In 2022, Gilbert & Sullivan Austin (Texas) reimagined The Mikado to create The McAdo. Promotional materials explained, “The Mikado has been moved to the highlands of Scotland and becomes The McAdo. Gilbert’s librettos and Sullivan’s score will be kept virtually intact, while scenery and costumes will reflect the Scottish moors. It is a farcical tale of a wond’ring minstrel, a cowardly executioner, and iron-fisted ruler, and some of the greatest songs in musical theatre!”
Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Company (Minneapolis, Minnesota) produced their own version of The McAdo, or The Town of Ballydew this fall. I was again asked to be the scenic designer/artist. This became a “family endeavor” last year; my son plays with the GSVLOC orchestra (cello), and my husband fills in as a stage carpenter.
Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Co. The McAd, Nov. 2024. The show was double-cast, with Sam Vinitsky playing Coco (pictured above) with the Gilbert cast. Brant Roberts played Coco with the Sullivan cast.A view of The McAdo stage under work lights during tech week.
Established in 1979, the Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company performs at the Howard Conn Fine Arts Center, Plymouth Congregational Church , Minneapolis, Minnesota. This stage is a very challenging space, as there is no fly loft or viable wing space… just a series of 12’-0”h (semi-permanent) wings, and a rather odd-shaped apron.
To complicate matters, the orchestra is situated SR in a double-decker shop space (see images below).
View of the SR wing where the 30+ person orchestra is situated. The double-decker Gilbert & Sullivan orchestra, directed by Dr. Randy Buikema, 2024.Another view of the GSVLOC orchestra and Dr. Randy Buikema, 2024.
The McAdo ran from Nov. 1-24, 2024, and was directed by long-term company member, Joe Andrews, who added his own layer of whimsy to the Scottish interpretation.
GSVLOC Musical Director Dr. Randy Buikema (left) and Director Joe Andrews (right) shaking hands on opening night of The McAdo, 2024.
To add context, he developed a 12-min. digital pre-show. It began with multiple streaming choices, including “Rapture Plus,” a Gilbert & Sullivan network.
A few of the screens developed by Joe Andrews for his version of The McAdo, Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Co. (Minneapolis, MN), 2024.
This was not a video clip, but controlled by Stage Manager Kate Bender each night from the lighting booth.
Screen saver for The McAdo pre-show. This is before the streaming service options pop up on the screen.
A variety of Mikado options were listed in the “pre-show streaming service” – such as Hot Mikado (the 1985 retelling of the 1939 All-African American reimagining of the classic), Cool Mikado (reset in a contemporary 1960s comic gangster story), Il Ducato (The San Francisco Lamplighters re-setting of the G&S classic in Renaissance Italy), Eric Idle Mikado (1987 ensemble set in an English country hotel during the 1920s), and GSVLOC’s choice – The McAdo.
Parental warnings of racism, exoticism, and cultural appropriation were also attached to the original Mikado listing, with a secondary side note stating that this version was “only availability in Florida, Kansas and Arizona.”
Another streaming setting during pre-show – “to optimize” viewing pleasure – included a Language and Accents option, specifically “Midwestern English”, “Mid-Atlantic English (with a wee Scottish Lilt)”, or “Scottish Shetland Brogue”. The Audio settings included BuikemaAudio, after the musical director Randy Buikema, and described “as if a 30-person orchestra and full chorus were mere feet away.” Finally, there were two other settings – Anachronisms and Video Settings. “G&S Virtual Reality” is the final selection before the overture opens the show.
My scenic design was completed and approved before the introduction of the “Rapture Plus”pre-show.
Original scenic design for GSVLOC’s The McAdo, by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, 2024.Original scenic design for GSVLOC’s The McAdo, by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, 2024.
Some of the painted elements downstage of the projection screen were cut. The others that remained had to “disappear” during the pre-show and “appear” instantaneously during the overture.
It was Coco who would make the side-stage art and stage-apron art magically appear. Black masking suggested for the reveal, but I was concerned about quickly whisking away large pieces of fabric on a small stage filled with forty performers. We then tried small roll drops, but they were too sluggish; the action had to take place in about two seconds.
After watching a few failed attempts during tech, it became clear that our only option was LIGHT.
Fortunately, I have a wonderful LD – Carl Schoenberg. In the end, it worked extremely well! When the projection screen was raised for the overture, the stage was bathed in cool light – working well for the “G&S virtual performance” saspect.
During Coco’s magical reveal (about halfway through the overture), the set was blasted with warm light, making the scenery appear vibrantly lush. Schoenberg did an excellent job of pulling out various colors in the foliage painting throughout the show to change location. The attached images fail to capture the actual color, but I was extremely well pleased with how everything looked.
Here are a few scenes from our show that received extremely positive reviews.
GSVLOC production of The McAdo, 2024.GSVLOC production of The McAdo, 2024.
For those curious about my painting logistics:
I purchased 126”-wide muslin, as that is the width works perfectly with my paint frame. Tacking up to two 50’-wide pieces, I painted the entire show over the course of a few short days; working on multiple scenic art compositions makes everything go at lightning speed. I never have to wait for something to dry and can continue to plug along at a quick pace.
