Waszut-Barrett Scenery Documentation – Page 15

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

The volunteer crew at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado on February 6, 2020.

We started the fourth day full of ambition. It was the first of two days to set up all of the interior settings. In the deep layer of flats against the upstage wall was an estimated four scenes. By that afternoon we would realize there were many more. Blissful in my ignorance that morning, I figured we would set up two scenes per day. We first set up the “Center Door Fancy,” being the first in the pile. It was a lovely series of flats depicting floral garlands on every wall panel.

the center door fancy at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

While lashing the final flats together, one volunteer (Doug from Breckenridge) mentioned that there was a tag on the back of one flat. I raced over to the stage-right flat; full of excitement and knowing it was a shipping label. Expecting to see a Kansas City Scenic Co. tag, I was shocked to read “Sosman & Landis.”

Sosman & Landis shipping label found on the bottom of one flat. Painted detail. The center door fancy set at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

What makes this find such a big deal for me is that Sosman & Landis was deeply connected to both New York Studios and Kansas City Scenic Co. They shared artists, designs and projects. Having read about the regional affiliation between the studios, I had uncovered very little concrete evidence beyond brief notes in Thomas G. Moses’ memoirs and a few newspaper articles.

New York Studios was advertised as the eastern affiliate of Sosman & Moses.

Kansas City Scenic Co. was listed as a western regional office of Sosman & Landis.

Former Sosman & Landis employee, Lemuel L. Graham, initially left Sosman & Landis to form Kansas City Scenic Co. in the 1880s. Former Sosman & Landis employee, David H. Hunt, established New York Studios in 1910. There were connections everywhere to accommodate the ever-increasing demand for painted illusion.

New York Studios stencil on flat at the Thalian Hall in Wilmington, North Caroliina.

I had always wondered how they handled the scenery being manufactured and shipped from one studio while contracted with another. Even though the Elks Opera House (Tabor Opera House) in Leadville, Colorado, contracted with the Kansas City Scenic Co. in 1902, a large chunk of scenery was shipped from the Sosman & Landis Studio in Chicago. We discovered multiple shipping labels, and it is possible that each piece came with two’ one on the top and one on the bottom. Salesman Fred R. Megan, representing the Kansas City Scenic Co., handled the contract for the Leadville delivery. At this time the firm was making inroads to the western market. Megan later partnered with Thomas G. Moses, the final president of Sosman & Landis, to form Moses & Megan Studio.

Interior of the Sosman & Landis Studio, 1910.

The American scenic studio system was one large family; sometimes they quibbled and sometimes they shared, but all stayed within a network beneficial to everyone. Theatre work was plentiful in 1902; demand outweighed supply and much of the competition between studios was friendly. Even though competing studios vied for the same projects, there was always more work around the corner if one lost out to a competitor. Also, when too much work came in at once, it was beneficial to have close ties to these same competitors when work needed to be subcontracted, thus affiliations and regional connections were established.

I believe that this is what was happening from 1901-1903 with the Kansas City Scenic Co when they manufactured the scenery bound for Leadville. In looking at the various projects rolling into the Kansas City studio, the firm had more work than they could handle and reached out to Sosman & Landis. The Sosman & Landis flat construction for the center door fancy is identical to many of the other scenes with the “Kansas City Scenic Co., Kansas City, MO” stencil.

Kansas City Scenic Co. Kansas City, Missouri.

Regardless of the scenery manufacturer, the center door fancy is absolutely stunning and completes the auditorium. The sheer beauty of the set, despite the visible deterioration and water damage, mesmerized the crew. In looking at the center door fancy and seeing my crew’s reactions, I realized that this was a wonderful marketing opportunity for the Tabor Opera House, so I decided to both video and live stream the moment. This is such a special venue, and I urge donations to their Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation.

Her is the link to give:

https://www.taboroperahouse.net/donate

The Tabor Opera House has only one staff member who also gives tours; everyone else is a volunteer. There are two internationally significant scenery collections at this venue, and we are only uncovering one this time.

There is something magical about entering a historic stage scene, whether you are a performer, technician or theatre enthusiast. Being surrounded by beautiful painting with footlights before you and staring at the ornate auditorium is spellbinding. You think of all the performers who stood in that exact same spot, surround by the same within interior setting. Wile setting up all the scenery I contemplated the various personalities who handled these same flats. Stepping back in the past is a transformative experience. You are transported to another time and share a moment with those who came before, some more famous that we could ever imagine and others who changed the world.

