On February 14, 1925, the “Pasadena Post” reported, “While Mr. Moses has watched carefully the painting of the curtains, much credit for their final perfection must go to the assistant and scenic artist, F. B. Fulton. Mr. Fulton believes the scenic work to be some of the finest he has ever produced. The final work of hanging and installing the curtains will be under the supervision of Harry Naile, a member of the Sosman & Landis company. This work demands such expert workmanship that Mr. Naile was brought from Chicago so that no mistakes in installation could be made.”
Previously-owned rigging system designed for the Little Rock Scottish Rite, installed at the Pasadena Scottish Rite by Harry E. Naile in 1925.Previously-owned rigging system designed for the Little Rock Scottish Rite, installed at the Pasadena Scottish Rite by Harry E. Naile in 1925.Previously-owned rigging system designed for the Little Rock Scottish Rite, installed at the Pasadena Scottish Rite by Harry E. Naile in 1925.Previously-owned rigging system designed for the Little Rock Scottish Rite, installed at the Pasadena Scottish Rite by Harry E. Naile in 1925.Previously-owned rigging system designed for the Little Rock Scottish Rite, installed at the Pasadena Scottish Rite by Harry E. Naile in 1925.Previously-owned rigging system designed for the Little Rock Scottish Rite, installed at the Pasadena Scottish Rite by Harry E. Naile in 1925.Note the old line numbers from Little Rock (top) and the newly painted numbers for Pasadena (side). Previously-owned rigging system designed for the Little Rock Scottish Rite, installed at the Pasadena Scottish Rite by Harry E. Naile in 1925.View of bottom battens on scenery at the Pasadena Scottish Rite,
Harry Naile and Fitch Fulton were repeatedly mentioned by Moses in the 1920s. Other projects with stage carpentry and installed by Naile include the Tacoma Scottish Rite and the Binghamton Scottish Rite. In regard to the Binghamton project, Moses wrote, “I insisted on having Naile on the job…He and Mrs. Naile arrived on the 1st of October and we then proceeded to get things going.” Between 1924 and 1925, Moses, Naile and Fitch Fulton bounced from one project to another. Although, I have written about Naile in the past, here is a recap as he plays a more prominent role in the storyline at this point.
Harry Elmore Naile was born in Pierceton, Indiana, on June 15, 1879. He was one of four children born to Mary Elizabeth Orr (1854-1900) and Louis Phillip Naile (1855-1918). His siblings were Roy, Grace, and Ralph. He also had a halfsister, Loretta; Naile’s father remarried after the death of his mother. I have yet to find any information about Naile’s early life or when he entered the theatre profession. However, he came by the trade naturally as his father was a house carpenter. It is not a surprise that he was born into the trade. Like many young men at this time, he headed west and settled in Colorado Springs.
In 1907, he married Georgia E. Robinson in Colorado Springs. She was the only child of William W. Robinson (1863-1926) and Mary A. “Mamie” Rogers (1869-1954). Her father was a painter, and possibly provided an initial introduction for the couple. At the time Harry was twenty-seven years old and Georgia was nineteen years old. The couple spent the majority of their marriage apart, with Harry lodging in various hotels and boarding houses for work as a stage carpenter. By 1913, the Polk County directory listed “Naile, Harry E. (Georgia), removed to Chicago, Illinois, from Colorado Springs.” In 1916 he was working for Sosman & Landis on a New York project with Nicholas J. Pausback.
Naile remained in the Chicago area for much of his life, working as both a stage carpenter and stage mechanic. By 1918, he was at the Chateau Theatre on 3810 Broadway. His WWI draft registration noted that he was 5’-7” tall, with a slender build and blue eyes. No hair color was mentioned at all. By 1920, the Naile was living at 57 East Van Buren Street.
After the Pasadena Scottish Rite project, Moses, Fulton and Nail worked on a project in San Jose, California. Of the project, Moses wrote, “I started for San Jose on March 27th and found Naile had everything in good shape.” The trio also worked in Los Angeles on the “Fullerton job.” By 1930, Naile was still living in Chicago, now at the Kenmore Beach Hotel, 552 Kenmore Avenue. The 1930 US Federal Census listed Naile as a superintendent for a theatrical supply company, although it remains unclear as to which firm.
He died shortly after the US Federal census recorded his employment. Naile passed away on September 15, 1930. He was only fifty years old at the time and had been married to Georgia for twenty-three years. I have yet to locate any death notice or obituary, giving any cause for his passing. Georgia was left a widow at forty-six years old and never remarried. Of Georgia’s own passing the Colorado Springs “Gazette Telegraph” printed, “Naile- Mrs. Georgia Naile, 2612 W. Cucharras, passed away Tuesday at a local nursing home” (12 March 1975, page 4).
Both Georgia and Harry are buried in Colorado Springs’ Evergreen Cemetery.
Between 1924 and 1925, Thomas G. Moses, Fitch B. Fulton and Harry E. Naile delivered scenery to several Masonic theaters. The Pasadena Scottish Rite project began on the heels of the Fort Scott Scottish Rite project. It all started with Fort Scott, Kansas.
In August 1924, Moses wrote, “Fulton is now in Fort Scott getting ready for our big work. I bought a round trip ticket for a long western trip and started on the 16th of August arriving in Fort Scott on the 17th. Put in one day with Fulton, leaving on the 19th.”
Fulton was on site setting up the paint space in the theater and was already painting when Moses arrived for a day in Fort Scott. The two worked on a platform twenty-feet above the stage-left side of the theater. The project would be completed in spits and spurts that year.
After leaving Fort Scott and stopping in Salt Lake City, Moses arrived in Los Angeles on the afternoon of the August 22, He wrote, “Got busy immediately at Pasadena for ten days. As a final deal, I offered the Little Rock drops for $8,500.00, closed the deal and at Los Angeles for a big interior for the Consistory.”
So, while Fulton began the Fort Scott job, Moses landed the Pasadena job.
Moses returned to the Fort Scott Project, finished the work with Fulton, and then headed back to Chicago. By November 1924, Moses wrote, “I must get back to Pasadena as they want to open on the 24th of February, so we put the house in perfect shape for cold weather and got our tickets via the D.R.G. through Colorado. Met Fulton at Denver and were soon on our way to San Jose. Arriving in San Francisco, we reached the 3rd Street Station just in time to catch a train for San Jose. Went to the Vendome Hotel and Mrs. Fulton came up. It took us eight days to close a $7,000.00 contract and get to Los Angeles where we spent two days, finally securing a fine apartment at the 159 S. Los Robles Avenue in Pasadena, where we will remain for two months. Had a delightful Christmas day at Walters.”
Moses and Fulton planned on preparing the used Little Rock scenery for installation and painting a few new scenes for the Pasadena Scottish Rite.
Scene by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite theater in Little Rock, Arkansas, 1902. It was sold to the Pasadena Scottish Rite and installed in 1925.Scene by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite theater in Little Rock, Arkansas, 1902. It was sold to the Pasadena Scottish Rite and installed in 1925.Backdrop painted by Thomas G. Moses and Fitch Fulton in 1925 for the Pasadena Scottish Rite.Painted detail. Backdrop painted by Thomas G. Moses and Fitch Fulton in 1925 for the Pasadena Scottish Rite.
On February 14, 1925, the “Pasadena Post” reported, “The magnificent scenic drop curtains which have been hung in the new Scottish Rite cathedral to be dedicated Tuesday evening, are a gift of Major Charles M. Skillen, in memory of his son, the later Dr. Ralph G. Skillen. Both father and sone were charter members of the Pasadena Consistory.“The 73 drops represent some of the finest work of the artists of Sosman & Landis company of Chicago have ever produced, according to Thomas G. Moses, president of the firm, who is in Pasadena to personally supervise the work of installing them. “Each of the drops was especially designed and finished for the Pasadena cathedral. Months were spent in the preparation of then, it is said. About half were painted in the Chicago studios of the company and the reminder finished in this city. While Mr. Moses has watched carefully the painting of the curtains, much credit for their final perfection must go to the assistant and scenic artist, F. B. Fulton. Mr. Fulton believes the scenic work to be some of the finest he has ever produced. The final work of hanging and installing the curtains will be under the supervision of Harry Nail, a member of the Sosman & Landis company. This work demands such expert workmanship that Mr. Nail [sic.] was brought from Chicago so that no mistakes in installation could be made.”
The stage machinery at the Pasadena Scottish Rite installed by Harry E. Naile in 1925. This is the same system that was previously used at the Little Rock Scottish Rite from 1902 to 1923.The Pasadena Scottish Rite theater became known as the Cobb Auditorium in 1935.The original decor at the Pasadena Scottish Rite from 1925.The renovated Pasadena Scottish Rite, ca. 1965.The Pasadena Scottish Rite, c. 2017.
Only if you were standing backstage at the Pasadena Scottish Rite and saw “Little Rock” written all over the back of many of the scenes would you suspect that they scenery was not new. That a good portion of the collection was previously designed and installed at the Little Rock Scottish Rite in Arkansas.
“Little Rock” written on the back of a drop at the Pasadena Scottish Rite.“Little Rock” written on the back of a drop at the Pasadena Scottish Rite.Also included is information about the size, composition, scenic piece, and degree.
When the Scottish Rite in Little Rock purchased new scenery in 1923, their old scenery was returned on credit, applied toward the purchase of new scenery. This used collection was stored and then split between the Miami Scottish Rite and the Pasadena Scottish Rite. When some of the old Little Rock scenery arrived in Pasadena, Moses and Fulton touched up the scenes and then added some drops.Over the decades, the scenery collection was expanded, touched up, and repositioned. A complete remodel of the auditorium took place from 1964-1965, greatly altering the overall aesthetic and proscenium opening that showcased the scenic artworks.https://www.pasadenascottishrite.org/about-us/history/
At the beginning of 1922 Thomas G. Moses was working in Tacoma, painting scenery for the Scottish Rite. Of the project, he wrote, “Harry Naile showed up the latter part of February. We then started to get things into the Temple and it began to look like a job. I did a picture of Jerusalem for the asbestos curtain, and it came out very good…On the completion of our contract and on the eve of our departure, the trustees gave us a dinner in our honor, which was attended by Harry Naile, it was very fine – we certainly felt honored….completed our work on April 1st, got all settled and with Naile and the Madam, we started south. Enjoyed the trip very much; had two days in San Francisco, then took the boat for Stockton. On our arrival, we found the large hotel was laboring under the delusion of war rates. So, we found a small apartment, very nicely furnished, and we certainly enjoyed it. Naile had good accommodations at a small hotel.” Moses and Naile were traveling from one project to another. This had remained the standard practice at Sosman & Landis from the beginning; a scenic artist and carpenter were paired for most on site projects. Occasionally, if a job required more hands, a second scenic artists was sent on site. For Moses, this was frequently Ed Loitz. However, stage carpenter’s such as Naile also filled in as the primary scenic artist’s assistant after the construction was completed and a second set of hands was needed on site. This speaks to the versatility of the Sosman & Landis stage carpenters at the time.
