Scottish Rite Scenery – Page 23

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Acquiring The Fort Scott Scottish Rite Scenery for the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center, part 79.

Drops are not Props

On May 5, 2017, an online article was posted on the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center website looking in depth at their Fort Scott scenery acquisition and their “restoration” team. Here is the article in it’s entirety: http://www.masonicheritagecenter.org/…/05/behind-the-scenes/

This article appears as a counterpoint to some of the information that I have presented in regard to the Fort Scott scenery collection and its condition since February. Because of my involvement, there is just too much incorrect information posted about the collection for me to ignore it.
One would hope that the writer of the article would check the facts prior to publication. This would be quite easy as there are still multiple copies of the original Fort Scott books that I created during December 2015 for the staff to understand the scope and significance of the collection. They were also created in preparation to discuss the order of priority for restoration, the process, and the necessary alteration for a new venue. There is much about what is stipulated in the article that suggests the books I wrote and provided to the MMC CEO, MMHC general director and MMC Director of Communications remain unread.

I had to chuckle as I read the May 5 article, wondering if this was the same MMC staff member who once erroneously identified a Masonic apron as a “canvas bag” on the Minnesota Masonic Historical Society and Museum brochure. As always, it is crucial to double-check your facts before you publish, especially if you are writing about theatre heritage in a town of theatre practitioners and scholars.

I will start with statements that are simply incorrect, providing a basic fact-checking service. At least this will be more entertaining than fact-checking political statements.
Beginning with the statement from the article about the use of Masonic scenery. The author writes, “Drops were intended to be used as props, not artifacts.” This is incorrect.

Drops are scenery and not props. The answer is easily located online when you type in “What is a prop in a play?”
The answer: “A prop, formally known as (theatrical) property, is an object used on stage or on screen by actors during a performance or screen production. In practical terms, a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set, distinct from the actors, scenery, costumes, and electrical equipment.”
Backdrops, cut drops and leg drops are the painted scenery for Scottish Rite degree work.

They establish the environment. Ironically, this is detailed in my doctoral dissertation that I also made available to the MMC staff while working at the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center. For example, the INRI Peristyle scene for the eighteenth degree would have a setting created with painted scenes – a backdrop, cut drop, and leg drop. If the Pelican piercing its breast were painted on a profile piece and placed within that scene, it would be a set prop. If an actor walked into this scene, carrying something in his hand (like a box that would unfold into a cross) that would be a hand prop. Drops are not props.

The writer also identifies the wooden sandwich battens as “old growth cedar.” This is incorrect too as all battens installed by Sosman & Landis were pine – lightweight and cheap. Theater professionals would never have selected cedar, an expensive lumber with incredible longevity. Remember that theatre scenery was intended as ephemeral and not like cedar shingles or a cedar chest. Lumber companies specialized in “theatrical lumber” that was shipped in bundles by the linear foot. These pine boards were even shipped to Masonic lumber barons who were in charge of Scottish Rite Valleys, as was the case in Winona, Minnesota. Theatre suppliers were particular about their battens and very consistent in their selection of pine. The lumber was specially shaped so that it would not catch on neighboring drops.

End view of a bottom sandwich batten from Fort Scott. This is while the scene was still hanging at the Scottish Rite theater.

The writer notes that the wooden sandwich battens could not be used because they were “crooked.” I think that the writer meant they were slightly warped – a common occurrence in collections over time that is easily remedied. The batten order is swapped to straighten out the warp – done. Plus the solution is free other than labor. No need for special materials, new innovation, or pipe pockets that will fail.

View of the bottom battens in Fort Scott, Kansas.

View of the bottom battens and counterweight lines in Fort Scott, Kansas.

View of top battens while stilled installed in the Fort Scott, Kansas, Scottish Rite.

View of a top batten in Fort Scott, Kansas, while still hanging at the Scottish Rite theater.

The article also mentions that many of the boards were “broken.” This was not the case when the battens were removed and placed into the Bloomington storage facility. For this statement, I have included pictures from onsite, in transport, and at the storage facility, depicting the remarkable condition of the aged wood. I will address the condition of the pine battens in detail and speaking from extensive experience. I have removed battens to restore drops and re-attached those same battens after a completed restoration numerous times. All told, I have handled approximately 900 individual top and bottom sandwich battens for more than two decades.

One of three storage areas for the Fort Scott battens while working onsite during November 2015.

View of the battens in the trailer ready for transport to Minnesota.

Fort Scott battens in Bloomington, Minnesota storage facility awaiting restoration and installation.

The battens from Fort Scott were in excellent condition, better than almost all others that I have encountered. They also contained Thomas Moses’ notes and drawings for the installation order, counterweight rigging system, and other entertaining cartoons. I have included a few for your examination as this was the only aspect about the wooden battens that was extraordinary. I have seen a few notes on scenes, but never this substantial amount with crucial information pertaining to the installation of a scenery collection.

Detail drawing on a Fort Scott batten. This depicts the artist relaying information to the carpenter regarding the installation of drops and the specifics of a counterweight rigging system.

Removing bottom battens from a Fort Scott drop while onsite in November 2015.

Even if a split, or crack occurred, the boards were going to have to be shortened to fit the space which brings us to the next point: the apparent surprise at the mismatch in drop size relative the Ives Auditorium. This was always the case. The theater design was finalized and the construction of the space already underway before any scenery collection was identified and purchased. It is preposterous to think that we would locate any Scottish Rite Valley scenery collection sharing the same specifications to perfectly fit the Ives theater without alteration. As with the practice of purchasing and installing any used scenery into any new venue, it would have to be altered.

The proscenium in Fort Scott was slightly wider than that at the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center. All of the backdrops and most of the cut drops would be a perfect fit. The foremost leg drops are often wider as they were intended to mask the side stages. It is difficult to increase historical scenery as one needs to not only attach new fabric, but also to paint the extensions with dry pigment. That is why we went bigger and planned on reduction.

The process is really quite simple, especially with leg drops. Two panels are removed from the center if it is a foliage, or sky scene. In some cases it even works beautifully with architecture too. In compositions where the center cannot be cut due to painted perspective, panels are removed from either an onstage side or offstage side. This is not rocket science if you know what you are doing. Having done this numerous times, I had it all planned out when the drops were purchased and shipped to Minnesota. This procedure was discussed in detail with the CEO during the spring of 2016.

