Halls and common lodge room long before the first “official” Scottish Rite theater was constructed in the Southern Jurisdiction, c. 1890s. The earliest Scottish Rite stages frequently referenced in the Southern Jurisdiction are Little Rock, Arkansas and Oakland, California in 1896. Theatrical staging of degree work in Louisville, Kentucky, may have predated these two Valleys, signifying the inclusion of the earliest Masonic stage settings in the Southern Jurisdiction.
The Wilkes-Barre Times of Pennsylvania, the Arizona Daily Star of Tucson, and the Akron Beacon Journal of Ohio all published the following article in 1895:
“BIG SCOTTISH RITE DEDICATION. Louisville, Ky., Oct. 15 – The Scottish Rite Cathedral of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, at Sixth and Walnut street was dedicated today. This dedication surpassed anything ever seen in Masonic ceremonies in this city. It was open to the public, and conducted with all the pomp, which the occasion calls for. The remainder of the inaugural week will be given in reunion, during which all degrees will be conferred. The new cathedral in point of general magnificence is surpassed by only two in the United States, those being cathedrals of the Grand Consistories of Illinois, at Chicago, and of Ohio, at Cincinnati.” Both Chicago and Cincinnati boasted theatrical stages with elaborate scenery collections, but they were in the Northern Jurisdiction.
The article also notes, “All degrees will be conferred,” which translates to “all degree will be dramatically presented” aligning with the staged degree productions in the Chicago and Cincinnati Scottish Rite theaters at the time.
The Grand Consistory, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, was organized in Louisville, August 21, 1852, with meetings being held on the Southwest corner of Fourth and Jefferson Streets. By August 1876, the Louisville Scottish Rite occupied the Courier-Journal Building, located on Jefferson Street, between Third and Fourth Street. In 1894, the Louisville Scottish Rite Bodies purchased the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at Sixth and Walnut Streets. The church has been partially destroyed by fire when they acquired the building, and approximately $41,000 was spent on remodeling the facility. By 1895, it was dedicated as a Scottish Rite Cathedral. This predates what Little Rock and Oakland would do in 1896; remodel an existing space to include a Scottish Rite theatre to fully confer, or stage, the degree work. This Louisville Scottish Rite building was used until 1923, when their new home was constructed at Brook and Gray streets.
In 1910, Toomey & Volland business records note that they delivered a scenery collection to the Louisville Scottish Rite. This scenery would have replaced the original scenery installed in the renovated Episcopal Church space. Churches were perfect buildings to retrofit with theatrical stages for degree productions.
There is not yet a definitive indicator of the scenic artist or studio that first delivered the original scenery in 1895. However, it was not Toomey & Volland, as the firm was not established until 1901. Toomey and Volland delivered scenery to the Louisville Scottish Rite Cathedral in 1910, with many of their backdrops being refurbished and transported to the new building during 1923. This was a common practice throughout both the Northern and Southern Jurisdiction at the time. The Guthrie, Oklahoma, Scottish Rite even reused and transported their 1910 scenery collection to the new building during this same time.
The first Scottish Rite Cathedral in Louisville was a remodeled building. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at Sixth and Walnut Streets was renovated for Scottish Rite purposes in 1895. From this moment forward, the Masonic membership in Louisville continued to grow at a rapid rate, as was common with many other Valleys that began producing degree work for the stage. By 1919, Louisville’s Scottish Rite candidate class size numbered 200, and the overall membership began exceeding the building’s capacity.
During the 67th annual spring reunion in 1919, the president of the “Victory Class “of Scottish Rite candidates introduced a resolution. Dr. T. H. Tuley urged, “the Grand Consistory immediately to make plans for the erection of a [new] Scottish Rite Cathedral in Louisville which will prove a credit to the Rite and to the city.” The Courier-Journal reported, “the reading of the resolution was greeted with applause, and from the manner in which the proposition was received it seems possible some steps in this direction will be taken” (26 April 1919, page 4).
Previously, the Courier-Journal reported, “Largest Class in History of Consistory Attending Scottish Rite Meeting. 200 At First Dinner” (23 April 1919, page 9). The session opened at 10AM on April 22, with conferring the Lodge of Perfection degrees (4-14). The article noted, “For several months the Scottish Rite has been practically overwhelmed with applications for membership, every Masonic lodge in the State reporting unusually large numbers of initiates.
The result has been that for the first time in many years it has been necessary to hold two spring Scottish Rite classes, the first one having completed work only about ten days ago.” Capt. John H. Cowles, sovereign grand inspector general of the Supreme Council of the Rite, was interviewed by the Courier-Times. The newspaper reported, “He says unusually large classes are being accepted into the rite in all consistories of the southern jurisdiction. He was highly pleased with the showing made by the Louisville lodge, especially in view of the fact that he received his degrees here and is a native of Kentucky, having lived for many years in Louisville.” In 1919, the Louisville Scottish Rite premiered a four-page publication for attendees titled “The Reunion News.” It was published every day during the Scottish Rite reunion. Interestingly, the Scottish Rite once met in the same building as the local newspaper, the Courier-Journal.
Scottish Rite membership was explosive during the 1920s, and the influential power of the Freemasons was substantial. This is a moment in time when the Rite, especially the Louisville Scottish Rite, was very vocal about their activities and positions on both political and social issues. From the late-nineteenth century to early twentieth century, it was not unusual to find detailed information pertaining to daily activities at Scottish Rite reunions, a list of members, the history of the organization and their stance on public and political topics. For example, the views of the Rite regarding public education were published in the local newspapers for all to read. When a potential candidate thought about joining a particular Scottish Rite, there was no question in his mind about what the organization stood for and could determine in advance if it was a good fit. This may be why the Scottish Rite continued to gain ground and dominate the fraternal landscape of America during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries.
