Thomas G. Moses – Page 49

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 329 – Traveling through the country is so thrilling…

Part 329: Traveling through the country is so thrilling…

“…standing out in front on opening nights. Smiling as you watch the theater filling, and there’s your billing out there in lights”

Thomas G. Moses painted numerous productions during 1895 that included “Ben-Hur,” Alexander Salvini’s “Hamlet,” John Griffith’s “Richard III” and “Faust,” the world premier of “Mystery of Agnes Page” with Mary Wainwright, some scenery for Joe Jefferson to pad out his “Rip Van Winkle” production, a road show of “Said Pasha” for Jules Murray, and several good scenes for Mme. Modjeska for a play called “Mistress Betty.” Moses wrote that in addition to these productions, he also completed a “dozen smaller shows.” Keep in mind that these were just shows that he highlighted in his typed manuscript and in addition to those already mentioned in earlier installments, such as the outdoor spectacle of “The Storming of Vicksburg.” In addition to touring shows and Chicago projects, Moses and his crew also painted several stock scenery collections for theaters across the country.

Here are just a few snippets concerning some of the productions listed above as it hints at the personalities Moses was directly working with as he created the scenery. Of “Ben-Hur,” Moses wrote, that it “kept the crew busy at the old Waverly Theatre.” This likely was the pantomime version created for his hometown of Sterling, Illinois, that year.

His scenery for “Hamlet” would be some of the last that the well-known Italian actor Alexander Salvini would perform in front of in America. Alexander was the son of Tomas Salvini, another famed Italian actor. But the end of 1896, Alexander Salvini died from “consumption of the bowels” in Florence, Italy.

Alexander Salvini pictured in “Hamlet,” Chicago Tribune, 26 April, 1896, page 24

Advertisement for “The Mystery of Agnes Page” and “Hamlet,” both shows with scenery created by Thomas G. Moses in 1895.

John Griffith performed in Collie Cibber’s version of “Richard III.” Moses wrote that the production was “quite elaborate.” The Nebraska State Journal reported, “It will be staged complete, even to the minutest detail, the scenery having been painted by that eminent artesian, Mr. Thomas Moses, of Chicago from historical drawings” (17 August 1896, page 8). Other newspapers advertised “Richard III” as “the grandest scenic production ever given of the play” (Scranton Tribune. 13 November 1896, page 7).

John Griffith, “The Courier (15 August, 1895, page 3)”

Moses also painted the scenery for another Griffith production -Henry Irving’s version of “Faust.” Griffith played the role of Mephisto. The Butte Daily Post reported, “It takes a 60 foot car to carry the scenery, calcium and electric effects. The scenery is painted by Mr. Thomas Moses of Chicago, from a photograph of the original scenery painted for the Lyceum theatre of London, by Mr. Carven” (18 May 1895, page 8). In Washington, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer confirmed the replication of the an entire set, publishing, “The scenery of the production is especially fine. It was painted by Tom Moses from photographs of the original scenery in the Lyceum theater, London” (The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 4 May 1895, page 6).

Advertisement for “Richard III” and “Faust,” both productions painted by Thomas G. Moses and his crew in 1895.

Moses painted the settings for another touring show managed by Jules Murray -“Said Pasha.” This show toured with “Amorita,” and featured the Calhoun Opera Company. The two productions traveled with “forty-five people and a carload of scenery” painted by Moses and his crew (Weekly Journal Miner, 20 March 1895, page 3).

Moses also designed and painted the scenery for the production of “Mistress Betty; or the Career of Betty Singleton.” This was a play by Clyde Fitch starring the Polish actress Helena Modjeska (Helene Modrzejewski) that was never really successful on tour. It retold the tragic tale of an eighteenth-century London actress who married and alcoholic and is driven mad by his preference for another woman. It opened on October 15 at the Garrick Theatre in New York before going out on tour. Over the years, Moses created the scenery for many of Mojeska’s productions as she took quite a liking to him.

Advertisement for Helena Modjeska in “Mistress Betty.” Buffalo Commercial (29 Oct 1895, page 9)

In addition to all of the touring shows and everything else going on at the Waverly during 1895, Moses designed and painted the settings for the world premiere of “The Mystery of Agnes Page” at the Schiller. It was an incredibly busy year for Moses. Miss Wainwright played the title role in this four-act production by A. E. Lancaster and Nathaniel Hartwig.

Marie Wainwright’s show painted by Thomas G. Moses. St. Louis Post Dispatch (19 April 1896, page 25 Moses)

Illustration of Mary Wainwright in “The Mystery of Agnes Page” Chicago Tribune (12 April 1896 page 42)

The Chicago Tribune advertised, “Special Scenery by Thos. G. Moses” for “The Mystery of Agnes Page” (5 April 1896, page 43). The painted settings depicted locations in both Virginia and New Orleans, La., “just prior to the rebellion.” The story hinges on the discovery that the heroine, Agnes Page, is of Ethiopian descent. She struggles with the decision of whether or not to reveal this secret to her lover as she is currently perceived as white. There are lots of surprises and twists in the plot as Agnes realizes her true parentage. The Inter Ocean reported, “The well-known scenic artist Thomas G. Moses has been employed during the past three weeks on the play” (5 April 1896, page 45). Another article noted, “The management is to be heartily praised for the admirable manner in which this new play was staged, the scenery being quite true to the South” (8 April 1896, page 7).

All of the above-mentioned productions advertised that Thomas Moses created the scenery. By 1895, his work was well known and included in advertisements to promote the productions.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 328 – Thomas G. Moses and “The Witch,” 1895

Part 328: Thomas G. Moses and “The Witch,” 1895

Gustave Frohman married Marie Hubert, an actress best known for her performance in “The Witch.” In 1895, Moses designed and painted the scenery for “The Witch” at the Schiller Theatre. Of the production he wrote, “I certainly injected plenty of local color, for it created some talk. One newspaper critic said, ‘Even the scene was imbued with witchcraft.’ It was during the days of witchcraft at Salem, Mass.”

Article from the Chicago Tribune (27 Nov. 1895, page 49). This advertisement made me giggle as I thought, “What better show to see as a Thanksgiving Matinee!

The Chicago Tribune announced that “The Witch” was a picturesque American play by Philip G. Hubert and Marie Madison (17 Nov 1895, page 42). It was a companion piece to the dramatization of the “Scarlet Letter,” performed in Chicago several years earlier by Richard Mansfield. The article continued, “it presents a series of striking pictures of the puritan, psalm-singing, preaching, praying, witch-burning life of Salem town in the early days.”