Stage settings for GSVLOC’s production of The McAdo on the paint frame at Hamline University, 2024.This photograph shows the stone painting process – very, very fast technique.Painted detail of completed stone section (for stone facade and stage apron) while still on the paint frame.Detail of The McAdo backdrop on the paint frame (only an 8′ x 10′ section).Here shows the base coat for the foliage wings. Painted detail of foliage for The McAdowings.
Now factor in that I am solely working with distemper paint (pigment paste and diluted hide glue), and the overall material cost is again reduced. I seldom use more than three cups of pigment paste and one pound of hide glue per show. Any leftover pigment paste is scraped into a container and saved for the next show. The shelf life is phenomenal.
This whole process is extremely green with virtually no waste. Vertical paint frames and distemper paint were made for each other. Everything dries fast and everything can become a transparency! In the end, each piece can be folded for easy storage until its next use.
My return from the UK on August 12 was relatively uneventful – at first. Sadly, four days after my return I became quite sick – a sore throat quickly became a severe respiratory infection. Although I never tested positive for COVID, this particular illness confined to me to bed for over two weeks.
That is the reason why there was a flurry of posts about my UK trip mid-August. Researching a handful of English scenic artists and historic venues prevented me from worrying about all of the projects that needed to be completed by Sept. 12.
The initial delay had started well before my departure to the UK. In June, our basement flooded (water heater burst – destroying the flooring in our master bedroom, laundry room, and my research office). Thankfully, nothing of consequence was damaged. However, this unfortunate event caused a series of delays, each one falling like a Domino.
Despite the ongoing delays and my continued illness, I still had a show to finish in August, an annual family trip (Labor Day weekend), and a 31st wedding anniversary (Sept. 11).
Thank God I paint fast.
I only had one backdrop left for Tamerlano (Haymarket Opera Company, Chicago), but it was a complicated composition with lots of ornamental detail. As my illness dragged on, it became a guessing game of “Can I paint this drop in — days?” In the end, it took me three partial days, and I felt horrible with each brush stroke. The only thing that would have made this worse is if I had been painting in the Continental method. Fortunately, I was using a motorized paint frame. That meant I could minimize my overall movement.
Here is a picture of the finished Tamerlano backdrop (front and back). It was painted with distemper paint (pigment paste and diluted hide glue), and designed to function as a translucency, so it could subtly “glow” upstage.
Front (right) and back (left) of Tamerlano backdrop for Haymarket Opera Company, Chicago.
On Sept. 12, 2024, I drove to Chicago with a carload of scenery for Haymarket Opera Company’s fall production Tamerlano(George Frederic Handel, 1724). The production was scheduled to coincide with the 300th anniversary of the premiere.
A carload of Tamerlano scenery on September 12, 2024.
As noted on their website, Haymarket Opera Company takes its name from both Chicago’s Haymarket Affair of 1886 which gave focus to the world-wide labor movement, and from the King’s Theatre in the Haymarket District of London where Handel produced his Italian operas. Their website states, “Haymarket Opera Company contributes to the diverse and culturally vibrant artistic community of Chicago and the Midwest through the historically informed presentation of opera and oratorio from the 17th and 18th centuries, including many Chicago and U.S. premieres. Since its founding in 2010, Haymarket has offered more than 30 productions using period instruments and historically informed staging conventions, shining a spotlight on many lesser known but quality pieces by a wide diversity of composers, sung and played by a combination of international stars and top regional talent.”
My earliest conversations with Haymarket Opera Company in 2021 discussed the creation of a stock scenery collection. Our intent was to slowly build scenic stock, one show at a time. The scenic design for L’Amant anonyme (June 2022), established our stylistic approach and paint medium.
Painted detail from L’Amant anonyme’s grand border. Haymarket Opera Co., 2022.Painted detail from L’Amant anonyme’s landscape drop. Haymarket Opera Co., 2022.
We agreed that all the shows would be painted with distemper paint (picgment paste and diluted hide glue), as it truly supports the metamorphic nature of painted illusion for the stage.
Tubs of dry pigment paste that were used during the painting of L’Amant anonyme. May 2022.
I have continued to enlarge Haymarket’s stock scenery collection over the past few years with classical settings for Poppea (September 2022) and Egyptian décor for Marc’antonio e cleopatra (June 2023). Tamerlano (September 2024) combines elements from each production, while adding Eastern tapestries and an Eastern courtyard setting to the stock.
Painted drapery panels used for Haymarket Opera Company’s production of Poppea, September 2022.Adding decorative ornament to Poppea drapery panels. They functioned as side masking for Tamerlano.
For example, painted ornament was added to six Poppea wings, functioning as a unifying element between the newly-painted Tamerlano draperies with previously-painted L’Amant anonyme tapestries. New elements for this production include a backdrop, top border, two side wings, two tormentor covers, and four rolling profile pieces.
Painted draperies for Tamerlano to match scenic elements from Poppea and L’Amant anonyme.
Haymarket Opera Company uses the Sasha and Eugene Jarvis Opera Hall at DePaul University. This building was formerly known as the School of Music Concert Hall, located at the south end of the Holtschneider Performance Center. It was recently renovated, reopening during the pandemic in 2020. Bad timing, as stag-house issues really were not identified until well after the install, when pandemic-related restrictions were lifted.
