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Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. The Opening of the Tabor Opera House.

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The opening of the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, made news across the country. Even in Camden, New Jersey, the “Morning Post” reported, “Two years ago [Leadville] contained a half dozen log cabins, and to-day it is the second city in the State, with a population of 30,000, and doing an immense mercantile business, having finely laid out streets, and some very large buildings, the finest of which, just completes, is the Tabor Opera House, costing $30,000, besides four other theatres, all doing a good business. There are five first class hotels.” (24 Nov. 1879, page 1). With five theaters in town, even if there was only one “legitimate” one, each stage still needed some type of scenery or backing.

The Tabor Opera House in Leadville became part of the Silver Circuit. This advertisement was published in the premiere issue of Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide, 1896.

The earliest mention of the Tabor Opera House in any American theatrical guide appears in 1882, “Jno. B. Jeffery’s Guide and Directory.” Less than five years old, the Tabor Opera House was listed in the guide as one of three theaters in Leadville, alongside the Academy of Music and the Grand Central Theatre. The Academy of Music opened on March 28, 1881 and listed a seating capacity of 859 and “full stock of scenery.” There were no specifics given about the Tabor Opera House other than a seating capacity of 1,000 (page 12). By 1889, the entry was altered to note that the Tabor Grand Opera House “seats 750. A. H. Andrews’ opera chairs.” Jeffery’s Guide only provided limited information, so I checked out the other theatrical guides.

Harry Miner’s American Dramatic Directory for the Season of 1884-1885 gave a little more information about the Tabor Opera House. This listing was published only five years after the venue was built, noting that the size of the stage was 34’ x 60 feet and the proscenium opening was 17’-0” high by 23’-0” wide. The height from the stage to grooves was 16’-0” and the height from stage to rigging loft was 19’-0.” There were twelve sets of scenery credited the scenic artist “Burkey, of the Tabor Grand, Denver.” It was actually Henry E. Burcky, the scenic artist who created scenery for Tabor’s second theater – the Tabor Grand Opera in Denver, Colorado. Burcky did not live in Colorado, he was simply an itinerant artist with permanent residence was in Chicago.

By 1896 the Tabor Opera House had changed hands and was known as the Weston Opera House. It was listed in Julius Cahn’s Theatrical Guide for the 1896 season, noting a seating capacity of 900, but no mention of a scenic artist. The width of the proscenium was listed as 20’-0 wide, with 57’-0” between side walls and 47’-0” between girders. The grooves were still listed as a height of 16’-0”, with stage to rigging loft at 19’-6”; not much had changed beyond cramming more people into the auditorium. The listing noted five grooves for the stage. These measurements would remain constant until the opera house was renovated in 1901.

When the Leadville Elks purchased and renovated the building in 1901, the stage house was dramatically enlarged. Now known as the Elks Opera House, the proscenium width greatly increased from 20’-0” wide to 30’-0” wide. The height increased from 16’-0” to 24’-0”. The original height of 19’-0” to the rigging loft increased to 50’-0” and a fly gallery was added at 22’-0.” This necessitated the replacement of original scenery, consisting of wings, shutters, and roll drops, with fly scenery. Theatrical directories after 1902 specified “no grooves.”

Over the years, there were at least three scenery collections delivered to the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado: 1879, 1888, and 1902. I am going to try and examine the various scenery installations and theatrical manufacturers over the next few posts.

When the Tabor Opera House opened in 1879, the “Chicago Tribune” included an article about Leadville, Colorado (24 Dec, 1879, page). In the section titled “ Legitimate Drama,” the article reported, “It has often been asserted that in Leadville only the low variety shows could flourish, and that a first-class theatre could not be supported. Lieut. Gov. Tabor, W. H. Bush, and others of our leading citizens, having a better faith, accepted the challenge, erected a substantial and ornate building, supplied it with all the required fixtures and appliances, seated it with the latest improved opera chairs from the shops of you’re a. H. Andrews & Co., and finally engaged a first-class company, marshaled by Colorado’s favorite actor, J. S. Langrishe, and, with the genial Lou C. Leonard as treasurer, they opened it several weeks ago. Full houses have ever since greeted the players, and endorsed the enterprise. The auditorium, without having the florid gildings of many Eastern cities, is neat, graceful, and complete, – the only defacement being a picture of Gov. Tabor over the drop curtain, which is rather a caricature than a portrait.”