The problem is that the CEO decided to swap horses midstream and go with a crew who had never completed any historical scenery restoration project before this one. They would be working with the scenery “blind” – unless they read my book, and even then it would be difficult.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 66 – The Evansville Scottish Rite Scenery Auction

As I sat in the Austin airport waiting for my return flight to Minneapolis, I thought about my recent discoveries. There was simply too much information to process at one time and my mind continued to race about future possibilities. I knew that it would take months to go through the 5,000+ photos from the Harry Ransom Center. It had been the only way that I could take the information contained in hundreds of paintings and documents back for study. I knew the extraordinary amount of time I would invest to process information that I had gathered over the course of three days.

But there was something else weighing heavily on my mind. It was my visit to the Austin Scottish Rite that got me thinking again about the future of Scottish Rite scenery. They too were in need of scenery restoration with no real funds to assure the preservation of their drops. As usual, all of the funds were being directed to the restoration of the physical structure of the building and interior spaces after years of deferred maintenance; drop repair was always low on the list and perceived as optional. Once again, I explained the need to look at the scenery as artworks and not simple backings. Plus there was the health hazard of dusting pigment and they produced children’s theatre. Although the scenery was remarkable, would it survive the next decade if left unattended? I doubted it.

There was an upcoming avalanche of Scottish Rite scenery and artifacts getting ready to enter the market. I felt that I was at the base of the mountain, hearing the rumble. Just like the snow breaking away from a peak, it would gather momentum as it raced down the mountainside.

It was no surprise that Masonic membership was declining, as many other fraternal, social, and religious organizations were in the same state. For the Scottish Rite, many of the Valleys were perched on the brink of destruction and already planning the sale of their beloved Masonic edifices – now looking at their once grand buildings as massive money pits. Saving historic backdrops would never be high on the list of priorities. Plus, where would they go and who would take them? I thought back to the auctions at the Scottish Rite in Fort Scott, Kansas, and the most recent one in Evansville, Indiana. Buildings were being liquidated and fraternal artifacts just auctioned off.

Fort Scott Auction in 2014. Contents of entire building was liquidated except the drops. A second auction had originally been planned for the scenery during August 2015 when I entered in negotiations on behalf of the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center as their Curatorial Director.

Picture from newspaper of 2014 Fort Scott auction.

In Evansville, I had contacted both the auction house and the Scottish Rite, hoping to rescue the collection during December 2016. I wanted to know what they had hanging above the stage as one of the Scottish Rite Valleys was interested in acquiring a few more scenes. As there were only partial pictures on the auction site revealed four compositions. I needed to know if the long trip and expense would be worth it.

Online auction of Evansville, Indiana Scottish Rite scenery.

The expense would not be in the purchase, it would be in the safe removal and transportation of the collection; hiring a local rigger and renting a truck. Locating a local help and estimating all of the expenses, I was signed up and ready to bid online. However, I could not go in blind, not knowing what was in the collection.

Enlarged detail from auction image of Evansville Scottish Rite scenery.

I could recognize that the collection was from Volland Studios and very similar to the Peoria, Illinois, collection and the Quincy, Illinois, collection.

The Valley secretary refused to return my call, even after I explained that I was representing another Valley who would like to purchase the scenery for degree work. Then I spoke with an auction house representative to inquire about the scenery and the removal. The site noted that all drops had to be removed in one day. I explained that this was simply impossible and dangerous, having done it twice. After our conversation, I would be given a two-week window to remove the Evansville scenery collection. Unfortunately, the auction house could not provide any information about the contents.

I called the Valley back again and once spoke with the female secretary – not the Valley’s executive secretary. I explained that I understood the difficulty and time involved to photograph the scenery for auction. However, did they have a list of the drops, or even the degrees that they used to perform, from that I could take an educated guess of what was there and make a decision? She checked with the executive secretary and I was told “No, we have nothing and have not used the drops for years.” I withdrew from the auction and watched the final results for the sale of the 15 drops – $550.

When bidding closed, the entire drop collection sold for only $550.

In many cases the contents that members treasured for decades are now being discarded, treated like unwanted toys or trash; they are simply abandoned with no attempts to find a new Masonic home.

This is a turning point for the Fraternity and I honestly can’t decide whether I want it to burn to the ground or rise against all odds. I just keep thinking of Doris Day singing, “The future’s not ours to see, qué será, sera.”

Regardless of Freemasonry’s future, there is going to be a flood of Masonic scenery that will continue to increase throughout the next few years. Much will be unsalvageable. Many of the collections are the same age and have never been maintained. Drops all over the country are simply ripping and falling to the floor. Hopefully, no one will be under them when they fall. These drops are often rolled up and tucked away. Many are simply thrown out at that point.

What can I save? Will I even know when the scenery is up for sale? When will I have to standby, feeling absolutely helpless, and watch artifacts get destroyed?

I really just want to drive around the country, collecting abandoned scenery in the back of my truck, and storing it at my studio in Cambridge, Minnesota.

A colleague once told me that I couldn’t save every historical drop. Deep in my heart I know that many collections will find their way to landfills over the course of the next decade, but I can not stand by and watch them disappear. Whether in digital or physical form, I am going to save as many drops as possible.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 65 – The Austin Scottish Rite, a Used Scenery Collection

The Valley of Austin was just down the street from the Harry Ransom Center on West 18th. Eric Colleary had kindly provided a preliminary email introduction to the woman that ran the Scottish Rite theater. This was another situation where a community theatre group had primary access and control of the stage and not the Masons. Taking a break from the reading room, we walked over to the Scottish Rite to meet the women who were the theater’s new caretakers. I intended it as a short trip for an in-person meeting, hoping one day to come back and evaluate the scenery collection in its entirety.

I knew that most of the Austin Scottish Rite scenery had been purchased second-hand through the M. C. Lilley Company from Lance Brockman’s research, but not much more. Mitchell C. Lilley (1819-1882) founded the M.C. Lilley Company in Columbus, Ohio during 1865. Originally starting as bookbinder and publisher, his company expanded to include regalia and paraphernalia for both military and fraternal organizations, as well as stages for fraternal theaters. For the many Scottish Rite Valleys in the Southern Jurisdiction, it was M.C. Lilley who contracted the entire project and then subcontracted individual portions of the project to various manufacturers and suppliers.