Champagne toast on opening night, Tamerlano, September 19, 2024. Photograph by Elliot Mandel.
The auditorium, however, is perfect. The 160-seat house creates an incredibly intimate space for Baroque opera.
Haymarket Opera Co. Tamerlano, Act I. September 19, 2024. Photograph by Elliot Mandel.Haymarket Opera Company’s Tamerlano, Act I. Sept. 19, 2024. Photograph by Elliot Mandel.
The stagehouse is a very challenging space, and I constantly curse the theatre consultants. Scenery cannot travel out of site, the wings are less than 6’-0” wide, and every line-set is motorized. There are only a few open lines. For substantial set changes, soft goods are rolled and tied to battens, then slowly lowered during intermissions
Assistant Stage Manager, Mary Rose Dixon (left), and Stage Supervisor, Zoe Snead (right), unrolling painted panels for Act II, Tamerlano. Sept. 19, 2024. Photograph by Elliot Mandel.Haymarket Opera Company’s Tamerlano, Act III. September 19, 2024. Photograph by Elliot Mandel.
All difficulties aside, the Jarvis Opera Hall is a stunning venue to visit and watch a production. Tamerlano opened on Thursday, Sept. 19 and closed on Sunday, Sept. 22. A short run, but each performance was sold-out, and the show was recorded.
The cast and creative team taking a final bow. September 19, 2024. Photograph by Elliot Mandel.
As each Haymarket opera loads in easily, and without substantial notes, I have ample time to explore Chicago during the day. My adventures always include a dear friend – Chicago Lyric Opera charge artist, Brian Traynor. In the past we have visited cemeteries, history centers, and historic buildings. Last year, Traynor introduced me to Bernard Loyd and we visited The Forum in Bronzeville (a neighborhood on the south-side of Chicago). On July 18, 2023, Brian Traynor sent me a photograph with the text, “Guess what I’m looking at.” It was a Sosman & Landis signature on the corner of a, 1897 drop curtain.
Sosman & Landis signature on 1897 Forum Hall drop curtain.
I examined the drop curtain in person on Sept. 28. 2023. CLICK HERE for my full post about out visit. Our visit last year was documented by Block Club Chicago journalist, Jamie Nesbitt Golden, and photographer Colin Boyle. CLICK HERE to read her Block Club Chicago article.
This scenery collection was also the topic for my article published in Die Vierte Wand #012, entitled, “A Forum for Progress.” CLICK HERE for the full issue.
Traynor and I returned to The Forum this year on Sept. 19, 2024. I was supervising the proper rolling and storage of the Forum’s scenery collection . This meant removing the hardware and battens, then rolling and encapsulating each scene.
Rolling the landscape drop for temporary storage until preservation. The Forum on Sept. 19, 2024. Photograph by Bernard Loyd.
For the first time, this process was documented by someone other than myself. Asia Taylor brought in her film crew in to document the project. Taylor previously produced and directed a short film that gives insight into the history of Forum Hall. CLICK HERE to watch her short film.
She is also one of the storytellers for Build Bronzeville. Build Bronzeville is comprised of five closely-linked initiatives that merge social, economic, civic, and creative approaches to achieve comprehensive community development. It is using the historic neighborhood’s unique assets to restore commercial activity and revitalize area through entrepreneurship, cuisine, exciting events, and beautification.
Asia Taylor, Wendy Waszut-Barrett, and Brian Traynor examining a group of Black visitors to the Roman Forum. Sept. 19, 2024.Photograph by Bernard Loyd.Moving the rolled street scene for encapsulation. Left to right: Erica Ruggiero, London Hainsworth, Wendy Waszut-Barrett, and Dorian Sylvain. Sept. 19, 2024. Photograph by Bernard Loyd.
Prior to Traynor’s departure, he passed along a gift from his mentor, Jim Maronek – scenic fitches once used by Thomas G. Moses (1856-1934) and a package labeled “Open at your own risk.”
Wendy Waazut-Barrett holding Thomas G. Moses’ scenic fitches – a gift from Jim Maronek.Scenic fitches once used by Thomas G. Moses– a gift from Jim Maronek.Dye and Paint sample books – a gift from Jim Maronek.
My research and career has circled around Jim Maronek for over three decades. It was his stewardship of many Thomas Moses artifacts made so much of my research possible.
Maronek who retrieved several of Moses’ artifacts when the family home in Oak Park sold – including an electric theatre model that is now part of the Sosman & Landis Collection at the Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas – Austin.
Theatre model (left) and scenic designs (right) in two trunks, once owned by Thomas G. Moses. Donated to the University of Texas – Austin, by Jim Maronek.Label on the Thomas G. Moses trunk, now at the Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas – Austin.
I have visited the Oak Park home of Thomas and Ella Moses several times. I also make an annual trip to Graceland Cemetery where Sosman & Landis are buried. These moments really help energize my ongoing research.
Sosman & Landis gravestones in Graceland Cemetery, Chicago.