Evelyn E. Livingston Furman describes the 1879 scenery and drop curtain in her book, “The Tabor Opera House.” Furman moved to Leadville in 1932 and took a great interest in the history of the theater and Tabor family. However, she was not a scenic artist nor theatre professional. She may not have accurately dated all of the scenery while documenting it. Furman describes the composition of the 1879 front curtain as a “glorious” mountain scene with castle on a hill, stream at the mountain base and a road winding away to a distant canyon. This was a common composition for the time. The only missing elements not described my be an ornate frame around the central composition, painted draperies and center medallion of some sort to identify the location, or a cameo. She further described that at the top the scene was a life-sized portrait of Horace Tabor, which correlates to the “Chicago Tribune” article’s mention of his portrait.

Now this is where I begin to disagree with the published history. Furman credits J. B. Lamphere, as the creator of the piece and comments that he was a prominent New York and Philadelphia artist, and “one of the most prominent artists in the west.” I have not been able to uncover any mention of a well-known scenic artist named Lamphere to validate any of her statements. In fact, Lamphere is the first scenic artist that I have been unable to track down at all. I have not located him in theatrical guides or newspaper articles, which is extremely odd. In the 1870s and 1880s, scenic artists made top billing in newspapers and programmes. If Lamphere enjoyed any notoriety, especially in the major East Coast cities, there would be some mention of him. Who I did find connected with the manufacture of scenery for the Tabor was Henry E. Burcky. More on him tomorrow.

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. The Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. Friday Morning, February 7, 2020.

I began our final day at the Tabor Opera House in a bit of a panic, as there was still so much left to catalogue. By the end of the previous day, we all realized that there was much more flat stock than anyone anticipated. There is nothing like thinking this is the last flat against the wall, and they just keep coming. My initial hope was that we could assemble all the interior settings, but soon realized that I would have to settle for three at most. Some of the settings were incomplete due to repainting too, so I was unsure if there were complete sets.

…and then there was the weather…

View out my front door after the first snowfall in Leadville, Colorado.

Leadville, Colorado, was in the midst of a huge snowstorm that would deposit up to to 51-inches of snow in neighboring areas. Just trying to get out of the house that morning was a challenge, as I waded through snow up to my knee to the car. I had been walking the half block to the opera house, but accepted the ride offered in anticipation of the weather the night before.

A few of us decided to meet a little early and photograph the grand tormentors that we discovered the Thursday evening, getting a head start. The grand tormentors matched the first piece we examined on Monday – the grand border. The classic red draperies framing the marble columns matched those documented earlier that week.

Stage left grand tormentor. Draperies were added to match the original red detail in the painted ornament below.

There are six pieces with the same red draperies: the two folding grand tormentors with doors; three grand borders, and the front drop curtain. All four elements are not of the same vintage. Before looking at the individual pieces, here are the technical specifications for the venue listed in Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide for the 1903-1904 Season: Width of proscenium, 30’-0”; height of the proscenium 24’-0”; distance from the curtain line to footlights, 5’-0”; height to rigging loft 41’-0”’and the depth under stage, 12’-0”.

Grand border that pre-dates the 1901 stage renovation by the Elks in Leadville, Colorado.

Painted detail on grand tormentor, pre-dating the 1901 stage renovation by the Elks in Leadville, Colorado.

The largest red-drapery grand border is over 44-feet long, much too large for the proscenium. This piece has five holes for operating lines. Common installation practices at the time for a proscenium this size, such as the Tabor Opera House, would only demand three holes for three operating lines.

The second matching border with red draperies is similar, but shorter; an appropriate length for the 30’-0” wide proscenium.

Shorter border with red draperies and grand tormentor. The red draperies on both of these are a later addition.

The third red drapery border is too small for the proscenium and the oldest. It has the similar red curtains, matching the two highly ornate grand tormentors that we photographed in the morning. These three pieces are stunning.

The front curtain (drop curtain) was initially created without the red draperies. Upon close inspection, it is obvious that the red draperies were added after the entire drop was complete. The painting style for the red draperies on the front curtain is quite crude in comparison to the rest of the composition.

It is a challenge to appropriately date all of the pieces. I think that the oldest pieces are the latter three mentioned, the matching ornate border and grand tormentors. These pieces were delivered prior to the that were addition of the fly loft The side doors allowed promoted action to occur downstage of the plaster line while a scene change was occurring upstage.

The painting of the matching border and tormentors are stunning, a much higher quality than the two other borders, yet the red draperies were also added here too. The tassels at the top of the tormentors are not of the same quality or technique as those incorporated into the bottom ornament.

