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When Western Scenery Co. made an appearance in Lincoln, Nebraska, during 1911, the “Lincoln Herald” reported,  “In the past 10 years the subject of scenery painting has attracted the attention of the most skillful painters in the world. The demand is for a much higher grade of artistic painting especially in localities where artwork is appreciated. Lincoln is fortunate in having Western Scenery Co., formerly of Chicago, located here, at 2042 O Street under the management of Mr. C. L. Dodson” (March 3, 1911).

A year earlier, the business directory section of the “New York Dramatic Mirror” listed ten scenic studios: H. P. Knight Scenic Studios (New York), Sosman & Landis Great Scene Painting Studio (Chicago), M. Armbruster & Sons (Columbus), Ormston Scenic Construction Co. (New York), the O. H. Story Scenic Co. (Boston), Inc., P. Dodd Ackerman Scenic Studio (New York), Schell’s Scenic Studio (Columbus, Ohio), the Myer’s Company, Inc., Scenic Studio (Steubenville, Ohio), Howard Tuttle (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), H. Fredericks (New York), and the C. Wash. Valentine Scenic Studios (Brooklyn, NY). Individual advertisements included Edward Fourneir (Minneapolis, MN), W. H. McConnell (Minneapolis), and H. Maurice Tuttle (Milwaukee).

There were many other scenic studios at the time not listed in the “New York Dramatic Mirror,” such as Toomey & Volland, Lee Lash, and New York Studios.  Keep in mind that by 1910, Sosman & Landis studio was celebrating three decades of business, having installed stock scenery collections in thousands of theaters nationwide. During the period from 1880 to 1894 alone, they had delivered stock scenery collections to 4000 theaters nationwide.

Although scenic art production was nearing its peak in the United States, change was in the air. The same year that the Sosman & Landis shops were manufacturing hundreds of painted scenes in Chicago, a new type of drop curtain arrived at the Blackstone Theatre. One January 13, 1911, the “Fremont Tribune” of Fremont, Kansas, reported, “The new Blackstone theater in Chicago possesses the finest stage curtain in the United States, if not the world. It is a solid piece of imported tapestry and cost $15,ooo without including the duty” (page 5). $15,000 in 1911 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $404, 436.32 in 2019. The article continued, “There are only two other theaters in the world that have curtains of the same kind, and neither of these, it is said, is a fine a piece of work as Blackstone’s. One of these curtains is at Milan [Italy] and the other in [Moscow] Russia. No Paris playhouse has such a curtain, and there is none in England. The curtain was woven especially at Aubusson, near Paris. It is the largest single piece of tapestry ever imported into this country, measuring 30 ½ by 42 feet.”

The work began in the studio of M. Lemaille in Montmartre, Paris, two years prior to delivery. From a small cartoon, a full sign-painting was created for the tapestry artisans. The actual weaving did not commence until June 1910 at Aubusson. The tapestry was a partial reproduction of a famous tapestry owned by Napoleon that depicted a group of young people dancing on the green in the time of Louis XII.

The April 1911 publication of “Fine Arts Journal” included the article “A $15,000 Tapestry Drop Curtain” (Vol. 24, No. 4, pp.280-281). The Blackstone Theatre was credited as being “the most modern and the handsomest playhouse in America,” erected by Chicago businessmen at a cost of $500,000 in Hubbard Place between Michigan Boulevard and Wabash Avenue and adjoining the Blackstone Hotel. Charles Frohman, Klaw and Erlanger were the lessees with Harry J. Power as manager and Augustus Pitou, Jr. as business manager.

It was William J. Sinclair, director of the Hasselgren Studios, who conceived the idea of having a drop curtain of tapestry. Hasselgren Studios was a furniture company and celebrated interior-decorating firm that operated between 1911 and 1937 in Chicago. The firm was famous for their fine art work in mansions, hired for decorating. The artistic staff included scenic artists who painted ceiling murals on canvas that were shipped and hung in distant locales. They were also well known for their Oriental rugs, too, many of which were woven in Persia and would take years to complete.  (Quad City Times, 24 May 1953, page 4). The company went bankrupt in the 1920s, with much of the stock being sold to John A. Colby and Sons. The order for the Tapestry drop curtain was placed over two years before delivery and necessitated a full-sized “cartoon” for the design.  The piece was completed only a month before its arrival in the United States and the duty was noted as “a small fortune.”

What should be contemplated after thinking of this substantial purchase is the significance of the proscenium opening. Although the auditorium was ornately decorated with Ivory, dull gold and green, the “Fine Arts Journal” explained that the color scheme was “specifically designed to harmonize with and display the beautiful tapestry drop curtain.” As in many cases with previously painted drops curtains, the entire auditorium functioned as a frame for the artwork hanging in the proscenium.  The architectural elements were simply supportive to whatever was suspended in the focal point of the auditorium – the proscenium.

To be continued…

In 1911, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “I did a good curtain for Lincoln, Nebr.” As I started combing through newspaper records for a drop curtains in Lincoln mentioned during 1911, I came across several interesting articles, including one drop curtain for Leavenworth prison. It is difficult to verify Moses’ work without a secondary source, such as a newspaper clipping, so I am uncertain the exact nature of his project. I often feel that I am grasping at straws in the dark, until a little gem pops up out of nowhere. 

Fortunately, while looking in Lincoln newspapers for information, one article came to my attention. It was published in  “The Lincoln Herald” on March 3, 1911, and brought a new scenic studio to my attention. The headline of the article was “Western Scenery Co. C. L. Dodson, Manager. ” Here is the article in its entirety:

“In the past 10 years the subject of scenery painting has attracted the attention of the most skillful painters in the world. The demand is for a much higher grade of artistic painting especially in localities where artwork is appreciated. Lincoln is fortunate in having Western Scenery Co., formerly of Chicago, located here, at 2042 O Street under the management of Mr. C. L. Dodson.

It is the purpose of this company to make a specialty of scenery and curtains for theatres by the most approved and up to date methods, They receive many inquiries and orders for this class of work and are at this time painting a drop curtain for the opera house at Harper, Kansas, which, when completed will be a high grade piece of work. Mr. Dodson is widely known throughout the west as a master of the art and has made curtains for the opera house at Beatrice, Wilber and many other towns in the west. He employs only competent men who are reliable in their work. For more detailed information call, phone address Western Scenery Co. 2041 O Street, Bell A2594.”