In 2023, Traynor and I stopped by Moses’ Oak Park home to meet to the new owners; they had contacted me when the property changed hands. I first visited the home on July 19, 2019, on a return trip from the East Coast. CLICK HERE for the post about that visit. The new owners are now collecting Moses’ work. Here are two of Moses’ paintings again hanging in the Oak Park Home
Painting by Thomas G. Moses, 1885, that has returned to his Oak Park home.Painting by Thomas G. Moses, 1916, that has returned to his Oak Park home.
There were two other items on my agenda for the Chicago trip – visits to the Newberry Library and the Palette & Chisel Club. It was not until the fall of 2023 that I realized that both were located less than three blocks south of my hotel. While walking to the Newberry to pick up my reader’s card, I passed by the Palette & Chisel Club building. Amazingly the gates were open! A new exhibit with works of was on display.
The Palette & Chisel Club, 1012 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago.
I have written quite a bit about the Palette & Chisel Club over the years. Founded in 1895, the Palette & Chisel Club was an association of artists and craftsmen for the purpose of work and study. The organization’s members were reported to be “all wage-workers, busy during the week with pencil, brush or chisel, doing work to please other people” (Inland Printer, 1896). But on Sunday mornings, they assembled for five hours to paint for themselves.
Many Sosman & Landis scenic artists belonged to the club, including Thomas G. Moses who joined in 1906. That year, Moses wrote, “I joined the Palette and Chisel Club at the Chicago Society of Artists. I don’t know why, as I had so little time to give to pictures, but I live in hopes of doing something someday, that is what I have lived on for years, Hope, and how little we realize from our dreams of hope. As the years roll by, I think one’s whole life is one continuous dream, unless we are wonderfully gifted, and fame drops on us while we sleep.” In 1906 the Palette and Chisel Club, the group consisted of sixty local painters, illustrators, and sculptors. On Jan. 6, 1906, the Chicago Tribune reported, the Palette & Chisel was “primarily a working club, being the oldest organization in the west” (p. 2).
The year before Moses joined the Palette & Chisel, the members purchased a summer retreat near fox lake. Initially, artists and their families camped in tents. In 1907, Moses wrote, “June 1st, I made my first trip to the Palette and Chisel Club camp at Fox Lake, Ill. Helped to put up the tent. A new experience for me, but I enjoyed it. I slept well on a cot. Made a few sketches. A very interesting place. I don’t like the cooking in the tent and there should be a floor in the tent. I saw a great many improvements that could be made in the outfit and I started something very soon.”
The next year, Moses gifted a house to the group. In 1908 he wrote, “I bought the portable house that we built years ago and at that time we received $300.00 for it. I finally got it for $50.00, some bargain. It cost $25.00 to remove it and we will put it up at Fox Lake in the Spring. It has been used in Forest Park all summer to show The Day in the Alps.”
In 1909, Moses painted a view of the new building. It was gifted to my by his great-grandson, Stu Nicholls, in 2017.
Painting by Thomas G. Moses of the summer retreat house, Fox Lake, 1909.
In 1906, the club maintained a permanent exhibition in the clubrooms on the seventh floor of the Athenæum building. The group moved to 1012 N. Dearborn Street in the 1921. In the 1920s Moses submitted several articles to the Palette & Chisel Club newsletter. His series “Stage Scenery” started in September 1927.
Article by Thomas G. Moses, entitled “Stage Scenery How it is Painted” – Palette & Chisel Newsletter.
After entering the building, I wandered about the main floor, recognizing artworks by several familiar names.
Palette & Chisel Club Front room. Sept. 18, 2024.The other front room at the Palette & Chisel Club. Sept. 18, 2024.
Then I followed the signs to the office in the basement. It was time to contact someone and share the information that I have gathered over the years. The basement office had a lovely mural that documents the history of the Club.
Mural in basement office at the Palette & Chisel Club, c. 1930s-1940s.Mural in basement office at the Palette & Chisel Club, c. 1930s-1940s.
By the end of the weekend, I met with the current president, Stuart Fullerton, and applied for membership. The Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts is an amazing resource for both emerging and established artists. The membership benefits, even for those out-of-state like myself, are quite impressive. They are part of Open House Chicago on October 19, 2024 . If you are in the area, I strongly encourage you to stop by.
Upon my return to Minneapolis, I hit the ground running. Yesterday, I finished painting the scenery for my next Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Co. design – The McAdo (a Scottish Take on The Mikado). It opens on Nov. 1. 2024, and runs for four weekends. CLICK HERE to order tickets.
Here is a sneak peak of the scenery.
Painted detail from The McAdo, Gilbert and Sullivan Very Light Opera Co., Minneapolis, MN.
I am returning to work on my upcoming book series – Sosman & Landis: Shaping the Landscape of American Theatre.
David Wilmore and I began discussing new ground rows for the Tyne Theatre & Opera House last fall. It was during a stage machinery demonstration that Wilmore mentioned my name; they were ready for new scenery. Before my departure, the following plan was hatched over a pint of beer.
Our plan: I would design and paint eight ground rows with historic pigments in the US and fly them over, packed in my suitcase.
Eight ground rowswere packed a standard suitcase and flown to England on July 25, 2024.
From the beginning, we planned that I would use traditional materials and techniques; painting the ground rows on a vertical frame with distemper paint (pigment paste and diluted hide glue). This is also what made it possible to fold all of the ground rows into a compact little bundle and not worry about creasing.