In regard to the construction of their new home, on May 11, 1923, the Courier-Journal published, “Scottish Rite Masons will begin a three-day campaign May 23, to raise the $300,000 necessary to complete their building fund for the proposed $750,000 cathedral at the southwest corner of Fourth and Breckinridge Streets. Ground for this structure will be broken in September, it was said. The cathedral will have four stories and basement, with an auditorium seating 1,350 persons. Solicitation will be from the 2,286 members in the State of which 1,200 are in Louisville, The campaign will be in charge if Benjamin S. Washer, Richard Priest Dietzman, Edward F. Metzner, Harvey White and Dr. E. L. Henderson” (page 18).
On June 27, 1923, the old Scottish Rite was sold, becoming the new R. E. Jones Temple, Methodist Episcopal Church. On September 9, 1923, the Courier-Journal announced, “The contract for the construction at Fourth and Breckinridge Streets will be awarded shortly after bids are opened about October 15” (page 34). The building was sold to the Methodist Episcopal Church, becoming the R. E. Jones Temple. Rev. Dr. Robert Elijah Jones (1872-1960), namesake for the new church, was also a 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason. Within a year, however, tragedy struck the old Scottish Rite building. On May 27, 1924, the Courier-Journal reported “Five Firemen and a negro preacher were overcome by smoke last night when flames of undetermined origin ignited debris in the basement of the R. E. Jones Temple, formerly the Scottish Rite Cathedral at Sixth and Walnut Streets” (page 5).
There is one thing to consider about the original Scottish Rite stage and scenery when the Louisville Scottish Rite Cathedral changed ownership. When the building became the R. E. Jones Temple, it is highly unlikely that any fraternal artifacts or decorations were left behind. This means that the old scenery, stage machinery and other stage equipment was either returned to scenic studio (for credit on the purchase of a new collection), it was enlarged for their new stage, or it was sold to another Scottish Rite. To all indications, there remains a significant amount of scenery used by the Louisville Scottish Rite that predates the current building, c. 1910.
In 1910, the Louisville Scottish Rite purchased scenery from Toomey & Volland. Interestingly, Toomey and Volland advertisements from 1912 do not list Louisville alongside fifteen other Scottish Rite Cathedral installations by that time, suggesting that they may have only been adding to a previous purchase. Toomey & Volland could have simply expanded an earlier collection, possibly the one delivered in 1895. There is a distinct possibility that scenery was delivered by the precursor to Toomey & Volland – the scenic studio of Noxon & Toomey.
Thomas C. Noxon was a Freemason, and extremely active in the Shrine. Also, in 1895, Noxon & Toomey delivered stock scenery to Louisville’s Amphitheatre Auditorium. This may have been the crucial connection, a preliminary link with Louisville Masons and the scenic studio of Toomey & Volland. It would not be surprising to learn that Noxon visited the Scottish Rite while installing scenery for another theatrical venue; a common practice among scenic studio owners at the time.
It remains uncertain as to whether the major Scottish Rite scenery supplier to the Southern Jurisdiction at the time, E. A. Armstrong Manufacturing Co., delivered any scenery to the Louisville Scottish Rite Cathedral. Scottish Rite minutes may point to a specific vendor. If the theater work was contracted to E. A. Armstrong, Sosman & Landis were the preferred subcontractors in the mid-1890s, the scenic studio who manufactured and installed the scenery for this fraternal supplier. However, the Louisville Scottish Rite is not listed in a 1902 E. A. Armstrong advertisement that notes all the Consistories they had equipped since 1897. Keep in mind that was after the potential 1895 date of delivery. If it was manufactured at the Sosman & Landis studio, David A. Strong would have been the Masonic designer and primary scenic artist for the earliest Louisville collection due to his early Masonic affiliation. Strong was instrumental in producing much of Chicago’s Scottish Rite scenery for stages starting in 1873; this was the other Masonic theater that Louisville was compared with in 1895.
There are two other possibilities in regard to regional artists who may have created the original 1895 scenery collection Louisville Scottish Rite Cathedral –scenic artists E. T. Harvey or Henry C. Tryon.
Harvey was the scenic artist who designed, painted, and installed Scottish Rite scenery collections for Cincinnati in 1886 and Cleveland in 1901. In 1886, Harvey delivered eighteen sets of scenery to the Cleveland Scottish Rite Cathedral’s stage. Keep in mind that Louisville’s 1895 Scottish Rite Cathedral was compared with the Cincinnati Scottish Rite Cathedral in the newspaper article; “The new cathedral in point of general magnificence is surpassed by only two in the United States, those being cathedrals of the Grand Consistories of Illinois, at Chicago, and of Ohio, at Cincinnati.”
Tryon was the scenic artist credited with scenery and stage machinery at the Indianapolis Scottish Rite a few years earlier in 1883. Both Harvey and Tryon were close friends with Thomas G. Moses, who was in charge of the design, painting, construction, and installation of all Scottish Rite scenery at Sosman & Landis (Chicago) after 1904.”
There is so much more that I could write about this project and the collection as a whole, but I need to pause here. For more posts about this collection, keyword search “Louisville Scottish Rite.”
My involvement with the Okanogan Murals began earlier this year. On January 28, 2022, I received the following email and a link from my Canadian colleague John Madill.
He wrote, “In case you hadn’t seen this (nice tranquil images and palette). Cheers, J”
The article reported, “A couple renovating a 115-year-old building discovered two 60-foot-long hidden murals.” The accompanying photograph pictured a lovely landscape painting above piles of construction debris.
Madill was just the first of many friends and colleagues who day shared this story with me on January 28, urging me to contact the young couple. I didn’t have to think about it for long, as Lisa Timm contacted me the next day.
On January 29, 2002, I received the following FB message:
“Hi, Wendy! My husband and I recently uncovered a 60ft mural from 1915 and are hoping to conserve it. I was wondering if you could offer any advice or expertise as it looks like a theatre backdrop. There are videos and pictures on our Facebook group (mural restoration at the historic Timm building). Thanks so much.”