And this was not the biggest discovery of the day. I will describe what occurred after setting up the center door fancy tomorrow.

Painted detail on the center door fancy setting at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

To be continued…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stage hardware for suspending ceiling drop over interior sets.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To be continued…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The crew that handled the scenery in the morning.

The crew that removed damaged battens that morning.

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

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

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

Tack that secured painted scene to sandwich batten.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stage left example of what failed stage right.

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

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. The Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. Monday, February 3, 2020.

Volunteer crew at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, on Monday, February 3, 2020.

My first day at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, was full of delightful surprises. After adjusting to the altitude the night before, I tried to show up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. On site that morning were a television personality and a photographer; this may be the last time I leave the house without caring what I look like. Our project will be featured as an early morning local news story on a Denver TV station tomorrow (Wednesday, February 5). A local photographer is also documenting the process this week, and this is a great addition to the Tabor’s archives. The momentum seems to be rolling, but much has to do with the executive director Mary Ann Graham-Best. She is a gem and has thought of almost everything, including the little oxygen bottles for those of us who are adjusting to the altitude.

We started the day with introductions and a brief orientation before heading upstairs to the theater. The upstage wall was packed with scenery and our first task was to unroll as many drops in front of the flat stock as possible, understanding that these were mainly painted border pieces, and may a drop or two. A few flats were also piled on top of the rolls, compressing everything, so they were soon unloaded.

The first piece that we unrolled was extremely small, beautifully painted and likely from the original 1879 scenery collection. The ornate gold and glass jewels suggested that this piece may have been the grand border for the Tabor Opera House before the Elks purchased the property and renovated the stage it in 1901. The Elks greatly enlarged both the auditorium and stage house, adding a fly loft to the building.

Grand Border for the Tabor Opera House before the Elks renovated the stage in 1901.

Painted detail. Grand Border for the Tabor Opera House before the Elks renovated the stage in 1901.

The remainder of scenery that we unrolled on that day dates from 1902. It is scenery by the Kansas City Scenic Co., contracted by Fred R. Megan. Megan would later become Thomas G. Moses’ future business partner, forming Moses & Megan Studio. It is a wonderful connection for my research and provides additional context for my writing.

Stencil on the back of many scenic pieces at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

Wood wing by the Kansas City Scenic Co. for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1902.

Painted detail. Wood wing by the Kansas City Scenic Co. for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1902.

Now you have to understand about the project’s environment. In winter, the Tabor Opera House is closed and bathroom facilities unavailable. For our project, a construction heater was rented and a “jiffy on the spot” secured. With temperatures dropping into the single digits this week, I will be hard pressed to not walk the extra fifty feet to the gas station when nature calls. The stage house is quite warm, a balmy 54 degrees Fahrenheit. It is the perfect temperature for our task, not too hot and not too cold.

The volunteer crew is a delightful and I couldn’t ask for better help. The Silver Dollar Saloon across the street is providing lunches this week, and is it great to relax in another historic Leadville building that is nearby. So far we are ahead of schedule. The only thing looming on the horizon at this point is a series of winter storms. Hopefully the weather system will end before me departure this Saturday.

Rocky Pass backdrop by the Kansas City Scenic Co. for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1902.

Painted detail. Rocky Pass backdrop by the Kansas City Scenic Co. for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1902.

To be continued…

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

The Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. Photograph from June 2018.

I last visited the Tabor Opera House in June 2018. The renovated building opened on Nov. 20 1902, featuring scenery by Kansas City Scenic. For the next five days, I will be cataloguing the scenery currently stored in the stage area. With a crew of volunteers, we will carefully go through the collection piece by piece. Some of the drops are hanging, but the majority of pieces are stacked against the back wall. Here are a few pictures of their lovely front curtain.

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar – The Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

From February 3 – 7, 2020, I am cataloguing one of two historic scenery collections at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. Horace Tabor’s 1879 opera house was purchased and renovated by the Benevolent and Protected Order of Elks in 1901, with new scenery being delivered in 1902. The venue’s original scenery was then placed into storage. My previous visit to the Tabor Opera House was posted on June 19 and June 21 of 2018 (just keyword search “Leadville”). I examine the 1902 scenery collection next week.

Here is an article recently published about the upcoming event in the “Leadville Herald” on January 20, 2020.

From February 3 to February 10, I will resume “Travels of a Scenic Artists and Scholar,” sharing my experience in Leadville at the Tabor Opera House.