Containers of dry pigment paste that I used for the ground rows.Control buttons for the motorized paint frame that I used to paint the ground rows.
Initially, I planned to paint eight water rows, each measuring 3’-0”h x 24’-0”w. However, size, construction, and composition were bantered about, and in the end there were four water rows and four ground rows; the new width measuring 26’-6” wide, with heights ranging from 30” to 60″. Furthermore, each ground row would breakdown into three pieces (for easier handling and storage). The design anticipated that certain sections would be removed with additions constructed at a later date.
Once the sizes were finalized, I began to design each row. Using pastels, I completed a few quick sketches to indicate color palette and layout. I really like using pastels to quickly convey an idea, especially when the final scene is paint in distemper.
Two quick sketches in pastels to convey composition and color.
A detailed rendering was my next step, and now we were off to the races!
Final design for water rows.Final design for foliage ground rows.
Using 126”-wide lightweight muslin, I tacked two 27’-6” long swaths of fabric. I have taken to using this particular width as it perfectly fits on the paint frame. This saves me a ton of time in the long run.
Two sized muslin panels attached to paint frame.
I budgeted five days to set-up, paint, tear-down, and pack-up the eight ground rows.
I started with the water rows: three rows on the top panel and one row on the bottom panel. As pictured below, the top fabric would contain the 30”, 40” and 50” high water rows. The bottom panel would contain two 60” ground rows (water and foliage).
Four water rows on the paint frame.
When the water rows were finished, I replaced the top fabric panel (water rows) with a fresh piece of muslin for the foliage rows. I masked the completed water row on the bottom fabric panel with plastic. Sometimes I throw paint a little too freely!
Basing in the ground rows on the third day.
Each set of ground rows took approximately two days, leaving me a little extra time to pre-hang the panels in the nearby theatre and make sure that everything lined up. This also allowed me to double- check that the painted illusion read well from a distance.
Checking ground rows prior to packing.
I was also able to document the viscosity of the painting. Over the years, I have learned to use less, and less, paint. THAT is the key to distemper painting!
It was while documenting historic scenery collections that I began to realize how little paint was applied to the surface of historic drops; and it wasn’t because it had all dusted off. Applying thin coats of paint not only means that every drop can function as a translucency, but also facilities packing for a tour. This was also not the first time that I have packed painted scenery in a standard suitcase, so I knew how much wiggle room that I had to work with!
Painted detail. View from front (left) and back (right).
When packing the ground rows, I simply layered them from widest to narrowest before folding. All eight ground rows easily fit in a suitcase, with room to spare.
Arranging ground rows prior to folding.Eight ground rows packed in a standard suitcase.
Distemper scenes traveled very well, without any horrific wrinkles or creasing. I sometimes think we forget how hearty this type of scenery can be. Only water poses a threat to newly-painted distemper scenes.
Eight ground rows after they were unpacked at the Tyne Theatre & Opera House.
After spending five days in a suitcase, as I journeyed from Minneapolis to London, and then Newcastle-upon-Tyne, they were unfolded at the Tyne on Monday, July 29.
Over the next few days, three of the eight ground rows frames were constructed, so they could be used in the demonstration on Friday, August 2. Only the edges of the fabric were glued to the prototypes (less than an inch). It will be removed and attached to the final version. The final version will have more detailed edges to accentuate the individual leaves.
Covering the ground row frames.Covering the frames.
On Thursday evening, August 1, the ground rows were installed and operated for the first time.
David Wilmore (left) and Colin Hopkins (right) discussing the installation of the first ground row on August 1, 2024. Tyne Theatre & Opera House.Installing the second ground row on August 1, 2024. Tyne Theatre & Opera House.Two of three ground rows in action during the International Theatre Conference on August 2, 2024.Tyne Theatre & Opera House.Two of three ground rows in action during the International Theatre Conference on August 2, 2024.Tyne Theatre & Opera House.The new ground rows with David Wilmore in the background.
Watching this all come together was one of the more exciting moments of my career.
Wendy Waszut-Barrett and Rachel Snape (Heritage and Development Project Manager) watching the ground rows in action for the first time. Photograph by Mike Hume, Historic Theatre Photos.
There is nothing quite like seeing your paintings tucked amongst stage machinery. It was a remarkable experience!
Ground rows tucked in the stage machinery at the Tyne Theatre & Opera House.Colin Hopkins (Project Site Manager and Stage Carpenter).
You may have noticed that it has been a while since my last post.
When I’m not on the road for work, my life consists of scenery preservation, presentations, master classes, writing, scenic design, art, and caretaking (people, places and things). I wrote a similar statement last year, about the same time.
I just returned from a trip to England and Wales. The impetus for my travel began last fall at the Tyne Theatre & Opera House.
View of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne from my hotel window on July 29, 2024.
The Tyne Theatre & Opera House on July 30, 2024.
The Tyne Theatre & Opera House. Photograph by Mike Hume, August 2, 2024.
Last year, on Sept. 15, 2023, I presented a paper at an international theatre conference. 120 delegates attended the event, representing the UK, Europe, Canada and the United States.
