In September 2020, I led a group of volunteers at the Tabor Opera House to document nineteenth-century wings, shutters, borders and set pieces in the attic. After my visit, I began examining each piece in detail, creating condition reports, historical analyses, replacement appraisals, and a collections care management document. There are at least twelve theatre collections, with scenic artifacts divided by artist and/or period. This project is similar to receiving a big bag of puzzle pieces, containing an unknown number of puzzles with no other information. There are no box tops that show you the completed picture, but you need to somehow assemble each of the puzzles. By the way, not all of the pieces are original, and some may have been altered over the years.
There are so many moving parts, creators and timelines, that some days the projects is a bit overwhelming and I have to step away; allowing the information to process. When I return a few hours later, something becomes a little more clear.
Double-painted wing with palace interior on the reverse side.Painted detail, showing where stencils line upPainted detail of liningBotton of the wing
Such was the case with pieces from the pink interior setting. Of the set, I catalogued only two wings and a remnant this fall. The construction of the two wings is on par with other pieces built from 1879-1881. The painting, however, appears to be the work of T. Frank Cox, dating from 1887-1888. Each wing is also double-sided, with a palace interior on the reverse. The palace composition was painted in the 1890s, combining several wings from a variety of settings. However, a fabric remnant shows that the backside of the original fabric was a prison setting, now hidden between the two layers of fabric. The pink setting fabric is rough cotton sheeting from Boott Mills, whereas the second layer of fabric on the reverse side is standard drillings from Stark Mills.
Loft above the attic in the Tabor Opera HousePile of scenery in the loft above the attic in the Tabor Opera HousePile of scenery in the loft above the attic in the Tabor Opera House View from below the loft. Pile of scenery in the loft above the attic in the Tabor Opera House
However, high above the attic floor there are two more pieces, currently inaccessible and stored in a makeshift loft. They were placed there before additional joists and wiring went in, so we could not remove them this fall due to a limited amount of time. The two additional wings are leaning against the same wall that is above the proscenium arch in the attic. This wall divides the attic from a space that was once hotel rooms and the gridiron and stage machinery above the stage. I climbed the ladder to the grid and we assembled a makeshift walkway over the open joists to reach the pile. I could only take a of few photos of the piles, as nothing could be shifted at the time. Too much dirt would have floated down upon the project below, and we really needed to construct a temporary floor. There were two pieces from the pink interior setting visible in the pile; one being a door wing. Other pieces included shutters, rollers, windows, and other set pieces. As I compiled the various condition reports about the pink setting yesterday, I noticed a slight pattern in the pink; it was an underlying composition. Altering the detail and contrast of the image once it was in grayscale, helped me identify what was painted below, and then I added a few lines to help others identify the painted panels.
Volunteer crew for day 3 of scenery documentation at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, CO.
We all experience those tactile moments
that conjure up images from the past, offering an instantaneous connection. It
can be as simple as using your grandmother’s mixing bowl or your grandfather’s
tools. There are so many ways to reconnect and remember times gone by.
Handling historic scenery offers a special connection to the past, especially if the setting has not been assembled for decades. I often wonder if the original creators are patiently waiting in the wings for their scene to appear once again on stage, occasionally stepping in to guide our fumbling hands.
Today, we set up two historic scenes
on the stage of the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado; ones that had
been stored in the attic for well over a century. Damaged and dusty, we
carefully pieced together two interior sets. I spent a significant amount of
time, both last night and this morning, contemplating how I would “put Humpty
Dumpty back together again.” Some of the of pieces were intended to work with grooves,
effortlessly sliding on an off stage. Others had anchors for stage braces. Some
had no indication as to how they were supported. In the end, it just took time,
muscle and a crew that trusted my gut instincts.
Stage setting stored in the Tabor Opera House attic for more than a century.Doors added to setting, but the appropriate plug for the arch is still missing.The doors and arches were the backside from the first setting. They are double-painted with a composition on each side.The doors and arches were the backside from the first setting. They are double-painted with a composition on each side.
The process was almost as satisfying
as the outcome. It is hard to express my emotions as the stage was transformed
today.
I first laid eyes on a piece from the
setting two years ago. At the time I could
only envision how this would look on stage. Seeing it assembled surpassed all of
my expectations. Although some of the colors are faded and some of the fabric
is torn, there is an insuppressible beauty to the painting. It was absolute magic.