On February 10, I will return to the life and times of Thomas G. Moses in “Tales of a Scenic Artist and Scholar.”

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Thomas G. Moses, the National Theatre Supply Co. and William Lemle Inc.

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.

The Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois

The fire curtain for the Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois, painted by William Lemle Co. and delivered by the national Theatre Supply Co.

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.

Back of Egyptian Theatre fire curtain noting, “Painted by William Lemle Co. in Chicago for National Theatre Supply Co.”

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.

Image brought to my attention by Bob Foreman, courtesy of Rick Zimmerman

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. The Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois, July 19, 2019

Brochure of the Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois

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.

Signs explaining the major renovation at the Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois.

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.

View of the Egyptian Theatre’s fly tower

Alley between the auditorium and nearby buildings, the structure is “L-shaped.”

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.

View of the Egyptian Theatre form the stage

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.

The fire curtain at the Egyptian Theatre

The fire curtain at teh Egyptian Theatre

The fire curtain under stage lights during my visit

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…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. TempleLive and the Cleveland Scottish Rite July 18, 2019

Update: TempleLive, a network of historic entertainment venues abruptly closed all location in September 2025. Owned by Beaty Capital Group, the venues often included Masonic structures such as Scottish Rite Temples.

The Cleveland Masonic Temple, once home to the Scottish Rite, is now owned by TempleLive.

I stopped by the Cleveland Scottish Rite building on my return trip from the League of Historic American Theatre’s national conference in Philadelphia. The venue has recently changed hands over the past two years and is under the operation of TempleLive, a group that is buying historic properties and using them as event centers. (https://www.templelive.com/). TempleLive is the subsidiary of the Beaty Capital Group, an investment firm with an interesting past. TempleLive’s most recent purchase was the Scottish Rite in Wichita, a significant loss for the Fraternity in terms of historical artifacts and material culture.

The Scottish Rite in Wichita, Kansas, was recently purchased by TempleLive.

The Cleveland Scottish Rite has popped up on my radar multiple times over the past years, in both personal research and blog posts. It represents a single square in the quilt of American theatre history, as well as the life and times of Thomas G. Moses (1856-1934). I first made contact with Cleveland’s Scottish Rite secretary on my way to Cleveland. He was a very pleasant fellow. Although happy to meet with me, he could no longer show me the stage area, as the entire building was under the management of TempleLive.

The Scottish Rite Secretary shared the telephone number for the local TempleLive representative, urging me to schedule an appointment that day for a tour with her. She was very accommodating and graciously set a time to meet. In addition to daily administrative duties, the local TempleLive manager is also part of the overhaul team, even painting walls and cabinets as part of the ongoing renovation work. In addition to implementing new color schemes, she negotiates the contracts with the Fraternity and is their key contact. Her immediate supervisor specializes in managing entertainment venues, the two previously working together on at separate venue in Cleveland. She explained that the TempleLive protocol is hiring local individuals and maintaining a congenial relationship with the previous owner, now a dedicated renter.

Both the Scottish Rite representative and TempleLive host could not have been more gracious or accommodating during my visit. They each spent an ample amount of time explaining the transfer of the building from the Fraternity to a private investor and the necessary renovations that needed to occur prior to using the facility for public events, particularly Live Nation events. Live Nation Entertainment advertises as a “Global Leader in Live Entertainment. Artist Powered. Fan Driven” with over 200 venues, 35,000 annual concerts, 4,000 touring artists, and 93 million fans in 40 countries (https://www.livenationentertainment.com/). They boast, “On average every 16 minutes there is a live Nation event starting somewhere in the world.”

Scottish Rite stage in Cleveland with some new lighting instruments for Live Nation.

It is my understanding that Live Nation is solely involved with the stage entertainment only and not the rest of the building. Live Nation recently installed new trusses for the secondary lighting system on the main stage. The old lighting system is still in place, but Masonic Bodies can use the new system for a substantial fee. With the continued flickering and blackouts during my stage visit, however, it is possible that the new system has problems. My TempleLive host explained that the light issues had been a problem since the new system was recently installed. Hmmm.

Lighting instruments for Live Nation shows.

Both of my hosts adamantly stressed the beneficial relationship between the Fraternity and TempleLive’s management, especially the generosity of the new owner allowing the previous owner to rent space in the building. I could not help think that the arrangement may be most beneficial to the new owner as there is no preparation for a new tenant, or any period of vacancy waiting for rental income. Yet the spin is more of generous landlord helping out struggling tenant.