My presentation, Stage Craft and Spectacle: Immigrant Contributions to North American Theatre, was part of the Tyne Theatre & Opera House Conference: Victorian and Edwardian Theatre in Performance, Music & Machinery – Stagecraft & Spectacle. Here is a link to my 2023 presentation from last year:
I was part of a session entitled Beyond Great Britain, one that included Mike Hume and Rick Boychuk. They discussed the Booth Theatre and Auditorium Theatre, respectively. Here is a link to more information about the conferences and individual sessions: https://www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk/international-conference/
The 2023 event was organized by David Wilmore of Theatresearch. On the final day of the conference delegates were able to watch the functioning stage machinery from both above and below stage.
David Wilmore explaining the stage machinery to delegates. September 15, 2023.
The 2023 conference was a truly a celebratory event, unveiling almost two decades of hard work to rebuild the entire stage house after a 1985 fire.
The theater’s website explains:
Our machinery is one of the only surviving examples of Victorian wooden modular stage machinery in the UK and is of huge historic importance. Prior to the theatre fire in 1985, the machinery was used regularly by fully trained volunteers in productions. Now however there is a real risk of losing historic knowledge from previous years. We are therefore developing a team of committed volunteers who will be trained in the operation and restoration of this machinery.
At both conference’s Wilmore provided context for the machinery, giving a full explanation of the bridges, cuts, and sloats during various demonstrations.
Sloats emerging from the cuts at the Tyne Theatre & Opera House. Sept. 15, 2023.
During the 2023 demonstration, Wilmore commented that they were ready to install new scenery. Before my departure, the following plan was hatched over a pint of beer.
Our plan: I would design and paint eight ground rows with historic pigments in the US, then hand-carry them in my suitcase.
In addition to delivering the scenery, I would teach a three-day distemper painting class while the scenery was being installed. The project would culminate at the end of the week with another international conference, featuring 19th-century scenic art. The conference would also include a demonstration of the stage machinery, now complete with my scenery attached to frames on the sloats. Less than a year later, we were attaching frames to the sloats, just prior to the conference.
Attaching frames to the sloats on August 1, 2024.
So how did this all come to be?
In the fall of 2023, a survey was sent out to various organizations, inquiring about potential interest in a three-day distemper painting class. There was an overwhelming response, prompting the entire project to move forward.
As dates were finalized for the summer of 2024, a secondary “travel trip” was hatched with Mike Hume (https://www.historictheatrephotos.com/). In 2023, Hume, Boychuk, and I visited fifteen theaters, both before and after the conference. Our travels brought us to historic venues in London, York, Glasgow, Bristol, Bath, and the Isle of Man. In the end, we documented fifteen theaters.
Wendy Waszut-Barrett, Rick Boychuk and Mike Hume at the Theatre Royal in Bath, 2023.
Hume and I planned a similar trip this year, but by car. Our plan was to drive from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne to Craig Y Nos, Wales. The primary focus was historic scenery collections.
Mike’s map for our proposed 2024 theatre tour.
When all was said and done, I visited:
Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond
Victoria Hall, Settle
The Plaza, Stockport
Buxton Opera House
Chatsworth House Theatre
Theatre Royal, Nottingham
Nottingham Concert Hall
Nottingham Playhouse
Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham
Adelina Patti Theatre, Craig y Nos
Normansfield Theatre, London
Richmond Theatre, London
The Palladium, London
My next several posts will be about the design and painting of the ground rows, my distemper scene painting class at the Tyne, the scenic art conference, and the historic scenery at various venues.
On Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, I returned from Chicago with the set for La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina. Less than two weeks later, I loaded in the set of H. M. S. Pinafore for the Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Co. (Howard Conn Fine Arts Center in Minneapolis). Although the show had been designed for months, it had yet to go into production. My husband, Dr. Andrew Barrett, took on the role of stage carpenter to help me out.
The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company production of HMS Pinafore.
The set in the Howard Conn Fine Arts Center space.
In fact, I was unable to start painting the show until Monday, Oct. 9. This meant I had less than five days to paint the the show, knowing that the structural pieces and flooring would be painted after load-in. As with other recent productions, I used distemper paint (pigment paste mixed with diluted hide glue) for all of the soft goods. This painting process facilitated the compressed timeline, as I spent less time mixing color, washing brushes, and cleaning buckets; the list goes on. Also, with painting on a vertical frame, and not the floor, everything dries faster.
Dry pigment paste is combined with diluted hide glue during the distemper painting process.
View from the aisle, house right. Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company’s production of H.M.S. Pinafore, 11 November,2023.
Painted details. behind the helm.
My painting schedule was as follows:
Monday, Oct. 9 – Load in all painting supplies to Hamline University, set up palettes, make glue, attach fabric to frame, and size.
Tuesday, Oct. 10 – Base paint ship pieces, draw out composition and finish.
Wednesday, Oct. 10 – Remove ship pieces from frame, attach cloud/water pieces and size.
Thursday, Oct. 11 – Paint cloud/water pieces and cannons.
Friday, Oct. 12 – Remove all painted pieces from frame and load out of Hamline University.
Saturday, Oct. 13 – Finish set construction.