I had already delayed several out-of-state business trips, as familial obligations were pressing. I was trying to stick close to home. However, that did not stop me from finding Okanogan on a map. Amazingly, it was an hour north of Chelan, Washington. I was working with a theater owner in that town.
Okanogan is located 3 hours west of Spokane, Washington.The Okanogan town sign.
My Chelan client was Ruby Theatre owner, Larry Hibbard. In fact, I had just received half of the main drape for the Ruby Theatre with a request to bid out replicating curtain, complete with hand-painted border. I would soon find out that J. M. Deeds Scenic Studio had not only decorated Okanogan’s Hub Theatre, but also Chelan’s Ruby Theatre. This was my sign to quickly document the Okanogan murals and visit the Ruby Theatre.
Larry Hibbard in front of the Ruby Theatre, Feb. 2022.
The Ruby Theatre Curtain.
Originally constructed as a commercial building in 1907, the structure in Okanogan initially housed the Okanogan Commercial Club, a precursor of the Chamber of Commerce. By 1915, the building was transformed into the Hub theatre. The theatre renovation included the installation of two 60’-0” long large murals on the north and south side walls. On Dec. 7, 1915, the “Okanogan Independent” announced, “Improvements at Hub’s.” The article reported, “Hub Carlton has contracted with J. M. Deeds of Wenatchee for interior decorations, new screen and new curtain for the Hub Theatre that will greatly improve the inside appearance of this popular playhouse. Mr. Deeds came up from Wenatchee last week and is now supervising the work, which is being done by W. J. McConnon, and experienced decorator who has been in Mr. Deeds employ for some time. Mr. Deeds has just completed decorations for the Wenatchee theater, which is said to be one of the finest in this part of the state, and also is the man who did the decorating for the Ruby Theatre of Chelan, known far and near as one of the most attractive playhouses in the country. The new improvements at the Hub include 120 feet of panoramic landscape scenery in light tans. The picture screen will be 11×13 feet in size and have frame effects of moulding. There will also be a pretty drop advertising curtain with an overhead roll, noiseless I operation and will be controlled from the operator’s booth. Mr. Carlton is sparing no means to improve his place of business and is making additions to his equipment as rapidly as business will warrant.”
One of two murals delivered to the Hun Theatre in 1915.One of two murals delivered to the Hun Theatre in 1915.
In 1918, another building renovation transformed the building into the Paramount, a movie house. It was at this time that the two three-years-old murals were encapsulated between the original wood walls and the new plaster walls.
An article from May 14, 1918, described the new Paramount Theatre recently completed by C. P. Scates, reporting, “When Mr. Scates first went into the theatre business in this city, he expected to erect a new building. He secured a location and had architects submit plans for an up-to-date theatre, but soon discovered that war prices on labor and material made it absolutely impractical to build at the present time. He then set about to remodel the old building, which has been accomplished under mechanical guidance of Geo. W. Colyar, and expert in his line, as an inspection of the Paramount will convince anyone.
“There is very little left of the old building. The entire front had been torn out and replaced with concrete and metal construction. A thirty-foot brick addition has been built on the rear. The front of the new theatre is as handsome as the interior, finished in white cement and artistically decorated with ornamental plaster in the shape of cornice, cartouches, and flower boxes. The lobby is entirely done in white and presents a particularly fine appearance from the street. The interior is a work of art. The general color scheme is old rose and silver, gray, and the ceiling is heavily beamed and panels. A heavy proscenium arch forms a handsome frame for the screen.”
Interior of the Paramount Theatre with old rose and silver-gray walls.Remnants of the Paramount interior decor.
Despite changes in the use of the building over the years, the murals lay hidden plaster and lathe. The Timms purchased the building during late 2021. During their extensive renovation in early in January 2022, their crew broke through a section of plaster wall, just to see what was behind the wall. To their surprise, the hole revealed a section of a painting. No one could have anticipated that the two paintings delivered by Deeds Scenic Studio were hidden behind the walls installed during Scate’s opening of the Paramount Theatre.
Layers of plaster, lathe, furring strip, and painted mural.Furring strips and lathe were nailed to the painted murals.
Despite bright colors, the murals were extremely damaged. There were hundreds of punctures from nails for furring strips and lathe, sporadic pockets of plaster that had oozed between lathe strips, cut openings for windows, and water stains from seasonal leaks, the paintings remained exceedingly vibrant and appeared in remarkably good shape.
Painted detail from the mural border.
Although I was swamped with work and had no intention of taking any out-of-state work , I began to contemplate the feasibility of a very, very, quick trip west to document the paintings before their removal. I immediately began to act as a resource for the young couple; they were being inundated with opinions regarding removal and restoration.
Over the course of the next two weeks, the Timms sent very detailed pictures of the two murals, and we began a series of discussions about possible options for removal, storage, and preservation. I did my best to educate them about the painting process and various options for removal, storage, repair, and restoration. We scheduled virtual meeting where they walked me through the space, closely examining how the attached to the wall. We were in luck, as the mural was glued to a few layers of wallpaper, meaning that it may easily pop off of the wall.
Green wallpaper under the painted fabric.This was one of two wallpaper layers glued to the backs of the paintings.
Various decorative layers tacked and pasted to the original wooden walls of the building offered a a walk thru time as the space was transferred from one owner to another. Initially, cotton sheeting was tacked onto the wooden walls, the only barrier to the outdoor elements.
A Delta Mills fine sheeting(right) stamp was discovered on this first layer of fabric. Only a layer of thin wallpaper covered the first layer of Delta sheeting (left).
This was likely to provide an air-barrier and uniform surface for the first layer of wallpaper. This first layer of wallpaper was off white with metallic edging.
The first color scheme for the Hub Theatre was cream with metallic scroll work. The interior was very light and simplistic in style.
A decorative border was pasted to the top of each section, somewhat ornate with metallic scrollwork paper atop a creamy background. A few years later, a new color scheme was introduced to the space, one that was much darker. A second layer of wallpaper and border paper were dark green with metallic accents in jeweled colors. The border paper was especially lovely and quite thick. When the building was renovated for a third time in 1915, the green wallpaper was primed white, and the fabric mural pasted on top.