There is a great possibility that Moses was one of the “competent men who are reliable in their work” that Dodson employed during a particularly busy period. However, little is known of the Western Scenery Co. of Lincoln, Nebraska. Two Dodson’s lived in Lincoln in 1911, with C. A. Dodson residing at 108 North 27^th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska (Lincoln Journal Star, 21 June 1911, page 7). Were there a C. A. Dodson and a C. L. Dodson? Near the end of summer in 1911, however, another advertisement appeared in the “Lincoln Star.”  “Dodson & Dodson” advertised as “Scenic Artists, Opera House scenery, aluminum curtains, stand alone stuff a specialty. We book vaudeville attractions. 108 North 27^th. Bell A2594” (6 August 1911, page 12).

As I continued to search for clues about the Dodsons, C. A. Dodson was described as “artist, genius, dope-fiend, and much married man” (Lincoln Star, 23 Feb. 1909, page 3). Reading the various newspaper articles about Dodson’s drunken episodes, however, was like watching an artist’s life slowly go down the drain.  It was the time when alcohol addiction was perceived as a character flaw and not a disease.

The earliest article that I came across was published on Dec. 26, 1908. C. A. Dodson.  Described as an “individual whose uncontrollable thirst and passionate love of ‘dope’ has made him a derelict…he was arrested yesterday on a charge of taking a ride in a cab when he didn’t have coin to pay for the privilege.” On February 1, 1909, the “Lincoln Journal” reported, C. A. Dodson, the man with an uncontrollable predilection to alcoholism and unending spasms of delirium tremens, is in the city jail. He was able to walk without staggering a few days ago, so was released from the county jail. He immediate secured a job of decorative painting at Friend. At that place he imbibed again and his subsequent antics so horrified the populace they hired a keeper for him, put the couple on the next train and sent them to Lincoln, where Dodson was released again. The police soon gathered him in again as in his usual conditions.”

A similar story about Dodson was published a few months later, on February 2, 1909, in the “Lincoln State Journal” (page 10):

“C. A. Dodson, a scenic artist, who has been of late a frequent occupant of the city hall, and who has been sent to the insane asylum as a dipsomaniac was brought into the police yesterday afternoon by a resident of Friend who had come across Dodson in that city acting in a peculiar manner. The man from Friend said that the citizens of that place had been much alarmed by the actions and had requested that he be taken to the Lincoln police and an attempt made to have him taken again to the asylum. The doctors at the asylum say that Dodson has reached the incurable stage of dipsomania and that it is useless to send him for treatment. Dodson is also a dope fiend as well as a systemic drinker, being a user of morphine and cocaine. Chief of Police Cooper said yesterday that he was at loss to know what to do with the man, as he was no sooner released from the custody of the police that he was back in jail in a lamentable state. It was the opinion of Judge Risser that Dodson should be permanently assigned to one of the state institutions as he was now so far gone nervously that he was no longer able to care for himself and really needed a constant guardian. Dodson was sent to the county jail yesterday afternoon and Judge Risser purposes taking his case up with the insanity board with the view of having him permanently committed to one of the state institutions.” Sadly, later that year, Dodson was accused of beating his wife and received jail time (Lincoln Star, 7 Dec, 1909, page 1). The article reported, “On complaint of his wife that he had been coercing her to give him all the money she made as a department store clerk that he might use it to purchase whiskey, and that he had been guilty of beating her, C. A. Dobson was Tuesday sentenced to thirty days in county jail. For some time Dodson has been known to the police as a shiftless citizen, who cares little for work and less for keeping poverty from his home, and when he was brought before the police magistrate Tuesday on the charge of wife-beating he was given a moderate sentence.” For a little context, Dodson’s first wife, Mary E. Dodson, filed for divorce against C. A. Dodson on May 18, 1895 (Kirwin Globe, Kirwin, Kansas 5 April 1895, page 4).

In 1913, Dodson was still spending spells in jail for drunkenness and threatening his wife with physical harm (Lincoln Star, 5 Oct. 1913, page 4). He made headlines again, this time for picking up a heavy cuspidor and hurling it into the midst of a group of prisoners.  It struck Robert Robinson, a veterinary surgeon, who was serving a similar sentence, and split open his ear.

By 1915, the “Nebraska State Journal” reported, “C. A. Dodge, paroled on April 6 from the state insane asylum, was picked up on the street yesterday afternoon in a drunken conditions. When examined at the police station he was found to be suffering from his former trouble and the hospital authorities were notified. He was returned to the asylum last night” (19 Nov. 1915, page 4).

In 1916, the “Lincoln Journal Star” reported, “C. A. Dodson, a patient at the asylum, escaped from the institution early Monday morning. He was found by the police at 9 o’clock near Eighteenth and G streets and was taken back to the hospital” (10 July 1916, page 10).

There was not much to discover about Dodson after 1916, no death notice or any other asylum escapes. It is just such a sad story, yet a small blip in the life of American scenic art.

To be continued…

In 1911, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Some more work at Memphis, Tenn., Masonic.” Sosman & Landis delivered additional scenery two years after the initial installation. In 1909, Moses recorded that Sosman & Landis produced a scenery collection for the Scottish Rite in Memphis, Tennessee. At the time, scenery was purchased through M. C. Lilley and work subcontracted to Sosman & Landis.  

The first reunion in the Memphis Scottish Rite building was held from November 15 to 19, 1909. Over the years, a variety of Masonic activity at the Memphis Scottish Rite Temple was reported in newspaper articles, personal correspondence, and business letters.

In 1916, a letter from Charles Rosenbaum of Little Rock, Arkansas, to Frank A. Derr of Guthrie, Oklahoma, addressed the use of footlights in Scottish Rite theaters. The letter noted that the Scottish Rite in Memphis Tennessee employed the use of footlights for their degree productions. The Guthrie Scottish Rite was considering the installation of footlights for their stage.

Rosenbaum responded to Derr’s query on June 10, 1916:

“I note what you say about footlights, but what use are they? In our old synagogue [the Albert Pike Cathedral, 1896], we had footlights; we found them sort of a nuisance. When we built on 8^th and Scott [the Albert Pike Consistory Building, 1902] we left them out entirely.

While in New York several years ago talking to Stage expert equipment people they showed me foot light equipment they were building for a High School building and it had a nice disappearing arrangement, which was all right.

I asked what was the necessary for foot lights, and why they were used.

The answer was —You have to have them to throw up the light on the people on the front of the stage to light up and destroy the rawness of their makeup, which means the paint and stuff they use on their faces, they said you can’t get along without them for that reason.