Sunday, Oct. 14 – Load into space.
A partially-constructed set during load-in, Oct. 15, 2023.
Under work lights before the floor is painted.
Painting the floor during tech week. I ran tape to save time, and used the existing “black floor” as the crevices.This meant I was able to paint the floor all by myself in only an hour. The “key” to this process is to let the floor fully dry before pulling up the tape.
After painting the floor and railings.
Before the remaining ropes and seagulls are added for “character.”
My favorite seagull.
The final painted “bits” stage right- seagulls and belaying pins.
The final painted “bits” stage left- seagulls and belaying pins.
The speed at which I was able to paint also really relied upon the subject matter and my own skill set. I have always loved painting skies, water, wood, draperies, and foliage. Getting to paint three out of your five favorites, isn’t bad.
It also helped that I was the scene designer. It gives me a little wiggle room.
On-site “touch-up” with distemper paint also means every color is instantaneously available without having to store of unpack a “touch-up kit.”
My “warm” distemper palette for on-site touch-up.
The new thing that I tried during the painting process this time was positioning the seascape compositions sideways. Why? Because it fit better on the frame and made running the long horizon lines easier.
Painting water and sky scenes SIDEWAYS to fit on the paint frame at Hamline University. Notice how the distemper paint dries from dark to light.
Another view of the process.
Running the horizon line on a motorized paint frame without a lining stick
You do have to pay VERY close attention to what you are doing. However, I would choose this orientation again, as running the horizon line was substantially easier. No lining stick needed when you have a steady hand and motorized paint frame. This is also why painting vertical folds in draperies is also stream-lined on a motorized paint frame.
Waiting for canon flats and doors to dry.
Recycling portions of an existing stencil to save time.
Here are a few process shots from tech week and the final production.
The set with pre-show lighting.
The scenery under cool lights.
How the colors can shift. Distemper paint reflects color so much better than contemporary (pre-mixed) scenic paints.
The show runs for one more weekend! There are some absolutely lovely voices in this production. It is a very fun show directed by Gary Briggle, with musical direction by Dr. Randall Buikema.
The added bonus this time is that our son is playing accordion in the pit orchestra!
The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company Orchestra under the baton of Dr. Randall Buikema.
On Sept. 20, 2023, my plane touched down at the Minneapolis International Airport. I had just returned from a twelve-day trip in the UK, presenting a paper and touring historic theaters in England, Scotland and the Isle of Man. 48 hours later, I was packing a trailer of scenery for Haymarket Opera Company’s production of La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina. The show loaded in on Saturday, Sept. 23.
This was my fourth show with the same design team: Brian Schneider (Lighting), Stephanie Cluggish (Costumes) and Megan Pirtle (Wigs and Make-up). They are all remarkable individuals to work with!
Stephanie Cluggish (Costumer), Sarah Edgars (Director) and Brian Schnieder (Lighting Designer) with model. I handed off the La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina model during tech week for Marc’antonio e Cleopatra.
This spring we were tackling two shows in a compressed timeframe. Marc’antonio e Cleopatra, (June 2023) and La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina (Sept. 2024). The first opera was very straightforward; two static scenes in Egypt, consisting of painted panels and a few profile pieces.
La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina is the only surviving opera by female composer, Francesca Caccini, dating back to 1625. It included sea nymphs, entrances on dolphins and orca-bone boats, sea monsters, magical plants, and so forth. The plot posed a few challenges, as did the performance space. There is no fly tower or wing space at the Jarvis Opera Hall. From a logistical standpoint, there is not enough room to store large scenic elements anywhere off stage.
One of the ideas that I repeatedly tossed out at the beginning of the design process was creating a small-scale Baroque stage. This “stage-with-a-stage” meant that everything could be self-contained and easily accessible. In the end, my set consisted of a 16’x16’ platform, 8 step units, and a 28-ft. theatre façade, 8’-0” x8’-0” proscenium opening, and two doorways.
Set with jungle scene.
My small stage house had both upper and lower grooves for wings and shutters. The scenery consisted of a drop curtain (roll drop), scrim (roll drop), Jungle scene (roll drop), 2 jungle wings, ocean drop, 2 ocean wings, 3 water ground rows, 2 jungle shutters, 2 jungle wings, a dolphin profile, an orca boat profile.
Photograph by Elliot Mandel
Photograph by Elliot Mandel.
Painted detail from drop curtain.
Photograph by Elliot Mandel.
Painted detail from the jungle scene.
Painted detail from jungle scene.
Magical plants. Photograph by Elliot Mandel.
Ocean scene. Photograph by Elliot Mandel.
The Siren. Photograph by Elliot Mandel.
Water detail.
Photograph by Elliot Mandel.
Orca bones boat and dolphin on paint frame.
Sea monsters behind the scrim. Photograph by Elliot Mandel.
All of the scenic elements were painted simultaneously on a motorized paint frame. This meant that there were fewer staples and I was able to hop from one painted composition to another. This also helps unify all of the painted elements without having to repeatedly mix the same color as I would progress from one piece to the next.
The paint frame at Hamline University with my parents for scale.