Here is the plot of ‘The Witch,” as published in the Chicago Tribune ” (19 Nov. 1895, page 5):

Walter Endicott, a Salem youth, while hunting in the forest stumbles upon a Roman Catholic chapel attended by a venerable priest; his gentle ward, Leontine, an abandoned child, fruit of an unblest union, whom he has destined for a nursery; and an Indian, Amooka, who loves Leontine. Walter falls in love with Leontine and the priest reluctantly unites them. Six months afterward Walter resolves upon a journey to Salem and on his way is secretly attacked by Amooka, who leaves him for dead, and when he is rescued and revived by strolling citizens of Salem he is arrested as a spy. In the role of the heroine, and to release the hero, Miss D’Arville dons the uniform of an American officer and enters the enemy’s camps as a deserter. Having grown considerably stouter Miss D’Arville’s uniform has its own difficulties in adjustment. The British General’s wife, Mrs. Grumm, overlooks and accepts the new arrival as a man. Being impressionable she falls victim to the supposed gallant’s fascinations. Accepted into the British forces, the General’s wife proceeds to get the recruit a uniform. Instead of donning it the heroine assumes the dress of a maid, and comes forward with the announcement: “How good it does feel to get back into women’s clothes and to be able to breathe without being afraid something will break?” Viewing her as a maid, the General himself becomes enamored, a proceeding which greatly amuses Mrs. Grumm. To further the joke she furnishes an evening gown to the supposed young man in which to attend the ball. In décolleté costume, which f course strengthens the verity of the situation, the fortunes of the heroine reach the close of the second act. In the third happiness is attained, the lover having been aided to escape, and Washington forwarded important papers to the heroine. In the maid’s dress and in her ball gown Miss D’Arville appeared in all her accustomed attractiveness, and proved herself in excellent voice.”

The review also noted, “Thomas G. Moses has painted five sets of scenery for ‘The Witch,” which together with special costumes and other accessories, will be taken direct to New York after the initial three weeks run at the Schiller.” The scenes of the five acts were: Father Ambrose’s mission; the commons in old Salem; the old Salem Prison; the old Salem Court House; and daybreak on Gallows Hill.

Advertisement for “The Witch,” painted by Thomas G. Moses in the Chicago Inter Ocean (1 Dec 1895, page 15).

While on tour, the Philadelphia Enquirer reported, “The beauty of the scenes of Gustave Frohman’s production of ‘The Witch,” its fidelity to historical data, while preserving every dramatic possibility, and the good acting of Marie Hubert and the company surrounding her, have made the production an artistic success, which it is a pleasure to chronicle” (1 Dec, 1895, page 18).

To be continued…

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Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar: Part 326 – Thomas G. Moses, Gustave Frohman, and the Schiller Theater

Part 326: Thomas G. Moses, Gustave Frohman, and the Schiller Theater

In 1895, Thomas G. Moses was the scenic artist for the Schiller Theater. He painted several productions for the German Opera House, and used the paint frames to create scenery for outside projects.

Photograph of the Schiller Theatre, ca. 1900. Notice the Masonic Temple in the distance with roof top garden. That venue also had scenery contracted by Sosman & Moses.

In 1895, Thomas G. Moses was the scenic artist for the Schiller Theater. He painted several productions for the German Opera House, and used the paint frames to create scenery for outside projects. In 1895, Thomas G. Moses was the scenic artist for the Schiller Theater. He painted several productions for the German Opera House, and used the paint frames to create scenery for outside projects.

The exterior of the German Opera House in the Schiller Building, referred to as the Schiller Theatre, had extensive decorative terra cotta work. This is an advertisement by the Northwestern Terra Cotta Co. depicting their work on the Schiller tower.

This was a common practice for many scenic artists at the time, as the theater where they worked became their studio. On March 24, the Chicago Tribune reported, “Thomas G. Moses, the scenic artist of the Schiller Theater, has recently finished a new drop curtain for the Schiller Theatre. In his judgment a subject embracing foliage and water is restful to the eye in the act intervals and a relief from the high colors and action of dramatic scenes, so he selected a forest scene upon the Bronx River, New York, with a rustic bridge in the foreground and a perspective showing the windings of the river stream. It will be placed in position tomorrow evening” (Chicago Tribune, 24 March 1895, page 36). The Inter Ocean added that the drop was “painted from a sketch taken on the Bronx River in New York. The locality is a lovely one and is a favorite sketching point for New York artists, and the scene represented has been made the subject of three drop curtains in the country” (23 March 1895, page 3). Rivers were his signature pieces and he would even write a poem called, “The Brook.”

The German Opera House that was first called the Schiller Theatre. It would later be renamed the Garrick Theatre as noted on the postcard.

Here is a brief description of the Schiller Theater to provide context as I continue to discuss his work there. It was in a 7-story building designed by Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler, of the firm Adler & Sullivan, for the German Opera Company. With a 1,400 seat house, it was originally funded by German investors, including Anton C. Hesting, a former “Illinois Staats-Zeitung” publisher. It was intended for German-language operas and social gatherings, but ceased emphasizing German cultural events after some of the original investors backed out. The second story arcade also boasted a series of terra cotta busts depicting prominent German figures.

Link to the Schiller Building drawings: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schiller_Building,_64_West_Randolph_Street,_Chicago,_Cook_County,_IL_HABS_ILL,16-CHIG,60-_(sheet_7_of_11).png

Link to the Schiller Building draftings: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schiller_Building,_64_West_Randolph_Street,_Chicago,_Cook_County,_IL_HABS_ILL,16-CHIG,60-_(sheet_7_of_11).png

The venue would later be known as the Dearborn Theater from 1898 to 1903, and finally the Garrick Theater. “Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide for 1885-1886” listed that the Schiller’s proscenium opening measured 28’-10” wide by 29’-8” high.

Page describing the Schiller Theatre in “Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide,” 1896.

Distance from the footlights to the back wall was 37’-7.” The measurement from the stage to the rigging loft was 76’-0” and there were nine bridges: the first was 15’-2” from the curtain line with the full length being 31’-9.” The depth under the stage was 16’-4.” There were 4 traps: two traps each 9’0” ft. on off center; one trap 6’-0” from the curtain line and a final trap 9’-0” ft. from the curtain line. The staff included G. E. Stephenson (electrician) and W. H. Bairstow (misspelled as “Bairston,”stage carpenter), Thomas G. Moses (scenic artist), Michael Coyne (prop man) and Ira La Motte (manager).