I said —Suppose there is no makeup, and I described our use of a stage, and they said it would be foolish to have footlights at all, and only in case we rented the building for theatrical purposes would it be necessary, because when Actors and Actresses made up the necessity would it be evident.

So —as we don’t rent for any such purpose and don’t make up our faces, and have no business very far out toward the front of the stage, or for that matter in front of the curtain line, we have no use for ‘foot lights, to high light our faces and they have no use for them in Memphis either unless they rent for shows of one kind or another.’”

There is something to consider beyond the topic of footlights that Rosenbaum discusses in the letter.  When many Scottish Rite stages were constructed, they were never intended for public use or rentals. Times have changed and public rental income is a necessity.  This mean that many stages have been altered to accommodate a renter, or make it more appealing for public rentals.

Over the years, the Memphis Scottish Rite altered their building for a variety or reasons, including a movie set. While examining the history of the building, I discovered an article that reporting the theater was “expanded and refurbished” when used to film performance scenes for the 2005 movie “Walk the Line,” starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspon.

In some ways, the rental of Scottish Rite buildings and stages for filmwork has provided much necessary income for many Scottish Rite Valleys. However, the money comes at a price.  Damage inevitably occurs over time as various lighting systems and other equipment are installed for a specific film scene, or temporary structures are anchored to existing walls. 

I think of the continued television and film work that occurs in the Santa Fe Scottish Rite and recognize the recent changes that have compromised a once unique system. The original counterweight system, known as Brown’s Special System, has been irreparably altered from its original state. Photographs of this system that were published in “The Santa Fe Scottish Rite Temple: Freemasonry, Architecture and Theatre (2018, Museum of New mexico Press) depict a pristine system, one that remained unaltered since its installation in 1912. No matter the historical significance, or words of caution, nothing could have prevented its alteration over the past two years.

I understand that change is inevitable as the Fraternity responds to declining membership.  In many instances, the loss of membership means a loss of annual revenue, prompting Scottish Rite Valleys to respond in various ways, such as public rentals. Some renovate the space that generates the greatest rental income; in many instances it is the stage and auditorium. For an organization that remained locked in time for decades, a few individuals are irreparably altering their spaces.  Stage houses, specifically the scenery, stage machinery and other systems, are often repaired, altered, or renovated, without any undertstanding of the system. Furthermore, these alterations are often completed without the knowledge of the membership or staff.  Sadly, a few members consider these historic buildings as their personal playgrounds, completing one “home-improvement” projects after another and using unrated hardware, duct tape, contact cement, and other inappropriate products for their work. 

Go visit your nearest Scottish Rite theater now, as change is coming and it might be different by tomorrow.

To be continued…

I return to the life and times of Thomas G. Moses. In 1911, Moses recorded that Sosman & Landis received “a small contract at Cheyenne of Masonic work.”

Sosman & Landis were well known in Cheyenne, having delivered stock scenery to the Grand Opera House in 1882. Sosman & Landis artists paired up to complete many projects on site, traveling from one theater to another and crisscrossing the country. From 1881-1882, Moses and studio founder, Joseph S. Sosman were a team, completing one project after another as salesman Abraham “Perry” Landis secured each contract.

The Scottish Rite Theatre is located in the Masonic Temple, home to multiple Masonic orders. Located at 1820 Capitol Avenue in Cheyenne, construction commenced on a three-story structure in 1901, costing local Masons $45,000. Unfortunately, in 1903 the building was gutted by fire. The “Natrona County Tribune” reported, “The fire originated by defective electric light wiring over the stage at the south end of the building. The loss was estimated at $50,000; insurance $33,500, $30,00 of which was on the building and $3,500 on paraphernalia. The elegant paraphernalia of the Scottish Rite Masons, costing at least $6,000 was entirely destroyed, and besides this many suits belonging to the members of the order were lost. Only a few rugs and several pieces of furniture were saved. The structure will be rebuilt at once. The structure will be rebuilt at once. The Scottish Rite Masons had just finished holding a reunion in the building, at which forty-one new members were admitted on the night before the building was destroyed, this being the first reunion held in the building since its completion” (5 March 1903, page 8). After receiving their insurance settlement, the Cheyenne Scottish Rite Bodies reconstructed the damaged stage and interior.

Sosman & Landis delivered an initial collection of scenery to this Masonic Hall in 1911, and membership numbers began to skyrocket.

On January 25, 1911, the “Natrona County Tribune” reported, “Cheyenne. – The semi-annual reunion of Wyoming Consistory No. 1 here met Jan. 4, and is attended by Masons from all sections of the state. A class of twenty-six candidates for the Scottish Rite degree has been selected” (Caspar, Wyoming, page 6). By that fall, there were fifty candidates at the Scottish Rite reunion in Cheyenne (Natrona County Tribune, 20 Dec. 1911, page 6). Over a year later, there were forty-six candidates (Natrona County Tribune, 26 Dec. 1912, page 2).

A new Scottish Rite Cathedral was planned in 1920 as membership rapidly outgrew its current quarters. The “Casper Star-Tribune” reported, “Tentative plans for the cathedral which Wyoming Consistory No. 1, A.A.S.R., is to erect at Capitol Avenue and Twentieth Street, have been approved. They call for a structure of Grecian architecture, with a frontage of 132 feet on Capitol Avenue, which will cost approximately $500,000. Aside from the fact that it will be the largest and finest fraternal society building in Wyoming architecture.  Work on the building, it is planned and will begin next fall” (29 May 1920, page 9).

In 1921, “The Billings Gazette” reported that Wyoming had 1906 thirty-second degree Masons, an increase of 245 members in twelve months. Furthermore, the secretary of Wyoming Consistory No. 1 in Cheyenne reported, “the total resources of all four bodies of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite amount to $189,958.88” (17 Sept 1921, page 8). There were 2,090 members in the Rocky Mountain Lodge of Perfection; 1,961 members in the Albert Pike Chapter of the Knights of Rose Croix; and 1,961 members in the Cheyenne Council of Kadosh No. 1. 

I visited the Cheyenne Scottish Rite last year on June 18, 2018. It was father’s day when I documented the Cheyenne Scottish Rite scenery collection, with my husband and son working as stagehands that day. Our guide, Ron, explained that the building was expanded during the 1920s, an addition that included a new theater. Toomey & Volland studio records list a delivery of scenery to the Cheyenne Scottish Rite at that time. I identified three distinct scenery collections when examining the stencil placement. Two are consistent with Sosman & Landis and the third is likely from the studio of Toomey & Volland in St. Louis.