The Austin Scottish Rite scenery was purchased second hand through M. C. Lilley in 1913. It was originally manufactured by Sosman & Landis for Guthrie, Oklahoma in 1900. At the time of the scenery’s creation, David Austin Strong (1830-1911) still supervised Masonic scenery production in the shop; Moses had again left the studio and was freelancing in New York at this time. In his typed manuscript, Moses credited Strong as the “Daddy” of all Masonic design. I had always wondered about this statement as I had traced the origins of Scottish Rite scenery elsewhere in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, believing that Moses was solely referring to Strong’s influence on Masonic scenery at the Sosman & Landis studio, and their individual designs for the Scottish Rite.

Strong was a prolific artist in his own right, having flourished in New York as a scene painter before moving to Chicago. Among many impressive accomplishments, he is credited as one of the original artists for the 1866 productions of the “Black Crook” and “Rip Van Winkle.” His story is a tale that desperately needs to be told too.

Of the total 67 drops installed at the Austin Scottish Rite in 1913, 53 included the original charcoal markings designating their origin for Guthrie and measuring 15’ high by 30’ wide. This scenery was replaced when stage was enlarged in 1910, necessitating new scenery that measured 19’ high by 38’ wide. M.C. Lilley offered the the Guthrie Scottish Rite $1400 credit toward their new scenery purchase, intending to quickly resell the collection to another Scottish Rite Valley. This 1910 Guthrie scenery collection then was later transferred to their current building in 1923.

Records from Guthrie suggested that the original scenery collection had been purchased by Fort Scott, Kansas – a fact that shocked me when I stumbled across it. I now believe that the original Guthrie collection was split up immediately upon its return to M.C. Lilley; a few of the old drops were sent to Fort Scott to expand their 1904 collection and the rest remained in storage.

My discovery of the two scenes in Fort Scott that were much older than the remainder of the 1924 collection supports this theory. Furthermore, a 1912 letter to the Valley of Austin from Bestor G. Brown, then manager of the Western Offices for M.C. Lilley, discussed the division of the original Guthrie installation; noting that all of the original scenery would not be installed at the Austin Scottish Rite. Brown mentions that there were several drops and scenic pieces that would be of no use to the Austin Bodies.

As an M.C. Lilley representative, Brown negotiated with the Valley of Austin for the sale, arrangement, and installation of the Guthrie collection in their “new” theatre; they purchased an existing building. A scene plat was mailed to the Austin Scottish Rite for use when determining the final arrangement of scenes. Brown wrote, “The arrangement of drops is one of the most difficult things.” I know this intimately, as I designed how the Fort Scott scenery could fit into the new rigging system for the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center. There is a rhythm that you must follow to ensure an effective stage picture that will accommodate scenic illusions.

In 1912, Brown explained that they would arrange the used scenery so that it would be “properly adapted to the different Degrees and the sequence of Degrees.” However, he noted that even after careful preparation, some modifications would still occur after all of the scenery was hanging. Interestingly, all of the negotiations with Austin were delayed due to another M.C. Lilley project – the Santa Fe Scottish Rite.

As Brown later explained M.C. Lilley had only one employee who specialized in Scottish Rite scenery installation. I believe that this individual was possibly the stage machinist, Charles S. King, a Sosman & Landis employee. Little is known of King beyond a few newspaper articles identified furing the extensive research conducted by Rick Boychuk regarding the history of counterweight rigging.

Brown notes that the one who would be “superintending the installation” for the Austin project was currently occupied in Santa Fe at the Scottish Rite, installing an entirely new stage there, necessitating that he remain on site for approximately three weeks. Shortly after his correspondence, this superintendent and installation expert died from an accident. Brown explained that their deceased employee was the “only one thoroughly familiar with the special method of installing Scottish Rite scenery.” This special method was referred to as “Brown’s special system.” Then he continued, “We do not mean that it is impossible to follow the same methods as heretofore, but it will take a longer time to do it because of a lack of familiarity with the work.”

On January 23, 1913, Brown also noted the condition of the 1900 Guthrie collection, noting that “The scenery is in very good shape – infinitely better that the average theatrical scenery used on the road. The writer personally went over the scenery at the studio last week. While our contract does not contemplate it, we are touching up some of the scenery and if it be properly lighted, you will have a handsome set of scenery that we would not undertake to paint and install for less than, at least, $8,000.00”

The M. C. Lilley contract on February 25, 1913 sells the Austin Scottish Rite Bodies 64 used drops for $1,650, with a third due upon installation (cash), a third due the following year, and the final third due in two years. This financing was standard for these Scottish Rite endeavors and Brown writes, “In fact, if we had not been able to carry the Bodies in the Southern Jurisdiction as we have, we believe that fully one half of the development of the past ten years would not have been possible.”

Up to that time, M. C. Lilley had installed between 35 and 40 Masonic installations nationwide since 1900. And now some of these collections were finding new homes. I immediately thought of the line from Fanny Brice’s recording of “Second Hand Rose” for the 1921 Ziegfeld Follies: “It’s no wonder that I feel abused, I never get a thing that hasn’t been used.”

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 64 – Thomas G. Moses’ Masonic Model

As each design was removed from the second trunk and hung from a puppet frame, I contemplated other Masonic compositions that I had examined over the years. I noticed some similarities, but many of the designs were absolute surprises. Moses’ designs were a radical departure from the standard Scottish Rite collections that I had encountered across the country. He really was trying to do something new that would bring back the Scottish Rite business.

There were designs for each of the twenty-nine Scottish Rite degrees and many other settings for Blue Lodge, York Rite and the Ancient and Arabic Order of the Noble Mystic Shrine degree productions. The scope of his project made me think of the scenery installation in Winona, Minnesota. Now owned by the City of Winona, the collection was the most complete Masonic one that I had encountered to date with settings for the Blue Lodge, York Rite and Shrine.

The future for this historically significant rigging system and painted scenery collection was tenuous at best. Most of the collection had been damaged by water after the city had failed to repair a leaking roof. At this time, the community was going to select only ten drops to retain and the rest would be auctioned off.

Leaking roof above Winona, Minnesota, Masonic Center stage after all drops had been removed. The sky was visible from the stage floor and the roof had been leaking for years, causing continual water damage to the scenery.