Horace Tabor’s financial fall in the 1890s resulted in the
sale of his two prized possessions, opera houses in Leadville and Denver. The Tabor Opera House in Leadville briefly
became known as the Weston Opera House before J. H. Herron purchased it. Herron
immediately sold the property to the Benevolent and Protected Order of Elks who
renovated it. The fraternal organization
began a massive building renovation in 1901. The $25,000 renovation by the Elks
included a new stage with fly loft and enlargement of the auditorium. There
were also many cosmetic changes made to the interior décor that included an
elk’s head mounted on the proscenium wall. Gone was the original painted décor and
characteristic of the 1870s theater.
The 1902 scenery collection delivered to the Tabor Opera House included at least six interior sets: two center door fancies, two plain interiors, a prison, and a Baronial Hall. Over the years, I have encountered dozens of examples of interior settings, especially in social halls and smaller venues. However, I have never encountered any on such an elaborate setting as at the Tabor Opera House. Not all interior sets at the Tabor Opera House are of the same quality, being produced by two different studios. The green gothic interior and yellow center door fancy are some of the best scenic art examples that I have encountered to date. They are products of Sosman & Landis, a firm subcontracted by Kansas City Scenic Co. in 1902.
1902 setting at the Tabor Opera House painted at the Sosman & Landis studio in Chicago, subcontractor of the Kansas City Scenic Co.1902 setting at the Tabor Opera House painted at the Sosman & Landis studio in Chicago, subcontractor of the Kansas City Scenic Co.
Both firms shared work and artists over the years, but in was F. R. Megan, the Kansas City Scenic Co. salesman, who secured the Leadville contract.
Kansas City Scenic postcard.
I am going to start F. R. Megan. Frederick Rishel
[sometimes noted as Richell]
Megan was born in Galesburg, Illinois on May 5, 1873. His father was Dr. John W. Megan, an Irish immigrant, and his mother was Cornelia Wookey, a native of New York; they were married in 1871 in Knox, Illinois. [I have to admit, reading “Cornelia Wookey” makes it difficult not to think about “Star Wars”].
The first mention of Frederick R. Megan is in an 1896
Kansas City Directory; his listing notes “trvlg” [traveling] and rmg [rooming]
at 1021 McGee. In 1897 Megan was performing and touring with the Barrett
& Barrett Company (“Leonardville Monitor,” Leonardville, Kansas, 2 Dec.
1897, page 8). By 1900 the US Census lists Megan’s wife as Thenia Jones, born
in Carroll, Arkansas around 1877. The couple was married in Jackson, Missouri,
on April 14, 1898, likely while Megan was touring. The transition from
performance to technical theater is not a great leap, as many 19th
century touring companies required their performers to complete backstage
tasks, including scene painting. Jesse Cox is only one example of a performer
who ended up enjoying a successful career as a scenic artist.
On July 19, 1900, Fred and Thenia
Megan celebrated the birth of their daughter, Anabel L. Megan; all were living
in Kansas City, Missouri.
Megan continued to appear in the Kansas City Directory
until 1918, with his first listing as Kansas City scenic Co. salesman in 1903.
However, we know that he was already with the company in 1901, as newspapers
published his association with the firm.
From “The Kansas City Catholic,” 6 July 1892, page 2.
In 1903, however, Megan established his residence at 507
Monroe, where he would continue to reside from for over a decade before moving
to 4136 Warwick Boulevard. Although he continued to be listed as a traveling
salesman for the Kansas City Scenic Studio Co. by 1920, Megan was listed as
Government Supervisor. Many scenic artists worked for the government on
painting projects during WWI, especially in regard to the development of
camouflage painting. The 1920 US Census listed Megan and his wife Thenia as
living a 16th Street in Washington, D.C., although Kansas City
Directories still included their entry.
Megan’s 1918 WWI draft registration card describes him as
tall and medium build, with blue eyes and grey hair. He was 45 years old at the
time. On his draft card Megan listed his occupation as traveling salesman for
the Kansas City Scenic Co,, located at 24th and Harrison Streets in
Kansas City, Missouri.
And then there is Megan’s connection to Thomas G. Moses.
After the death of Joseph S. Sosman in 1915, Sosman & Landis stockholders elected
Moses company president. He was a gifted artist and charming salesman, but was
not intricately connected to the same theatre and Masonic networks as his
predecessor. The company started to slip, losing projects to smaller companies
with the necessary connections. In the post-WWI years, Moses began to realize that
Sosman & Landis would not survive. By 1923, Moses wrote, “On our
return to Chicago we had a little chat with Fred Megan about buying into the
company and getting Hoyland and Lemle out. D.S. Hunt is also bobbing about for
the lease of the studio.” It is this
connection with Megan that has always peaked my interest. Megan was the consummate salesman, having
entered the studio scene early in his career. The opera house in Leadville was
one of his first big projects for Kansas City Scenic Co. that brought in Sosman
*& Landis as a subcontractor.