Some of the scenery includes the shipping label “Scottish Rite Bodies. Masonic Hall. Cheyenne, Wyoming.” This information is stenciled on the back and front of some bottom sandwich battens. Additional stenciling on the back of some drops also confirms the destination of Cheyenne, characteristic of standard Sosman & Landis Studio labeling during the first decade of the twentieth century. Keep in mind that it was common for Scottish Rite Valley’s to retain their original scenery when the initially expanded and increased and existing stage. Enlarging the original scenery delivered to the Masonic Hall in 1903 and 1911 for the 1920s stage was not unusual, even if a competing studio painted it.

The three collections at the Cheyenne Scottish Rite are not of any particular, or standard, size. It is obvious that many of the drops were hung at another venue prior to being installed above the current Scottish Rite stage. Charcoal markings denoting previous line sets are just one indicator of a previous life elsewhere.

In regard to painted aesthetics, the design and scenic art for some of the collection is consistent with other Sosman & Landis scenery delivered to Santa Fe (1912), St. Paul (1910), Winona (1909), Tucson (1914), Asheville (1914), and Grand Forks (1914). The painted flats accompanying many of the painted scenes, however, are not identified with stencils, nor characteristic of Sosman & Landis flats manufactured before 1908.  The profile pieces in Cheyenne only include a few pencil markings.  The design and construction of these pieces are not characteristic with Sosman & Landis set pieces, as they are also much brighter in color than the remainder of the collection, suggesting their delivery by Toomey & Volland aesthetic.

The stage machinery also predates the 1920s. It is an example of Brown’s Special System, also delivered to Santa Fe (1912), St. Paul (1910), Winona (1909), Tucson (1914), Ashville (1914), and Grand Forks (1914).

Finally, our host explained that additional drops that went unused for decades. They were rolled up and placed in an offstage area. Sadly, they were disposed of a few years ago without anyone documenting was thrown away, so we have no idea if this were an earlier collection, and adopted collection, or simply unused scenes. There is one dead hung drop curtain against the upstage wall.  It appears to be a drop curtain, as I was able to see some painted fringe and draperies, suggesting that this piece may have been the drop curtain from the previous stage at the Masonic Hall; the front curtain would have been not wide enough for the current proscenium opening. I would love to see what the composition is, as I was unable to see more than the bottom two feet of the drop.

To be continued…

After returning from the League of Historic Theatres’ national conference, I immediately was on the road again.  I ventured east to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, where I had the opportunity to visit a lovely theater in the midst of another renovation. Manitowoc has a population of 33,000 people and is located just south of Green Bay, Wisconsin on the shores of lake Michigan.  

Originally constructed as Ascher’s Capitol Theatre, the venue opened on June 16, 1921. It was a combination house, featuring both vaudeville and film. Brothers Arthur and John George were responsible for the endeavor, the two well known as owners of a local wholesale grocery store.

On July 17, 1921, the “Herald News” reported, “You will gasp with astonishment at what has been erected for your entertainment.” The article continued, “You will hardly recognize that you are in Manitowoc. It will remind you of big-city stuff. The lighting the effects, the music, the program, all will combine to force the conviction that George Bros. have spared no expense or effort to give Manitowoc and vicinity the most wonderful amusement palace in the entire northwest.”

The theater is now known as the Capitol Civic Theatre, or Capitol Civic Center.  I toured the impressive building on August 2, 2019, with the executive director as my guide.

The auditorium is currently undergoing a 3.5 million dollar restoration that includes the complete replacement of all theater seating, slightly reducing the overall capacity to include larger seats. The space is lovely, has a beautiful flow and ample room for patrons during pre-show and intermission times. Renovation on this historic space began in earnest during 1987 after the Capitol Civic Center, Inc. was established in Manitowoc to focus on the old theater. Ron Kaminski spearheaded the endeavor with support from local individuals and groups, such as of members of the Masquers. The renovated space opened on October 30, 1987, complete with a new Clancy rigging system.

In addition to the original theater, there are many other spaces that take up a substantial footprint on the downtown block. The Capitol Civic Center, Inc. complex currently includes total seven individual buildings. The website reports, “The West Auditorium (renovated in 2013 with campaign support from The Manitowoc Company), is enhanced by the Capitol Grand Lobby (the Mertens Family Lobby/Kadow Movie Museum and the Salutz Family Lobby just off the Box Office). The annex houses the administrative offices, the technical department, the green room, and loading dock facilities. Capitol Studios, expansive storage,  and a non-operational historic pub and boarding house complete the properties.

Five full-time and five part-time employees, as well as over 170 volunteers staff Capitol Civic Centre, Inc. Now a successful enterprise, the organization received the Chamber Manitowoc County’s Non-Profit of the Year award in both 2007 and 2014. Now noted as an “anchor for activity in the heart of downtown Manitowoc,” approximately 40,000 individuals attend performances each year.   

The renovated auditorium and new gathering areas are lovely, each serving as a tribute to the past. So what about the material cultural and history beyond the architecture and renovated spaces?  The history of the stage appears sporadically throughout the complex, such as the historic lighting board, now serving as a decorative element in the new lounge and bar area. There area also a couple of historic scenic pieces tucked away in storage areas.

Until recently, the original painted fire curtain completed the architectural ornamentation of the auditorium. Citing the expense of encapsulation to preserve this painted piece, the historic artifact was disposed of and replaced with a non-descript and modern fire curtain. This was the last painted element hanging above the stage. The executive director shared images of the painting on his computer. Although it was not the most ornate composition that I have encountered, it unified the auditorium space, completing the fourth wall of the theater. I have encountered many similar designs in the Performing Arts archives at the University of Minnesota libraries and elsewhere over the years. 1920s asbestos curtains often continue the auditorium’s color scheme and painted décor.  Once this painted ornament is removed from the auditorium, the entire dynamic of the space shifts.

The executive director could not have been more accommodating during my visit, taking time to share historic images of painted scenes where once a prominent part of the stage house. We wandered into a storage area, so I could examine an extant wing and a tri-fold set piece. The painted wing composition was standard affair for a late 19^th century tormentor, complete with painted drapery, ornate column and pedestal. The other set piece depicted a fancy interior with some lovely gold ornament.  I was allowed to to photograph details of the painting techniques. Examples that I will use in the upcoming professional development work shop with Jenny Knott this month. We are again partnering to teach a painting class at CITT/ICTS Rendez-Vous Annual Conference. This is the Canadian Institute of Theatre Technology, similar to USITT. One week from today, I journey to White Horse, a remote town in the Yukon where the conference is being held this year.