Note the crude painting technique for the red draperies. It is incosistent with the rest of the quality on the side tormentors.

Note the quality of the gold and how it differs from the gold fringe on the red draperies.

I believe that the really long border, shorter border and draperies on the front curtain were added at the same time, 1902 or slightly later, but a scenic artist working on site at the theater after the delivery. These latter three pieces were painted to match the original tormentors. In fact, I think that the tops of the grand tormentors, the drop curtain draperies and the two borders (large and small, not highly ornate) were painted at the same time.

The quality of painting is all over the map at the Tabor Opera House. I am still stunned that we uncovered three distinct collections – 1879, 1888 and 1902. The 1902 scenery delivery included used pieces from an unidentifiable venue, but one previous to 1902. The 1879 collection (which will be catalogue later this spring) and the 1888 collection were created prior to the enlargement of the stage and addition of the fly loft. The 1879 and 1888 scenery were produced for a stage with grooves. The 1902 scenery was produced for a stage house with fly loft.

The majority of 1879 wing and shutter scenery is in the attic of the Tabor Opera House. A few elements of the 1888 scenery by Frank Cox are stored on the stage, identifiable by the strap sheaves on the bottom of rolling flats, intended to accompany the original grooves.

The 1902 scenery is all on the stage and includes several interior settings. These set flats are interchangeable and lashed together. Some of the scenes have been repainted over the decades. The 1902 collection includes a yellow center door fancy, a pink center door fancy, a green Gothic interior, two plain interiors and a prison. The prison scene is back-painted on one of the plain interiors. In addition to these interior settings are large set pieces that include wood wings, rustic huts, garden balustrades and city buildings. Only three set pieces stored on the stage currently roll, dating from 1888; a tree profile and two city wings were constructed to slide in grooves.

Some of the scenery against the back wall at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

I will look at the other scenery tomorrow.

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. The Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. Thursday Afternoon, February 6, 2020.

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.

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.

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.

I’ll do that in my spare time (hahaha).

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. The Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. Thursday Morning, February 6, 2020.

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.

Her is the link to give:

https://www.taboroperahouse.net/donate

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.

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. The Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. Wednesday, February 5, 2020.

The Tabor Opera House on the morning of February 5, 2020.

On my third day in Leadville, Colorado, I decided to walk to the Taber Opera House. My lodging is less than a block away. It felt a little brisk out, but I thought nothing of it as the sun was shining and I enjoyed the stroll. At the time, I did not realize it was 20 degrees below zero. Arriving a bit early, I had a chance to enjoy coffee and wait for the crew.

The garden drop at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

There were a few new faces, and after introductions, we discussed the day’s schedule. I wanted to finish all of the hanging scenery so that we could start on the interior sets tomorrow. Keep in mind that there are no counterweights to ease the burden of operating any line sets. We started with the heaviest piece, an unidentified framed drop that would take more than two sets of hands. From the stage floor we could tell that there was a medallion in the center, and my first thought was that it was an unfinished composition on the original paint frame for the stage. We soon discovered that it was a ceiling piece for the interior sets, complete with a hole in the center for lighting fixture. I have only seen historic set ceilings in photographs, never in person, so this was quite an exciting moment. It was wonderful to examine not only the painting but also the stage hardware. Also, at one point, the entire back had been backed with what looked like an advertisement poster.

The ceiling drop for interior sets at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

View from backside. The ceiling drop for interior sets at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

Painted detail. The ceiling drop for interior sets at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

Stage hardware for suspending ceiling drop over interior sets.

Other scenes that we catalogued yesterday morning included a wood cut drop, wood border, garden drop, landscape drop, and the front curtain. We enjoyed a family-style lunch again at the Silver Dollar Saloon, warming up and visiting.

The wood drop at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

Painted detail. The wood drop at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

After returning to the theater, we completed all of the hanging scenes except one painted border. About three o’clock a voice called down from the flies; Amy noticed a fabric roll attached the side of the pin rail and we began to plan to lower it. As Carl began rigging the drop, I began contemplating what the roll might be. A batten was attached, but it was way too short for the proscenium opening. I began to speculate if it was the original 1879 front curtain, by why was it not upstairs with the rest of the painted wings and borders. Not until I felt the roller, did I get pretty excited about our discovery. The roller was quite old and the top batten made of 4-inch rough-hewn lumber.