In 1923, Megan and Moses teamed up and leased the old Fabric
Studio in Chicago while they waited to purchased the Sosman & Landis name.
By 1924, Megan was on the road most of the time, with Moses making models in
his studio and painting scenery. This is how Sosman & Landis had most
successfully operated since the beginning- with Landis on the road and Sosman
in the studio. Now Megan was on the road and Moses was in the studio.
Moses and Megan would close the contract
for the Salt Lake Consistory scenery [Scottish Rite] during 1926. They would
also deliver scenery to the Oakland Scottish Rite in 1927 under the name of “Sosman
& Landis.” Moses and Megan continued working together until 1931. In 1933,
Megan was listed as the Sosman & Landis manager in Chicago, residing at 819
Dobson in the Evanston, Illinois, Directory.
At the time of Megan’s passing on April 16, 1946, his “usual
occupation” was listed as that of a “paint contractor.” At the time of his
death, he was married to Edith Wilkson and was living in La Joya, Texas. The
cause of his death was a heart attack.
The volunteer crew returned to the Opera House after eating at the Silver Dollar Saloon on the afternoon of Feb. 6, 2020. The fancy door interior setting assembled that morning was slowly replaced with a gothic interior.
Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar author, Wendy Waszut-Barrett, opening the functional door of the Gothic setting at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.Gothic interior setting at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1902.Painted detail. Gothic interior setting at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1902.Painted detail. Gothic interior setting at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1902.Painted detail. Gothic interior setting at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1902.
As we “oohed” and “awed” each piece coming out of the pile, nothing could prepare us for the repainted flats. As we started to open one large tri-fold flat the group shouted in unison “Noooo!” The historic scene had been painted over with white latex, spattered with an array of colors. In other instances, the historic flat retained the original painted molding and cornices, but the walls were repainted with bright pink and dark blue stripes. Odd art adorned the repainted walls too, ranging from cupids and satyrs to old photographs and illustrations of an ear. One flat had been used for masking when painting something else brown. It seemed just tragic, and I feared that we would continue to encounter repainted piece after piece. I am sure that the individuals who painted over the original artwork had no idea of their significance.
Partially repainted flat at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. The pink and blue stripes are not original.Partially repainted flat at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. It looks like the flat was used for masking when something was painted brown.
In the end, we were unable to set up the Gothic scene due to
missing pieces and feared that the missing flats had fallen victim to an
amateurs brush, yet there were piles of flats to go. With fifteen of us helping,
we eventually uncovered a jungle scene, three sets of wood wings, street
setting flats, cottages, rustic interiors, plain interiors, stone interiors and
so on; all as originally painted.
Profile piece painted by New Orleans artists and architect Frank Cox, 1888, for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.Back view of profile piece painted by New Orleans artists and architect Frank Cox, 1888, for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.
The greatest discovery, however, was a tree profile. Heavy and cumbersome, it overshadowed the
Sosman & Landis tag discovery on the previous day. On the back of the tree
flat was a cartoon depicting a scenic artist at work. The little artist, dressed in overalls and
holding a brush included a caption: “Frank Cox Scenic Artist Jan 88.” This was a huge discovery, as it meant this 1888
piece was likely part of a collection that was added to the 1879 scenery.
Cartoon of the artist on profile piece painted by New Orleans artists and architect Frank Cox, 1888, for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.Painted detail. Profile piece painted by New Orleans artists and architect Frank Cox, 1888, for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.Painted detail. Profile piece painted by New Orleans artists and architect Frank Cox, 1888, for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.Painted detail. Profile piece painted by New Orleans artists and architect Frank Cox, 1888, for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.Bottom rail of tree profile piece allowed it to roll in grooves on the stage. This was intended for the original 1879 Tabor Opera House. In 1901, the grooves were removed and a fly loft installed when the building was purchased by the Elks.