The only extant photograph of Gustave Frohman, taken by Raymond Patterson, Washington correspondent of the “Chicago Tribune.”

The Inter Ocean reported, “Gustave Frohman, through Ira J. La Motte, who will be resident manager of the Schiller Theatre after Aug 24, has expressed himself with respect to the policy which will govern that house in the future. The Schiller is to be made a purely dramatic house, playing the best combinations to be had, and probably at no very distant day supporting a stock company. It is Gustave Frohman’s intention, during the coming season, to make one or two productions by way of experiment, demonstrating at the same time his theory that actors should be engaged with respect to their personal fitness for certain parts, no less than in consideration of their reputation in a given line. The policy of the house will be opposed to Sunday night performances, and it is probable that the result will be a revival of the custom of presenting German plays by a local company on that night. During the six or seven months of his stay here last year, Gustave Frohman spent a large part of his time at the theaters and expresses great confidence in the future of the Schiller as a home of drama pure and simple” (15 August 1895, page 6).

Frohman and Moses were only two years apart in age and both entered the theatre business at the age of seventeen. Moses had a sibling who also found employment in the theatre – his sister, Illinois “Illlie” Moses. Frohman had two brothers who also led theatrical lives and formed the Frohman trio (Gustave, Charles and Daniel). In 1895 Gustave’s business alliance with his brothers was considered “the largest factors in the productive field” (Inter Ocean, 4 Aug. 1895, page 33).

All three rose to prominence in the industry as theatrical managers of numerous touring productions. Julius Cahn, of Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guides, was the Manager of the Charles Froman’s Booking Department at the Empire Theatre.

Advertisement for Charles Frohman’ Booking Department listing Julius Cahn as manager in the first issue of “Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide” 1896.

In the foreword to his theatrical guide, Cahn stated the “need of a complete and official Theatrical Guide that would give the managers of theaters throughout the country, the managers of traveling attractions and others closely interested in their affairs, a complete and exhaustive volume pertaining to the various braches of business, arranged in a concise and clear manner, so as to make it both valuable and available as a book reference” (Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide, 1896, page VII).

“Greeting” in first issue of “Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide” that notes the professional relationship between Julius Cahn and Charles Frohman.

Sadly, Charles was lost when the RMS Lusitania sank, but Daniel was still in working in the theatre at the time of Gustave’s death in 1930. Gustave retired from the profession in 1918.

The Frohmans are often credited with the originating the “road business” for complete theatre companies. Prior to this time, stock companies permanently resided in a city and supplemented hosted visiting theatrical stars. In other words, the “star” worked with local stock companies while touring from theater to theater. Managers discovered that taking an entire theatre company on tour was more economical that hiring a continuous line of costly “stars,” so the “star system” was gradually replaced with the “combination system.” Touring companies began their tour after spending the summer season in their home city. In 1895, Frohman had several touring productions that included “The Fatal Card,” “Mexico,” “The Wife,” “The New Boy,” “The New Dominion,” “Jane,” “The Lost Paradise,” “Sowing the Wind,” “The Girl I left Behind Me,” “The Colonel’s Wives,” and “The Witch.”

This was the secondary type of business venture entered into by Sosman & Landis with Hunt when they established their theatrical management firm Sosman, Landis & Hunt in the 1890s (see installment #304). The logistics were complex, but the endeavor could be very profitable.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 325 – Scenery for Edwin Milton Royle’s “Mexico”

Part 325: Scenery for Edwin Milton Royle’s “Mexico”

In 1895, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “We also did a fine production of ‘Mexico.” He painted the scenery on the frames of the Schiller Theatre and commented that a few years later it was re-named “Captain Impudence.”

Advertisement for “Captain Impudence,” 1897. The Times, (Philladelphia) 12 Sept 1897, page 14

Edwin Milton Royle in the production “Captain Impudence.” Fort Wayne News 9 Oct 1897, page 3

Edwin Milton Royle was both the playwright and the leading role for the production. Gustave Frohman inaugurated his management of the Schiller Theare presenting this new romantic drama (Inter Ocean, 1 September 1895, page 37). One review commented that “Mexico” was “a melodrama of the Walter Sanford School mounted like a London Lyceum production” (Chicago Tribune, 3 September 1895, page 12).

The production previewed in Cleveland, Ohio during August 1895. This provided time for the company to make the necessary changes to the staging and scenery before officially opening at the Schiller Theatre in Chicago. The Akron Beacon Journal reported “Thomas Moses, the famous scene painter of the Schiller Theater, Chicago, is working a large force of assistants day and night in order to deliver the scenery on time” (28 February 1895, page 4). Cleveland newspapers praised Moses’ settings for the production, reporting “Special and very beautiful scenery by Thomas G. Moses, of Chicago, was painted for the production” The scenes of the play were all set in Mexico, at Montery, Buena Vista, Saltillo, and Chapultepec, during the Mexican-American War (The Pittsburgh Press, 27 August 1895, page 5).

Illustration of a scene from “Mexico” published in the Chicago Tribune (1 Sept 1895, page 36).

The plot took place during the occupation by the American army from 1846-1848. It featured Royale and his wife Selena Fetter Royle in a convoluted loved story between Captain Willard Shield and Jovita Talamanca. The dramatic intrigue was accentuated with spectacular scenic effects in exciting war scenes. In almost every review, however, the scenery was highlighted as an incentive to see the production. The Chicago Tribune’s review reported, “The scenery is the best part of the production at present. The first act is laid in the plaza at Montery, just before daybreak; the second and third in the courtyard of the Mission Dolores – a really beautiful scene; and the last in the Mexican fortifications at Chapultepec. Thomas G. Moses deserves credit for this very excellent work.”

Moses’ scenic art was praised for he beautiful compositions and historical accuracy. The St. Paul Globe reported, “Thomas G. Moses, the Chicago artist, prepared the scenery for the production, and his models were drawn from special photographs and sketches secured in the City of Mexico and forwarded to him by Hon. Thomas T. Crittenden, consul general of the United States, who is a personal friend of Mr. Royle, and who took great interest in the production of his play. The valley of Mexico is said by travelers to be one of the most beautiful in the world, and with its vista of towering mountain peaks, naturally forms a rare setting for a story of love and war” (St. Paul Globe, 29 Sept. 1895, page 4).