The significance of Scottish Rite scenery installations is as a collection, not as individual drops or even partial scenes. It’s like keeping only ten random items from a silver service; keeping a silver teaspoon but getting rid of everything else. Unfortunately, no amount of reason could make the city council understand the tragedy of their decision, especially after counsel provided by a local expert Paul Sannerud. The eventual destruction of Winona’s scenery would make this 1931 model even more significant as it depicted the scope of Masonic degree productions.

Winona, Minnesota. 15th degree for the Scottish Rite.

Each of Moses’ model settings was complete with set pieces that could accompany the scenes. The whole set up was quite impressive and I thought of the viewing rooms for clients at other studios that were pictured in various catalogues when business boomed during the first two decades of the twentieth century. This was obviously a model that could be shipped, yet was possibly intended for wherever Landis would set up an office, even if it were independent of a rented studio space.
Moses’ drops showed a new generation of designs, specifically including early prototypes that he painted for Scottish Rite installations during the mid- to late- 1920s.

Model room for clients at Great Western Stage Equipment Company in Kansas City.

By November 1923, the executive offices of Sosman and Landis had moved from 417 South Clinton Street to 6751 Sheridan Road. The Sosman & Landis Company sent out letters to past clients clarifying that their company had not been purchased by another studio and that Thomas G. Moses was still their Art Director. The studio that now used the old Sosman & Landis space on Clinton street was “The Chicago Studios.”

1923 letter from the Sosman & Landis Company stating that they are still in business.

The Chicago Studios letterhead with offices at Clinton Street, the old Sosman & Landis studio.

Moses’ 1931 model included earlier compositions created for the Scottish Rites in Fort Scott, Kansas (1924) and McAlester, Oklahoma (1929). These were two jobs solely painted by Moses, his assistant, and a carpenter. During the scenery restoration at the McAlester Scottish Rite, I was amazed with the “Rebuilding of the Temple” scene, complete with a massive scaffolding structure entirely netted in a cut drop that measured 40’ high by almost 60’ wide. Then I identified several compositions in Moses’ model that I had encountered in Fort Scott. His 1931 creation was intended as an entirely new standard for staging degree productions.

As previously mentioned, the stage settings for Fort Scott did not always include a final backdrop, common to most Scottish Rite scenes. Most Fort Scott settings were created with leg drops, cut drops and the painted cyclorama for a distant landscape. This created a stage picture of vast depth and at the time I had been fascinated with his continued use of a wrap-around cyclorama. In many cases, there was only an 8” fabric strip at the top of each cut drop that hung from the top batten. Moses’ 1931 model also included a painted cyclorama that set up behind the hanging designs and surrounded the drops, creating an extremely effective scenic illusion. This was one of the aspects that I was trying to include at the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center when I was let go as it would make the acquisition even more unique.

I started to think about the modern stagecraft and sheer volume of space presented on stages – especially for dance in the 1920s. Was this Moses’ attempt to replicate some of the stylistic tendencies associated with the commercial stage at the time? To rejuvenate Scottish Rite degree productions across the country with something slightly new?

This attempt had been made by Sosman & Landis once before, starting in 1908. At that time they started to sell many Scottish Rite Valleys a second collection, replacing the original ones.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Acquiring The Fort Scott Scottish Rite Scenery for the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center, part 63.

It Had to Be You

My brief time spent in Austin was much more productive than I had envisioned when setting out on my journey. Over the course of eleven days, I had transcribed Moses’ 1931 diary and completed the Santa Fe Scottish Rite photo shoot for an upcoming publication (Museum of New Mexico Press, 2018). In Austin, I was simply completing one task, research that was spontaneous and had no specific direction, timeline, or desired outcome. I believed that my frantic pace would slow down at this point and I could simply enjoy the moment, savoring each document and painting that I encountered. I could not have been more wrong and my pace would increase to warp speed. In Austin, my research became divided into three specific projects: the model theatre, the Austin Scottish Rite, and the John Rothgeb Papers. Had I known what I was to encounter, I would have planned at least a week so that I could enjoy other aspects of the city beyond the archives.

I’ll start with the main purpose of my trip to the Harry Ransom Center, a theatre model attributed to the Sosman & Landis studio. I had read an online article about the conservation of this collection, describing the contents in its entirety, complete with 112 Masonic designs for the Scottish Rite theatres from approximately 1900.

Egyptian model for the 31st degree depicted in online article about conservation of the Sosman & Landis collection at the Harry Ransom Center, UT Austin.

Treasure Chamber for the 15th degree depicted in online article about conservation of the Sosman & Landis collection at the Harry Ransom Center, UT Austin.

Catacombs for the 30th degree depicted in online article about conservation of the Sosman & Landis collection at the Harry Ransom Center, UT Austin.

Rod to Jerusalem for multiple degrees depicted in online article about conservation of the Sosman & Landis collection at the Harry Ransom Center, UT Austin.

A paper conservation intern, Rémy Dreyfuss, was the one to begin the preservation of these Masonic designs during 2014. Perfect timing, I thought, as these images would not have been available online before 2014, prompting the incentive for this leg of my trip, a desire to see each painting on site. Like Dreyfuss, I had processed the Great Western Stage Equipment Company collection and the Holak collection for the University of Minnesota Performing Arts archives as an undergraduate student, evaluating the condition of each item and creating a corresponding database to organize the items, descriptive data, and other imagery. The link to the article on the conservation of Sosman & Landis collection is: designdesignshttps://blog.hrc.utexas.edu/2014/12/11/masonic-theater-conservation/

Regardless of what the online article stated, the description of Moses’ model in his diary was fresh in my mind. In 1931 Moses took a new approach to the lack of studio work. He decided to be proactive and create a demand for his painting services again. Moses was going to create the most complete model to date that depicted the scenery for Blue Lodge, York Rite, Scottish Rite, and Shrine. He noted that his designs would be 20” tall by 28” wide, complete with a specialty lighting system to showcase the scenic effects in the model. Moses referred to his creation as “the Chicago model” and it was intended to be marketed by Perry “Lester” Landis, son of Sosman & Landis founder Abraham “Perry” Landis. During August of that year, Moses wrote, “I hope to be able to finish it and have it ready for business when the time comes if Landis can only close on some of the jobs he is after.”

At the age of 75, Moses was already digging into his savings account for daily expenses due to the lack of work, commenting that solely working on models was no way to make a living. He knew that there was no safety net once his savings account ran out and needed to secure some painting work. Moses desperately hoped that Landis would not get cold feet and cease his funding of the entire model. Furthermore, he desperately hoped that he would be given the eventual painting work IF the Scottish Rite Valleys selected his designs.