My hosts were friendly, inquisitive, and sharing, yet something seemed off. In fact, as I walked through the building, I continued to experience a sinking sense of dread. It was the same feeling that I felt when the last painted setting left the Scottish Rite building in Fort Scott, Kansas; the soul of the space was gone. Interestingly, by the end of my two-hour visit, I still had no idea what happened to the historic scenery collection, who had removed the drops from the main theater or where they were currently stored. The backdrops went from “rolled up” to “in storage,” to “there may be a few still hanging.” The cathedral scene may be hanging – smart move for weddings on TempleLive’s part. There was a framed photograph of the scene that the Scottish Rite Secretary shared during my visit and both hosts stressed the beauty of the painting.

Framed picture of one Scottish Rite setting manufactured by Toomey & Volland scenic studio of St. Louis, Missouri, 1919.

To put this all in context, however, here is my current understanding of what TempleLive does when investing in a Masonic property. First of all, they target historic venues because of the construction quality and layout, an aspect stressed by my Cleveland host noting, “buildings just aren’t made like that anymore.” Paying a fraction of the building’s market value, the new owner ensures that the various Masonic orders meeting in the space still have access as renters. In the case of Cleveland, that the Masonic bodies have a base rental fee and are up-charged for a variety of services, such as using the “new” lights on stage. This is brilliant, because you not only get a good deal on real estate, but you immediately have dedicated renters who have no incentive to find another location. They are not going anywhere anytime soon as securing another location and moving all of the ritual paraphernalia is a deterrent.

So let’s start from the beginning as explained by my host… the building changes hands and TempleLive focuses on getting the stage/auditorium ready to sell seats for touring and local performers. This makes sense as it provides an additional revenue stream beyond the Masonic orders. TempleLive invests in the theater areas first. In the case of Cleveland, the $725,000 is paid for the building and 5 million was solely sunk into theater renovations, making it immediately ready for performances and additional revenue. Again, the price was $750,000 for a historic building with 102,000 sq. ft. in a prime downtown location. Keep in mind, similar transactions have repeatedly occurred during the past decade, with Scottish Rite buildings changing hands to private investors for next to nothing, in some cases only $1. Yet almost all have the agreement that the Masonic orders can still meet in the building, often for a fee. After the theater is up and running, TempleLive focuses on renovating the remainder of the building. That is where Cleveland is at right now, moving onto the remainder of the building.

One of many ornate halls in the Cleveland Masonic Temple

One of many meeting spaces in the Cleveland Masonic Temple

A lodge room still used by Masons at the Cleveland Masonic Temple, now owned by TempleLive.

Now there is a second theatre space in the Cleveland Masonic building that has yet to be renovated. Some of the original scenery is still hanging. We did not lower the historic scenes, so I have no idea if they were manufactured by Sosman & Landis in 1909 or Toomey & Volland in 1919. I took as many pictures of the stage machinery as possible. Sadly, I doubt that retaining any historic scenery directly benefits TempleLive. If anything, it is likely to be an impediment to their standard protocol in creating spaces for touring productions.

The second stage at the Cleveland Masonic Temple

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. The Cleveland Scottish Rite, July 18, 2019

I stayed in Cleveland, Ohio, on my return to Minneapolis after the League of Historic American Theatres national conference in Philadelphia. In 1905 Thomas G. Moses wrote, “I had to go to Cleveland to put in a lot of old mill scenery at Luna Park. Ed Thompson went with me and J. H. Young went to do the properties and papier mache work.” Moses had a long relationship with amusement park attractions and exciting projects with entertainment visionary Frederick Thompson. Luna Park in Cleveland, Ohio, opened in 1905 and lasted until 1929, when it was destroyed by fire. Constructed by Frederick Ingersoll of Ingersoll Construction Company, the park was located on a 35-acre site, bounded by Woodland Avenue, Woodhill, Mt. Caramel, and East 110^th Street. Four years later, Moses was working in Cleveland again. This time it was for a Masonic theater.