Painting by Carl Nebel “Battle of Buena”

After Chicago, the production toured to the Metropolitan Opera House in St. Paul, Minnesota. The St. Paul Daily Globe commended Royle “for selecting such a fertile field and prolific period for his story…The period of the Mexican war is just far enough removed to obliterate all prejudices, while its deeds of bravery and brilliancy still illuminate the records of our martial achievements.” (St. Paul Daily Globe, 29 Sept. 1895, page 8). Royle played the hero, an American officer who falls in love with the heroine, a Mexican girl who has been detained as a prisoner within the American lines. Bannerman’s Military Museum in New York furnished a numberous artifacts from the Mexican-American War for use on the stage, such as swords, pistols and battle flags. That meant they were using real guns.

The St. Paul Globe article reported “The scenery for the production is especially magnificent, and was painted by Thomas G. Moses, the well-known Chicago artist, from accurate sketches taken in Mexico for the purpose. There is a storm scene in the play, introducing some startling and novel effects that arouse the enthusiasm of the audience” (2 September 1895, page 4).

By 1897, “Metropolitan Magazine” would comment on the name change, “Edwin Milton Royle’s play, formerly known under the title “Mexico,” but rechristened “Captain Impudence,” has been produced in New York with good results, at the American Theatre. The scene is laid in ‘Mexico’ and the incidents are military as well as highly dramatic” (March 1897, Vol. V, No. 2, page 170).

As I was looking for images from the production, I stumbled across another pyro-spectacle produced by Pain – The Mexican War’s “Siege of Vera Cruz” on Manhattan Beach. How appropriate to follow yesterday’s post. It really was all about the visual spectacle!

Poster for the “Siege of Vera Cruz” by the Pain Pyro-Spectacle Company for Manhattan Beach.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 324 – “The Storming of Vicksburg” Spectacle in the Jackson Park Amphitheater

Part 324: “Pain’s Storming of Vicksburg” Pyro-Spectacle and the Jackson Park Amphitheater

In 1895 Thomas G. Moses wrote, “The year opened good. So much so that I was obliged to get more room so I rented the old “Waverly” and put new frames back where the old ones were. They had all been torn out when Sosman & Landis gave up the lease, as it was only month to month, and that was the best I could get, as the building was owned by a Cincinnati man, and it was in the courts and had been for several years.” Moses was already using the paint frames at the Schiller theatre, so this was his second painting space. The Waverly space was the same one that Sosman & Landis rented for Moses and his crew in 1892 for all of their subcontracted work. It measured 93 feet wide by 210 feet long and 40 feet high with four paint frames and plenty of floor space (for more information about the Waverly, see installment #244).

Moses’ recorded that the first project in the Waverly studio was scenery for an outdoor show called the “Siege of Vicksburg.” He wrote, “it proved to be an artistic success only.” I believe that the show Moses referred to was actually Pain’s “Storming of Vicksburg” that was performed in the amphitheater at Jackson Park.

Advertisement for Pain’s Storming of Vicksburg in Jackson Park, from the Chicago Tribune (23 June 1895, page 36). Thomas G. Moses created scenery for this production.

The Inter Ocean reported that the “Grand Historical Spectacle Arranged by Pain,” was selected to mark the Pain’s return to Chicago (Inter Ocean 23 June 1895, page 9). His company was the Pain Pyro-Spectacle Company of London and New York.

A photograph of another production created by the Pain Pyro-Spectacle Company – Last Days of Pompeii. Published in the Street Railway Journal (May 1896, page 317).

A photograph of another production created by the Pain Pyro-Spectacle Company – Carnival of Venice. Published in the Street Railway Journal (May 1896, page 317).

The Jackson Park amphitheater was massive and sat 12,000 people; reserved chairs were seventy-five cents and box seats a dollar for the “Storming of Vicksburg.” 100 arc lights illuminated the space every evening for the show that started at 8PM. Advertisements promised “Gigantic, thrilling, and beautifully pyro-spectacular military production.” The show was listed in the Chicago Tribune as a “Grand Revival of the Glorious World’s Fair Midsummer Night Fete” and included “600 people on the monster stage” with “12 acres of massive scenery” (23 June 1895, page 36). Other newspapers reported that 800 people were involved in the production.

Advertisement from the Chicago Tribune (23 June 1895, page 36). Thomas G. Moses recorded that he painted the scenery for this production.

The spectacle depicted the siege and final surrender of the Southern stronghold on the Mississippi. It opened with “a presentation of Southern life in slavery days” that included the performance of songs and dances by a “colored chorus of 100 jubilee singers” (Inter Ocean, 23 June 1895, page 9). After this musical opening, the battle began along the banks of a constructed river, measuring 350 feet long and 100 feet wide. A gun was fired, followed by the capture and execution of a Union spy. Then there is the arrival of war vessel, that include Farragut’s gunboats, Porter’s fleet of mortars, and the rebel ram “Arkansas.” Grant’s land forces enter the scene and the batteries open up for fire. After twenty minutes of intense battle, Vicksburg bursts into flames and Pemberton surrenders.

At the close of every performance, there was a display of fireworks. This was common a common finale by every spectacle created by Pain Pyro-Spectacle Company. Newspapers reported that $1,000 was spent on the fireworks display nightly.

On July 4, 1895, an Inter Ocean article provided a little more information about the fireworks display, commenting that the day marked the thirty-second anniversary of the fall of Vicksburg (page 6).

Below is a section of the article that described the fireworks display in great detail. I was astounded at the numerous descriptions and names.

“The pyrotechnical programme arranged for this performance will rival many of the grand displays seen by Chicagoans at the World’s Fair, some of the features of which are as follows: Salute of maroon or aerial cannons, fired from iron mortars and exploding at a great altitude with a tremendous report. Magical prismatic illumination with lights of intense brilliancy, which change color repeatedly and finally blend with pleasing effect. Flight of monster balloons, carrying the most powerful magnesium lights and tri-colored fires, discharging, when at a great height, batteries of Roman candles, showers of golden rain, and superb jewel showers. Sunflower wheel, thirty feet in circumference. Flight of rayonet tourbillions, revolving oriental wheels. Flight of large shells, forming jeweled clouds, studded with gems of every hue. Celestial stars – rayonet fires marooned. The aerial acre of variegated gems. Nests of writhing silver snakes. Flight of twenty-three-ball concrete rockets, exhibiting the rarest tints, peacock plumes, silver streamers, triple parachutes, etc., etc. Twin fiery dragons, flying to and fro and performing most amusing evolutions. Salvos of gigantic bombs, forming a golden cloud, studded with jewels. Great silver fire wheels, with intersecting centers, forming a chromothrope. Display of mammoth shells, twenty-four inches in circumference, displaying at an immense altitude showers of rubies, sapphires, laburnum blossoms. Flight of rockets with peacock plumes. Aladdin’s jeweled tree, with blossoms of every hue, terminating in a fairy fountain. Swarms of wild snakes. Fireworks portrait of George Washington. Flight of infant parachutes. The monkey gymnast, an amusing piece of pyrotechnic mechanism. Aerial bouquet, produced by the flight of asteroid rockets. Salvo of aerial saucissions, filling a space in the air with wonderfully brilliant fires of grotesque form. The Kalediescope, with intersecting centers, cutting a silver spray with colored fires, the whole concluding with a revolving sun, 150 feet in circumference. Discharge of monster aerial wagglers. Parisian novelties – rockets with silver threads. Salvo of thirty-inch bombs – prismatic torrent and silver clouds. Groves of jeweled palms. Finale, grand flight of 1,000 larger colored rockets fired simultaneously, producing a grand and magnificent aerial bouquet.”