The second color scheme for the Hub Theatre was primarily green with metallic details.The second border for the Hub Theatre. There was metallic detail on the floral border. Detail of second border, found directly under the painted mural.
In 1918 the venue changed hands, the building was renovated, and the theatre was renamed the Paramount. During the renovation plaster walls encapsulated the murals, effectively concealing them for over the next century. In the dark they patiently waited for another renovation; one that may possibly reveal the work of Deeds scenic artist W. C. Connell. would not happen until early January 2022.
The Hub Theatre was purchased and renovated in 1918, becoming the Paramount.This is when the murals became concealed behind new plaster walls.
I flew into Spokane, Washington, and examined the murals for the first time on February 16, 2022. The old Hub Theater in Okanogan is easy to miss. There is no a fly tower, no ornate façade; nothing to announce that it was once featured live theater or movies. The building looks more like an old hardware store than any temple of entertainment. If the Timms had not been standing outside, shouting, and waving their hands, I would have missed it entirely.
The exterior of the old Hub Theater during my visit in February 2022.
My plan was to only take pictures of the murals and leave with only memories. Upon entering the building my heart sank and I knew that there was very little time to save these murals. The relentless drip of water accentuated the dampness of the space. The drips both hit and missed a series of buckets lined up on the floor between the two murals. In previous conversations, the Timms had mentioned their concern of snow melt and a leaking roof. I had no idea it was this bad. I knew that it was just a matter of weeks before the distemper paintings were entirely destroyed.
My initial visit to document the murals. Note the two large garbage cans catching water from the leaking roof and wet floor.
That was when I began to game plan about their immediate removal. The preservation could happen slowly in phases, but there was minimal time to remove the murals from a leaking building.
I could not extend my stay, but I could return in a week. During my brief absence, the Timms frantically prepared the space for the upcoming mural removal. They cleared debris, removed walls, redirected water leaks, and ordered all of the necessary supplies.
On February 28, 2022, I returned to Okanogan and started work the next day. The first mural came down in two hours, the second in less than an hour. As I anticipated, the thick wallpaper backing was key to the murals’ quick release from the wall. Nick, Lisa, and their crew of four helped stabilize the painting as I carefully separated the wallpaper-backed mural from first layer of cotton sheeting that was tacked to the wooden substrate.
A view of the wallpaper backing as the murals were removed from the walls.Removing the murals necessitated that I insert myself in between the wallpaper-backed mural and fabric-covered wall, carefully releasing the wallpaper from the wall.Painted detail showing areas where plaster reached the mural.
After the murals were removed from the wall, each received a preliminary cleaning, and then was rolled, encapsulated, and transferred to a climate-controlled storage room.
A section showing the mural before (right) and after (left) the preliminary cleaning.Rolling the first mural.
The last sections of each mural were completely unsalvageable. This reducing the overall length of each mural to 50-feet. However, many of the unsalvageable scraps were carefully packed in my luggage.
Some areas of the murals were unsalvageable. It is amazing that any of the painting survived.
For the next four months, I began the laborious task of identifying the best method to remove layers of wallpaper from the fragile fabric without damaging the distemper painting. In the end, I was able to lightly mist the paper backing, wait twenty-minutes, and carefully peel the paper off, without damaging the paint.
The first phase of the Okanogan Mural Preservation included wallpaper removal, cleaning, fabric repair, fabric reinforcement, paint consolidation, and preparation for hanging. The work was planned for the first two weeks of August. We ordered materials, located a workspace, and identified local assistants. As the project neared, I watched temperatures soar to 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44 degrees Celsius). This is an area where many homes do not have any type of air-cooling systems. Despite the newly purchased swamp cooler for the Arts and Crafts Building on the fairgrounds, interior temperatures could not reach an acceptable level for art preservation.
We delayed the project until the beginning of October, hoping that the temperatures would drop to an acceptable level in fall. Yet as the project neared, I noticed that temperatures were still in the mid-80s. Crossing my fingers, I hoped for the best. Little did I know that we would have to buy heaters for the end of the project.
On October 7, 2022, I journeyed from Minneapolis to Okanogan. Flying into Spokane, I rented a car and drove the three hours west to the eastern slope of the Cascades
It is a lovely drive in the fall. This time I passed endless miles of harvested fields before entering the Okanogan Valley with acres of apple trees.
Apple trees Just south of Okanogan.Apple trees in Okanogan.
I arrived in Okanogan as sunset approached and soon settled into my new abode. My lodging was at the Timm’s estate, in a separate house once owned by Nick’s late father. With many of the windows facing east, the view was quite stunning with fall colors just starting to peak.
The view from my patio at sunrise.
On Saturday, October 8, Nick Timm and I began to set up my workspace in the Arts and Crafts Building of the Okanogan Fair Grounds. This was not an unfamiliar space, as I had approved the location during my February visit. It was a massive building, with two sets of sinks, counter tops, fantastic lighting, ample electrical outlets, and nearby restrooms. Little did we know that by October the Okanogan fairgrounds would be in the midst of water and sewage troubles. The greatest challenge on Day 1 was access to the building and running water. The fairground’s entrance gates and bathrooms were locked as it was a weekend. This meant crawling over a 4-ft. gate to get into the grounds. Fortunately for me, there were two satellite bathrooms near the railroad tracks and a potable sink to wash my hands.
My workspace was in the Arts & Crafts Building on the Okanogan County fairgrounds. Notice the two small Satellites by on the far left by the railroad tracks.
Less than ideal, it was the lack of running water that concerned me the most.
The building had housed arts and crafts projects during the county fair in September. This mean that there was dirt, flower pollen, and bits of trash all over the place. I needed a clean environment to ensure that dust and debris would not become airborne when I later turned on the box fans. By the end of the day, most of the supplies were unpacked and the murals were ready for the work to begin.