Harry Elmore Naile worked as a carpenter and assistant to Moses from 1922-1925. I have yet to determine how long he worked at Sosman & Landis in that capacity, but he was repeatedly mentioned in Moses Memoirs at this time. Projects in addition to the Tacoma Scottish Rite completed by Naile included the Binghamton Scottish Rite (1923) and the Pasadena Scottish Rite (1925). In Binghamton, it was Moses, Loitz and Naile. Of the project, Moses wrote, “I got settled at the Marion Hotel, Loitz and Naile got quarters up near the Temple.” Basically, Moses showed up to painter, while Loitz and Naile prepared everything for his arrival. Moses had specifically asked to work with Naile in 1923. In regard to the Binghamton project, he wrote, “I insisted on having Naile on the job, so Hunt allowed me to send for him. He and Mrs. Naile arrived on the 1st of October and we then proceeded to get things going.”
For larger projects, local labor was added as needed. So, in Binghamton, Naile hired a crew. You see, Moses was painting a variety of scenery at the Binghamton Scottish Rite, including drops destined for Eldorado and Wichita. Of this group, Moses wrote, “Naile and his men are not giving me full service and I am getting desperate, as to my ability to pull the contract through with profit.”
Born on June 15, 1879, he was the son of Mary Elizabeth Orr (1854-1900) and Louis Phillip Naile (1855-1918); one of four children born to the couple. His siblings were Roy (1886-?), Grace (1891-?), and Ralph ( 1897-1958). His father was a house carpenter who later remarried after the death of his first, so there is also a half-sister, Loretta (1908-?).
Harry grew up in Pierceton, Indiana. He met and married Georgia E. Robinson (b. 28 Jan. 1888) 1907. Georgia was the only child of William W. Robinson (1863-1926) and Mary A. “Mamie” Rogers (1869-1954), born in Kansas. Her father was a painter, and likely the link that connected Harry and Georgia. On June 1, 1907, the couple tied the knot in Colorado Springs, with Edgar W. Work performing the ceremony. He was twenty-seven years old at the time, and Georgia was only nineteen years old. Interesting fact: Colorado required the grooms to be over 21 years old when applying for a marriage license, but the brides needed to be only eighteen years old. Regardless, the couple spent much of their marriage apart, with Harry lodging in various hotels and boarding houses for work. The 1913 Polk County directory listed “Naile, Harry E. (Georgia), removed to Chicago, Illinois.
His 1918 draft registration card listed Harry as the stage mechanic for the Chateau Theatre at 3810 Broadway in Chicago, living at 514 E. 42nd Street. His was described at 5’-7” tall, with a slender build and blue eyes. Interestingly, no hair color was listed; the first omission that I have encountered to date.
In 1920, he was lodging with several theatrical performers at 57 East Van Buren Street in South Town Chicago. I have yet to track down where Georgia was living at this time, or if she returned to stay with her parents when he was on the road. The couple had no children, so it was not as if she needed to stay in any one place for long. When opportunity presented itself, she also traveled with her husband, such as to Binghamton, New York.
By 1925, Moses and Nail were working at the Scottish Rite Theatre in Pasadena, California. The Pasadena Scottish Rite had purchased a used scenery collection that needed to be touched-up, supplemented, and installed. Nail was in charge of both the used stage machinery and scenery installation. Of the work, Moses wrote, “Harry Naile is coming along with his work fairly well, and we will finish on time without a doubt.” Naile was also mentioned in “Pasadena Evening Post.” The article reported, “The final work of hanging and installing the curtains will be under the supervision of Harry Naile, a member of the Sosman & Landis company. This work demands such expert workmanship that Mr. Naile was brought form Chicago so that no mistake in installation could be made” (Pasadena Evening Post, 14 Feb. 1925, page 16).
After the Pasadena Scottish Rite project, Moses and Nail worked in San Jose. Of the project, Moses wrote, “I started for San Jose on March 27th and found Naile had everything in good shape.” They then worked in Los Angeles on the Fullerton job. That was the last mention of Naile in Moses’ memoirs, and I have located no mention of Naile in the newspapers during the remainder of the decade.
By 1930, Naile was living at the Kenomore Beach Hotel, 552 Kenmore Avenue, in Chicago. The 1930 US Federal Census listed Naile as a superintendent for a theatrical supply company, although it remains unclear as to which firm. He died shortly after the US Federal census recorded his employment.
Naile passed away on September 15, 1930. He was only fifty years old at the time and had been married to Georgia for twenty-three years. I have yet to locate any death notice or obituary, giving any cause for his passing.
Georgia was left a widow at forty-six years old and never remarried. She lost her father only four years earlier. Her mother also lived a long life, remaining a widow for almost three decades. I believe that Georgia returned to Colorado Springs where she lived with her mother. Georgia was a widow for forty-five years.
Mrs. Harry E. Naile
Of Georgia’s own passing the “Gazette Telegraph” in Colorado Springs reported, “Naile- Mrs. Georgia Naile, 2612 W. Cucharras, passed away Tuesday at a local nursing home. Arrangements later” (12 March 1975, page 4).
Both Georgia and Harry are buried in Colorado Springs’ Evergreen Cemetery.
The final resting place of Harry and Georgia Maile in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The Tabor Opera House, pictured in the “Leadville Daily Herald,” 1 Jan 1881
In 1884, “Harry C. Miner’s Dramatic Directory” listed that the seating capacity for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, was 800. The size of stage measured 34-ft. deep by 60-ft. wide, and the proscenium opening was 17-ft. high by 23-ft wide. The original scenery employed a system of grooves on stage to hold up the painted scenes. Grooves are a mechanical contrivance in which the scenes slide back and forth. Sets of grooves were positioned into divisions, such as one, two, three and four. Where the stage was extra deep, there were sometimes five and six divisions of grooves, equally spaced. There were four divisions of grooves at the Tabor Opera House, allowing four pairs of wings and shutters to slide on and off stage, forming specific stage settings. The height from the stage to the top of the grooves was sixteen feet, with an additional 3 feet above that to the rigging loft.
This method of staging was eventually replaced with more modern arrangements in 1902, Wings and Shutters were replaced with fly scenery and box interiors, supported with braces and connected by lash lines. This more modern method was purchased and installed the Leadville Elks purchased the opera house in 1901, renaming the venue the Elks Opera House.
During the nineteenth century there were three stage managers who worked at the Tabor Opera House, each constructing wing and shutter scenery for the venue, and each shifting early scenes in grooves. The three stage managers were William S. Barber (1879-1880), Harry C. Sprague (1881-1884) and William J. Moon (1885-1901). These three men were also went by others titles, such as stage carpenter and stage mechanic. Regardless of their title, each functioned as a ruler of the realm behind the footlights.
Barber was credited with the original construction and installation of the first stock scenery collection at the Tabor Opera House in 1879. He worked with James E. Lamphere, the first scenic artist to paint the original drop curtain and ten stage settings. W. S. Barber was listed as a stage carpenter for the Tabor Opera House in the 1880 Leadville city directory, living at 114 W. 6th. That was the only year that he was listed in a Leadville directory.
Barber and Lamphere’s contributions to the stagehouse were less than adequate and short lived. The stage was completely renovated within two years, and Harry C. Sprague was credited with the new stage arrangements. Sprague was already living in Leadville at the time. He was listed as a bill poster in the 1880 city directory and a “stageman” in the 1881 city directory. In 1880 Sprague was residing at 312 W. 6th, just down the street from Barber. The official bill poster for the Tabor Opera House that year was R. B. Brennet; there was enough work to support a few bill posters in town.
In 1881 Sprague was listed in the Leadville City Directory as “stageman” at the Tabor Opera House; Barber was no longer associated with any Leadville theater. It remains unclear if Barber and Sprague ever met while walking to their respective homes on 6th street or while working backstage at the opera house. As a bill poster in 1880, Sprague likely worked for a variety of businesses in town, so their paths may have crossed at some point but it remains unknown. Regardless, sprague likely began working backstage at the opera house in 1880, especially if he was associated with the Tabor Opera House in the 1881 directory. Sprague was still working at the opera house when James H. Cragg was brought on board as a general manager.
On May 1, 1882, J. H. Cragg became the manager at the Tabor Opera House. The following day, the “Leadville Daily Herald” announced, “J. H. Cragg has been appointed manager of the Tabor opera house, vice F. T. Osgood resigned. He began his regime last night” (2 May 1882). In 1880, F. Thomas Osgood was listed in the city directory as a teller at the Leadville Bank, as well as briefly managing the new Opera House. The news of Osgood’s replacement quickly spread throughout the region, and by May 6, 1882, the “Gunnison Daily News-Democrat” reported, “Lieutenant-Governor Tabor has appointed Charles J. Rowell his general business agent at the Tabor Opera House, J. H. Cragg becoming the new manager” (Vol. 1, No. 280). To clarify, Cragg was manager, but had nothing to do with the backstage area.
Change was in the air by summer 1882 at Both Tabor theaters. In August the building, auditorium, and stage in Leadville were undergoing the massive renovation. As the work neared completion, an article appeared in the “Leadville Daily Herald” announcing, “Of the stage there will be a change for the better in regard to scenery, scene shifting and drop curtains. Those ridiculous hitches in scene shifting that have heretofore occurred on one or two occasions will no longer take place. An experienced stage man has been secured in the person of Mr. H. C. Sprague” (August 23, 1882). By September 23, 1882, “Leadville Daily Herald” announced, “All the seats in the Tabor Opera House are being changed in position and when the work is finished they will be much more advantageously arranged than in the past, and there will also be some standing room.” This, combined, with the raising of the roof for better acoustics was a substantial project, especially for a relatively new opera house.