After looking at the painted flats, I was guided up a long flight of stairs to see a historic drop. In a previous phone conversation, I was told that one rolled-up backdrop had survived and was neatly tucked away in an upper lever.  I was not expecting to unroll anything, but wanted to see the wooden battens and quality of fabric, hoping to date the piece. In fact, there were three rolled up scenes, resting on a series of metal bars above a long hallway at the top of the stairs. In many ways, this is an ideal location for access to the drops, even though one would stop traffic if they were removed from the building.

The wooden battens and fabric of the pieces suggest that all three pre-date the venue and were likely delivered to another theater. It is possible that the scenes were refurbished and sold to the Capitol Theatre in 1921, but more likely the scenes were “adopted” over time, finding their way over from a nearby opera house.  Manitowoc was home to several theaters over the years, including the Manitowoc Opera House, located on the 400 block of North Eighth Street.

Unfortunately, I was unable to verify that any of the rolled backdrops were those depicted in the historic photos. It was obvious that one was a foliage composition, either a border or leg drop, as the piece was once netted. In regard to the other two, it is impossible to identify any subject matter.

I would be curious to see the painted compositions and if there are any studio markings to identify origin.  However, these historic artifacts remain very low on the theater’s list of priorities and I doubt they will be unrolled anytime soon. At least they are safely tucked away where they may be forgotten, inadvertently preserving this history.

To be continued…

On my return trip home from the League of Historic American Theatres conference in Philadelphia, I stopped by the Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois.  While examining the old fire curtain, I spotted not only the Union stencil, but also a stencil with “National Theatre Supply Company” above it. Over the years, National Theatre Supply Co. has popped up on my radar, time and time again.

As I peered at the faint type above “National Theatre Supply Company” on the asbestos curtain, I first made out the word “Lemle,” and then “Painted by William Lemle Co.” The Egyptian Theatre fire curtain is extremely significant in the course of American Theatre history for this stencil alone, as it links together two significant scenic studios in 1929.

I immediately thought of another project delivered by the two studios the same year, a second Egyptian-themed theater that was built in McAlester, Oklahoma. National Theatre Supply Co. and Wm. Lemle Co. delivered one of the largest Scottish Rite scenery collections in the United States to the Scottish rite Theater in McAlester, Oklahoma. In a newspaper article from November 1929, Moses was noted as a representative for both the Lemle Co. and the National Theatre Supply Co. in regard to the McAlester Scottish Rite project. Moses designed and painted the entire collection, recording that the stage settings were 40’-0” high by 60’-0” wide and the stage was 140’-0” deep.

While researching these two studios in 1929, I encountered a letter sent to Moses at “Wm. Lemle Co., Chicago, Ill.” Penned by William H. Fuller, Venerable Master of the Albert Pike Lodge of Perfection in McAlester, he mentions that the scenery was damaged en route to the McAlester Scottish Rite theater, and specifically requests for either the Lemle Co. or the National Theatre Supply Co. to write a letter recording their grievance. 

So what do we know about the National theatre Supply Co. and Moses’ involvement with the firm?  Let’s start with the end of Sosman & Landis in 1923. That year the studio is liquidated, their space rented to another firm and the name sold. Moses partners with Fred Megan of the Kansas City Scenic Co. and they attempt to purchase the name of the company. Before they are able to legally use the name “Sosman & Landis,” they work under the studio name Moses & Megan. Hoyland and Lemle purchased the Sosman & Landis studio contents at that same time. Later William Lemle Inc. would use the old Sosman & Landis studio space.

Moses & Megan lease the Fabric Studio in Chicago, the same company that delivers the Joplin Scottish Rite scenery. Moses & Megan produce the 1926 Salt Lake Consistory scenery, as well as the 1927 Oakland Scottish Rite scenery. Moses and Megan would continue working together until 1931, but Moses would also begin representing both the William Lemle Co. and the National Theatre Supply Co.

Why is Moses so adamant to retain the studio name? Because Moses has been a major player in Sosman & Landis scenery production since the very beginning. The studio name is synonymous with quality and Moses is integrally linked to the company. One could even surmise that Moses was the face of the company, as his reputation was intertwined with their work since 1880. In 1904 after Moses returned to Chicago after a successful career in New York City (Moses & Hamilton), he assumed all control over all Sosman & Landis design, painting, construction and installation. He becomes the vice-president and was even rewarded $5,000 in stocks in addition to control over production. He later becomes company president after the death of studio founder Joseph S. Sosman. Moses had an incentive to remain connected with the studio name until quite late in his career. In later years, he is listed as the artistic director of Sosman & Landis.

However, there are a few things to keep in mind as National Theatrical Supply is established in the shadows of Sosman & Landis’s close. In 1920, six Sosman & Landis scenic artists leave to form Service Studios. Many of the black and white photographs in their sales books are exact replicas of Sosman & Landis Masonic models. In other words, they are peddling the same designs without the Sosman & Landis name.  Service Studios is soon sold and becomes ACME studio. The ACME studio also uses the Sosman & Landis designs in their sales catalogues.

This all happens after a big upset at Sosman & Landis. Two key figures responsible for the Scottish Rite connection pass away just before WWI; founder Joseph S. Sosman and M. C. Lilley representative Bestor G. Brown. Their passing causes the alliance between a major regalia company and a significant scenic studio to cease, allowing another studio takes the reins of Masonic degree production – Toomey & Volland. Under the leadership of Hugo R. Volland, St. Louis Scottish Rite backstage director and president of Toomey & Volland, this St. Louis-based scenic studio is awarded dozens of Masonic contracts in the post-WWI years.

Now back to the another firm delivering Scottish Rite scenery in the 1920s – the National Theatre Supply Co. Founded in 1926, the National Theatre Supply Company advertised as the “largest theatre equipment and supply service organization,” with “31 well managed, well stocked branch store in operation throughout the country, doing a volume of business considerably in excess of what was transacted when the field was being served by individual dealers. And, too, more dependable and satisfactory service is in evidence on every hand.”

Their advertisements explain, “chain store operation in other American industries is one of increased efficiency in service and pronounced economy in merchandising, reacting directly and favorably to the advantage of those who buy. This condition is being exemplified in the operation of the National Theatre Supply Company.” This paragraph is hard to read without thinking of the massive theatrical complexes targeted by this new company and not think, “Super-size me.”