Two layers of wallpaper and border paperon the back of the Okanogan murals.
On October 9, I began the slow and arduous process of wallpaper removal from the back of each mural. It had taken me most of the spring and early summer to come up with a process to remove the paper without damaging the distemper painting. Keep in mind that distemper paint reactivates with water; it is just dry pigment paste mixed with diluted hide glue. I came up with a technique where I misted the paper with distilled water to soften the wallpaper adhesive, effectively releasing it from the painting. In Minnesota, it took a minimum of twenty minutes for the water to penetrate the adhesive, releasing it from the fabric.
When the distilled water reached the last layer of adhesive, strips of wallpaper easily lifted from the fabric.
What I did not anticipate was varying humidity levels in Okanogan. Although, the process remained very successful, it took a bit longer the first day. However, just like my experiments at home, the fabric easily released in big sections, and I was able to complete half of the first mural by the end of the day. Right on schedule, it would take a full four days to remove the wallpaper before starting the preservation of the fabric.
My second day of wallpaper removal was a bit of surprise. That night, the winds picked up and dried everything out. Temperatures dropped and everything began to dry out. This is the type of air where your lips immediately chap, and your skin begins to feel stretched. My wallpaper removal technique was no longer working; the water began to evaporate from the paper before it had a chance to permeate the adhesive. I began to experiment with a series of techniques, refining my process where the wallpaper could easily lift off. Picking at the paper or attempting to remove it when dry caused the paint to immediately release and dust off of the surface; it was too thin. I was already doing a balancing act, dampening the fabric without releasing the distemper paint.
A close-up of the mural fabric and layer of paint. There were many areas with complete paint loss.
On the third day of wallpaper removal, two assistants now helped carefully peel the paper away. One was my full-time onsite assistant Marty Staggs and the other was mural owner Nick Timm. As Timm observed, it was very similar to skinning an animal hide. The trick was knowing when to move on and not stay if paper was stuck on a dry patch; the paper remained stuck in areas where the water failed to permeate the first layer of glue and white primer. I kept repeating, “If it doesn’t come off easy, move along to another section.” We finished removing approximately 95% of all wallpaper.
Only scraps of wallpaper were left on the backside. We did not attempt to remove these at it would have irreparably damaged both the fabric and paint.
On the final day of my first week, we cleaned the space and flipped the murals (painted side up). This was to assess their condition before continuing with the preservation next week. Each painting had held up beautifully during the wallpaper removal.
A fresh layer of muslin was placed below the murals. After cleaning each painted composition, we again cleaned the room to prevent any environmental dust from becoming airborne for the rest of the restoration.
By the end of the day, we secured the edges of each mural, and I gradually dampened the fabric with distilled water, so that any residual creasing or stiffness from the wallpaper adhesive would release. This would help with the upcoming fabric stabilization and patching.
The fabric repair began with patching small holes and continued to muslin backing for large cut openings (previous window openings and of access holes). This coincided with the temperature plummeting to 39 degrees Fahrenheit (3.9 degrees Celsius). As the inside the building was only a few degrees warmer, it was too cold to consolidate paint or patch fabric. So, we had to go out and purchase four large heaters. The irony of postposing this work due to heat was not lost on me. The new heaters, combined with warmer air temperatures during the day, meant that the building was finally warm enough to continue with the preservation.
After patching each drop, I attached the top hanging strip and reinforced both the sides and bottoms of each mural.
Backing the last window opening.
The final workday, October 21, was the hardest day of all; it was a firm deadline. All of the patching and support strips needed to be done by the end of the day if we were to hang them the next day. Nothing could be glued the next day, as they had to be completely dry prior to rolling and storing. I managed to make the deadline, but my body was a little worse for wear.
Saturday, October 22, was my last day on site. I was assisted by Staggs and the Timms. We spent the morning hanging and photographing details. The afternoon was spent preparing murals for storage again. This meant rolling each mural and encapsulating them in plastic.
The murals hanging in the Arts and Crafts Building of the Okanogan County Fairgrounds. October 22, 2022.
I drove back to the Spokane airport on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 23. The drive was absolutely stunning. It gave me some time to reflect on the project and the next steps. I was also taking photographs; source material for my easel art this winter.
The Okanogan Valley on the morning of my departure home.View on my drive from Okanogan to Spokane, Washington.The Columbia River near Grand Coulee.Near Coulee Dam.Near Davenport, Washington.Leaving Spokane, Washington.
J. M. Deeds pictured in the “San Francisco Call” in 1896.
On May 29, 1913, the “Spokane Chronicle” heralded Deed’s scenic enterprise, including a picture of work being done in his studio. The article reported:
“This is the only studio of its kind between Minneapolis and the Coast,” said Mr. Deeds today. “We are prepared to cover the territory completely, including states of Wyoming, Utah, and the western Canadian provinces, and we expect to invade the east. There is no reason why we should not do this since we are prepared to complete with them in workmanship as well as salesmanship.” Mr. Deeds has been engaged in the production of scenery for 10 years and during this time has traveled extensively, visiting the leading studios in the east and middle west.”
Deeds studio pictured in the “Spokane Chronicle” in 1913.
The two Okanogan murals may be all that remains of the Deeds Scenic Studio. Theaters were repainted, renovated, and razed. It is not enough that an artifact survives. There must be stewards to take care of it. It is extremely fortunate that the Okanogan murals were found by the Timms and that they acted immediately. The Timms continue to raise funds for the second phase of preservation that will focus on areas of paint loss. If you able to support the preservation of these murals, please visit the Timm’s Go Fund Me site:
He shared a CNN link from Jan. 27, 2022, that reported, “A couple renovating a 115-year-old building discovered two 60-foot-long hidden murals.” Below the heading was a photograph of a lovely landscape painting above construction debris. The color palette and stencil reminded me of several backdrops that I had encountered over the years, and my first thought was, “A scenic artist painted that.”
CNN story posted on Jan. 27, 2022.