For the July 4, 1895, performance, the Jackson Park amphitheater was packed with 12,000 people. An additional 5,000 people were turned away from the packed venue. Wow! I could not get over the fireworks descriptions and marveled at the complexity of the pyrotechnics program. Who could afford to fund this endeavor?

“The Storming of Vicksburg” was produced by the Coliseum Gardens Amusement Company, in conjunction with the Pain Pyro-Spectacle Company, or London and New York. The local company was composed of the principal stockholders in the Chicago Exhibition Company, which built the big coliseum on the old Buffalo Bill “Wild West” lot on Sixty-Third Street. Past productions by Pain included “Last Days of Pompeii,” “A Night in Pekin,” “The Siege of Sebastopol,” “Capture of Vera Cruz,” “Carnival of Venice,” “Paris from Empire to Republic,” and “Japan and China.”

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 323: Thomas G. Moses and “Little Robinson Crusoe” at the Schiller Theatre

Part 323: Thomas G. Moses and “Little Robinson Crusoe” at the Schiller Theatre

Illustration in the Chicago Tribune (9 June 1895, page 38)

In April of 1895 Thomas G. Moses designed and painted scenery for “Little Robinson Crusoe” at the Schiller Theatre in Chicago. The musical burlesque was for Thomas W. Prior and intended as their summer attraction. Moses wrote, “We had a great opportunity and I am pleased that we took advantage of it… We introduced some very good effects.” The “we” was Moses and Walter Burridge. The Indianapolis Journal reported “The scenic environment of the play is all from the brushes of two natives of the United States, and well-known scenic artists, Thomas G. Moses and Walter Burridge” (1 Sept. 1895, page 10).

Advertisement for “Little Robinson Crusoe,” Chicago Tribune, 23 June 1895, page 36.

A review of the production was published in the “Amusements” section of the “Inter Ocean” (2 June 1895, page 37). It noted that Prior had obtained the libretto from Harry B. Smith, a Chicago writer.

Harry B. Smith with his son Sidney in 1892. Smith would later write the book and lyrics for “Little Nemo” in 1909.

For the show, W. H. Batchelor wrote much of the music. The review noted that he had “furnished some clever compositions for local productions during the past few years.” Gustave Luders, the musical director at the Schiller, was also contributed a musical piece – the “cannibal chorus, with accompaniment of native instruments.” Costumes for the production were designed “Mr. Denslow,” who was reported to be a “newspaper artist.” The review also included a detailed description of the scenery and that it had been “painted upon the frame of the Schiller by Thomas Moses, the artist of the house.” Moses had left Sosman & Landis and was striking out on his own again, with much success.

Review of “Little Robinson Crusoe” with scenery by Thomas G. Moses. From the Chicago “Inter Ocean” (2 June 1895, page 37).

Here is a portion of the Inter Ocean review, as I found it absolutely fascinating:

“The action of “Little Robinson Crusoe” arises in the English seaport town of Hull, arranged very much up to date, the scene including a fashionable summer hotel, a view of the beach and ocean, and groups of summer boarders about, among them girls in fancy costumes, a la ‘Daily Hints from Paris;” dudes in white flannel suits, and the girls, of course, in stunning gowns, splendidly and beautifully arrayed. An odd idea of Smith’s has been to introduce in this ultra-fashionable scene, in the full beauty of a glorious summer day, a pawnbroker’s shop and auction-room, kept by one Hockstein, over whose door is painted “Philanthropist,” with the sign of the three golden balls. Precisely why Hockstein’s pawn shop should be so close to the fashionable summer boarding house is explained in the story by the suggestion that the mammas, the girls, and the dudes are all so likely to get flat broke, and they need Hockstein’s kindly services not only to pay their board bills to the landlady of the Anti-Fat Hotel, but to get home again.

The second act opens on the deck of a modern war vessel of the first-class battleship, with its polished cannon and general nautical equipment. This action of the third act is laid in Robinson Island, with its strong contrast to the fashionable dresses of the summer watering place of today, created by native costumes, tropical foliage, etc. The piece concludes with an elaborate and entirely original transformation scene, designed by Thomas G. Moses, the artist of the house, and his assistants, which represents a vision under the sea in transition effects, from the bed of the ocean up through the homes of the funny tribes, culminating in a brilliant and opalescent picture of beauty.”

The article also reported “the scenic features which will be made specially attractive, are the sea beach scene in the first act, the deck of the ship ‘Adventure.’ With tableau of the wreck, Robinson’s home in the Valley of Palms upon the South Sea Island, a rocky coast and the raft scene, and the Grand transformation, a vision ‘neath the ocean..” The Chicago Tribune reported that Manager Thomas W. Prior “has given Thomas G. Moses carte blanch for the scenery” (9 June 1895, page 38)

Moses recalled that Eddie Foy, Marie Dressler, and Adele Farrington were in the cast. Foy played Dare-Devil William, an amateur pirate. Marie Dressler played Ophelia Crusoe, Robinson’s aunt who had romantic admiration for pirates. Adele Farrington played Robinson Crusoe, Captain of the H. M. Marines. One thing that I have noticed over the years is that Moses typically did not include the names of many performers, and I was surprised to see the names of three actors attached to one production. I was curious to learn about Foy, Dressler and Farrington, the three who warranted comment in Moses’ typed manuscript.

Eddie Foy pictured in “Little Robinson Crusoe,” Chicago Tribune, 23 June 1895, page 36.