In 1927, the National Theatre Supply Company noted that a new scenery and drape department was formed under its direct supervision.  The new department was paced under the direction of Mr. P. L. Landis, “a specialist in stage technique with headquarters in the general offices of the Company in Chicago.” Landis was credited with being “well known to the trade, having been a member of the original Sosman & Landis Company in Chicago. With 12 years of experience in all braches of scenery production and stagecraft, he is particularly fitted to head the new department.”  When Moses was elected Sosman & Landis Co. president in 1915, Arthur Sosman was elected vice-president and Perry Landis treasurer.

National Theatre Supply Co. advertisements note the following:

“The National Theatre Supply Company manufacturers nothing, nor has it any direct control over factory costs or factory list prices of any article it sells. It is strictly a sales organization and service representative of a majority of manufacturers of theatre equipment and supplies. It is therefore obvious that the establishment of selling process is not within its power, except insofar as quantity purchasing and increased consumption are concerned. Quantity production and distribution governs the price of everyday commodity or service, regardless of its nature. The same conditions apply to the theatre supply industry and any readjustment of prices must necessarily result from the patronage and support. And when manufacturers are given a suitable volume of business, their products serviced promptly and reliably and their bills paid in accordance with terms there s very little likelihood of an increase in price of these products.”

The same National Theatre Supply catalogue included a photograph with the caption, “Spacious scenic studio of William Lemle Inc. of Chicago, the entire output of which will be distributed through national service.” The problem is that the photograph actually depicted the Sosman & Landis studio prior to WWI, complete with Joseph Sosman in the center and Moses painting one of the drops. The Lemle company was simply using an old photograph of the space.

To be continued…

My visit to the Thomas G. Moses’ Oak Park home and the gravesite of Walter W. Burridge took more time than anticipated on Friday, July 19. This prevented my traveling north to Fox Lake where Palette & Chisel club members once congregated during the summer.  I came up with a quick “Plan B.” Looking at rush-hour traffic on a Friday afternoon, I decided to simply head to my final destination for the evening in Genoa, Illinois, by way of DeKalb. On a whim, I decided to contact the executive director of the Egyptian Theatre to see if I could stop by and see the theater.

I met both the executive director and architect who are in the midst of a major renovation, expanding the theater to expand restrooms, concessions, storage and add air conditioning. Representatives from theater had actually attended my session on researching historic venues at the League of Historic American Theatre’s conference that week.

I arrived a few minutes early for my meeting, allowing me the opportunity to walk around the block and examine the “L-shaped” structure of the building from various angles.  Fortunately, it was a small block, preventing me from suffering heat stroke on my short walk. It was one of those ridiculously hot and humid days. The earlier trek about the Forest Home Cemetery had just about done me in that afternoon.

I had never stopped in the area, but downtown DeKalb is lovely with colorful floral displays dotting every corner. The front of the Egyptian Theatre is really an anomaly when compared with other buildings on the street.  Opening in 1929, the exterior and interior was decorated in the popular Egyptian theme, a trend that picked up speed after the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb in 1922.

As I entered the building, I examined by the narrow lobby that led to the auditorium on the right; no wonder the need for expansion.  Not quite sure of what to expect in the auditorium, I was surprised by large murals on the house left and house right sides.

Looking at the rows of refurbished seating, I had to wonder what local audiences thought when the theater first opened to the public.  I made my way to the stage, curious to see if any original machinery still remained. Nope.

When the building was constructed, however, the focal point of the auditorium’s Egyptian decor was a colorful fire curtain. Removed, encapsulated, and repositioned in the early 1980s, the painted composition is now difficult to see under work lights. My host graciously pulled up an image of the curtain on his phone. The scene reminded me of one in the scenic collection database at the University of Minnesota Performing Arts Archives.  I went to the backside of the fire curtain to see of there was a studio stamp.

What I discovered made my brief stop completely worthwhile. Above a very faint union stamp, was the name of the studio. The executive director was completely unaware of the stencil as I attempted to read the script.  After a few moments of squinting and taking pictures to enlarge the font, it became clear that the name of the studio was “National Theatre Supply Co. Chicago.”  Wow.

National Theatre Supply Co. of Chicago was one of the many theatre firms that Thomas G. Moses (1856-1934) worked for during the late 1920s and early 1930s. He passed away in 1934.  He not only worked for National Theatre Supply Co., but also Armstrong Studios and William Lemle and Co, dividing his time between studios in Chicago, Illinois, and Oakland, California.

More on the National Theatre Supply Co. tomorrow.

To be continued…

While planning my journey back from Philadelphia after an exhausting week at the League of Historic American Theatre national conference, I decided to stretch my car trip out over three days. My return trip included stops at the Cleveland Scottish Rite, Thomas Moses’ Oak Park home and Walter Burridge’s gravesite at Forest Home Cemetery. I realized that if I were to route my trip through Des Moines to see our eldest child, my journey would also pass by Moses’ hometown of Sterling.

After spending the evening of July 19 in Genoa, Illinois, with close friends and visiting the Egyptian Theatre at DeKalb, I was on the road the next morning by 6:20 a.m. Instead of taking a direct route that would take an hour, I decided to meander west first to Oregon, Illinois, and then head south along the river. That provided and opportunity to pass a few historic opera houses, understanding that I would have to be satisfied with just seeing the exterior of each building.

It was going to be another scorcher, and I was thankful to be spending most of the day in a cool car, driving along a picturesque river. I first stopped in Oregon at the Kiwanis Park to enjoyed the early morning sun sparkling down a rambling river, Then I tracked down the local opera house, as I knew there must be one somewhere nearby. It was too early to visit any theater; I located the opera house building adjacent to the Masonic hall and across from city hall – go figure.

Other stops included Castle Rock State Park and Grand Detour. Grand Detour is an idyllic town, home to an 1850 Episcopal church and an 1857 hotel. A small village nestled between two rivers; the old hotel with hitching posts was for sale. So much potential in this little town. As I ventured south, I stopped by another opera house in bustling town of Dixon; who knew that this was the birthplace of Ronald Reagan?

As I drove to my destination in Sterling, Illinois, I passed one of the major cemeteries, making a little note to come back and peak around.  I would later discover that the gravestones had many scenic art family names, including Landis and Tuttle.

As I followed my navigational route to 508 W. 7^th Street, I noticed the sign “Lincoln Memorial.”  This recent memorial that sat across the street from the first home that Moses purchased in 1879. For a brief period of time, the couple returned to their hometown of Sterling until Moses realized that there was not enough theatrical work in the area to cover their bills.