Sure enough, this was the same composition noted by Muriel Sibell Wolle (1898-1977) as the “Palace Drop” in the 1933. This piece was documented as part of the Leadville Opera House Scenery Project, 1933; the many materials now at the Denver Public Library. In 1933, a group of students, a former Tabor stage manager, and professors documented the opera house scenery. At this time, Wolle also sketched each set and made color noted which were developed into large watercolor paintings. Here is a link to her rendition of the Palace drop: https://digital.denverlibrary.org/digital/collection/p15330coll22/id/483 The 1933 project gives the Tabor scenery collection an incredible amount of artistic provenance. It will also help determine what is missing from the current inventory.

The same roll drop was documented in 1933 as part of the Leadville Opera House Scenery Project. In 1933, a group of students, a former Tabor stage manager, and professors documented the opera house scenery.

The hidden roll drop and the volunteer crew on February 5, 2020, at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

In regard to the Palace Drop…I have mixed feelings about the painted composition and its actual age. This original drop was purportedly lent to the Denver Theatre for its opening of the famed 1932 “Silver Dollar” movie (https://immortalephemera.com/15370/silver-dollar-1932-edward-g-robinson/), a film was based on the David Karsner’s booko, “Silver Dollar, the Story of the Tabors.” His publication told of the rise and fall of Leadville’s Horace Tabor, and his two wives Augusta and Baby Doe.

Of the Palace Drop: the roller, fabric, and batten are obviously old and pre-date 1900. The fabric is cotton sheeting, similar to the 1879 wing and shutter scenery, with only a few pieces of linen. The Palace roll drop, however, does not look like late nineteenth century stage scenery; there’s a “sharpness” to the painting that I have not encountered in historic scenery from this period before. My gut instinct tells me that the old drop was “touched up” while on loan in 1932, hence why much of it looks so new. There is a 1920s/1930s feel about it. In other words, some well-meaning individual brightened the highlights, added a few washes, and sharpened some of the painted detail. There is heavy-handedness to the checkered floor that is simply odd. Overall, something just seems “off” with the painting and everything is a little too clean for it to be that old.

With many questions remaining unanswered, we finished work a little early. It was nice to have a few hours off before heading out that evening. I was asked to say a few words at an Elks meeting when the Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation received a $2,000 donation; just a couple statements about the scenery project. I had never been to an Elks Lodge room or meeting before, so I was intrigued and agreed to go. I spoke briefly about the significance of the scenery purchased by the Leadville Elks in 1902, placing it within the context of Kansas City Scenic Co. and the construction of other Elks Theaters during the early twentieth century. Nice and short, because it was a very full day and I am slowly running out of steam this week.

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. The Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. Tuesday, February 4, 2020.

Volunteer at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, on February 4, 2020.

We started our second day cataloguing the remainder of rolled scenery at the Tabor Opera House. Our focus was to complete the stack of rolled borders and small profile pieces along the back wall before starting the hanging scenes. The biggest project remains the numerous interior set pieces along the back wall.

A set piece at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

Painted detail. A set piece at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

When the Elks purchased the Tabor Opera House in 1901, it was renamed the Elks Opera House.

We had two projects occurring simultaneously that morning. The first was cataloguing the scenery as stated above. The second was removing two broken battens from a rocky pass drop and a wood border. When we unrolled drops the previous day, there were two with broken top battens. These ragged wooden edges were harming the painted compositions and should not return to storage “as is.”. Although not part of the project, I recommended that we remove the wood prior to re-rolling. It was the perfect time to address the problem as we were slightly ahead of schedule. It also gave the volunteers a chance to see how the sandwich battens were assembled, a great learning experience for all.

The crew that handled the scenery in the morning.

The crew that removed damaged battens that morning.

When the Kansas City Scenic Company shipped the painted settings from Kansas City, Missouri, to Leadville, Colorado in 1902, the wooden battens were not attached. This was a standard practice at the time. The paint fabric shipped in vertical rolls, with studio labels on the exterior edge, noting location and subject. The fabric seams for each drop were also vertical; horizontal seams did not replace their early twentieth century predecessors until the 1920s. This is not to stay there weren’t any scenes with horizontal seams, but the major studios during the late-nineteenth and early twentieth century were using 36” wide bolts of cotton sheeting and vertical seams for the majority of the stock scenery installations. At the Tabor Opera House we located a few of the shipping labels to verify this – still visible along the side edge of the fabric written in charcoal. These labels included easy descriptors such as “Leadville Front Drapery” or “Leadville Sky B” (B is for border). The placement along the side of the drop meant that it was easily identifiable during shipping and installation on site.