Eddie Foy was born Edwin Fitzgerald in New York City in 1856. Foy’s father joined the Union Army in 1862, where he soon died of syphilis. By 1863 his mother moved their family to Chicago where Foy found work as both a newsboy and bootblack to help support the family. The Foy home was destroyed during the great fire of 1871 and Eddie sought work as an entertainer, working with a variety of partners and touring the country. In addition to acting, Foy incorporated singing, dancing, clogging, blackface, acrobatics, and impressions into his acts. By the 1890s, Foy starred in a series of large-scale musical spectacles for the Chicago-based producer David Henderson based on popular tales, such as Bluebeard Jr. (1889), Sinbad,(1891), and Ali Baba (1892). The 1896 show Little Robinson Crusoe. It was in Little Robinson Crusoe where he paired with Marie Dressler.

Marie Dressler pictured in “Little Robinson Crusoe,” Chicago Tribune, 23 June 1895, page 36.

Marie Dressler. Actress, opera singer and author of autobiography, “Confessions of an Ugly Duckling”

Dressler was born Leile Koerber in Cobourg, Canada in 1869. When she was 14, she joined a traveling stock company, bringing along her sister to not only function as her chaperone, but also play a few small roles. She later joined the chorus of an opera company. In an unbelievable turn of events, she ended up playing the role of Katisha in “The Mikado” after the lead actress sprained her ankle and the understudy was unprepared. Her success led to a series of other roles, and soon she was supporting her family with the proceeds from her career. Interestingly, the title of Dressler’s autobiography is Confessions of an Ugly Duckling. Despite her success as a singer and actress, she gravitated toward character roles for comedy.

Adele Farrington depicted in “Little Robinson Crusoe.” Chicago Tribune, 16 June 1895, page 36

Adele Farrington (1867-1936) was born in Brooklyn and started her career in musical comedy, touring the vaudeville circuit with Dressler. Later she was featured in stock companies. At the age of 47, she became a film actress and appeared in seventy-four films between 1914 and 1926. Her husband was Hobart Bosworth, actor and film director. Unfortunately, the marriage didn’t last as he left her for a younger woman and started a family in 1920.

Moses also wrote about one scene in the production, “Our big storm at sea was so realistic the audience was terrified and after the first show we had to modify it.” Two months later, the “Inter Ocean” confirmed this change in an article from the Amusements section. It reported, “The ship-sinking scene, in which Eddie Foy (Daredevil Willie) and Marie Dressler (Ophelia Crusoe), both clinging to the highest bulwarks of the old-fashioned three-decker ship, the Adventure, are submerged beneath the waves. This is quite a vivid stage picture, and so admirably executed that it really partakes of the sensational and surprises the audience” (4 Aug. 1895, page 33).

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 312 – African-American Scenic Artists

The tragedy at the New Lyceum Theatre when the paint bridge collapsed was published all across the country. The Times Herald reported about the “accident of four scenic artists and their assistants” (Port Huron, Michigan, 5 December 1894, page 3). The details of the article described, “Seven men, four white and three colored assistants, were hurled through a crashing scaffold and fell forty feet to the floor of the new Lyceum theatre.” All were part of the paint crew hired by Thomas G. Moses for this specific project.

Article describing the paint bridge collapse that injured Thomas G. Moses’ paint crew at the New Lyceum Theatre during December 1894. From “Rock Island Arous and Daily Union” (5 Dec 1894, page 1).

As I re-read “three colored assistants,” my mind flashed back to a blog comment from last month. A gentleman brought to my attention the scenic art career of an African-American during the 1870s. I was surprised, but not shocked, as studios didn’t always advertise hiring people of color or women. However, I was thrilled to have another name for my database and tucked away this little bit of information for further research. However, his story allowed me to read “three colored assistants” in a much different light and ponder if they were simply helpers or artists in their own right. I looked at the 1894 newspaper article with a different perspective than I would have a year ago, knowing that an African-American had been publicly acknowledged as a scenic artist two decades earlier.

Were the three assistants for the New Lyceum Theatre local hires? If so, some could argue that they were ready labor to help on site. The answer is “no.” One of the three gentlemen was from Chicago – Horace Posey. Posey was likely on Moses’ staff at the Sosman & Landis annex studio. He suffered both a broken arm and sprained ankle when the bridge collapsed. The other two gentlemen were from Memphis – A. E. Wells and John Wiley. Wells (also spelled as Well or Weil in some newspaper articles) broke his leg during the accident and Wiley suffered a sprained ankle. Wiley was the luckiest one of the entire paint crew.

The use of “colored assistant” to describe these three men suggests that they might be paint boys for the project, also termed “pot boys.” Pot boys filled the artists’ pots of color on their palettes. They also made one-fifths of a scenic artists wages. Regardless of the word, pot boys had a very important job in preparing both the pigment and binder. They may have also been artists in their own right who were painting sections for the journeymen. The one thing to keep in mind is that there is no way Moses would have had anyone on that paint bridge who was not qualified or hard working. He expected perfection. All of Moses’ writing suggests that he demanded speed and quality; not just from himself, but from all those on his staff as well. It is highly unlikely that these “assistants” were inexperienced or randomly selected. They, like all of his staff would be paid a weekly salary.

Finding information about African-American scenic artists in print during the nineteenth century is just about as difficult as locating women scenic artists from that same time; these three gentlemen have been left out of theater history. I thought back to graduate school and recalled studying African-American stereotypes and characters, but not African-American theatre practitioners beyond playwrights, directors and performers.

While painstakingly looking for any crumb of evidence that suggested these three gentlemen had a scenic art career in the public eye, I stumbled across another name – Jas. W. Bell.

Bell was purported to be “the only colored scenic artist in the country” in 1892. Well, that was wrong. The St. Louis Dispatch included an article titled, “Negro Demonstration” (10 May, page 2). The article reported “The ‘day of prayer’ set apart by the colored people of the United States, May 31. will be followed by a race demonstration by the Square League. This demonstration will be given at the Exposition Building at some date between June 1 and 15. It will embrace a discourse on ‘The Great Iniquity,’ by Geo. Vashon; with tableaux illustrative of the cause by Jas. W. Bell, the only colored scenic artist in the country.” That was like Grace Wisaahr, a decade later being the “only woman scenic artist in the country.” Nice tag line, but incorrect.

Article about Jas. W. Bell, reported as the “first colored scenic artist in the country” in 1892. From “St. Louis Dispatch” (May 10 1892 page 2).