John was just the first of many friends who shared the link that day, and each time I thought, “Looks like fun, but nothing I can deal with right now.” I had already cancelled my trips to teach at Cobalt in February and attend USITT in March. Familial obligations were pressing, and I was trying to stick close to home this spring.
However, the story was intriguing. After serving in the military, a young couple had returned home to take care of dying parent. In the midst of grieving and settling the estate, they decided to put down roots in the town. They purchased and began the renovation of an old movie theater. It was to be a bar and restaurant; a gathering place for locals. Early in January of this year, they decided to break through a section of plaster, just to see what was behind the wall. No one could have anticipated that there would be a huge landscape mural; one of two. Despite punctures from furring strips and water damage from plaster oozing between strips of lathe, the paintings were in great shape.
The very next day I received a FB message from Lisa Timm. I opened it and read:
“Hi, Wendy! My husband and I recently uncovered a 60ft mural from 1915 and are hoping to conserve it. I was wondering if you could offer any advice or expertise as it looks like a theatre backdrop. There are videos and pictures on our Facebook group (mural restoration at the historic Timm building.” Thanks so much.”
I scheduled a time to chat with her about the murals.
In the meantime, I decided to do a little research on my own. I started with the simple query: “Where in the heck is Okanogan, Washington?” After opening a Maps app, I started to peruse nearby towns. Okanogan was due north of Chelan, Washington. At that moment, half of the main curtain from Chelan’s Ruby Theatre was laid out on my paint frame. I had just started the process of bidding out a replica.
Detail of main curtain from the Ruby Theatre in Chelan, Washington.
Although I was swamped with work and had no intention of traveling out of state for the next few months, I began to contemplate the feasibility of a very quick trip west. After realizing that the same scenic studio decorated both the Okanogan and Chelan theaters, I booked a flight. There were too many signs pointing me in the direction of Washington.
Over the course of the next two weeks, Lisa and Nick Timm sent detail pictures of the murals and we began a series of discussions about possible options. I was still hesitant to take on another project yet fielded their questions. I also did my best to educate them about the painting process and options for removal, storage, repair, and restoration. We even scheduled a WhatsApp video chat so they could walk me through the space, and I could clearly examine how the mural was attached to the wall. We were in luck as the mural was the last of three layers.
Three layers: cotton sheeting, wall paper and mural.Detail of where furring strip was tacked to mural.
Initially cotton sheeting was tacked to the wall with a thick wallpaper layer pasted on top. When the theatre was renovated in 1915, a second layer of cotton sheeting was tacked on top of the wallpaper and primed. This effectively glued the fabric to the wallpaper, creating a backing for the mural. The mural was only visible for three years before a plaster wall concealed it for a century.
The layers: plaster, mural, wallpaper and cotton sheeting.Area behind a chimney showing lathe, furring strips and mural. The chimney was removed prior to my arrival.Detail of painting.Detail of stencil.
In 1918 the venue changed hands, the building was renovated, and the theatre was renamed the Paramount. During the renovation, furring strips were tacked to the murals. Then lathe and plaster entombed the landscape paintings. In the dark they patiently waited for another renovation; one that would not happen until early January 2022.
The renovated Paramount Theatre, c. 1918.Remnants of the Paramount theater walls. Some remnants will remain in place.
I flew into Spokane and drove three hours west to Chelan where I stayed for the remainder of the trip. In Chelan I met explored the Ruby Theatre space and gave a community presentation about their theatre. When I ventured north to Okanogan, I was accompanied by Larry Hibbard, local architect and Ruby Theatre owner. I could not have asked for a better host. It is an absolutely beautiful area, home to miles and miles of fruit orchards. Their biggest export remains apples. Hibbard operated an apple orchard for decades.
Scene just south of Okanogan, Washington.Scenery near Okanogan, Washington.Scene on my drive from Spokane to Okanogan.
My plan was to only take pictures and leave with memories. This was not a project that I could drop everything else and take on in March. I was in the midst of several restoration projects, an opera design, and recognized that I was already overextended. Little did I know that everything was about to change.
The old Hub Theater in Okanogan is easy to miss. There is not a fly tower nor ornate façade to announce that it was once featured movies. The building looks more like an old hardware store than any temple of entertainment. If the Timms had not been standing outside, shouting and waving their hands, we would have missed it entirely.
The old theater is sandwiched between an automotive repair shop and a law firm in Okanogan.
Upon entering the building my heart sank and I knew that there was very little time to save these murals. The relentless drip of water accentuated the dampness of the space. The drips both hit and missed a series of buckets lined up on the floor between the two murals. In previous conversations, the Timms had mentioned their concern of snow melt and a leaking roof. I had no idea it was this bad. I knew that it was just a matter of weeks before the murals would be entirely destroyed. That was when I began to game plan about their immediate removal. There would be plenty of time to plan the conservation of each painting, but there was minimal time to remove the murals from a leaking building.
Water leaking from the roof from rain and snow melt.
I could not extend my stay but could return within the week. In the meantime, the space needed to be cleared, prepped and necessary supplies ordered.
The first mural came down in two hours, the second in less than an hour. Nick, Lisa and their crew of four helped stabilize the painting as I separated the wallpaper from the first layer of cotton sheeting.
One of the two murals prior to removal.I inched along behind the mural to loosen the layer of wallpaper from the original cotton sheeting tacked to the wall.
I am breathing a bit easier today, and happy to report that both murals have been successfully removed from the walls. In the end, the thick wallpaper backing helped support the long artworks throughout the process. Each mural will be transferred to a climate-controlled storage room until I am able to restore them.
After the first mural was down and prior to rolling.
These murals come with their own artistic provenance and shed a little light on American Theatre in the Pacific Northwest. J. M. Deeds Scenic Studio, of Spokane, secured the contract to paint the murals in 1915. By this time his firm had already decorated Chelan’s Ruby Theatre and the Wenatchee Theatre, located south of Chelan. I’ll share the story of J. M. Deeds tomorrow.