In 1909, Sosman & Landis delivered a new set of scenery to the Cleveland Scottish Rite Theatre. That year, Moses wrote, “The Dallas Masonic work came in early, so did San Francisco and Cleveland, Ohio.” Scottish Rite installations delivered by Sosman & Landis during 1909 included Masonic theaters in Dallas, Texas, San Francisco, CA, Cleveland, OH, Kansas City, KS, Winona, MN, and Atlanta, GA. Several months ago, I wrote about the Cleveland Scottish Rite and its recent purchase by an investment group that was targeting Masonic theaters. Here is a brief recap on the history and why I made a point of stopping at the Scottish Rite in Cleveland.

The Scottish Valley of Cleveland consists of a ten-county area in northern Ohio. The four Scottish Rite bodies include the Eliadah Lodge of Perfection, Bahurim Council, Ariel Chapter and Lake Erie Consistory. Before their move to their home at 3615 Euclid Avenue, the previous home to the Cleveland Scottish Rite bodies, was built in 1883 and located at Superior Avenue and East 6^th St.

Like many Scottish Rite Valleys during the early twentieth century, Cleveland’s membership dramatically increased, necessitating a new facility. Construction for a new Masonic building commenced during 1918. Interestingly, in 1919, Toomey & Volland scenic studio records indicate that they created scenery for the Cleveland Scottish Rite Temple. Ten years earlier, Sosman & Landis created the scenery for degree work in Cleveland. It is unclear how much of the original scenery may have been enlarged and moved to the new facility, if any.

Once the Scottish Rite Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio. Now owned by TempleLive.

Newly repainted ceiling at the Cleveland Scottish Rite

Original seats in at the Cleveland Scottish Rite theater

After 1915, it was not uncommon for Toomey & Volland to underbid Sosman & Landis on Masonic projects, especially in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. However, even a second scenery collection delivered by a competitor would not preclude the retention of some original scenes for the new stage. Some favorite settings were simply enlarged and installed in the venue alongside the new scenery collection.

Keep in mind too, that many Northern Jurisdiction Scottish Rite installations were delivered by a scenic studio located in the Southern Jurisdiction (Toomey & Volland of St. Louis), and many Southern Jurisdiction Scottish Rite installations were delivered by a scenic studio in the Northern Jurisdiction (Sosman & Landis of Chicago). This may have been a calculated move for the scenic studio owners who were Masons, as working outside of their personal jurisdiction may have prevented any pressure on the studio owner to donate time, money, services, or goods.

Hubbell & Benes, the same firm that designed the Cleveland museum of art in 1916, designed the new Masonic Temple in Cleveland. The new fraternal complex was home to many Masonic Orders, including Scottish Rite, York Rite, Shrine, DeMolay, Job’s Daughters, Eastern Star, etc. The massive building covered 102,000 square feet of space, with a 2200-seat auditorium. Acclaimed for its acoustics at the time, the Masonic Temple was even home to the Cleveland Orchestra for a decade, before their moving in 1931 to Severance Hall.

Backstage at the Cleveland Scottish Rite

Individual lines at the Cleveland Scottish Rite

As with many other Masonic buildings of this scope, the Valley cited declining membership after World War II and escalated expenses from deferred maintenance when they put their building on the market in 2017. The corporate secretary of the Cleveland Scottish Rite admitted that it cost $400,000 a year to maintain the building, “an outlay that would soon exhaust the operating endowment.” Keep in mind that the endowment is now used for rent paid to the new owners). Cleveland’s Masonic building is listed on the National Register of Historic places, so the property is eligible for preservation funding including state and federal tax credits.

Nearly one hundred years after construction began on the Masonic Auditorium in Cleveland, it was sold to a private developer. The affiliate of Arkansas-based Beaty Capital Group, Inc. paid only $725,000 for the entire complex on March 31, 2017. TempleLive, a subsidiary of Beaty Capital Group is the same company that purchased the Scottish Rite in Forth Smith, Arkansas, and most recently, the Scottish Rite in Wichita, Kansas. They also attempted to purchase the Zembo Shrine building in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania during January 2018.

In Cleveland, Fort Smith and Wichita, the Fraternity will never be able to afford the expense of constructing anything comparable. In many cases, the materials and craftsmanship necessary to build these types of buildings are often no longer available. It is the future generations of Masons who lose in the end, as they are the ones who will never experience the space, or the physical sense of heritage. The buildings were planned and constructed by men with vision. It also takes vision to contemplate how these venues can be saved and marketed. The winners are those who purchase these jewels for pennies on the dollar.

I was curious to see how a Masonic building was operating under the direction of Templelive, hence my stop. More on my experience at the Cleveland Scottish Rite tomorrow.

To be continued…