I believe that there were many more African-American scenic artists. One just doesn’t pop up out of nowhere with the skills to paint scenery and survive on the profession. The problem is that we just haven’t included them in theatre history – yet. Tomorrow, we’ll look at an African-American scenic artist who predated Bell by more than two decades – Solomon E. White.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar: Part 311: A “Jonah” of a Job

Thomas G. Moses encountered a series of misfortunes while working at the New Lyceum Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee. Moses wrote, “The job proved to be a ‘Jonah.’ This was a long-established expression among sailors, specifying a particular individual whose presence on board brought bad luck or endangered the ship. Later the meaning was extended to being someone or something that carried a jinx that brought bad luck to an enterprise. Possibly a common phrase in the Moses Household, since his father Lucius Moses, was once a sea captain.

The greatest loss at the New Lyceum Theatre, however, was the death of Moses’ stage carpenter, Joseph Wikoff. Moses wrote, “the bridge broke and poor Wikoff was so badly hurt that he died a few weeks after the accident. Some of the other boys were hurt, but all recovered.”

Newspapers reported that the paint bridge broke at the New Lyceum theatre on December 5, 1894, due to “defective timber in the frame work.” This was after the Dec. 3 dedication of the Theatre by Otis Skinner. The project wasn’t completed for the opening and Moses’ entire staff was still a work two days after the official opening. One article titled “Fell Forty Feet” described the “accident of four scenic artists and their assistants” (Times Herald, Port Huron, Michigan, 5 1894, page 3). The injured listed as scenic artists Al Morris, John Vorhees, Charles Wallace; assistants A. E. Well, John Wiley, Horace Posey; and stage carpenter Joseph Wikuft. Some of the articles further misspelled as Wikuft’s name as “Wipupt.” Whether Wikuft or Wipupt, the stage carpenter was who Moses referred to as “Wikoff” in his typed manuscript.

Wikoff was mentioned earlier by Moses in 1890. That year, Sosman & Landis sent Wikoff with Ed Loitz ahead of Moses to Ogden, Utah (see installement #232). Wikoff and Loitz would go ahead to prepare the theatre so that Moses’ could start painting immediately on his arrival. Moses enjoyed the elevated position of not having to do any of the ready work for any venue by that time. Sosman & Landis had the onsite work down to a science and I have to wonder of some installations were compleed on site because their studio was booked with work.

Beyond that singular reference to Wickoff little is known of this stage carpenter who so tragically died in Memphis I think that part of it is due to the various misspellings of his last name. I also doubt that Moses used the correct spelling, as he often spelled names, places and events phonetically. Like me, Moses had a great weakness when it came to spelling, and would often create his own version of a particular word. He could spell the same word three different ways over the course of a single year.
Then there are the standard typos in print as I think of Julius Cahn’s Theatrical Guide as Sosman & Landis was spelled various ways by the theatre managers submitting information for the publication. Sosman & Landis became Susman & Landes, Sussman & Landis, Sosman & Landus, and Sosman & Lambas, and. It makes research a tad complicated.

To be continued…

Here are a few images of paint frames at the end of the twentieth century to understand this substantial collapse.

Photograph of Grace Wishaar on paint frame ca. 1902.

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 308 – Back to 1894

Back to 1894

During the summer of 1894, Thomas G. Moses painted a number of small shows. The work kept the annex studio open, despite the decline in projects after the close of the Columbian Exposition. He wrote that the annex staff was needed to “get the work out on time” and fall engagements included productions of “Athenia” and “School for Scandal.” Moses was working for the manager Leonard Wales and the actress Julia Marlowe.

“Athenia” was written by John O’Keefe and composed by Leonard Wales. It opened at McVicker’s Theater in Chicago on September 10, 1894, and played for three weeks. The Chicago Inter Ocean reported that for this production “splendid scenic equipment has been provided” (9 Sept. 1894, page 29). C. D. Marius was the stage director with Adolph Liesegang as the musical director. The show was managed by W. H. Fitzgerald and was well received by the Press. Interestingly, the Wales Opera Company of fifty-three people sang “Athenia” when it played at the Masonic Temple in Fort Wayne (Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette 20 Oct. 1894, page 3).

The story of “Athenia” depicted the adventures of Alchibiades Gunn, a representative from Uta-in-Macedonia. It was a satire on the United States Senate. Something we need now. The played opened with senators grouped in the Peristyle of the Athenian Senate.

Peristyle Gate at the Columbian Exposition in 1893.

Sidenote as I am contemplative today: Peristyle is a row of columns surrounding a space, such as a garden or court. It was also a familiar composition for the Sosman & Landis scenic artists when painting Masonic scenery. At the Columbian Exposition it was an architectural landmark – the Peristyle Gate.

Peristyle design for the Yankton Scottish Rite by Sosman & Landis Studio.

Peristyle design in the Holak Collection at the University of Minnesota’s Performing Arts Archives. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, 2017.

I use “peristyle” quite frequently when writing scenery evaluations and condition reports that include a degree description. It is a word flagged by spellcheck on my computer every time as it is no longer a common term. “Epistyle” or “per style” is always recommended to replace the word “peristyle.” For the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry’s 18^th degree, it denoted a row of columns overlooking a picturesque landscape. This would be the INRI (Infifnity, Nature, Reason and Immortality) translucency at the top of a colonnade.

Peristyle design for the Wichita Scottish Rite by Sosman & Landis Studio.

Peristyle design for the Tucson Scottish Rite by Sosman & Landis Studio.

I am including a few pictures of the Peristyle Gate from the Columbian Exposition and the later “Peristyle” design designated by Sosman & Landis Studio. I just find it interesting, but I digress.

Peristyle design for the Winona Scottish Rite by Sosman & Landis Studio.

Peristyle design for the Grand Forks Scottish Rite by Sosman & Landis Studio.

Peristyle design for the Salina Scottish Rite by Sosman & Landis Studio.

Another show that Moses was working on during the summer of 1894 was Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s “School for Scandal,” starring Julia Marlow (1866-1950). Marlowe was an English-born American actress known for her Shakespearean roles. However, she introduced to add a few contemporary pieces to her repertoire, soon performing on Broadway by 1895. In “The School for Scandal,” Marlowe played Lady Teazle in her revival of the production (Inter Ocean, 18 Nov. 1894, page 33).

Julia Marlowe as Lady Teazle in “The School for Scandal,” 1894.

Advertisement for Julia Marlowe’s “The School for Scandal,” painted by Thomas G. Moses in 1894.

The show opened at the Metropolitan Opera House during September 1894 (Star Tribune, 26 Sept. 1894, page 5). She was supported by Robert Taylor and under the management of Fred Stinson.