Changes were also occurring in the staffing at the Tabor Grand Opera House in Denver. During the summer of 1882, the house scenic artist left for greener pastures in Utah. Setting his sights on Salt Lake City, Henry C. Tryon headed west and remained in Salt Lake City next few years, painting an entirely new stock of scenery for the Salt Lake Theatre, as well as working on other projects in the area. During the fall of 1882, Tryon was still identified as “Henry C. Tryon, Tabor Grand Opera House, Denver,” but by the spring of 1883 he was credited as the official scenic artist for the Salt Lake Theatre. Tryon’s departure from the Tabor Grand created a vacancy for another scenic artist at the venue. Enter, Henry E. Burcky.
Burcky was a previous associated with Tryon in 1881, when the two worked together at the Opera Festival in Cincinnati. This was before Tryon headed west with his little brother Spencer to paint in Denver. When the Tryon Brothers left the Tabor Grand in 1882, Burcky filled the void left by the pair. The 1884-1885 publication of “Harry C. Miner’s Dramatic Directory” listed Burcky as the scenic artist for both of Tabor’s venues. Information for this listing would have been submitted to Miner’s Directory well in advance, sometime during 1883 when the directory was compiled for publication.
Back to the Tabor Opera House in Leadville…
As previously stated, Lamphere was credited with painting scenery for the Tabor Opera House 1879, and likely adding settings throughout 1880. He was in town long enough to meet and marry a local girl. Not all parts of stock collection were delivered prior to the opening of a venue. Pieces were added on as the season continued, based on the needs of each production.
Lamphere left Leadville about the same time that scenic artist Robert Hopkin arrived to paint the drop curtain for the Tabor Grand Opera House in Denver. The stock scenery for the Tabor Grand Opera House was partly credited to Hopkin and his son in 1881. Additional stock scenery was painted by Tryon and his younger brother Spencer Tryon. It is possible that any, or all, of the scenic artists working at the Tabor Grand scenery also painted settings for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville during the renovation, but I have yet to verify this as fact. However, the second stage manager for the Tabor Opera House (Sprague) was also an artist, and may also have painted some of the scenery for the renovated Tabor Opera House in 1882, hence only crediting Sprague with the new backstage arrangements. When Sprague left Leadville, the remainder of his career was spent as a painter, albeit in relative obscurity.
In terms of Sprague’s early work as a bill poster in Leadville. It may have been quick work to simply pay the bills upon arriving in Leadville. Many scenic artists accepted other work as bill posters, sign painters and decorative artists to supplement their income. As a bill poster in 1880, Sprague would have pasted up theatre bills and placards on walls or billboards, in addition to completing other small advertising projects that required painted signage. Interestingly, some of the oldest scenery at the Tabor Opera House is covered in bill poster patches. This is the first time that I have encountered a consistent series of scenic repairs with poster material. Whether it was done by Sprague or a successor, bill posters were a readily accessible material in a small western town, especially after a show left for its next town. Yet, bill poster paper remains an unusual material for nineteenth-century scenery repair.
Large bill posters were used as patches on the back of some nineteenth-century scenery at the Tabor Opera House.Patch detail.
By 1881 Sprague was listed as a “stageman” for the Tabor Opera House. “Stageman” is an odd listing for the time. I have to wonder if it was intended to be “stage man,” an abbreviation for stage manager, just as “stage carp” indicated stage carpenter.
Although Sprague was not listed in the 1882 Leadville Directory, he reappeared in the 1883 directory as a “stage manager” for the Tabor Opera House. In 1884 he was again listed as the stage manager, just now residing at 202 W. 6th. Keep in mind that “Stage manager” suggested an intimate knowledge and experience with a variety of backstage tasks that ranged from construction and painting to shifting of scenes and lighting of the stage. The nineteenth-century role of stage manager is very different from our conception of a production’s stage manager today. Nineteenth-century stage managers had a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the art of the stage mechanism.
Sprague was still listed as the stage manager for the Tabor Opera House in 1885, but now he had an assistant- William James Moon. “Willie” Moon was listed as the asst. stage manager for the opera house in the Leadville City Directory. Both Sprague and Moon were living at 121 E. 7th in 1885, although William J. Moon was still listed as living with his mother at 318 W. 3rd. By 1886, Sprague was no longer listed in the Leadville city directory, and by 1888 Moon was listed as the stage manager for the Tabor Opera House. I have written about Moon in a past post. For more information, visit https://drypigment.net2020/10/10/travels-of-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-w-j-moon-stage-carpenter-and-stage-manager-at-the-tabor-opera-house/
I’ll write more about Sprague’s life and career tomorrow.
I continue to explore the history of the earliest scenery painted for the Tabor Opera House between 1879 and 1882. Evelyn E. Livingston Furman was integral to the preservation of the scenery at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. She was a good steward, one who safeguarded many stage artifacts throughout the building. Furman’s publication, “The Tabor Opera House, a Captivating History,” pieces together many loose ends regarding the early stage and stories about the Tabors. I have repeatedly returned to her work for the past few years, searching for additional clues. Gretchen Scanlon also explored the history of the Tabor Opera House in “A History of Leadville Theatres.” It is an insightful and entertaining publication about popular entertainment and a variety of performance venues in this rough mining town.
In my own writings about the Tabor Opera House, I try to rely on historic newspaper articles, understanding that there is always a margin of error with the retelling of any story. It is easy to jump to conclusions about history, trying to piece it together in a tidy progression of events. When I catch one of my own mistakes, I often go back to correct the error and update my writing; that is the beauty of a digital format, it becomes a living document. For today’s post, I followed a trail of breadcrumbs to Eugene Field, the son of attorney Roswell Field, best known for representing Dred Scott. ‘Gene Field became part of the Tabor story early on and was recently credited with painting the Royal Gorge drop. Spoiler alert: He was a writer and not a scene painter.
In regard to the earliest scenery installed at the Tabor Opera House, it is clear that both Furman and Scanlon relied on the same historic newspaper articles for sources. I have now located many of the same sources, as well as a few more. Unfortunately, neither Furman nor Scanlon cite specific sources in their works. This presents a challenge for others to further substantiate their claims.
In my continuing examination of early Tabor Opera House scenery, here is a recap. The original scenery, stage machinery and drop curtains were delivered by James E. Lamphere, scenic artist, and Mr. Barber, stage carpenter, in 1879. By August 1882, the building and stage were renovated. On August 23, 1882, the “Leadville Daily Herald” reported, “there will be a change for the better in regard to scenery, scene shifting and drop curtains. Those ridiculous hitches in scene shifting that have heretofore occurred on one or two occasions will no longer take place.” If the stage arrangements were bad enough to be changed within two years, it is unlikely that those responsible for the original arrangements were rehired. In fact , H. C. Sprague is credited as the stage carpenter for new arrangements. I have yet to locate any mention of a scenic artist, however, keep in my that many talented stage carpenters during this period could also paint, and paint well. The theatre industry was not as compartmentalized as it is now.
Furman also writes that the original roll curtain from the Leadville Tabor Opera House was taken to Denver for the premiere of “Silver Dollar.” In a later chapter Furman describes the original drop curtain’s composition but does not cite any source. Her description of the first drop curtain by Lamphere is identical to a similar description published in the “Leadville Weekly Herald” on Nov. 15, 1879: “The drop curtain is a masterpiece from the brush of Mr. Lamphere, and represents a glorious mountain scene, at the base of which is a fine old castle, with a stream running at the foot; alongside of the water is a rugged road, which ends in the winding of canyon” (page 3). Scanlon describes this same scene for the original drop curtain. It is improbable, however, that this curtain survived beyond the 1882 renovation; it was likely repainted or replaced well before the Elks purchased the building in 1901.
Furthermore, Scanlon writes that a second drop curtain that was delivered to the Tabor Opera House a few years after the venue opened; this timing would coincide with the 1882 renovation. Scanlon credits Gene Field with painting the second drop curtain that replaced the original, writing “A few years later, Tabor contracted to have a new drop curtain painted by Gene Field” (page 132). Scanlon goes onto explains that Field’s drop curtain depicted Royal Gorge, and it was still being used when the Elks enlarged the stage in 1902. Furman also writes about the Royal Gorge composition, but not as a replacement for the first drop curtain, just as another roll drop with a hefty price tag of $1,000. Furman includes the Royal Gorge drop as part of the original scenery painted by Lamphere. This is where it would have been extremely helpful if either author had cited any source in regard to the $1,000 expense or Gene Field as the scenic artist.
Of the Royal Gorge drop Scanlon continues: “It was taken down, and there was a great deal of debate over what should happen to it. Some thought that it should be hung in the Carnegie Library or donated to the Leadville Pioneers for safekeeping; others thought that the main part should be cut out, framed and hung in the opera house. The curtain stayed in the opera house. In 1932, it was lent to the Denver Theater for the premiere of the movie Silver Dollar, starring Edward G. Robinson, based on Tabor’s life. What happened to the curtain after that remains a mystery.”
Gene Field wasn’t an artist, he was a writer who wrote for various newspapers. In 1883, the “Larimer County Independent” reported, “Without Gene Field and the Tabor Opera House, Denver would be a barren waste” (Fort Collins, Colorado, 24 May 1883, page 2). Decades later, newspapers would reminisce about the relationship between Field and Tabor: “That the reputation of the Tabor Grand spread in ever widening circles during the early years of its history was due, in certain measure to the theater itself, but more, it is believed, to the stories about its personnel and players, written in the Denver Tribune between 1881 and 1883 by Eugene Field, who was earlier associated with the Kansas City Times, then in his twenties Field glorified in lampooning prominent people, particularly the newly rich. Mr. Tabor, his son Maxey and William Bush, first manager of the theaters, were his eternal targets. Copies of the tribune were demanded even in Mexico, London and Canada. So the Tabor Grand acquired far renown” (Springfield Leader and Press, Springfield, Missouri, 5 June 1921, page 8).