At this point in his life, Moses was primarily hired for design work, creating small-scale models for painted scenes used at a variety of theatrical venues. Unfortunately, none of the studio owners would promise Moses any of the resulting painting work of his designs. The studios frequently gave the work to younger and cheaper artists. It was really a sad state of affairs for Moses and his writing reveals his sense of betrayal and desperation. After working non-stop for many years to actively secure profits for studio shareholders, they abandoned him in his time of need. There was no sense of obligation to include an aged scenic artist on their projects, especially one who had slowed down his pace and had a harder time crawling around on the floor.

Moses was desperate for work and realized that he had to go out and “hustle up some work” – one of his common phrases throughout his memoirs. In a sense, he was starting his career all over again, trying to find a special niche in the painting world. At his lowest point, Moses decided to create a new and innovative theatre model. At this time, Volland Studios, in St. Louis, Missouri, was replacing Sosman & Landis Studio as the leading manufacturer of Masonic scenery. Even Becker Bros. Studio of Chicago appeared to attain more Masonic work. Landis and his scenic department were frantic to regain their position as leaders in Masonic scenery production.

By November 1931, Moses had completed his model for Landis and organized a premiere viewing at the Pasadena Scottish Rite. He intended to show off his model before leaving for Chicago and get the reaction of the local Masons. By 1925, Moses had become a Mason himself in California. Interestingly, he selected Pasadena in the Southern Jurisdiction to complete his Scottish Rite degree work, instead of Chicago in the Northern Jurisdiction. His extremely close friendships with various Scottish Rite executives in the Valley of Pasadena seemed an ideal fit, plus the painted scenery business in Los Angeles continued to thrive despite the Great Depression.

It was 2:00 PM on Friday, November 20, when Moses brought his model down to the Pasadena Scottish Rite Temple. He wrote, “They were well pleased with the job and I hope to be able to get the work when they are ready for it. A few little criticisms with the model on some sets.” The second statement made me chuckle and think, “Everyone always has an opinion on how to improve your painting – especially if they don’t paint themselves!” After the premier, Moses spent the next ten days saying farewell to friends, including many of the regions finest artists, such as Edgar Payne. By November 30, Moses began to pack up his personal belongings, art supplies and his model, writing, “Started to pack today and it is going to be a big job and I will have plenty of excess to pay on the two trunks.” These were the two trunks containing his Chicago electric theatre model. On December 2, Moses departed for Chicago.

The two trunks containing the Sosman & Landis theatre model at the Harry Ransom Center.

In the back room at the archives in Austin, I patiently waited for the first of two massive trunks to be opened. The first only held the model theatre, as all other contents were now carefully divided into archival boxes and stored elsewhere. Then the second trunk was opened and I looked inside with amazement. There were dozens of designs, each hanging from a miniature wooden batten and packed in like sardines.

I Looked at the lid of the trunk and noticed a manufacturer’s label. The handwritten date on it said “December 13, 1931.” Furthermore, the trunk was manufactured in Los Angeles, California. “This is it,” I exclaimed. I was looking at Moses’ paintings and the theatre model that he constructed in 1931!

To be continued…

The second trunk with the designs hanging from miniature wooden battens.

The manufacturer’s label with December 13, 1931.

The electric controls for the theatre model.

Miniature stage lights for the theatre model.

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Acquiring the Fort Scott Scottish Rite Scenery Collection for the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center, part 45.

It’s the Last Midnight

Wendy Waszut-Barrett at the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center during the Grand Lodge tour group on April 7, 2016.

My access to the stage for restoration work was initially delayed from April 1 until May 9; the construction was woefully behind schedule due to excessive change orders. It was then further delayed until May 23. I would have just enough time to restore one scene and hang it for the opening on June 24.

These delays were problematic in securing individuals to restore the scenery. From the beginning of March, my restoration crew had remained on “temporary standby” the entire spring. Each week, I asked the CEO if we were still intending to restore drops for the June 24 opening. His standard response was “Certainly, ” but my biggest concern during this time was keeping a crew “on hold” without any guarantee of funds or a signed contract. This meant that they had to turn down other paying gigs and simply wait for me to call, “Start!”

Therefore, I altered the demographic of my crew, now targeting older theatre professionals and retirees who were interested in the experience and not necessarily the money. Then, if the entire project were postponed for months, they wouldn’t be financially devastated when they turned down other opportunities in lieu of this project. For the future, I would consider this a training ground for students. For now, I wanted a crew of competent adults who were familiar with historic scenery and could follow instructions. Although I had interviewed many individuals, I was hesitant to commit to students who needed secure summer work. I looked to my colleagues who were on sabbatical, those would not be teaching during May and June; those who had requested over the years to work with me on a restoration project.

On May 2, 2016, at 8:34am – three weeks before our restoration start date – I sent the following email to both the CEO and general director:

“Good morning. I hope you both enjoyed the weekend.
Two quick questions as we are three weeks away from starting the drop
restoration:
1. Can I guarantee my restoration crew a start date of May 23?
2. Have the requested restoration supplies been ordered?
Have a great day!“

Three minutes later at 8:57 am, I received the following response from the CEO: “Before deciding on when to begin drop restoration, we need to discuss the timing and availability of space and the time needed to rig drops. I suggest that we meet at 10:30 am tomorrow to discuss.”

I was told the next day that the restoration was now postponed until after the opening of the building on June 24, 2016. The new start date for the crew was now Monday, June 27.

Oh no, not again. I sent out an email to my crew “I am so sorry for the continued delays, thank you for your patience with our endeavor. The restoration work has now been postponed until June 27. I’ll keep you updated and confirm that date in early June.” As this was now after the opening, I created a new timeline for the first phase of restoration

By the beginning of June, all of restoration materials had been delivered and new timelines constructed for the first phase from June 27 through September 15. The general director had no intention of renting the theatre space that entire summer. On June 8, I emailed the CEO: “Today, I am confirming with the restoration crew that the project commences on June 27. Please verify this start date.”

The CEO immediately responded, “Work on the drops cannot commence on June 27. Construction delays due to untimely material deliveries and other factors make it necessary to delay the commencement of any work. Once a definite schedule is presented by the builders it will be possible to decide on a commencement date.”