I sat awestruck looking at the small white house, imagining what the neighborhood looked like when the couple moved in. After all, it was only a stone’s throw away from Lucius M. Moses’ tannery along the river. Moses had left the town to escape the family trade and settle in 1879 only a few blocks away – struggling. His father had also gone out of his way to discourage local businesses from hiring his son.  It must have been an incredibly difficult period in his life, as well as their marriage, when young couple was just trying to make a go of it.

Before leaving town, I could not resist stopping by the local public library, chatting with the librarians, and donating a book in honor of Thomas Moses. The Sterling Public library was founded in 1878, but the current building had been constructed in 1913, another Carnegie Library building.

I soon discovered that the library’s local historian had recently retired, but I was given access to the history center and genealogy room. There I discovered some interesting history about the area, captured in old postcards and local directories. I searched for specific listings that provided answers to many of my questions about extended family members and businesses. Unfortunately I could not stay for long, as my Des Moines lunch date was over three hours away and I had another four-hour drive back to Minneapolis after that. I left town at 10:30 and headed West, all the while contemplating new bits of information that provided insight into Moses’ childhood and hometown.

To be continued…

After visiting the home of Thomas G. Moses, I ventured over to see the gravesite of another scenic art legend – Walter Wilcox Burridge (1857-1913). The day had turned into a scenic art pilgrimage, as both Moses and Burridge were incredibly significant within the framework of American scenic art.

On Saturday, June 28, 1913, the “Oak Leaves” reported, “The funeral of Walter W. Burridge, late of New York, took place this Saturday afternoon from Grace church. Mr. Burridge died in New Mexico and the funeral took place here because Oak Park has become the home of Mr. Burridge since he became ill. Interment will take place at Forest Home” (page 34).

Unfortunately for me, my visit coincided with an intense heat wave in the Midwest. It was far too hot to be traipsing about the Forest Home Cemetery, yet I persisted, realizing that this opportunity may not dome again. Moving the car from one shaded spot to another and donning my sunhat, I finally located the Burridge’s tombstone. Kneeling in the grass before his grave, I took a moment to contemplate the life of this extremely talented artist.  Despite the heat, I thought about his many projects in a relatively short period of time. Burridge died from “heart disease” at the age fifty-six years old while on a sketching trip to Albuquerque. He was working on an upcoming project for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition.  

A line from the musical “Hamilton” popped into my head while kneeling in the warm grass, “I ask myself, what would you do if you had more time.” Moses included an article by T. D. Williams article about Burridge in his scrapbook. Here is the article, “Great Colorist Dead.”

“A number of Chicago gentlemen prominent in the paint business have been life long friends of Walter W. Burridge, an artist of national, and one might almost say, international repute, because he visited London several times in the interest of art, who just dies while at Albuquerque, N. M., where he had gone to make sketches for pictures to be exhibits at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The pictures painted by Mr. Burridge of the Grand Canyon earned him great praise, while other well known works have brought him equal prominence. He studied color, as every artist must do, and he sought and obtained pleasing effects for his scenic work, and is probably best known for his wonderful production of stage scenery. Many leading theatrical managers, actors and authors engaged him to paint settings and illustration for their productions, and there are few men who in the present time have painted as many excellent scenic and studio pictures. His beautiful pictures of Yellowstone National Park scenery have never been surpassed, while his wonderful scheme of color, so true to nature, makes a living record of the beauty and grandeur of the Yosemite valley, cataracts, lakes, giant rocks, towering domes and all the beauty spots of the valley which he faithfully transferred to canvas. The studio pictures of Mr. Burridge have frequently been exhibits in the various art institutions and galleries of this country. Nature was his great teacher. His mastermind gave him supreme command of the scale of color, which is evidenced by the many beautiful works of art which he has left. Mr. Burridge came from New York and was a resident for many years in La Grange, Illinois, the beautiful suburb in Chicago, in which he had many friends.”

Although I have written extensively about Burridge in past installments of “Tales of a Scenic Artist and Scholar,” here is a brief recap of his career:

At a very early age, Burridge apprenticed himself to a sign painter from Hoboken, New Jersey.  His talent and outgoing personality soon brought him in contact with key personalities who were connected with the old Park Theatre in Brooklyn. Burridge soon found himself engaged as a part-time scenic art assistant, and by the age of thirteen was working full-time for Harley Merry at his Brooklyn Studio. Merry was the “artistic alias” for English stage performer Ebenezer Brittain.

Burridge was only was thirteen tears old at the time. He accompanied Merry to complete distant projects in both Chicago and Philadelphia, making all of the necessary connections for his career to soar. Burridge’s early career included a series of mentors, such as Russell Smith, who took a great interest in shaping the career of this talented young artist, later recommending him for a series of projects. Burridge’s talent and magnetic personality drew people toward him, providing one opportunity after another.  His network of support included well-known performers and producers, including actress Mrs. John Drew.

Burridge’s artistic endeavors throughout the duration of his career spanned all across the continental United States and Hawaii. I will include just a few of the more notable venues. In Philadelphia, Burridge did a considerable work at the Arch Street Theatre, Broad Street Theatre, Walnut Street Theater, and Academy of Music. He also painted scenery for the Academy of Music in Baltimore, before moving to New York City where he accepted an engagement under J. H. Haverly, painting for many of Haverly’s theaters from New York to California, including the Fifth Avenue, Fourteenth Street, Niblos’ Garden, and Chestnut Street theaters. Other artistic endeavors included panoramas. In 1876, Burridge painted the “Siege of Paris” for the Centennial and later the “Battle of Gettysburg.”

He moved to Chicago by 1882, settling in suburban La Grange with his wife and securing work at the Bijou, 14^th Street Theatre and Standard Theatre.  Around this time, Burridge was also under contract with John A. Havlin from 1882 to 1885 for work at the Grand Theatre. He also worked for six years as the scenic artist at the Grand Opera House and at McVicker’s Theatre; the man seemed unstoppable and scenic art was a thriving business. From 1887 until 1882, Burridge  partnered with Thomas Moses (1856-1934) and successful art dealer M. Louderback to found Burridge, Moses & Louderback, located at the Columbia Theatre in Chicago. During less than two busy years, Burridge, Moses & Louderback stocked six theatres with all of the necessary scenery – no small task.  Unfortunately personality clashes between Burridge and Louderback ended the partnership; Louderback came from a “managing art” background while Burridge came from a “creating art” background. 