I located the source that connects Field with the Tabor Opera House drop curtain, but he was not noted as the scenic artist. On Jan. 1, 1903, the “Herald Democrat” reported, “There is a story about Tabor and this curtain which may or may not be true, but it is worth repeating. Gene Field was originally responsible for it.” Field was not responsible for the painting of the drop, but the telling of the story about Tabor and the drop. The 1903 article continues to share the story, as originally told by Field:
“It is said that when Tabor got the curtain, the artist had painted a portrait of the late William Shakespeare for a centerpiece. Shakespeare, the artist thought, was a proper person to pose for a picture symbolical of the thespian art to which the building was to be devoted. When Tabor saw the picture he is said to have asked whose picture that was. “Why, that’s Shakespeare,” said the artist. “Who the — is Shakespeare?” roared Tabor. “Take his face out of that if you want to make a portrait gallery of the curtain, put my picture there.”
Five years earlier, “The Saint Paul Globe” shared a similar on January 23, 1898:
“It was when the building had been completed and the artist was painting the drop curtain that Tabor came in. As he watched the progress of the work, he asked the artist: “Whose picture is that which you are painting in the center of the curtain?”
“Shakespeare,” replied the artist.
“Who is Shakspeer?” asked the future senator.
“Why,” said the artist, “he is a great man who has written the greatest plays – the Bard of Avon, you know.”
“Shakspeer?” said Tabor. “Seems to me I’ve heard the name somewhere. But what in thunder has Shakspeer done for Leadville!”
“Nothing that I know of,” said the artist.
“Then paint that picture out and put me in.” And that is the way Tabor’s picture came to be in the drop curtain.”
Here is an earlier version from 1890 that appeared in the “Norfolk Virginian” (12 Nov. 1890, page 8) and the “Pittsburgh Press (9 Nov. 1890, page 12). The heading for the article in the “Norfolk Virginian” was “Not Acquainted with Shakespeare.” The heading for the article in the “Pittsburgh Press” was “Senator Tabor’s Drop Curtain.” The story for each was identical:
“When the building was completed he hired an artist to paint some suitable designs on the drop curtain. The artist did so. While the finishing touches were being put on, the Governor and Senator ambled into the building and inquired:
“Who’s picter’s that?” Shakespeare’s,” meekly replied the successor of Raphael.
“Who’s Shakespeer?”
“Why, he’s the standard author of tragedy and drama – the Bard of Avon you know.”
“Shakespeer, Shakespeer’ seems to me I’ve heerd the name summer, but what in thunder has he done for Leadville?”
“Nothing that I know of.”
“Then paint the picter out and put mine in.”
And it was done, and Tabor’s picture remains there to this day.”
The story was again repeated at the time of Tabor’s passing in 1899, but Tabor’s portrait was no longer on the drop curtain. His portrait was painted on the proscenium arch; this is what I have proposed in past posts, as Tabor’s portrait would remain visible throughout a performance, whereas a drop curtain scene is raised at beginning of a production. The following article was originally published in the “New Orleans Times-Democrat,” but quickly spread all across the country and appeared in many other newspapers. Here is the article in the “Sacramento Bee” from May 13, 1899:
“Soon after the late Senator H. A. W. Tabor, of Colorado, made his first million,” said a former resident of the Silver State, “he built an opera house at Leadville. It was a very fine building for the day and place, and with characteristic liberality he determined to spare nothing in its appointments. Among other experts he engaged an extremely competent New York artist named De Moro to do the decorations and gave him absolute carte blanch. This greatly pleased the painters, and he did a remarkably fine piece of work. When the job was completed he sent for Tabor to inspect it, and the latter was delighted with everything until he looked at the proscenium arch, in the center of which was a superb medallion portrait of Shakespeare. “Who is that fellow, anyhow?” asked the new millionaire, frowning ominously. “That is William Shakespeare,” replied De Moro, in surprise. ‘Well, he didn’t have a blamed thing to do with building this theater,’ said Tabor, sternly. ‘Rub him out and put me in.’ The artist was furious and adopted a unique method of getting even. Tabor wore an enormous purple-black moustache, which always had the appearance of being imperfectly dyed, and De Moro proceeded to duplicate the weird armament on the upper lip of the bard of Avon. He then painted in a standing collar and red cravat, labeled the ghastly composite ‘Hon. H. A. W. Tabor,’ and went back to New York, cursing everything in Colorado. The De Moro portrait stood unchanged for many years and was regarded by frontier art critics as a speaking likeness.
‘Up to middle age Tabor’s life was one of great hardship,’ continued the Westerner, “and when he suddenly became fabulously rich he plunged into luxuries like a starving man wading into a banquet. One of his early freaks was the purchase of several magnificent lace nightgowns, which cost $1000 apiece and which he kept locked up in a safe during the day. Eugene Field was editor of the Denver Tribune at the time, and those lace nightgowns made him simply hysterical. He wrote columns upon columns about them, describing the garments in detail, with numerous diagrams depicting sections fore and aft. The diagrams were hideous affairs, which Field carved out himself with a penknife on the back of old wood type. He used to describe how Tabor would forget the combination of the safe and sit up, shivering and naked, half the night trying to remember the right figures. Although he kept Denver in a roar for weeks, and made Tabor so wild that one day he rushed into his office, snatched the unfortunate nightgowns out of their compartment and tore them to thread. “There, now!” he exclaimed, wiping his forehead and kicking the tattered fragments into a corner. ‘I hope than cussed fool will be satisfied. I’ll be hanged if I ain’t going to get a gunny sack,’ he continued, ‘cut some holes in the end for my head and arms, and then sleep in it for the rest of my life!”
“When Tabor was appointed to the Senate to fill an unexpired term of exactly twenty-nine days, Field broke loose again and had all kinds of fun with the old man. He declared that Tabor opposed the tariff bill on the ground that it encouraged lawlessness in the West. ‘I don’t know this Tariff Bill,’ he reported the Senator as saying in a speech, ‘but we have entirely too many of ‘em out where I live. There’s Wild Bill and Buffalo Bill and Pecos Bill and Billy the Kid – all no good. If you let Tariff Bill have anything to do with the Custom House he’s liable to steal the Atlantic Ocean.’ Many of the honest folk took these flights of fancy seriously, and drove Tabor nearly distracted by long letters of remonstrance, urging him to read up and get posted, so as to not disgrace the State. At the expiration of the Senator’s brief term he circulated an autograph album among his fellow-members and the incident tickled Filed immensely. He gave what purported to be a copy of the ‘sentiment’ inscribed in the volume by the different statesman – such things as ‘When you see this remembers me. Roscoe Conkling.’ And ‘Sure as the moss grows ‘round a stump you are my darling sugar lump – I mean chump – Geo F. Hoar,’ and similar nonsense, all of which maddened his victim. I think Gene Field was the only man Tabor never forgave, for in spit of his gaunt, forbidding exterior, the miner magnate was as tender-hearted as a girl. He was really full of sterling qualities, and in his proper sphere he would have been anything but grotesque. One thing is sure – if every fellow he helped in secret would have joined his funeral procession the other day he would have gone to his grave like an Emperor of old.”
John Charles Alexander (1843-1908) worked as both a stage carpenter and stage manager at the Tabor Grand Opera House in the Denver venue during the 1880s and 1890s. Some credited him as the Tabor Grand’s master mechanic. Alexander’s knowledge about stage machinery and scenic appointments was critical for other Colorado theaters I the region, especially those that became part of the Colorado Circuit (later known as the Silver Circuit). John C. Alexander and his son, Frank R. Alexander, not only worked at the Tabor Grand, but also worked at other Denver theaters, including the Broadway Theatre, Orpheum Theatre, Denver Theatre and Elitch’s Gardens. The Alexanders worked in a variety of capacities and were listed with various titles, including property man, fly man, stage carpenter, and stage manager.
John Charles Alexander
It is impossible to tell John’s story, without including that of his son, and vice versa. Even four years after his father’s passing, Frank’s story could not be told without mention of his father. On November 14, 1912, the “United Labor News” reported, “Frank Alexander, stage carpenter of Elitch’s Garden, has just returned from Larimie, Wyo., where he installed a full equipment for the new theatre in that city. Frank is the son of J. C. Alexander, who built the stage of the Tabor Opera House, and is one of the best carpenters in Local No. 7 of the Stage Employes. More power to you, Frank (“United Labor Bulletin,” Vol. 8, No. 41, May 16, 1914).
John C. Alexander’s son, Frank R. Alexander (center) , working as a stage carpenter
Building was in the Alexanders’ blood.
John Charles Alexander was the son of Robert Alexander (1804-1855) and Rebecca Russell (1807-1873). Born on July 4, 1843, John Alexander grew up in Toronto Municipality of Ontario, Canada. He was the seventh of nine children born to the couple, with his siblings being Eliza (1830-1848), Agnes (1833-1921), Samuel (1834-1864), Frances “Frank” W. (1837-1913), Robert (1838-1900), James (1839-?), Rebecca (1847-?), and Eliza Jane (1853-1909). Robert Alexander was a carpenter and four of his five sons followed him in the profession. John, Robert Jr., Frances, and James all emigrated to the United States and all entered a building profession. In 1884, brother Frank W. and John C. were listed in the Denver city directory. At the time Frank was a pattern maker for a foundry, a handy connection to have if your brother is stage mechanic, designing and building stage systems in the region. Keep in mind that stage mechanics were integral in the planning and construction of performance venues.
When John Alexander was eighteen yrs. old, he moved to neighboring York. In York he married Ann Louisa McClusky (b. 1850-1888) and by 1870 and the two were living in Chicago. Interestingly, US Federal census reports list 1865 as John’s initial year of immigration to the US. By 1872, Alexander was working in Chicago as a carpenter, likely a stage carpenter. John and Ann celebrated the birth of their first two children in Chicago: Francis R. (1870-1924). Anna Mae (1873-1954). The small family briefly returned to Toronto where their third child was born 1877, Ethelia “Etta” Rebecca (1877-1958). By 1880 the US Federal Census listed John and Anna L. living with their three children in Buffalo, New York. Alexander was again employed as a stage carpenter. Within two years, the family moved west and was living in Denver, Colorado. The 1882 Denver City Directory listed J. C. Alexander as the stage carpenter at the Tabor Grand Opera House, residing at 266 Weston. John C.’s brother, Frank W. Alexander, was also listed in the directory, now working as a “doortender” at the Palace Theatre. John and Ann’s fourth child, John Milton Alexander, was born in Denver in 1883.