“I completely understand and will release the crew from their obligation,” I emailed, writing, “As I explained to you during December 2015, I believe that some of the ready labor hires did not put the battens in the correct storage slots. The construction delay allows me ample time to identify and make sure that we will be able to locate and pull the necessary items for restoration quickly. Please verify that I will have access to the storage unit on June 27 as I know we all will be tired after the opening. See you on June 24 as I have everything prepped to staff the theatre for the grand opening and answer visitor questions! Have a great week!”

He confirmed that my access to the storage unit on June 27 and the music from “Into the Woods” began playing in the back of my mind:

“It’s the last midnight
It’s the last wish
It’s the last midnight
Soon it will be boom
Squish!

Told a little lie
Stole a little gold
Broke a little vow
Did you?”

To be continued…

State of the stage during Grand Lodge event at Minnesota Masonic Heritage center on April 7, 2016.

State of the rigging during Grand Lodge event at Minnesota Masonic Heritage center on April 7, 2016.

State of the auditorium during Grand Lodge event at Minnesota Masonic Heritage center on April 7, 2016.

State of the auditorium during Grand Lodge event at Minnesota Masonic Heritage center on April 7, 2016. View of the balcony.

State of the auditorium during Grand Lodge event at Minnesota Masonic Heritage center on April 7, 2016. Vertical panels were initially to have murals.

State of the auditorium during Grand Lodge event at Minnesota Masonic Heritage center on April 7, 2016. Ceiling was initially to have constellations in blue sky areas.

State of the auditorium during Grand Lodge event at Minnesota Masonic Heritage center on April 7, 2016. View from the balcony.

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Acquiring the Fort Scott Scottish Rite Scenery Collection for the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center, part 44.

Send in the Clowns

On Tuesday, March 29, the CEO requested that I create a timeline and deliverables for the entire Fort Scott scenery restoration. Again, this was so that riggers could estimate the cost of hanging the entire scenery collection. It is crucial to note, that during the time of this request I was only six days into starting the painting of the lodge room mural. Remember, this mural was to have been completed by March 1 to successfully move onto the scenery restoration.

On March 30 at 8:26AM, I emailed the restoration timeline to the CEO and general director. I had divided the project into ten phases over a two-year period. This was standard for any Scottish Rite scenery restoration and by this point in my career I had restored over 500 historic drops. Each phase of the restoration included the restoration of approximately nine drops, identifying the specific transportation, restoration, and hanging dates. The table of contents divided the project into succinct drop transportation crew dates, restoration crew dates, rigging crew dates, subsequent timelines, and deliverables during each project phase.

However, instead of starting on April 1 and restoring 19 drops, I was now planning to restore only 9 backdrops, starting on May 9, 2016. Restored scenes for opening day would include the Egyptian Interior, Darius Palace, the Woods, the Cathedral, the Treasure Chamber, the Classical Landscape, the DeMolay Mausoleum, the FHC Constellation, and the INRI Landscape.

The remaining nine phases for the scenery restoration after the opening would be:
Monday, July 6, 2016 – Tuesday, July 26, 2016 and Thursday, August 4 – Friday, August 19
Monday, October 3, 2016 – Friday, November 11, 2016
Monday, January 2, 2017 – Friday, February 24, 2017
Monday, March 6, 2017 – Friday, April 28, 2017
Monday, May 8, 2017 – Friday, June 16, 2017
Monday, August 7, 2017 – Friday, September 29, 2017
Monday, November 13, 2017 – Friday, January 5, 2018
Monday, February 19, 2018 – Friday, April 13, 2018
Monday, May 21, 2018 – Friday, July 13, 2018

Similarly, the schedule for hanging the remaining restored scenery after the opening were:
Monday, August 22, 2016 – Friday, August 26, 2016
Monday, November 14, 2016 – Friday, November 18, 2016
Monday, February 27, 2017 – Friday, March 3, 2017
Monday, May 1, 2017 – Friday, May 5, 2017
Monday, June 19, 2017 – Friday, June 23, 2017
Monday, October 2, 2017 – Friday, October 6, 2017
Monday, January 8, 2018 – Friday, January 12, 2018
Monday, April 16, 2019 – Friday, April 20, 2018
Monday, July 23, 2018 – Friday, July 27, 2018

Additionally, having me on staff dropped the overall restoration cost by 75%. Otherwise the restoration could have quickly become cost-prohibitive for the center.

By 1:46PM March 30, the general director emailed me his response to the restoration timeline:

“The proposed schedule is highly problematic from an operational standpoint. It leaves only 11 weeks each in 2016 and 2017. And only nine weeks in the first seven months of 2018 for programming of any sort. We are marketing the space for community rentals and weddings, and already have substantial revenue opportunities. I really can’t shut the place down for the first two years to accommodate scenery restoration. We could work around a few weeks every several months, but not a total blackout including all weekends. I understood the decision on Tuesday to be that Wendy would contact rigging providers for a block price to hang the 74 indicated drops with the understanding that they would be coming out seven times to hang not fewer than 10 pieces at a time. I am extremely reluctant to commit to this specific schedule.”

Thirty minutes later, the CEO reinforced this sentiment writing, “I agree. We can’t have the facility tied up for such extensive blocks of time. Another solution must be found.”

By this stage, approximately $125,000 had been spent to purchase, remove, transport, and store the scenery collection. There were also all of the travel expenses for the initial evaluation in August, my expenses while working three weeks on site, and all of my time as a salaried employee working on this endeavor. This amount did not even take into consideration the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent to custom-design a theatre space to display an historical Scottish Rite scenery collection.

From the beginning of my involvement with this project, I had been crystal clear about the time commitment needed to restore scenery, the limitations of onsite restoration, and the overall expenses. The CEO had always responded, “Not a problem” – until now.

So my response to both of their emails was simply, “Please advise me on how you would like me to proceed. Should we meet to discuss alternatives?”

The next morning we met in the CEO’s office. He said, “So what should we do?” I explained that I had solved the entire dilemma and it would not interfere with any potential income. The CEO raised his eyebrows and said, “Tell me your plan.” I explained that each Friday I would ask the general director if the stage was available for the coming week. If it was, I would then contact my local rigger to see if he could assemble a crew. If he could, I would then assemble my own restoration crew. If both a rigging crew and a restoration crew were available, we would restore a drop. This would involve transporting it on Monday, restoring the drop from Tuesday through Thursday, and hanging the drop on Friday. It would be more expensive in the long-term, but it would never interfere with any anticipated rental income or unnecessarily tie up the space. “Besides,” I added, “I’m on staff, so I can drop everything at a moment’s notice.”