The lumber also shipped with the company, even in areas abundant with sawmills. Scenery battens was constructed of white pine; the rounded edges allowed the drops to easily slip past one another during scene changes if they happened to bump into a neighboring line. Shipping labor insured quality, and quality is essential for a sandwich batten. Poor quality wood will warp.

To attach the battens to the painted scene on site was a fairly easy process. The backside of each sandwich batten was nailed into the stage floor with cleat nails, forming an arrow-straight line that would not shift. The painted scene was then tacked to the board, face side up, and would become sandwiched with another pine board. The tacks were placed about 4 to 6 inches apart. The top part of the sandwich batten was then attached with screws or nails, thus sandwiching the fabric between the two boards. The completed batten was then pried up from the stage floor and the cleat nails hammered over.

Tack that secured painted scene to sandwich batten.

1/2″ hole in top of batten for manilla operating lines.

After the sandwich batten was loose from the stage floor, ½” holes were drilled into it to accept the operating lines. In the case of the Tabor Opera House, many of the drops had three holes to accommodate the three operating ropes.

The biggest discovery of the day was that some of the scenery delivered to the Tabor Opera House (then Elks Opera House) by the Kansas City Scenic Co. was previously installed at another location. While cataloguing several of the border drops, I noticed that there were five holes drilled for operating lines, yet only three needed for this venue. They were too consistent to be mistakes, yet necessary because the length; each of these battens were over 40 feet, much longer than the proscenium opening.

This grand border at the Tabor Opera House was originally painted for another venue. It has five holes for operating lines to attach to top batten.

Painted detail. This grand border at the Tabor Opera House.

Later that afternoon, we noticed that the painted grand border was also much wider than the proscenium. As the piece was gently lowered, a line snapped. Amazingly, we hear the wood crack, but batten did not break in half. Instead, the stage right side hung like a loose noodle, obviously unsupported by any operating line. After we lowered the painted border to the floor, we soon learned the cause for the line failure. The operating line did not fail; it was a bridle that failed. Although there were five holes for operating lines in the top of the batten, there were only three operating lines supporting the piece. Holes numbered one and two, as well as holes numbered four and five, were bridled with well-worn ¼-inch manila rope. The operating lines are thicker. The ¼-inch rope between holes numbered one and two failed.

Stage left example of what failed stage right.

At this point it was time to take a break and discuss options over birthday cake; yes, it was the executive director’s birthday. Our final project of the day was removing the top sandwich batten from the grand border, so it could be safely stored until a new batten is attached. We were all grateful that the line failed when it did, as there is ample time to address the problem before the season begins. This would have been tragic mid-performance, or during a busy time. There was a crew on stage to handle the problem. Small blessings.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 879 – The Palace Theatre, Detroit, 1914

Detroit’s Palace Theatre, designed by C. H. Crane.

Detroit’s Palace Theatre, built in 1914.

On February 15, 1914, the “Detroit Free Press,” reported that Sosman & Landis delivered the scenery for the New Palace Theater. The firm, under the direction of Thomas G. Moses, also delivered stock scenery to other Palace theatres in Chicago (1912), Minneapolis (1914), and Fort Wayne, Indiana (1914).

The “Detroit Free Press” announced, “Scenery is the Best. The scenery is from the Sosman & Landis studio of Chicago, leaders in the art, and for particular reasons the work is extraordinary. It is impossible to produce more attractive scenery during the composition and painting in Chicago many managers viewed it with not a little envy, as it is the last significance of the word ‘Palace’ will be seen very readily by those who attend. The seats are wide enough to be comfortable and are far apart. Every seat in the house affords a perfect view of the entire stage.”

Detroit’s Palace Theatre was located at 130-132 Monroe St, and advertised as “absolutely fireproof.” The article described all of the fire safety measures, including a roof that consisted of six-inch concrete.

Interior of the theater. Notice the small section of painted drop curtain by Sosman & Landis in left fo the picture. From “American Architect and Architecture,” Vol. 106, 1914.

From “American Architect and Architecture,” Vol. 106, 1914.

“American Architect and Architecture,” Vol. 106, 1914.

C. A. and Graham Hoffman were responsible for the venue and selected Detroit for their new playhouse. Early in the spring of 1912, they started securing lease on the property in the “Great White Way” district of Detroit. The Palace Theater Co. was organized and incorporated on April 5. C. A. Hoffman was the general manager, with Graham acting as assistant manager and secretary.

Detroit’s Palace Theatre was designed by C. Howard Crane and later featured in “American Architect and Architecture,” Vol. 106, September 1914. Crane also designed Detroit’s Liberty Theatre, Opera House, Filmore, Fox Theatre, and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Orchestra Hall.