For the next five years the Alexanders moved from one Denver residence to another. Despite the series of moves, Alexander continued to work at the Tabor Grand Opera House from 1882-1889, with his title changing from that of stage carpenter to stage manager. The Alexanders’ life changed dramatically, however, in 1888 when Ann died in childbirth. At the time, she was 37 yrs. old. Her newborn daughter, Anna L. McCloskey Alexander, also passed away only a few weeks later. This must have been a devasting blow to the close-knit family.
Her obituary was placed in the Rocky Mountain News on March 22, 1888: “Anna Louise Alexander died on the nineteenth instant, after a brief illness. She was the wife of Mr. John C. Alexander, the stage manager for the Tabor Grand opera house. In her demise a most estimable lady is lost to a large circle of friends. She was a loving and faithful wife, and her motherly ministrations extended far beyond the portals of her own household. She was always generous and charitable, and her image will ever be held dear to those who were so fortunate as to have known her. She will be sadly missed by the employes of the opera house, who were wont to gather ’round her table and partake of the good cheer and hospitality which none better than she knew how to provide. She was 37 years old at the time of her death, and had been married sixteen years. She was the mother of three promising children, the youngest of which is four years old. She could look back on her sixteen years as a wife and mother as years of joy and happiness.”
John’s son, Frank R. Alexander, entered the theatre profession around this time and was officially listed as a property man at the Tabor Opera House in the 1889 Denver City Directory. For the next ten years, father and son often worked together at the same venue. However, between 1890 and 1891 there was a brief pause, a momentary parting the Tabor Grand. I believe that they left to work for William H. Bush during the planning and construction of his new hotel and theatre complex. Bush’s Metropole Hotel and the Broadway Theater opened in August 1890. On January 10, 1890 the “Solid Muldoon” reported, “Col. W. H. Bush’s Broadway Theatre and Apartment House, now being erected in Denver, will not be excelled or equaled in the Western country for a decade or two to come. The building will be ready for occupancy by August 1890, and then Denver can ‘point with pride’ to the grandest and most thoroughly appointed temple of amusement between the two oceans. The opening night should be made an ovation and benefit to Mr. Bush, whose energy and enterprise the ‘Queen City’ owes much more than so ordinary a demonstration calls for.” When it opened, Colorado newspapers proclaimed, “Good judges declare it one of the handsomest theatres in the world” (Delta Independent, 26 August, 1890, page 1). The “Delta Independent” described, “The interior finish and the furnishings are beautiful and the appointments are the most modern” (12 August 1890). The Broadway Theatre was in direct competition with the Tabor Grand. Bush and Tabor had a history.
The planning of the Tabor Opera House in Leadville began with William Bush, then owner of the Clarendon Hotel. Tabor was simply an investor. When Bush ran out of money, he asked Tabor for an additional investment. The final result was Tabor buying Bush and naming the new theatre the Tabor Opera House. Tensions increased between the two when Tabor built the Vendome Hotel in Leadville. The Vendome was a direct competition with Bush’s Clarendon Hotel.
Turn-about is fair play, and Bush funded a competing performance venue in Denver. The Metropole Hotel and Broadway Theatre complex directly competed with the Tabor Grand Opera House.
Metropole Hotel and Broadway Theatre, Denver, Colorado.Drop curtain painted by Thomas G. Moses for the Broadway Theatre in Denver. Denver Public Library Digital Collection.
Sparing no expense on his hotel and theatre complex, Bush brought in a band of Chicago professionals that specialized in performance venues and stage technology. Designed by Col. J. M. Wood (1841-1907), the Broadway Theatre was advertised as the first fireproof theatre in the west. Similarly, the Vendome Hotel was advertised as the first fireproof hotel in the west. I have explored the career of Wood in past posts, as well as his establishment of the architectural firm Wood & Lovell in 1891. For more information, visit: https://drypigment.net2019/01/09/tales-from-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-part-610-theatre-architects-col-j-w-wood-and-sidney-lovell/. By 1892, Wood was credited with having “devoted a great deal of time and study to the comfort, convenience, acoustic qualities and effect in the design and arrangements of opera houses, theaters and concert halls” (“The Bay of San Francisco,” Volume 1, 1892). Wood had repeatedly hired and worked with Sosman & Landis, specifically selecting Thomas G. Moses from the firm. The team took Denver by storm, and another link connected the Queen City with the Windy City. Although Alexander lived in Denver, he also had roots with the Chicago theatre community. It would have made sense for all involved to bring Alexander and his son onboard for the Broadway Theatre project.
Interestingly, John C. Alexander was not listed in the Denver Directory during 1890, and by 1891 he was simply listed as a bartender. This may have been a calculated listing at the time. The John C. Alexander listed as a bartender in the 1891 Denver Directory is the same as the stage carpenter, simply based on his home address. In the same 1891 directory, however, Frank R. Alexander was listed as the stage carpenter for the new Broadway Theatre. Whatever the reason for both Alexanders to not being associated with the Tabor Grand in 1891, both were back by 1892.
The 1892 Denver Directory listed John C. Alexander as the Tabor Grand’s a stage manager with his son as a stage carpenter, Their work for the venue was short-lived and by 1897 both Alexanders were back at the Broadway Theatre, each working as stage carpenters. John C. Alexander became the stage manager for the Broadway Theatre in 1898. Keep in mind that the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was repealed in 1893, financially crippling Tabor and forcing him to eventually his theaters.
Drop curtain painted by Thomas G. Moses for the Broadway Theatre in Denver. Denver Public Library Digital Collection.Drop curtain painted by Thomas G. Moses for the Broadway Theatre in Denver. Denver Public Library Digital Collection.
One of the projects that I am working on right now is establishing artist provenance for each piece of scenery at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. This means creating a biography for scenic artists and stage mechanics who manufactured scenery and stage machinery for the Tabor Opera House and Tabor Grand Opera House. When possible, I link a specific creator with an extant artifact. This week, the focus of my search was J. C. Alexander, a well-known stage carpenter in Colorado from 1883-1908. The story of his life and career took shape as I read dozens of articles about his projects in relation to the Tabor Grand Opera House and the Colorado Circuit.
I doubt that H. A. W. Tabor understood much about theatre stages when Tabor Opera House was built in 1879. The architects and contractors failed to include experienced theatre professionals in the early planning; always a crucial and costly mistake. Although Tabor hired a very skilled fresco artist (J. E. Lamphere) and a capable carpenter (Mr. Barber), their stage arrangements failed upon repeated use. This did not mean that Lamphere of Barber were unskilled, they simply did not specialize in scenic illusion, stage machinery and stage transformations.
By 1882, the Tabor Opera House auditorium and stage underwent a pretty substantial rebuild. The roof was lifted up for acoustics and the stage appointments completely redone. Of the stage work, the “Leadville Daily Herald” reported, “there will be a change for the better in regard to scenery, scene shifting and drop curtains. Those ridiculous hitches in scene shifting that have heretofore occurred on one or two occasions will no longer take place. An experienced stage man has been secured in the person of Mr. H. C. Sprague, who has had extensive experience in the east” (August 23, 1882). H. C. Sprague became the stage carpenter for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, and J. C. Alexander became the stage carpenter for the Tabor Grand Opera House in Denver. Of the two, Alexander became integral in helping mechanically prepare venues for inclusion in the Colorado Circuit.
At some point between 1879 and 1882, Tabor realized that the key to securing touring shows was the backstage appointments. A specific set of stage accommodations attracted touring shows; you can’t put on a successful production without the necessary equipment. Regardless of the extravagance spent on front of house accommodations, it was the backstage area that mattered and attributed to securing popular productions.
Getting class acts to Denver, let alone to Leadville, was expensive. The only way to increase profits was to have the same production tour several venues in the area, or stop on their way to another location. This meant that the traveling costs were divided among the various theaters, reducing the overall expense for each house. Ultimately, western theatrical circuits saved money by sheer volume of venues. Simply offering multiple stops on a tour, however, was not enough to engage a touring company. The stage accommodations had to technically support each show.
For example, when the Grand Central theatre opened in Leadville only a month after the Tabor Opera House, it became quickly apparent that the Grand Central had a far superior stage. The only way for the Tabor Opera House to overcome this deficiency was to connect with a larger metropolitan venue and become part of a circuit – the Tabor circuit. When Denver’s Tabor Grand Opera House opened in 1881, it became the life blood for Tabor’s much smaller venue in Leadville. Without the connection to the Tabor Grand, I doubt that the Tabor opera house would have weathered any of its Leadville competition. Even with featuring the same touring productions as the Tabor Grand, the Tabor opera house had to improve their scenic appointments, hence, the 1882 renovation. The improvements necessitated the involvement of a stage carpenter and scenic artist intimately familiar with the demands of touring companies. Enter Henry E. Burcky, J. C. Alexander and H. C. Sprague. Keep in mind that “stage carpenter” is interchangeable with stage mechanic and stage manager at this time.
After the 1882 renovation of Leadville’s Tabor Opera House, the Tabor Grand Opera House began to hire out the services of their stage carpenter and scenic artist (Burkey and Alexander). This was an attempt to improve regional stages, thus establishing appropriate stops on a western circuit – the Colorado Circuit. In 1885, Alexander and Burcky transformed DeRemer’s rink into the new DeRemer Opera House. One article published in the “Colorado Weekly Chieftain” on Dec. 29, 1885, interviewed Alexander about a possible stage renovation.
John Charles Alexander
The renovation would allow Pueblo to host the same touring shows featured at the Tabor Grand Opera House. There was incentive for both of Tabor’s theaters, as well as the Pueblo community. Here is the 1885 article in its entirety:
“On Sunday, Mr. J. C. Alexander, the stage manager and master mechanic of the Tabor Grand opera house, Denver arrived in the city for the purpose of taking a look at DeRemer’s rink and giving an unbiased opinion as to what could be done towards converting it into an opera house. Mr. Alexander was astonished and greatly pleased at the building, it was so much superior in every way to what he expected to see. The building is both longer and wider than the Tabor Grand, and all it lacks to make room equal to the Tabor Grand auditorium in every way is height. Desiring to get Mr. Alexander’s unbiased opinion regarding the proposed scheme, a Chieftan reporter tackled him yesterday afternoon. We inquired if he thought the rink could be converted into a first class opera house.