It was common for theaters to continually purchase scenery
over the decades, replacing drop curtains, flats and backdrops. What is
remarkable about this cartoon is that Cox became a very well known theatre
architect. I have written about Frank Cox and the Cox. Bros. Studio in the past
(see post # 310). Cox began his career as a New Orleans scenic artist,
transitioning into theatre architect by the 1890s. In 1890, Cox was still working as a scenic artist, decorator
and architect in the New Orleans area. He continued to work as a scenic artist
throughout the remainder of the nineteenth century and was credited as delivering
scenery to the Temple Theatre in Alton, Illinois (1899) and Klein’s Opera House
in Seguin, Texas (1903-1904). I had never encountered any examples of Cox’s
work until now.
In 1894, Cox designed the New Lyceum Theater in Memphis,
Tennessee. Thomas G. Moses provided the scenery for this venue, writing, “the architect insisted
on my work.” At the time, Moses was not working at Sosman & Landis. It was
only with Cox’s recommendation that Moses received the contract and not his
previous employer Sosman & Landis.
In regard to
the famous Cox family of scenic artists…
Frank, Eugene,
and Clark Cox who operated a scenic and fresco business known as Cox Bros. in
New Orleans. However, it was referred to
as “Frank Cox’s Studio at New Orleans,” him being the eldest and most
experienced. They had quite a large
staff by 1891 that included the scenic artist Emile Nippert and stage machinist
James A. Kee (Fort Worth Daily Gazette 11 August 1891, page 2). The Cox Bros.
studio was located in the Grand Opera House of New Orleans. Frank withdrew from the partnership in 1896,
but the partnership continued to operate under the same name of Cox Bros.,
despite Frank’s public declamation that the firm was dissolved. Eugene and Clark published a rebuttal,
wanting to make it “thoroughly understood” that they would continue to operate
the scenic and fresco business under the name Cox Bros. By the way, there appears to be no immediate
familial ties to the Jesse Cox Scenic Studio of Estherville.
Returning to
the tree profile piece, Frank Cox also put his name on the front. “Carved” into the painted tree is “F. Cox, W.M. and J.C.”
In terms of
“W.M.”, scenic artists that I know of who were working at that time include W.
Marshal, William Minor, William Mitchell, and William Morris. In terms of “J.C.”, scenic artists that I know
of who were working at that time include J. P. Cahill, John A. Collins, John
Constantine, J. H. Connolly, and Jesse Cox. It will be fun to uncover where the
artists may have been working in 1888.
The volunteer crew at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado on February 6, 2020.
We started the fourth day full of ambition. It was the first of two days to set up all of the interior settings. In the deep layer of flats against the upstage wall was an estimated four scenes. By that afternoon we would realize there were many more. Blissful in my ignorance that morning, I figured we would set up two scenes per day. We first set up the “Center Door Fancy,” being the first in the pile. It was a lovely series of flats depicting floral garlands on every wall panel.
the center door fancy at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.
While lashing the final flats together, one volunteer (Doug from Breckenridge) mentioned that there was a tag on the back of one flat. I raced over to the stage-right flat; full of excitement and knowing it was a shipping label. Expecting to see a Kansas City Scenic Co. tag, I was shocked to read “Sosman & Landis.”
Sosman & Landis shipping label found on the bottom of one flat. Painted detail. The center door fancy set at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.
What makes this find such a big deal for me is that Sosman
& Landis was deeply connected to both New York Studios and Kansas City
Scenic Co. They shared artists, designs
and projects. Having read about the regional affiliation between the studios, I
had uncovered very little concrete evidence beyond brief notes in Thomas G.
Moses’ memoirs and a few newspaper articles.
New York Studios was advertised as the eastern affiliate of
Sosman & Moses.
Kansas City Scenic Co. was listed as a western regional
office of Sosman & Landis.
Former Sosman & Landis employee, Lemuel L. Graham,
initially left Sosman & Landis to form Kansas City Scenic Co. in the
1880s. Former Sosman & Landis
employee, David H. Hunt, established New York Studios in 1910. There were
connections everywhere to accommodate the ever-increasing demand for painted
illusion.
New York Studios stencil on flat at the Thalian Hall in Wilmington, North Caroliina.
I had always wondered how they handled the scenery being
manufactured and shipped from one studio while contracted with another. Even though the Elks Opera House (Tabor Opera
House) in Leadville, Colorado, contracted with the Kansas City Scenic Co. in
1902, a large chunk of scenery was shipped from the Sosman & Landis Studio
in Chicago. We discovered multiple shipping labels, and it is possible that
each piece came with two’ one on the top and one on the bottom. Salesman Fred
R. Megan, representing the Kansas City Scenic Co., handled the contract for the
Leadville delivery. At this time the firm was making inroads to the western
market. Megan later partnered with Thomas G. Moses, the final president of
Sosman & Landis, to form Moses & Megan Studio.