The Place Theatre closed in 1928.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 855 – The Athenaeum in Jackson, Michigan, 1913

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.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 854 – Interior Set for the Olympic Theatre, 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.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 808- New York Studios Garden Wings, 1912

In 1912, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Did a number of garden wings for Proctors, N.Y. for the New York Studios, and some drops for Washington, D.C.”

What is fascinating about Moses’ entry is his mention of painted garden wings for a New York Studios project. There is an extant wood wing attributed to New York Studios at the Thalian Hall in Wilmington, NC, also by New York Studios.

Thalian Hall, Wilmington, North Carolina.

Extant wood wing by New York Studios for Thalian Hall.

New York Studios stencil on back of wood wing at Thalian Hall.

Last spring, I visited Thalian Hall and gave a presentation on historic stage scenery. Russell Smith painted a drop curtain for Thalian Hall in 1858; they still have it. Like many theaters, additional scenic pieces were added over the years, including some pieces from New York Studios. During my visit, executive director Tony Rivenbark pointed out a small painted wing that was tucked away. The wood wing at Thalian Hall was the last remnant of a pair, once part of a set that masked the side stages for exterior scenes. On the back of the folding wing was a New York Studios Stencil, the first I had ever encountered. Again, New York Studios was the eastern affiliate of Sosman & Landis of Chicago, started by David Hunt during the first decade of the twentieth century. New York Studios was incorporated on April 8, 1910, and lasted until its dissolution on Dec. 15, 1939.

Keep in mind that Sosman & Landis had regional offices throughout the country, including one in New York City before New York Studios was established in 1910. An article in “The Times” even mentioned Sosman & Landis’ presence in New York describing, “the well known New York and Chicago artists, Sosman & Landis” (The Times, Streator, Illinois, 14 Sept. 1910, page 5). Regardless of their east coast office, Sosman & Landis treasurer and secretary, David H. Hunt, proposed a new business venture. Instead of maintaining a regional office, he would establish an eastern affiliate. New York Studios stockholders included David H. Hunt, Adelaide Hunt, Edward Morange, Henry L. Rupert, and W. E. Castle.

Painted wings for both large and small stages were the bread and butter of our scenic studios at this time. Their construction necessitated the careful collaboration between both carpenters and scenic artists. Whether they accompanied shutters, roll drops or fly drops, these painted sidepieces were necessary to complete the scenic illusion while masking backstage areas. These sidepieces were supported with grooves, stage jacks and other hardware.

Wood setting for the St. Paul C.S.P.S. stage that uses two sets of wood wings.

Upper grooves helped hold hold wings in place.

Painted wings are still found at some historic venues, but seldom used. They often become the chipped sugar dish in china set that is missing its creamer. When only one wing is left, how can it be used for a production? It can’t, so it simply sits backstage in a corner, or tucked away somewhere. Such was the case at Thalian Hall. After almost all other scenery left the building, this one wood wing remained. The New York Studios wood wing may possibly be the last remnant of New York Studio, after the firm produced thousands.

Wings were just one element on the historic stage, and integral part of the scenic illusion. To simplify what was on stage in a historic theater, stock scenery collections consisted of backings (roll drop/fly drop/shutter), sidepieces (wings/tormentors), top pieces (borders/teasers) and set pieces (rocks, trees, balustrades, etc.). Keep in mind that stage terminology shifts over time. The important thing to remember is that the painted sides and set pieces are often the first things to go when a venue was sold, renovated or repurposed. A painted backdrop may remain tucked away when almost every other scenic piece has disappeared. A painted wing is often the earliest form of collateral damage while a stage is being renovated. Hanging scenery often enjoys a slightly longer life span than its counterparts, maybe because it is more difficult to remove.

The greatest amount of flat stock (wings, set pieces, profiles, etc.) is still found at Scottish Rite theaters, although those pieces are rapidly disappearing too. Why are there still thousands of extant pieces in Scottish Rite theaters? The main reason is that they are too hard to reach and the average age of Masonic stagehands is now well past retirement age. Keep in mind that the design of many Masonic stages incorporated a lofted storage area opposite of the fly rail. Today, the idea of climbing up a wooden ladder, finding the correct flat, removing a guardrail, and lowering it to the stage is often a deterrent for many Masonic stage crews. On the bright side, the lack of use has preserved many pieces. They remained quietly waiting in the wings to once again accompany the remainder of a painted scene.

To be continued…