“Certainly, sir,” said Mr. Alexander, “It can be converted into an opera house second only to the Tabor Grand in Colorado. I have studied this hall thoroughly that last few hours, and I can tell you it can be made into a splendid theater – a theater where any company visiting Colorado can play and show all of their scenery. “Here,” said he, “you will see we have a working stage of 40×76 feet between walls, with the same width of proscenium opening as the Denver stage. It can be and will be furnished with five sets of working grooves, same as the Tabor, to fold back the fly galleries and give a clear working space in width of 48 feet. We also have a clear working height to the rigging loft of 26 feet, five sets of border lights and the footlights complete the same as we have at the Tabor. To start in with Mr. DeRemer proposes to put in eleven sets of complete scenery, besides a beautiful drop curtain. The eleven sets of scenery, as the house progresses towards completeness, can be painted on the reverse side, thus giving twenty-two sets of beautiful scenery. Here also we will have ample space for scene room, property room and eight dressing rooms. With these improvements any special bit of scenery painted for the production of a special play at the Tabor Grand, will be sent over the Colorado circuit, the completion of this improvement making it possible to set the Tabor scenes at Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Leadville, but Pueblo to the greater advantage that elsewhere on the circuit, because here you will have the largest and best appointed theater on the circuit, and be possessed of every facility to produce attractions as they should be produced. The people of Pueblo will never have such an opportunity to get a good opera house again. I will tell you why. They are only asked to make a temporary loan of $3,000 towards making all these improvements. Now the fact is the improvements contemplated will cost nearer $6,000 than $3,000, yet I understood Mr. DeRemer to say that if the people put up the $3,000 asked for the improvements will be made as contemplated regardless of the extra cost. He further tells me that he will expend every dollar of surplus earnings of the house in making improvements in the building. The fact is that people ought to advance $6,000 at once instead of $3,000.
“How many people can be seated in this building as now planned.” Asked the reporter.
“About 900,” replied Mr. Alexander, “or nearly 200 more than can be seated on the first floor of the Tabor Opera House. The seats will all be elevated and nicely arranged provided the project can be carried out, and there will not be a bad seat in the house. The height of the stage will be three feet ten inches from the floor and everything will be permanent about the stage, it can be dug out underneath after it is started and the pit and traps put in. In the same way the roof can be raised at any time, and these things I am assured will be done as fast as possible. If this scheme goes through the Tabor Grand has agreed to play all its attractions here permanently. That is why I am here and taking such an active interest in the way the work of improvement is to be done.
“Could a building about 130×52 feet be converted into a first class or even possibly good opera house, Mr. Alexander,” inquired the reporter.
“No, sir,” said Mr. Alexander; “it could not, and for the very obvious reason that such a building would lack one of the great things which a theater mush have – and width, What kind of a stage you put within fifty-two feet? What kind of scenery could you put up? Such a structure would be an abortion, so far as using it for theatrical purposes is concerned. The only way to convert a building fifty feet wide into a theater would be to tear down the structure, rebuild it and add about thirty feet more to its width.
Leaving Mr. Alexander the reporter hunted up Mr. J. R. DeRemer and Mr. George M. Haight, to find out what truth, if any, there was in the statement that the improvements to be made in the rink would cost $6,000.
“Yes,” said Mr. Haight, “Mr. Alexander thinks the improvement will cost much but if the people put up the three thousand dollars asked we will make the improvements at once.
“Yes,” said Mr. DeRemer, “and you can just tell the people that whatever Mr. George M. Haight says about this matter goes. He represents me in this matter fully and I will carry out whatever he agrees to do. It is estimated these improvements will cost $6,000, but we have only asked for $3,000, and as soon as that sum is subscribed we will commence this work with a vim. I will say further that every surplus cent of earnings of this house will be used to improve and beautify the structure until Pueblo has a first class opera house. I don’t think I can say any more, It now remains to be seen whether the people want an opera house. The people, however, are asked for but $3,000, as a temporary loan. The only feasible plan to secure an opera house is to make up this $3,000 fund at once. All other propositions are chimerical and impossible. If we can’t raise the sum asked by DeRemer we can’t raise anything for an opera house, but we believe this sum can be raised, and we hope to announce it has been subscribed before the week is out, Of the sum asked there only remains $1,000 to be raised. Now don’t refuse to put your name down when called upon. We can all afford to help this project along liberally and it is our duty as good citizens, with the prosperity of the town in view, to do so cheerfully and promptly.”
On January 7, 1886, the “Colorado Daily Chieftain” announced. “If the people of Pueblo want a first class opera house, let them wait on Mr. J. R. DeRemer or Mr. George M. Haight to-day and subscribe a loan of $525 towards the DeRemer opera house project, and our word for it, work will be commenced tomorrow. It this is not done very few of the Tabor Grand attractions will visit Pueblo in the future.” That almost sounded like a threat, but the money was soon raised and on February 3, 1886, DeRemer’s Opera House opened to the public. The “Colorado Daily Chieftain” reported, “During the past few weeks many people, of course, have visited what was formerly known as the finest skating rink in the west and watched the transformation in progress, but for all that there were few people present at the opening last night who were not surprised and astonished at the beautiful appearance of the interior of the new theaters…the stage is the largest in the state beside the Tabor Grand at Denver. It is furnished with all the scenery paraphernalia required in all first class opera houses. This work has all been done under the personal supervision of Mr. Maynard, assistant stage manager at the Tabor Grand…Pueblo is now accredited with the best equipped and largest opera house outside of Denver and in the state…Pueblo ought to be proud of DeRemer’s opera house; it is a first class place of amusement now, and in time we feel certain it will be excelled by few in style and finish.”
There were many more changes to go, including the raising of the roof to make it three stories high, but the house was open. Once the roof was raised, the seating would be divided into a parquet, dress circle, balcony and gallery.
Tomorrow, I will continue to explore the life and career of John C. Alexander.
The Salt Lake Theatre Under Construction. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Theatre_(under_construction),_Salt_Lake_City,_Utah,_from_Robert_N._Dennis_collection_of_stereoscopic_views.png
There are three personalities that swirl around each other at the Tabor Grand Opera House during the early 1880s – Robert Hopkin, Henry C. Tryon and Henry E. Burcky. Keep in mind that all three artists were credited with painting scenery for the Tabor Grand Opera House in Denver between 1881 and 1884.
In 1881, Robert Hopkin painted a drop curtain for the Tabor Grand Opera House in Denver and one for the Grand Opera House in Colorado Springs. From 1882-1887, Hopkin was also listed as the scenic artist for the Grand Opera House in Detroit, Michigan, his hometown. Multiple listings in Harry Miner’s Dramatic Directories credit Hopkin with the Detroit Opera House’s stock scenery collection. He may have been their on-site scenic too.
From 1881 until 1882, Henry C. Tryon was repeatedly listed as the scenic artist for the Tabor Grand Opera House in Denver, Colorado. When he traveled for other projects, he was referred to as “Henry C. Tryon of the Tabor Grand Opera House.” From 1883 to 1884 Tryon worked in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Chicago, Illinois. He also painted numerous touring shows during this time.
After Tryon left the Tabor Grand in 1882, his good friend and former partner, Henry E. Burcky, took over the scenic art responsibilities there, and by 1884 was listed as the scenic artist for both Tabor Opera Houses in Denver and Leadville. He remained associated with the two venues through 1890.
Today’s post looks at Tryon’s career in Utah from the fall of 1882 until the end of 1883.
In October 1882, Henry C. Tryon ventured south from Denver, Colorado to Salt Lake City, Utah to paint scenery for the Salt Lake Theatre. By January 1883, Tryon was also working in Springvale, Utah. He painted $1000 worth of stock scenery for the Springvale Theatre Hall, assisted by his younger brother Spencer Tryon. Alfred Lambourne was also working with the Tryon brothers during this time.
Sadly, their paintings in Springvale were destroyed only a few years later. Flames spread to the stage when a mill behind the theatre caught fire, destroying all of the scenic artists’ work. Regardless of the venue’s fate, it was the Springvale project, that secured other work for Tryon in the region. While in Springvale, Tryon shared an employment offer with the local newspaper, subsequently pressuring the Salt Lake Theatre to offer him an immediate position. Since the fall of 1882, Tryon had sporadically painted stock scenes for the Salt Lake Theater. However, he did not hold an official position. This meant that he still remained associated with the Tabor Grand Opera House, as that was his last place of employment.
On January 8, 1883, the “Deseret News” reported, “While in Springville, Mr. H. C. Tryon received a letter from the management of the Grand Opera House, San Francisco, offering him the position of scenic artist of that institution. He sent the letter to the management of the Salt Lake Theatre, who promptly entered into contract with him to do a large amount of work” (page 3).
In the end, Tryon painted 25 stock sets for the Salt Lake Theatre. In the process, he became a regional success. Tryon’s completed scenes were added to the stage as touring productions visited the venue.