It was only a few years later, Burridge partnered with Ernest Albert (1857-1946), and Oliver Dennett Grover (1861-1927), to form “Albert, Grover & Burridge, Scenic and Decorative Painters” by 1891. Ernest Albert.  Albert and Burridge, both artists first worked for Harley Merry at the Park and Union Square Theatres in New York.  Albert, Grover & Burridge had a studio with over 12,000 square feet of working area, and another 2,500 square feet devoted to storage and sewing rooms. They had twenty paint frames, ranging from 56 by 35 feet to 30 by 20 feet.  The firm did a considerable amount of business for the World’s Columbian exposition of 1893, including the cyclorama, “Volcano of Kilauea.” Burridge traveled to the Hawaiian Islands, making a series of faithful reproductions to capture this natural phenomenon, with his final composition measured 54’ x 412’ and was also a major attraction at the Mid-winter Fair in Sacramento. Unfortunately for Albert, Grover & Burridge, their business venture went bankrupt in two years and Burridge was again on his own.

By 1900, Burridge was the scenic artist for the Chicago Auditorium and the Great Northern Theatre. He was also engaged by Henry W. Savage to prepare the scenes for the Castle Square Opera Company at the Studebaker Music Hall. We also know that Burridge designed the scenery for the premiere of “The Wizard of Oz” at the Chicago Opera House. 

In 1900, Horace Lewis recalled a visit with Burridge writing, “every object, from his devoted wife to the pictures upon the walls, and his den in the garret, is indicative of the genial, most modest nature and simple poetry of the man who finds his greatest wealth within that home.”

Burridge passed away during a trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico while visiting the area to sketches for the upcoming 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. His funeral was at Grace Episcopal Church in Oak Park, Illinois, although the family did not attend the church. One can only imagine the projects that Burridge could have accomplished had he lived beyond the age of fifty-six.

Know as “Wallie” to his close friends, he was laid to rest at Forest Home Cemetery on June 24, 1913. His son would join him at Forest Home Cemetery three years later after an accidental drowning at the age of 30. The family grave now contains Burridge, his son son Walter C. (1886-1916) and wife Jane Anne (1860-1938). After losing her husband and son in such a short span of time, Jane lived for another twenty-two years, passing away when she was of 78 years, 4 months, and 20 days old.

To be continued…

After Thomas G. Moses returned to Chicago in 1904, he exhibited a painting at Suydam’s drug store in Oak Park. Suydam’s was on the corner of Oak Park Avenue and South Boulevard, just a few blocks from Moses’ Oak Park home on S. Euclid Avenue.

An ideal location, the drugstore was right next to the railway that took commuters to downtown Chicago. In 1905, the “Oak Park Leaves,” reported, “Mr. Suydam is one of the honest, energetic business men of Oak Park, prominent alike in business and social circles. He came to Oak Park fifteen years ago from Philadelphia, where he was a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, one of the oldest institutions of the kind in the country. In Oak Park he is the successor of Gale & Blocki, and has not only maintained the reputation established by that firm but has earned the measure of success to which he has attained” (Saturday, June 17, 1905 – Page 30). Suydam would later sell his drug store and become an art dealer.

Moses’ painting on exhibit at Suydam’s was entitled “The Edge of the Wood.” The composition depicted a view on the Bronx River near New York.  The “Oak Park Leaves” published an article on his painting and overall notoriety as a talented scenic artist and designer. Although I have previously posted about much information presented in this article, now is an appropriate moment to pause and reflect on the life of Moses when he was 49 years old. As I just turned 50, this milestone birthday causes one to consider past choices and look toward future opportunities.

The 1905 “Oak Leaves” article began,  “T. G. Moses, Artist. Oak Parker Famous as Designer of Scenic Productions – excels in Forest Pictures” ” (15 April 1905, page 25).  Here is the remainder of the section about Moses:

 “Among the residents of Oak Park who are possibly more famous throughout the country than in their own hometown Thomas G. Moses of South Euclid avenue, whose fame as a scenic artist and designer of scenic productions is co-extensive with the theatrical world.  But Mr. Moses’ art is not confined to commercial lines.  He is a lover of art for art’s sake, and his leisure moments after many a hard day’s toil, are devoted to the painting of beautiful forest scenes in oil whose merits entitle him to a prominent place among the woodland painters of the country. His last picture, ‘The Edge of the Wood,’ presents a view on the historical Bronx River, near New York, and has been completed during the last month. It is now on exhibition at Suydam’s drug store on Oak Park Avenue.  The painting is a fine representation of Mr. Moses’ art, imbuing the viewer with that spirit of restfulness characteristic of the quiet old woods of the east, with the outside sunshine percolating in through the trees and softening into a gentle glow.

“Mr. Moses was born in Liverpool, England.  His early life was spent in Sterling, Ill, where he received his first instruction in drawing. When quite young, he took up decorative art with P. M. Almini & Co. of Chicago.  The head designer was Louis Malmsha, a famous scenic artist of that time, who became interested in the young man and made him his assistant.  This proved to be the making of Moses, as it placed him more in the line of work he wanted, landscape, forest interiors and mountain scenes, schooling him largely to the designing of drop curtains and scenic productions.  He is now of the firm Sosman & Landis, the great scenic artists of Chicago.  Mr. Moses has traveled quite extensively in this country, has been to California six times to do big scenic productions, such as Booth & Barrett’s Hamlet and Marie Antoinette and Macbeth and Mary Stuart for Modjeska.  During the past five years he and his family have resided in New York, where he designed and painted the scenery for the famous Florodora and Silver Slipper.  During the summers he sketched the beautiful scenery in the vicinity of Watkin’s Glen, and in the Catskills near Ellenville, N.Y. Two years ago he was admitted to the famous Salmagundi club of New York City, which has membership of their leading artists and sculptors of New York and many non-residents.  He has sketched forest from California, New Mexico, Arizona, Oregon and Washington.  But none appeal to him as the woods of the east, more quiet and restful, with the delicate birch and beach; a few oaks and moss covered rocks, with a small brook and plenty of sunshine.  His pictures are exhibited in New York twice a year.  For several years he painted in the studio of R. M. Shurtleff, the well-known painter of forest interiors, where he has secured valuable assistance.” By the way, Roswell M. Shurtleff is credited with the design of the confederate flag as he lay in a confederate hospital as a Union Soldier  (see “Tales of a Scenic Artist and Scholar” #448 and #449)

To be continued…