Map showing the location of Okanogan, Chelan and Wenatchee, Washington.
On September 9, 2020, I published an article entitled “Maintaining and Restoring Historic Drops: How to Plan and What Not To Do.” This article was the result of several requests to share my restoration techniques with various scenic art groups.
It is time to share a revised version of the post as part of a my new series – Historic Stage Scenery Restoration 101. These articles will examine a variety of preservation methods for historic scenery. It will also highlight inappropriate materials and techniques; processes that can ultimately destroy culturally significant stage artifacts.
I am frequently asked about historic scenery maintenance and restoration techniques, with many suggesting I publish some form of manual. Unfortunately, there is no standard way to restore all historic backdrops, cut drops, leg drops, roll drops, borders, wings or shutters. Each one is different, demanding a custom approach based upon a unique set of criteria identified during the preliminary research phase.
Artistic provenance is key in determining a preservation strategy.
Extensive research must be completed prior to proposing a plan for the handling, cleaning, and repair of any large-scale artwork for the stage. Certain questions must be answered in advance: whomanufactured the scenery, whenwas the scenery manufactured, andwherewas the scenery manufactured? It is also important to identify the original client and use. The answers to these questions are critical in determining the preservation strategy for individual drops or entire collections. These answers also prompt a subsequent series of questions regarding appropriate materials, techniques, processes, timelines, future display and overall use. Is this historic scene intended for display in a theater, or will it simply hang on a wall? How often will the scenery be used, if at all? The answers to these basic questions help formulate a plan.
In addition to understanding an artifact’s artistic provenance, all stakeholders must understand that certain materials and techniques will destroy historic stage scenery. I will explain what not to do, based on examples of poor repairs that I have encountered in the past. There are specific materials and techniques that should never be used on historic scenery or fragile fabrics, as they cause irreparable harm and can destroy a significant piece of theatre history.
It is very important to understand that contemporary scene painting is a dramatic departure from historic scene painting, specifically in terms of fabrics, painting products and artistic techniques. So much has changed over the past century. Historic scenic art is foreign ground for many contemporary scene painters, especially as certain types of training and materials have vanished from most college curricula and theatre apprenticeships. Just because one is a scenic artist does not make them qualified to restore historic paintings; the two are worlds apart. In other words, an ability to paint historic scenes doesn’t mean you should repair historic stage scenery. Similarly, a fine art conservator is not necessarily qualified to assess and propose the preservation or acceptable display of historic stage scenery. It is a fine line to walk, and there is not always a straight path from point A to point B.
The perception of historic scenery must always consider its original purpose. Everything becomes complicated when historic stage settings are solely perceived as fine artworks. For many art historians and conservators, stage scenery is simply considered a large-scale painting. Yet it is radically different from artworks that hang on a gallery wall. A stationary painting in a museum is viewed under fixed lighting. Such is not the case with historic scenery for the stage; it is part of a whole. Few individuals outside of the theatre industry understand the true metamorphic quality of scenic art, specifically how it partners with stage lighting systems. Scenic art, regardless its age, remains part of an interactive art form intended to withstand the handling of many. Scenic shifts are necessary in many productions. This means that standard conservation techniques do not always work for historic stage scenery, as they cannot withhold the demands of a scene change.
When stage scenery is identified as fine art, many methods selected for repair and preservation are based on traditional methods employed in art conservation, not those familiar with theatre history or stage technology. Therefore, the conservation of each drop follows strict conservation guidelines without considering the function. Accepted conservation practices are not always appropriate for the stage. Many art conservation materials are solvent based, posing fire threats as accelerants.
The first step in any scenery restoration project starts with research. You need to establish the artistic provenance of a stage artifact or scenery collection, and here are the questions that you need to ask, and why you need to ask them
1. ESTABLISHING ARTISTIC PROVENANCE
WHO made it? Is it a backdrop painted on cotton sheeting by a student for a class play in the 1920s, or is it a drop curtain constructed of Russian linen and painted by an internationally recognized artist in the 1890s? The manufacturer of a scenic piece matters, as it is integrally tied to the painting process and materials.
Many nineteenth-century and early-twentieth-century American scenic artists attended art institutes, at home and abroad. In many cases, fine art studies were completed in addition to a lengthy apprenticeship at a professional scenic studio before striking out on one’s own. American scenic artists at this time were members of fine art organizations across the country, and much of their work continues to be treasured in the fine art world. For example, some scenic artists in the east belonged to the Salmagundi Club and/or Rochester Art Club. In the midwestern states, scenic artists studied at the Chicago Institute of Art, joining unique groups, such as the Palette & Chisel Club. In the west, scenic artists belonged to a variety of fine art organizations established in the Pacific North West, California, New Mexico and elsewhere. Theatrical scenery created by scenic artists should not be considered any less significant than their smaller fine art pieces. Large scale works provided generations of artists with opportunities to explore color theory, painting techniques, compositional lay outs and lighting conditions. Theatre scenery offered artists and opportunity to create a unique installation that was interactive. That being said, there were many amateur artists producing scenery; their work is easily identifiable, yet remains culturally significant too.
Regardless of skill level and/or final product, the terms “old backdrops,” “old backings for the stage,” and “old scenery” devalues stage art. Instead, refer to historic scenery as “large-scale artworks for the stage” painted by local, regional, national, or internationally recognized fine artists. Public perception is crucial when preserving theatrical heritage. Your terminology could save a piece of American theatre history, or world history.
WHEN was
the artifact manufactured? The year, decade, and/or century that the theatrical
scene was produced helps identify the type of fabric, paint, and painting
process. Knowing the age of a scene
helps identify various materials, especially the fabric and basic construction
techniques. Fabric seams, whether vertical or horizontal, can also identify a
particular era and studio. How the drop is suspended and operated also matters.