On April 22, 1883, the “Salt Lake Herald” reported, “Mr. Henry C. Tryon is still hard at work on scenery for the Salt Lake Theatre. The patrons of the old house have been very much pleased with the new scenes which have been presented of late. Something new in the scenic line is shown at nearly every performance, and the end is not yet, by any mean., There is still much work to be done before the theatre is thoroughly stocked, and thoroughly stocked it will be before the mangers cry, “enough!” There will not be a foot of old canvas in the building when Tryon leaves for pastures new. The best scene that has been exhibited lately was used in the first act of the Harrison’s “Photos,” and it has received a vast amount of praise from all who had the fortune to be present, and who can appreciate a fine thing when they see it. The scene is an Elizabethan parlor, with high wainscoting and a deep cornice of dark oak, decorated richly with gold, the walls hung with brilliant crimson damask, relieved at the top and bottom, next to the cornice and wainscoting, with a twelve-inch band of black and gold. The centre of the room, for a width of twelve feet, appears to project about eighteen inches; in front of this again is an elaborate centre-door, on each side of which are polished gray marble columns, supporting the massive framework of the door, the architecture of which reaches above the cornice, The composition and color are of the simplest description possible, but the richness of the effect produced by the skillful handling of lights and shadows from the massive projectives, and the gradations of color – the light flashing from the polished surface of oak and marble, and the character of dignity and grandeur, which has not been lost sight of in single detail – give a singular effect of realism to the work, which appears to be not a representation, but really the aristocratic abode of some wealthy English lord, possessing the most elegant and refined taste, and with almost unlimited means at his command. For richness, beauty, harmony and nobility, it is not easy to see how the subject could be excelled, and we are not surprised to hear that the members of the dramatic companies who have seen it, state that it is the most chaste and elegant scene if its kind, in design and color and in character, to be found in the whole country. We congratulate Mr. Tryon, and are pleased to see the interest he takes in all he does; and if the work referred to above is not art in its truest sense, then we would be happy to know just what art is” (page 12)
The 1884-1885 issue of “Harry Miner’s American Dramatic Directory,” describes the Salt Lake Theatre as having a seating capacity of 1,850, with a stage that measured 65’ x 70’. The listing also describes a proscenium opening of 28’-0” x 32’-0” and 18’-0” groove heights. There was 52-0” from the stage floor to the rigging loft, suggesting that much scenery was flown out of sight during a scene change, but grooves were available for wings and other flat stock scenery carried by touring productions.
By July 22, 1883 “Salt Lake Daily” reported, “The improvements which have been in progress at the Salt Lake Theatre during the past nine or ten months, under the direction of Henry C. Tryon, the noted scenic artist, have attracted a great deal of attention from theatrical men generally. Especially is this true of those professionals who had been here prior to the changes (referred to in detail from time to time in these columns) as they have progressed. It is needless to say surprise is universal when the marked change that has taken place is noticed, and the expression invariably is that one would never have believed such important improvements could have been effected in so brief a period… the changes which have been effected in that building would strike the attention with greater force than that of a casual observer, or even a theatrical man whose opportunities noticing the difference have been less favorable.”
It is important to note that Tryon was not simply painting new scenes, he was engineering new stage machinery for the Salt Lake theatre. His changes to the system made it easier for touring productions to install their scenery.
The newspaper also interviewed theatrical manager, Marcus R. Mayer about Tryon’s work. Mayer commented that the work completed under the direction of Tryon supported “metropolitan advantages.” Mayer stated, “I can imagine the surprise and delight with which the Kiralfys will look about them when they first set foot on the stage. We will be able to present our scenery here with its full effect, and that is something and that will be something we will be able to do in very few places after leaving here. Tryon is evidently a man who knows much about stage requirement as any person since, as I am informed, the extensive changes have been made by his direction and mainly under his supervision.”
Mayer was then asked, “By the way, what do you think of Tryon as an artist?” Mayer’s response, “Tryon? We he has a national reputation. The fact that he is engaged to paint the scenes is a guaranty that the scenes outfit will be on par with any theatre in the United States. He is none of your fellows who depend on village theatre for a livelihood; his services are in demand all the time and the only thing that beats my penetration is that so expensive an artist could be obtained to come to Salt Lake. The scenes already painted are the equal of anything in stock in the country.” Mayer ended his interview stating, “The management of the Salt Lake Theatre foresaw just what I’ve told you, and knowing the companies now coming could not endure the old arrangements, they determined to fit the stage up first-class modern style, and Tryon was just the man for the conspiracy.”
Henry C. Tryon’s drop curtain for the Salt Lake Theatre, pictured in Geo. D. Pyper’s book, “The Romance of an Old Playhouse.”
Back of a jungle wing noting stage carpenter and scenic artist, dated October 6, 1890.
“W. J. Moon carpenter and H. E. Burpey [sic.] scenic artist, October 6, 1890” is penciled on the back of a jungle wing at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. William J. Moon was a local resident and Henry E. Burkey was a scenic artist who began his career in Chicago. By 1884, “Harry Miner’s Dramatic Directory” listed “Burckey, Tabor Opera, Denver” as the scenic artist for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville; he was working for both venues. Burckey was still working for Tabor five years later. After completing the jungle wings for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, the “Herald Democrat” reported his departure for Denver on October 16, 1890, noting “Mr. H. E. Burcky left last evening for Denver.”
Yesterday I wrote about stage carpenter and stage manager W.
J. Moon. Today I explore the life and career of
Henry E. Burckey (1852-1908). Burckey was been a bit tricky to track
down, as the spelling of his name greatly varies in newspaper accounts and
historical records. Variations included Burckey, Burkey, Bercky, Berkey, and Burcky;
I am going with Burckey.
Born in 1852, Henry E. Burckey was the son of German
immigrant Frederick Burckey (1813-1902). The 1850 US Federal Census lists that Frederick
Burckey was born in “Frankfurt-Main” and emigrated from Germany in 1830. He
eventually settled with family in Chicago area where he resided until his
passing on October 21, 1902. Frederick was employed as a confectioner until he
opened a restaurant with Augustus Berlin. He later worked as a clerk.
The 1870 census listed that Burckey was living with his
three sons William, Henry and Charles, ages 16, 13 and 7. Between 1870 and 1875, Henry entered the
theatre industry and became a scenic artist.
He entered the scene about the same time that Thomas G. Moses did, about
1873-1874. By 1875 Henry was listed as “scenic artist” in the “Chicago Directory”
living at 83 S. Halsted. Interestingly, Henry’s younger brother Charles followed
him into the painting business and was listed as a “painter” in the 1880
Census. Burckey remained in the directory for the next decade, despite working
for extended periods of time in other regions. At this time Chicago was a major
theatrical hub with equal access to almost all of the country; it was the place
to be during the second half of the nineteenth century. Ever-expanding railways
provided easy routes for the marketing and shipping of both goods and services.
A vast transportation network allowed remote communities access to a variety of
services when constructing a performance venue that included scenic art. Many
scenic artists, such as Burckey and Moses, made the Windy City their home and
constantly traveled to new venues. Even when working for a studio, their lives
remained that of itinerant artists.
By 1880, Henry Burckey, painted an old mill scene for the
“Frog Opera.” The production toured New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore. By
the spring the production played at Chicago’s Central Music Hall (Chicago
Tribune, 16 May 1880 page 11). As Burckey made a name for himself, he began to
partner with other well-known and respected scenic artists, such as Henry C.
Tryon.
In 1880, Tryon was working as a scenic artist at McVicker’s
Theatre, where he came in close contact with Thomas G. Moses, as well as Joseph
Sosman, of Sosman & Landis. Moses joined Sosman & Landis in 1880 as
their first employee, Tryon would follow four years later. There was an abundance
of work for many, and the fortunate few secured permanent positions in popular
theaters and opera houses.
By 1881, “H. E. Burcky” was listed as scenic artist at Hooley’s
Theatre in Chicago. At this same time Burckey partnered with Tryon to provided
scenery for Cincinnati’s Opera Festival. They worked alongside some other very
respected gentlemen, including Fox, Magnani, Humphreys, Hughes, and Rettig
& Waugh. An article in the “Cincinnati Enquirer,” reported, “Messrs. H. E.
Burcky and Henry Tynor [sic.], the young and talented artists who came here
from Chicago to assist painting the scenery, have been doing excellent work.
They are bright, intelligent and rapid worker and but for their assistance it
would have been difficult to have the scenery ready by Monday next. Mr. Burcky
is scenic artist at Hooley’s Theater in Chicago, and Mr. Tryon at McVickers.
They express themselves as amazed at the extent and magnitude of the affair”
(“Cincinnati Enquirer,” 15 Feb 1881, page 4).” Burckey and Tryon were applauded
for one “Magic Flute” setting, heralded as a “Beautifully painted scene.” The “Cincinnati
Daily Enquirer” article described the painting; “…massive rocks in the
foreground appear so real as almost to deceive the eye. Rich masses of dark foliage relieve their
barrenness while their golden-yellow color is projected boldly from the deep
blue sky. Two transformation tableaux
occur in this scene, the first the ordeal, by fire, remarkable for its
brilliancy and warmth of color; the second, the ordeal by water, for its cool and
delicious coloring, complete contraries delightfully portrayed” (23 February
1881, page 4).
The opera festival was not only a game changer for each
artist, but an incentive to travel westward. By the fall of 1882, Tryon had
left Chicago and was working in Denver, Colorado, for Horace Tabor. Even when
Tabor traveled to Salt Lake City for work, newspapers listed the artist as “Mr.
Henry C. Tryon, of the Tabor Grand Opera House” (“Ogden Standard,” 30 Sept,
1882, page 3). Two years later, Burckey became
known as “H. E. Burckey, the artist of the Tabor Grand” (“Memphis Daily
Appeal,” 19 Nov. 1884, page 2). It remains unclear if they worked together on
scenery at the Tabor Grand between 1882 and 1884.
An example of Henry E. Burckey’s scenic art.An example of Henry E. Burckey’s scenic art.An example of Henry E. Burckey’s scenic art.An example of Henry E. Burckey’s scenic art.An example of Henry E. Burckey’s scenic art.Jungle wings by Henry E. Burckey stacked against the upstage wall at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.An example of Henry E. Burckey’s scenic art.An example of Henry E. Burckey’s scenic art.An example of Henry E. Burckey’s scenic art.An example of Henry E. Burckey’s scenic art.An example of Henry E. Burckey’s scenic art.
Regardless, Burckey became the sole scenic artist at the
Tabor opera house by 1884, the same years that Tryon returned to Chicago to
work for Sosman & Landis. In 1884, Moses wrote, “Henry C. Tryon came to the
studio to work. He enthused Young and I
more than anyone ever had. He was a
pupil of Thos. Moran and James and William Hart and was very clever, but
awfully eccentric.” Tryon also joined Moses and John H. Young on a sketching
trip to West Virginia in 1885. I will expand Tryon’s story in the next few
weeks.