In Chicago, it played for three weeks at McVicker’s Theatre. As on tour, it played in rep with “Twelfth Night,” “As You Like It,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “Belle’s Stratagem,” “Chatterton” and “Ingomar” (Chicago Tribune 14 Nov. 1894, page 8). Not all of the productions were created by Moses or received rave reviews. The Chicago Tribune panned the scenery for “Twelfth Night,” stating, “Any person in the audience with the slightest taste and knowledge of stage propriety could get up a more artistic setting with three or four discarded dry goods boxes covered with half a dozen second-hand curtains” (Chicago Tribune , 15 Nov. 1894, page 8). Ouch. I have to wonder who was responsible for the construction of the “Twelfth Night” set.

Although little is recorded of the scenic elements produced by Moses for Marlowe or Wales, I once again ponder, “Who didn’t he know? Who didn’t he work for?” Joe Jefferson, John Cort, Helena Modjeska, William Haworth, Buffalo Bill Cody…the list of those who Moses knew goes on and on. I am astounded at the people he encountered throughout his career. Was he the best artist? No. But he kept a record, and sometimes, just sometimes, that leaves a much larger legacy than anyone can ever anticipate.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 307 – Start Spreading the News, I’m Leaving Today

Start Spreading the News, I’m Leaving Today

Thomas G. Moses traveled to New York while working for David H. Hunt in 1894. The touring show was a production that replicated parts of the Midway Plaisance from the Columbian Exposition. In New York Moses met up with the actor and producer William Haworth (1860-1920). Haworth needed a scenic artist to design and paint the scenery for his new production “On the Mississippi.” Two years earlier, Moses, A. J. Rupert, Harry Vincent and Frank Peyraud had all worked together to create the settings for Haworth’s production “A Flag of Truce.” Moses was a well know commodity to Haworth. He closed the contract for $3,000, today’s equivalent of $83,000.

Poster for “On the Mississippi” by William Haworth, 1894-1895.

This was NOT a job secured through Sosman & Landis. Moses wrote that on his return to Chicago, he leased the frames at the Schiller Theatre where he immediately went to work on the project. The show later opened at the People’s Theatre on February 4, 1895, in New York and immediately went on tour across the country. “On the Mississippi” was advertised with ”a wonderful panorama of gorgeous spectacular effects” (Quad City Times, 27, Dec 1895, Page 1).

Advertisement for William Haworth’s “On the Mississippi,” painted by Thomas G. Moses in 1894.

It was another perfect opportunity for Moses to paint what he did best – landscapes. The production was set in the Walden Mountains of Tennessee. The action took place during the “villainous Reconstruction” period after the Civil War. The plot involved the Ku-Klux Klan and their attempts to execute an innocent man. Haworth played the leading role.

During this same time, Moses made another contract with Thomas Prior in Chicago. Prior was now the manager of the Schiller theatre. He offered Moses the position of scenic artist at his theatre to paint the weekly opera sets for $50.00 per week, the equivalent of approximately $1400. This was in addition to working for Sosman & Landis and painting the Haworth scenery. Prior had worked for Dr. F. Ziegfeld as the assistant manager of the Trocadero, before the venue promoted vaudeville acts and Ziegfeld Jr. took over. Prior was familiar with Moses and his painting from when he created scenery for the Trocadero.

Postcard of the Schiller Theatre in Chicago. Moses worked as scenic artist there starting in 1894.

Illustration of the Schiller Theatre in Chicago.

Architectural detail from the Schiller Theatre in Chicago.

Seating chart for the Schiller Theatre, later known as the Dearborn Theatre and Garrick Theatre, in Chicago.

Interior of the Schiller Theatre in Chicago.

The Schiller Theatre was in a 17-story building that opened in 1892. It was originally funded by German investors to be used for German-language operas and cultural events. The building was designed by Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler of the firm Adler & Sullivan for the German Opera Company and had a 1,300 seat house. It was briefly known as the Dearborn Theater from 1898 to 1903, until finally settling on the name Garrick Theater. The building was demolished in 1960 and replaced with a parking structure.

Photographs of the Schiller Theatre during demolition in 1960.Link to image: http://flavorwire.com/340210/fascinating-vintage-photos-of-beautiful-buildings-being-demolished/2

And this was the turning point for everything. Moses wrote “Sosman and Landis did not think I had given them a square deal. They thought that I had made so much money during the summer that I didn’t care to do any more contracts. To show me they were game, they gave me a contract for $1,500.00 to fit up the Masonic Temple Roof Garden. They didn’t want to let me go entirely. I pleased them on this work.”

One of the electric scenic theaters created by Thomas G. Moses in 1894 for the Masonic Temple Roof Top Garden space.

So, Moses was drumming up enough business for himself that he was now competition for Sosman & Landis. He was an expensive employee, but they need to keep him close so they offered the two electric scenic theatres that would grace the top of the Masonic Temple on Randolph and State Streets (see past installment # 264).

Each electric scenic theater was designed with a seating capacity of 75. The first theatre replicated the Columbian Exposition’s “Court of Honor” as viewed from the agricultural building, looking northwest. The second theatre featured “A Day in the Alps” from the Columbian Exposition’s Midway Plaisance, presenting an alpine scene that transformed from dawn to dusk. Moses used the Academy of Music’s paint frames to create another “Day in the Alps” show (for more information on this production, see installments # 262-265).

Regardless of the Masonic roof top scenery offer, Moses was getting restless. Some of it was financially based, as he knew of potential profits just out of his reach. Until this point, he was working for Sosman & Landis, but also received much of their subcontracted work such as the Temple roof theaters. I think the creation of the west side studio, or Sosman & Landis annex studio, was to kill two birds with one stone.

The first was to ensure that Moses remained associated with Soman & Landis; having all work funnel through them. This prevented Moses from becoming even further competition. He worked only so many days on Sosman & Landis projects each week. The remainder of his time was spent on subcontracted projects in the annex studio or elsewhere. I believe that Moses began to realize this situation was much more beneficial to Sosman & Landis than himself. He would leave the studio by the end of 1894 and strike out on his own – again.

To be continued…

On a separate (and artistic) note:

The front curtain created for the Schiller Theatre used a unique design that I have only encountered for Scottish Rite theatre’s under Thomas G. Moses’ supervision as head of the paint studio. It used decorative slits, such as those still hanging at the Tucson and Grand Forks Scottish Rite Theaters, as well as the one remaining at the City of Winona’s Masonic Theatre.