Are there sandwich battens, rollers, jute webbing, or something else at the top
and bottom of the scene? Is there a counterweight system with arbors or a pin
rail with sandbags? Keep in mind that the overall suspension affects the
deterioration of both the fabric and painted composition. Understanding the original
materials and display are crucial in identifying and locating appropriate and compatible
materials for any repair.
WHERE was the artifact manufactured? Location can help identify a specific construction and painting process. Certain regions adopted unique approaches to scenic art, often based upon the influx of immigrants. Scenic art in the United States began as a large melting pot of languages, traditions and techniques, with two dominant approaches emerging between 1850 and 1900. At this time American scenic artists primarily worked with opaque washes, thin glazes, and later a combination of the two. These artistic influences are still recognizable today across the country. For more information, read my article, “American Scenic Art: The Immigrant Contribution,” in TheatreInitiative Berlin’s Die Vierte Wand #110. It is available for online at https://archive.org/details/itheam_d4w-010_202009. Here is the a link to the pdf: https://issuu.com/itheam/docs/itheam_d4w-010.
Throughout the twentieth century American scenic art continued to change, incorporating new products and methods over the years. As an industry, many American scenic artists shifted from painting on vertical frames to the continental method (painting on the floor). A backdrop painted in 1920 and another painted in 1940 may seem light years apart when examining construction, materials, and painting techniques. When planning scenic repairs or complete restorations, one must intimately understand the entire scope of painting methodologies, traditional materials and historical techniques, as well as contemporary products to avoid.
Restoration is for the long term. Unlike the ephemeral nature of contemporary scenery for a short-run show, certain materials and techniques to repair historic scenery should be avoided. Use common sense and think of the big picture; one beyond a quick repair. The results from this project should outlive you and almost always remain reversible. That being said, stage settings are not fine art, created for a stationary place on a gallery wall. Your ultimate goal is to not permanently alter the artifact, but preserve it for continued use. Contemporary methods to patch and repair modern drops are seldom an option for historic ones. Likewise, contemporary methods for fine art conservation are not always appropriate for the theatrical stage. Let’s start with inappropriate fabric repairs.
Below is a list of specific materials and techniques that should never be used on historic scenery.
Metal: Sheet metal is never
an option to patch fabric. The weight and sharp edges pose a threat and the
rivets puncture the fabric.
Metal repair on historic scenery used by the Quincy Scottish Rite.
Plaster: Plaster on fabric adds
too much weight and the painted composition will stretch an irreparable amount.
Plaster repair on historic scenery used by the Grand Forks Scottish Rite.
Hot Melt Glue: This product
embeds itself in the fibers and is irreversible, while adding unnecessary weight
to the area. Hot melt glue should never be considered when repairing fragile
fabrics or historic scenery. It is also an accelerant, posing a fire hazard.
Hot melt glue used to attach netting on historic scenery once used at the Fort Scott Scottish Rite.
Wood Glue: This product is
too brittle to use on soft goods. It was also never intended for fabric; it’s
for wood.
Wood glue repair on historic scenery, once used by the Richmond Scottish Rite.
Wood Putty: This product was never intended for use on fabric. Again, it is for wood and too rigid for repairs.
Masonite: The weight of any wood or composite material glued to the back of drop or flat causes stress and will irreparably stretch the surrounding area.
Masonite repair on historic scenery once used by the Wichita Scottish Rite.
Contact Cement: This is an
irreversible and a solvent-based product that should not be used on historic
scenery. It poses a fire hazard.
Contact cement used to attached wood stiffeners on historic scenery, once used by the Wichita Scottish Rite.
Flexible Foam: This product should
not be glued to historic scenery at all.
Flexible foam repair on historic scenery used by the Cheyenne Scottish Rite.
BEVA 371: This conservation adhesive, sold as either a liquid or clear film, is extremely flammable. Although the product is recommended for the repair of fine art paintings, it should never be considered an option for stage scenery. This product is a fire accelerant and will be presented in detail at a later time.
BEVA 371 film is extremely flammable.
Plastic: Plastic should never pair with historic or fragile fabric for many reasons. In regard to plastic netting, the rigidity will harm the fabric. Look for all-natural cotton fabrics and nettings.
Plastic pipe pocket added to a historic scene used by the Louisville Scottish Rite.
There is another type of repair frequently suggested for historic scenery collections -replacing traditional sandwich battens with pipe pockets on the bottom and jute webbing on the top. What appears to be a reasonable solution introduces a weakness to the historic fabric and it will fail. Over time the stitching will act like a perforated page, eventually tearing off. This topic will also be discussed in detail at a later time.
Pipe pockets that replaced wood battens on historic scenery once used by the St. Louis Scottish Rite. Pipe pocketswill ultimately fail.
It is extremely important to understand painted illusion for the historic stage, whether eighteenth-century, nineteenth-century or twentieth-century. The necessary skill set for successful scenery restoration is more than a combination of product knowledge and artistic experience. You must understand not only the traditional methods and materials, but also all of the historical processes and how each artifact was a product of a specific time period. In other words, it is a complex combination of historical research and innate talent. Painted illusion was used in a variety of venues, including theaters, opera houses, cinemas, music academies, city halls, schools, lodge rooms, armories, coliseums, and hippodromes. None of it was intended to be viewed up close, or on a museum wall under fixed lighting.
Leg drop, cut drop and backdrop by Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1912.
Many extant backdrops were produced as part of a set, a combination of backdrops, cut drop, and leg drops, or shutters, roll drops, wings and borders. Flat profile pieces were added for painted dimension in each case. Furthermore, painted grand teasers and tormentors were often permanently positioned within the proscenium opening to frame these painted settings. The level of detail for each stage artifact also shifted as the scenes ranged from upstage to downstage positions.
Before you decide to formulate a maintenance plan or the restoration of any historic scenery collection, you must identify its placement with in theater history or popular entertainment; past materials, techniques, stage systems and venues inform any future repairs. Choosing the appropriate path is akin to the saying, “measure twice, cut once.”
In almost every case you have only one opportunity to do this right.