Interior of the Sosman & Landis Studio, 1910.
The American scenic studio system was one large family;
sometimes they quibbled and sometimes they shared, but all stayed within a
network beneficial to everyone. Theatre work was plentiful in 1902; demand
outweighed supply and much of the competition between studios was friendly.
Even though competing studios vied for the same projects, there was always more
work around the corner if one lost out to a competitor. Also, when too much work came in at once, it
was beneficial to have close ties to these same competitors when work needed to
be subcontracted, thus affiliations and regional connections were established.
I believe that this is what was happening from 1901-1903
with the Kansas City Scenic Co when they manufactured the scenery bound for
Leadville. In looking at the various
projects rolling into the Kansas City studio, the firm had more work than they
could handle and reached out to Sosman & Landis. The Sosman & Landis
flat construction for the center door fancy is identical to many of the other
scenes with the “Kansas City Scenic Co., Kansas City, MO” stencil.
Kansas City Scenic Co. Kansas City, Missouri.
Regardless of the scenery manufacturer, the center door fancy is absolutely stunning and completes the auditorium. The sheer beauty of the set, despite the visible deterioration and water damage, mesmerized the crew. In looking at the center door fancy and seeing my crew’s reactions, I realized that this was a wonderful marketing opportunity for the Tabor Opera House, so I decided to both video and live stream the moment. This is such a special venue, and I urge donations to their Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation.
The Tabor Opera House has only one staff member who also gives tours; everyone else is a volunteer. There are two internationally significant scenery collections at this venue, and we are only uncovering one this time.
There is something magical about entering a historic stage
scene, whether you are a performer, technician or theatre enthusiast. Being surrounded by beautiful painting with
footlights before you and staring at the ornate auditorium is spellbinding. You
think of all the performers who stood in that exact same spot, surround by the
same within interior setting. Wile setting up all the scenery I contemplated
the various personalities who handled these same flats. Stepping back in the
past is a transformative experience. You are transported to another time and
share a moment with those who came before, some more famous that we could ever
imagine and others who changed the world.
And this was not the biggest discovery of the day. I will
describe what occurred after setting up the center door fancy tomorrow.
Painted detail on the center door fancy setting at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.Painted detail on the center door fancy setting at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.Painted detail on the center door fancy setting at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.Painted detail on the center door fancy setting at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.Painted detail on the center door fancy setting at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.
In 1913, Jackson boasted a
modest population of 31,433. That year, Thomas G. Moses wrote that Sosman &
Landis delivered “a new interior” for Jackson, Michigan.” The studio also
delivered “a new interior” to Chicago’s Olympic Theatre in 1913. A “new
interior” signified a box set, constructed with series of interchangeable flats
that could be lashed together with cords and cleats. The theater that received
the interior set in Jackson was the Athenaeum.
Julius Cahn’s Official
Theatrical Guide for the 1913-1914 season listed the Athenaeum as Jackson’s
sole performance venue for touring productions. The Athenaeum first opened in
1898, two years after the town lost the Hibbard Opera House to fire (“Bessmer Herald,”
17 Dec., 1898, page 19). Built by Charles C. Bloomfield, the “Bessmer Herald”
reported that “Jackson’s New Theatre,” the Athenaeum, was a “playhouse second
to none in the State outside of Detroit.” Cahn’s Guide also noted that this
ground floor theater had a seating capacity of 1290, with 462 on the main
floor, 328 in the balcony and 500 in the gallery. In addition to the standard
seating, there were 20 boxes.
The proscenium opening at the Athenaeum
was 34 feet wide by 26 feet high, a standard size for the day. The depth of the
stage was 34 feet with the stage width measuring 64 feet. The measurement from
the Athenaeum’s stage to the rigging loft was 50 feet, the fly gallery 24 feet.
Beyond a few technical
descriptions, I uncovered little about the interior set or other scenery on the
stage. However, discovering a new publication made my entire search worthwhile.
In 1913, an author in Jackson published 1913 an illustrated course of instruction
on “How to Enter Vaudeville.” Copyrighted by the Frederic La Delle Co. the course
contents are worth noting:
“CONTAINING – – The Keynote of
Success Now to Start in Vaudeville, How to make a success. How to secure an
original act. What kind of act to get up. Rehearsals. How to report for
rehearsals. How to rehearse. Breaking in your act. Cues. Properties. How to
finish your act. How to dress your act. Where to work on the stage. Scenery.