Between 1880 and 1884, Tryon submitted a series of articles about the scenic art profession in papers across the country. On Dec. 19, 1880, the “Chicago Tribune” published “ Scene Painting: Some hints to the Public Regarding a Special Department of the Painters’ Art Not Well Understood” by Henry C. Tryon (page 19). Here is the link to the article as I included it today as part of my “Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar” storyline (part 1087): https://drypigment.net2020/10/11/tales-from-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-part-1087-henry-c-tryon-scene-painting-some-hints-to-the-public-regarding-a-special-department-of-the-painters-art-not-well-understood/
It is often difficult to identify the work of nineteenth-century stage carpenters, seldom did they sign their work. When you factor in natural disasters, building renovations and changes of ownership, the challenge increases exponentially. Last month I evaluated a collection of nineteenth-century stage settings at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. Tucked away in the attic were dozens of wings, shutters and borders, placed there when the building was renovated over a century ago. On the back of one jungle wing was written the name of a local stage carpenter – W. J. Moon. Penciled in near the frame was “W. J. Moon stage carpenter and H. E. Burpey scenic artist, October 1890.” A bread crumb. It just takes a small bit of information to point the way.
Pencil marks noting W. J. Moon, stage carpenter, and H. E. Burpey, scenic artist, October 1890.A jungle wing constructed by William J. Moon and painted by Henry E. Burckey for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1890. For over a century this scenic piece was stored in the attic of the opera house.
The stage carpenter was William J. Moon and the scenic artist was Henry E. Burckey. There is no question that scenic artist “H. E. Burpey” was actually scenic artist “H. E. Burckey,” as newspaper accounts place Burckey in Leadville during October 1890. Burckey also worked as the scenic artist at the Tabor Grand Opera House in Denver, Colorado. His scenic art connection to both the Tabor Opera House and Tabor Grand Opera House is noted in theatrical guides too. The earliest mention of Burckey’s role as scenic artist for the Tabor Opera House in Denver was in 1884. Although there is no indication as to when Burckey began working part-time in Leadville during 1890, he departed town on October 16. The “Herald Democrat” reported “Mr. H. E. Burcky left last evening for Denver.” Again, the jungle wings for the Tabor Opera House are also dated October 1890.
Painted detail by H. E. Burckey on a jungle wing at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1890.Painted H. E. Burckey in 1890, here is one of eight jungle wings at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1890.Back view of a jungle wing constructed by William J. Moon and painted by H. E. Burckey for the Tabor Opera House (Leadville) in 1890.Back of one jungle wing. “3R” denotes this wing is placed int he third position (set of grooves), stage right.
This is the first of several posts about the Tabor Opera House’s nineteenth-century scenery collection. The stories of Moon and Burckey are quite complicated, each intersecting individual characters explored in past posts.
I am starting with the life and career of William “Willie” James Moon (1867-1920). The 100th anniversary of his passing is only eleven days away, and that was my sign to start with Moon.
“Willie” Moon was a local resident of Leadville, Colorado, moving to the area as a child. Historical records list Moon’s parents as Jasper O. Moon (1831-1880) and Charity Peterson Moon (?-1895). Born in Missouri, there is no indication of the Moons’ eastern roots or why the family moved west. However, the promise of wealth associated with mountain mining camps was often enough to uproot anyone.
The 1870 US Federal Census listed the Moons as living in Granby Township, Missouri. The household included thirty-year old farmer, Jasper, living with his wife Charity (30 yrs. old), son William J. (3 yrs. old), daughter Elva (1 yr. old) and Mary J. Peterson, Charity’s twenty-year old sister-in-law.
The 1880 census listed a 13-yrs. old William living in Leadville with his mother and uncle, John Peterson; Peterson, like Jasper, became a miner. William, Charity and John lived at 318 3rd Street, a few blocks away from the newly constructed Tabor Opera House on Harrison Avenue. The 1880 Leadville Directory listed Jasper O. Moon living next door at 316 W. 3rd; how odd.Moon spent most of his life in Leadville living very near the Tabor Opera House, only a few blocks away. While I was working in Leadville this fall, I was also living on 3rd St, just a little closer; only ½ block from the opera house.
Moon began his theatrical career as a performer before transitioning to a stage manager and stage carpenter. In 1882, W. J. Moon traveled with the Tennessee Jubilee Singers and performed throughout Colorado. It is possible that he was picked up while the troupe was on tour in the region, like running away with the circus. On Sept. 2, 1882, Moon was listed as staying with the group at the Windsor Hotel in Fort Collins, Colorado. At the time, he would have been 15 years old. Other Tennessee Jubilee Singers at the time included Lew Johnson, Harry Mannaford, Z. A. Coleman, Ed Hawkins, Josh Bell, Effie Allen, Lottie Reno and Nellie Mark (“Fort Collins Coloradoan,” 2 Sept. page 4). Moon was still performing in 1884 when he toured Kansas with the Nashville Students, performing at Painton’s Hall. By this time, he was listed as the lead tenor in the minstrel production “Old Shady am Gwing up North,” featuring southern songs and dances (Weston Herald, Girard, Kansas, 8 May 1884, page 3). In 1885, the Nashville Singers were still touring and featured “original Jubilee and Plantation Melodies, as sung by the children of bondage in their own peculiar manner in religious and social meetings and on the plantation” (“The Record-Union,” Sacramento, California, 16 July 1885, page 2). Moon played the roll of “Pete (a young pickaninny).”
It was this same year that Moon returned to Leadville and was listed twice in the city directory. “Willie” Moon was listed as the stage manager at the Opera House, residing at 121 E. 7th Street, while William J. Moon was still listed at him previous home residence – 318 W. Although “Willie” would not be listed again, William’s home residence would remain on 3rd street in the 1885, 1886 and 1887 directories.By 1889 the Leadville City Directory listed Moon as the stage manager for the Tabor Opera House. He was also listed as the stage manager for the venue in 1891 and 1892. In 1890, however, Moon was listed as the stage carpenter for the Tabor Opera House in the Leadville Directory; this matches the jungle wing scenic notation from October 1890. Keep in mind that during this period stage manager and stage carpenter were often interchangeable titles, both being responsible for the construction of scenery and management of the backstage area.
Moon worked as a stage carpenter at the Tabor Opera House for at least a dozen years. The only difference was that the 1899 Leadville City Directory listed Moon as the stage carpenter for the Weston Opera House. For a time, the Tabor Opera House was named the Weston Opera House, initially under the management of Judge Algernon S. Weston and later under the management of his widow Leticia. By 1900, the Leadville City Directory again listed Moon as the stage manager for the Tabor Opera House.The 1900 US Federal census also listed Moon’s profession as a stage carpenter. Regardless of title, Moon was still listed as living at 318 3rd, but now with a wife and two daughters. Moon married Louise Buffer (alt. spelling Bueffehr) on September 11, 1894 in Denver, Colorado. [Note: my husband and I share the same anniversary as the Moons].
Louise actually worked as a dressmaker in Leadville before marrying Moon, although I have yet to discover what drew her westward from Kansas. It may have simply been the burgeoning economy at the time. In fact, the 1894 city directory listed Miss Louise Bueffehr, dressmaker, residing at 314 East 6th street. Louise was born in Big Creek, Kansas, the daughter of two German immigrants, John and Christina Bueffehr. She grew up on a midwestern farm, one of four children born to the couple, her siblings were Anna, John and Charley.William and Louise Moon couple celebrated the birth of two children by the turn of the twentieth century, with Algin arriving in 1895 and Doris arriving in 1897. Interestingly, Doris Marguerite Moon, born Aug. 16, 1897, was baptized in 1909, and at the time her father William was listed as having “no belief.” Her baptismal records also list the spelling of Bueffehr as her mother’s maiden name.
Moon transitioned from stage carpenter to bartender shortly after the opera house changed hands. The Tabor Opera House was purchased by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (B.P.O.E.) in 1901 and was renovated during 1902, necessitating new scenery as a fly loft was added to the building. The original wing and shutter scenery was simply placed in the attic and I have often wondered why is wasn’t sold or thrown out at that time. It is possible that Moon was a key individual in saving the old scenery, some of it constructed by both he and Burckey.
The 1902 Leadville Directory still listed William J. Moon as a stage carpenter, but his position soon changed. The 1903 Leadville City Directory listed, “Moon, William J., bartdr. Elks Opera House, rms. 303 Harrison av.” In 1910, Moon was still listed as a bartender in the directory, boarding at home of Julia Ross.Moon died at the relatively young age of 52 on 21 Oct. 1920 at 4:00 a.m. The cause of his death was listed as pneumonia. Moon is buried in the family plot at the Evergreen Cemetery in Leadville. His obituary was published in the “Herald Democrat” on October 27, 1920 (page 5) and in the “Carbonate Chronicle” on Nov. 1, 1920 (page 3).
Here is the obituary in its entirety:
“WILLIAM J MOON
The funeral of the late William J. Moon was held from his residence at 222 West Third Street yesterday afternoon at 2 o’clock and was attended by a large gathering of friends of the pioneer. Samuel Thomas, chaplain of the B.P.O.E. order, presided over the services which were marked by the ringing of three duets by Miss Kate McCoy and Mrs. Frank E. Brown who were accompanied on the piano by Miss Anna McLeod. The hymns were “Beautiful Isle of Somewhere,” “I’m a Pilgrim” and the “Home of the Soul.” [Note: I absolutely love “Beautiful Isle of Somewhere].
The casket was covered completely with beautiful flowers and a bouquet by a surviving daughter, Mrs. G. H. Gordon, of California.William J. Moon was born in Missouri in 1868 and during the period of his young manhood came to Leadville where he has resided ever since. He entered the Elks lodge here as one of the charter members ad in the early days was interested in a great extent in mining. When the great Tabor Opera House was operating under the management of Judge A. S. Weston Mr. Moon became stage manager of the house and served in that capacity for a period of two years.
Mr. Moon is survived by his widow, Mrs. Nellie Moon, a daughter, Mrs. C. H. Gordon of San Francisco, a sister, Mrs. J. Olds, of Basalt.The pall bearers, all of whom were close friends of Mr. Moon and fellow members of the Elks lodge, of which he was a charter member, were S. B. Crosby, Gus Ouren, Joe Mann, Alva Bless, Erwin Lockhart and George Hartung. Interment was made in the family plot at Evergreen cemetery.”