“But what will you be doing ‘on staff’ when you’re not restoring any scenery?” queried the general director.

“All of the duties that are listed in my job description as Curatorial Director, plus painting the remaining lodge room murals,” I answered.

There was an awkward silence, and I thought of a line from Sondheim in “A Little Night Music:”

“And where are the clowns?
Quick, send in the clowns
Don’t bother…
They’re here.”

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Acquiring the Fort Scott Scottish Rite Scenery Collection for the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center, part 43.

Art is Never Finished, Only Abandoned

During March, 2016, I was given another directive from the CEO: he wanted me to identify a theatrical rigger to bid on the hanging of all the scenery. Although it might take up to five years, he was hoping to get a price break on the job in its entirety. I had initially encountered his approach of “bulk purchasing” when I was seeking a portrait artist to depict the various individuals for whom the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center spaces were named, such as Charlie Nelson for the Nelson Library.

The CEO had directed me to find portrait painter, and I stumbled across Joe Burns‘ website and a few newspaper articles on his neighborhood portraits. Here is a link to his work: (https://www.pinterest.com/joeburnsartist/). I immediately liked and admired Burns for both his fine art technique and community involvement. He had an interesting contemporary interpretive style, but some of his paintings harkened to an older tradition. Upon meeting and interviewing Burns, I realized that we had both received training from the Atelier during the early 1990s (Richard Lack’s studio in Minneapolis).

After contracting Burns for all of the portraits, the CEO wanted an additional painting – one depicting the entire facility. He asked me what I thought the price should be and I again explained Burn’s fine art formula based on the square inch. He looked surprised, and said, “Well, I have certainly paid him enough money and should get a steep discount on this next work.”

I am always fascinated when people believe that the price of art should be reduced if you order numerous paintings. They are attempting to parallel a unique artistic creation with office supplies from Staples. Does the discount apply after buying 5 or 25 items?

It is at times like these that I step back and reflect on past Masonic endeavors, when their lodge rooms included murals, beautifully carved woodwork, hand-painted tracing boards and celestial skies. Were the members looking for the cheapest version at the time? No, they were looking for something that would honor the spirit of Freemasonry.

At what point does any organization start to look for the cheapest artifact and stop caring about the artistry? Is it at the same time that quantity surpasses quality?

So, here we were less than three months before the opening and trying to hang irreplaceable artworks as cheaply as possible. I was reminded of the general director hiring a Ready Labor crew to move these same artworks into storage.

We needed the individuals who handled the Thomas G. Moses scenic art collection to do it with care for the inherent fragile state of a ninety-year-old artwork and understanding of its cultural value. We could not afford to hire “cheap labor” who didn’t have a clue as to what they were doing. This decision could ultimately destroy the entire acquisition.

The rigger, or rigging company, needed to understand that the drops were not mere backgrounds for a degree production; they were artworks that depicted a shifting aesthetic in both popular art and stage design. An artistic heritage of national significance. The collection was a small part of a much larger picture that identified a shared material culture between the general public and the Fraternity. I needed Paul Sannerud, Brandon Fischer, Ty Prewitt (BellaTex, LLC), Dan Culhane, or Rick Boychuk to be involved in this project as I KNEW that they each understood and appreciated the collection. They also understood that so much of this history had been lost over the decades; painted scenery is ephemeral in nature. Similarly, there are Masonic scholars across the country who are watching their own history being abandoned.

We all understand what is happening nationwide and we are scrambling to preserve something – anything – for future generations.

Had I saved an internationally significant collection only to watch it be destroyed during the installation? I hoped not, as it would truly be a loss of epic proportions.

To be continued…

Joe Burns holding a preliminary painting for the final portrait.

Joe Burns with his preliminary study and final portrait.

Preliminary study, small-scale design, and final portrait by Joe Burns.

Joe Burns and I on June 24, 2016 – opening day for the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center.

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Acquiring the Fort Scott Scottish Rite Scenery Collection for the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center, part 38.

A Sea of Troubles

“To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles…”

I soon realized that I was constantly taking arms against a “sea of troubles” as the Curatorial Director at the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center.

The weekly OAC (Owner/Architect/Contractor) meeting had continued after I asked about the smoke door placement. Throughout the remainder of the meeting, I thought back to many conversations with the CEO since my return from Fort Scott.

One conversation kept popping into my mind. It had been mid-December 2015 and I was sitting with the Minnesota Masonic Charities staff for a short coffee break near the Minnesota Masonic Home café. This was unusual, as I was often too busy to attend these daily gatherings. While chatting about my finds in Fort Scott with the CEO, I inquired whether he had any preferred order for scenery restoration. I was getting ready to start compiling the first timeline.

He immediately responded that he had absolutely no preference – I could choose the restoration order. The CEO then elaborated that he had always been in front of the scenery – performing – not really caring about what happened behind him. At the time, I simply thought, “oh…actor” and made a mental note. So, the occasional “us and them” struggle between performers and technicians carried over to fraternal stages too. This production dynamic peaked my interest from a historical standpoint, thinking of Joe Jefferson and other nineteenth century actors who were deeply involved in all aspects of a production. When did it start on fraternal stages? Had the “us and them” dynamic always been there?

Now the CEO’s fraternal performances and degree production experiences were all at the Scottish Rite in Duluth, Minnesota. I was extremely familiar with this 1904 scenery collection, as I had provided a lot of information to the historical architect Rolf Anderson for his written nomination of the building for the National Register of Historic Places. Rolf and I spoke extensively about the significance of the scenery collection and how the Winona Masonic Center was placed on the National Register primarily for the historical significance of its scenery (the work of Lance Brockman and Charlie Nelson).

Duluth, Minnesota, Scottish Rite. Photo by Rolf Anderson, 2014.

View of Duluth, Minnesota, Scottish Rite. View of auditorium from stage with wood set. Photo by W. Waszut-Barrett, 2014.

I had also conducted a variety of theatre tours at the Duluth Scottish Rite over the years, including one for theatre practitioners of the Northern Boundary Section, USITT (United States Institute of Technical Theatre), in 2012 and the Ladies Tour at the Minnesota Grand Lodge in 2014. It was an outstanding scenery collection!