Billing and property lines. How to get some publicity. Vocal and instrumental
music, free. Conduct off the stage. A dictionary of stage terms, fixtures and
appurtences, Vaudeville slang and phrases. Characterization and impersonation.
The orchestra. Headliners. How to overcome stage fright. Encores. How to get a
reputation quickly. Distinctiveness and originality. How to enter the dramatic
profession. Ordinary acts and big reputations. Theatrical publications.
Circuits, Contracts, House rules. Booking agencies. Writing to booking
agencies. Booking agents partial to
beginners. Salaries. Seeing booking agents personally. Writing for engagements.
Professional letterheads. Stage conduct. After receiving contracts. Presenting
yourself to the stage manager. Handling your baggage. Behavior toward stage
managers. Closing an engagement. Booking your act through Europe and the
continent. Firms dealing in theatrical goods. Securing press notices.
Advertising your act. How acts are reported. Questions and answers. Ninety
vaudeville acts explained. How to interest your audience. Eccentric wardrobe
and makeup. Eliminating crudity and amateurishness. Process of making up
illustrated. Making up for various races, nationalities and characters.”
I’ll look at the section: “A
dictionary of stage terms, fixtures and appurtences” tomorrow.
Frederic La Delle’s course of instruction on “How to Enter Vaudeville,” published in Jackson, Michigan, 1913.
In 1913, Thomas G. Moses wrote
that Sosman & Landis delivered, “A new interior for the Olympic Theatre.” This meant that they designed and installed a
new painted interior set (box set) for the stage at the Olympic Theatre. An
interior set included a series of interchangeable flats that could be lashed
together to form a box set. I transported an interior set to the Matthews Opera
House (Spearfish, South Dakota) that was manufactured by the Twin City Scenic
Co. around that time and set it up. Cleats and cords lashed the various flats
together, and we rapidly assembled the set in a manner of minutes. Previously,
I had set up a series of vintage interior sets at the Czech-Slovak hall
(C.S.P.S. building) that was similar in construction for documentation. In both instances, I was amazed at how
quickly a box set could be assembled and torn down. What an ingenious system.
Interior set produced by the Twin City Scenic Co., now in Spearfish, South Dakota, at the Matthews Opera House.Double-painted interior set at the C.S.P.S. Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota. This is the backside. Note cleats and cords.Double-painted interior set at the C.S.P.S. Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota. Front side.Fancy interior set at the C.S.P.S. Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota.
In regard to the theater where
Sosman & Landis delivered the interior set, Chicago’s Olympic Theatre was located
on Clark and Randolph streets. At the time, Sam Lederer managed the venue,
featuring Klaw & Erlanger productions. The ground-floor theater,
illuminated by electricity, had a seating capacity was 1,584. The proscenium
opening measured 37 feet wide by 24 ¾ feet. The stage was 26 ¾ feet deep with a
back stage width of 71 feet. The height to the rigging loft was 53 ¾ feet and
the height to the fly gallery 25 feet. The under stage area was 8 feet deep. A
pretty standard space for the time.
Like many entertainment venues
in Chicago, the Olympic Theatre has a very complex history. Originally named
the New Chicago Theatre in 1873 by James H. McVicker, it was built on the
previous site of Kingsbury Hall, a building that had been destroyed during the
great fire of 1871. This venue enjoyed a series of names changes between 1873
to 1893, switching from the New Chicago, to Grand Opera House, Cristy’s Opera
House and the Music Hall. An extensive remodel of the space then resulted in
the newly named Olympic Theatre. However,
in 1907, a fire caused extensive damage to the building, resulting in the
rebuilding of the space. When Sosman & Landis delivered the interior set,
it would have been an extension of their stock scenery collection.
The Olympic Theatre name did not
last, however, and soon became Schubert’s Apollo Theatre. This name change was
after the 1921 Apollo Theatre at Dearborn and Randolph Streets was converted
into the United Artists movie house in 1927.
Plan of the Olympic Theatre that I discovered online.Image of the old Olympic theater (74 W. Randolph St.) after it became the Apollo Theatre and was going through renovations.
It is the repetition of theater
names across the country that makes tracking down the history of some venues so
very difficult. I of ten feel like a detective, verifying all of the specifics
before including any specific details.
The Olympic Theatre/Schubert’s
Apollo Theatre building was eventually closed and razed in 1953 for a Greyhound
bus terminal. Unfortunately, even the bus station did not last and was replaced
with the Chicago Title & Trust building in 1992.