View of Duluth, Minnesota, Scottish Rite. View of tour for Northern Boundary Section fall conference (2012).

View of Duluth, Minnesota, Scottish Rite. View of ladies tour for Minnesota Grand Lodge (2014).

While reflecting on the CEO’s comments, I considered his lack of appreciation for any historical scenery. I had initially noticed it during the August evaluation at Fort Scott as his interest waned as the fourth scene was lowered. I had encountered the “It’s just backing, not art” attitude before in many Scottish Rite Valleys across the country. These were frequently the same individuals who viewed Masonic libraries as “just books waiting to be scanned.” I fell in love with the Fraternity because of its reverence for history, ritual, and instruction. While it is no surprise that not everyone uniformly shares this belief, the Fraternity is so much more than charitable donations. There are those who deeply understand that Scottish Rite theaters are an extension of a unique cultural heritage; one to be studied and preserved, like the books, and other Masonic artifacts.

In addition to the CEO’s “just scenery” attitude was the general director’s comments about how “his” theatre would be staffed by volunteers. I had repeatedly argued for at least ONE theatre professional – even a part-time theatre technician. SOMEONE had to know how to operate and maintain the equipment. At the time, I had been primarily concerned about the lighting, rigging, and sound systems. I hoped that the historical scenery collection would ultimately fall under my control as a recent museum acquisition.

Both the CEO and general director’s comments made me think of most state-of-the art performing arts centers built all across Minnesota. It all starts with a “big vision,” followed by a small plan to run the facility. These performance venues cost millions of dollars to construct, but are never adequately staffed after the opening. It results in the gradual deterioration of both lighting and sound systems as high school students or volunteers run the facility. No one knows how to run, maintain, or repair the equipment. How shortsighted, and it was apparent that we were going to repeat this process here too.

This is a tried and true formula for failure. There were massive Scottish Rite buildings across the country with amazing artifact collections and almost all are collapsing. Why? There is no one to staff the buildings beyond a team of volunteers. The Masons of Minnesota find themselves spending tens of millions of dollars to create a state-of-the-art facility, staffed primarily with volunteer labor. What was the REAL endgame? Was this all a charade?

To be continued…

Duluth Scottish Rite, Treasure Chamber (15th degree).

Duluth Scottish Rite, King Solomon’s Throne Room (6th and 9th degrees).

Duluth Scottish Rite, cave scene for 9th degree). Photo by Rolf Anderson, 2014.

Last scene lowered when I was guest speaker for ladies tour at Minnesota Grand Lodge (2014).

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Acquiring the Fort Scott Scottish Rite Scenery Collection for the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center, part 37.

Water, Water Everywhere

Water damage is always the antagonist in historic scenery stories.

Water damage in Winona, Minnesota, in the Scottish Rite theatre.

Scenery painted with dry pigment and diluted hide glue, or “size,” is water-based and non-permanent. The colors reactivate with the introduction of water, being displaced upon the surface as the water carries pigments elsewhere on the fabric. Highly concentrated areas of color are re-deposited along the edges of water damage and are difficult to conceal. They need to be sealed and then touched up. In some cases all of the color is removed, reverting sections of the composition to raw fabric.

Dark areas along water damage is where the pigment has settled in concentrated areas.

Water damage that removed all pigment and reverted to raw muslin.

The Fort Scott collection was in amazing condition when we placed it into storage on November 23, 2015, at the age of 91 yrs. old! The date when Moses finished the last drop for the collection was November 17, 1924. The scenery was in much better shape than any other historical collection I had come across to date. Part of the reason for the minimal deterioration was the lack of water damage. You have to understand that it is almost unheard of for a Scottish Rite scenery collection to not have some type of water damage; either from pipes that burst or a roof that leaks. Fortunately for us, there were no pipes above the scenery in Fort Scott and no detectable roof leaks!

Winona, Minnesota, Scottish Rite theatre. After removing all of the drops form the lines, water damage to the wooden grid and sky were visible from the stage floor.

Water can also damage drops when it sneaks in through the smoke doors high above the stage and slowly drips down onto the painted scenes. Smoke doors above the stage have a straightforward purpose, allowing the smoke and fire gasses to escape through the stage area and not into the auditorium. These vents above the stage which, when open during a fire, will draw smoke out of the auditorium and up out of the roof, enabling a safer evacuation of the audience. The vents are often attached to compressed springs, so that when activated, they will stay open. Various requirements are determined by the size and the height of the stage. Unfortunately, over time smoke doors can leak.

The reason for the smoke doors is clear – audience safety. In 1903, the Iroquois theatre fire in Chicago killed approximately 600 individuals, many children, during an afternoon matinee. Piles of bodies were discovered lined up in the aisles trying to exit through the locked theatre doors. After this tragedy and the many others that had preceded it, there was an increased effort toward both audience safety and fire prevention. Many fire codes were put in place and included exits, fire barriers, and smoke doors.

Interestingly, the Fort Scott smoke doors were placed above the stage left side. Any leaking that might have occurred happened away from the painted scenes in the off-stage area. I had made a mental note at the time that I would have to keep an eye out for this building anomaly in the future. Was it really an anomaly, or were the architects who worked closely with theatre professionals at that time aware of the potential damage to the scenery and lighting fixtures? If it was taken into consideration for one Scottish Rite theatre, there could be other examples elsewhere.

And then I encountered the issue of smoke doors at the MMHC theatre during the spring of 2016. I was sitting at a construction meeting when I realized that the MMHC smoke doors were centered above the stage and would automatically open when a fire alarm was pulled. I immediately expressed a concern that if the doors popped open during a rainstorm, the contents of the historic scenery would be completely destroyed. Had no one thought of this?

I then continued stating that the collection had a replacement value of over $1,000,000.00 and the majority of it could be destroyed in an instant. Everyone at the meeting looked toward the CEO for clarification and direction. The room was silent. Then I realized that this was a moot point for the CEO he moved on to the previous topic – the need for some safety mechanism to prevent workers from falling through the opening if the doors sprung open.

I kept wondering, “Why did they really want any historic drops in the space if they didn’t care what happened to them after the installation?” After all, what was the point of replicating an historic theatre space to accommodate an entire Scottish Rite scenery collection?

To be continued…