The entire set was painted with distemper paint. In addition to setting up may standard palette, I built two new distemper palettes; one for warm colors and one for cool colors. It greatly helped for all of the foliage painting. Taking a 2’-0” x 2’-0” square of ¾” ply for the base, I covered it with canvas then painted it white. I drilled 2” holes around three sides of the palette to hold my containers of dry pigment paste. When not using a color, it remained capped. This meant that my pigments did not dry out and could easily change position. Not having to scrape off the palette, or reconstitute the paste, saves time in the long run.
Show curtain for THE SORCERER, painted by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, 2023.Painted detail from THE SORCERER by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, 2023.Painted detail from THE SORCERER by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, 2023.Painted detail from THE SORCERER by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, 2023.Painted detail from THE SORCERER by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, 2023.Painted detail from THE SORCERER by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, 2023. Painted detail from THE SORCERER by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, 2023.Painted detail from THE SORCERER by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, 2023.Painted detail from THE SORCERER. Portrait of Mr. Gilbert by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, 2023. Painted detail from THE SORCERER. Portrait of Mr. Sullivan by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, 2023.
I decided to use distemper paint for three shows this year: L’amant anonyme (Haymarket Opera Co., June 2022), L’incoronazione di Poppea (Haymarket Opera Co., Sept. 2022), and Pirates of Penzance (Gilbert and Sullivan Very Light Opera Co., Nov. 2022).
In my experience, no other paint medium feels quite so pure, nor reflects light quite so beautifully. Whether distemper compositions are lit by incandescent light or LED, the colors literally glow on stage; there are no “dead” spots. The colors are vibrant with a perfectly flat finish, a necessary characteristic for scenic illusion under stage light. Below are three painted details from my aforementioned productions, all painted with pigment paste and diluted hide glue.
Painted detail from L’incoronazione di Poppea. Painted detail from L’amant anonyme. Painted detail from Pirates of Penzance.
DISTEMPER PAINTING
The distemper paint system was the preferred method of scenic artists for centuries in both Europe and North America. It remains an extremely efficient process today, with little waste at the end of a production. Dry pigment left on a painter’s palette can simply be scraped off and reused for future projects.
Unlike contemporary premixed paint, there is no added filler nor extender that dilutes the colors. Contemporary paints also have a relatively short shelf life. Such is not the case with distemper paint for the stage. In dry form, both pigment and hide glue granules can last for decades, if not a century or more. The longevity of these materials is remarkable. Distemper paint consists of only two ingredients: pigment (color) and binder (glue).
In Dry Form: pigment and hide glue.Pigment in paste form. The paste is placed directly on a scenic artist’s palette and mixed with hide glue.
Dry pigment is pure color. It can be transformed into a variety of artistic mediums, including pastels, watercolors, gouache, acrylics, and oil paints. Dry pigment is created from a variety of sources, including plant, mineral, insect, or chemical processes. Dry pigment remains readily available in many fine art stores, often sold by the ounce. Here is a link to an ARTnews article about contemporary dry pigment manufacturers: https://www.artnews.com/art-news/product-recommendations/best-pigment-powders-1202688380/
You will have to cut and paste the link, as I cannot share it here.
In historic scenic art studios, pounds of colors arrived in both block and wet pulp form. Keep in mind that some colors cannot transform into paste with water alone and require a solvent. It is best to keep these colors wet, hence their arrival at a studio in pulp form. For most colors, however, large blocks of compressed pigment were ground into a very fine powder and then transformed into a wet paste just prior to use.
Dry pigment in block, powder, and paste form.
This pigment paste was placed directly on the scenic artist’s palette and mixed with diluted hide glue, also termed size water.
Jesse Cox’s scenic art table. His palette and scenic art tools are part of the permanent exhibit at the Theatre Museum of Repertoire Americana in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.
If binder (size water) was not added to the pigment paste, the color would not adhere to the fabric. Without the necessary binder, the pigment simply dusts off of the scenery, leaving behind faded areas of stained fabric.
A variety of binders can be mixed with the pigment paste, however, scenic artists prefer animal hide glue due to its flat finish. Any reflective sheen on painted scenery reflects stage lights and diminishes the overall scenic illusion on the stage.
Dry hide glue granules.
Hide glue is the gelatinous substance obtained from rendering animal hides, and sometimes bones and/or hooves. Think of the old threat about sending a horse to the glue factory. Whether horse, bovine, or rabbit, animal hides are boiled to create a gelatinous product that is dried and used by a variety of artisans as a binder, including furniture restorers.
Once the hide glue is dried, it is sold as a block, coarse granules, or fine powder. There are many different types of hide glues, with clarity and strength varying from animal to animal and batch to batch. This factor, as well as its proper preparation prior to mixing with pigment paste, directly contributes to the overall longevity of any distemper painting.
In dry form hide glue has an extended shelf life and is easily stored for long periods of time. Both dry pigment and dry hide glue could be easily stored and shipped to various locations and stored without the threat of spoiling. This made it an extremely successful paint system for generations of American scenic artists as they journeyed from one venue to the next.
Dry hide glue must be returned to a liquid state prior to mixing with pigment paste during the scene painting process. There are various ways to prepare hide glue and much depends on personal preference. Over the years, electric glue pots replaced double boilers on wood stoves or modern hot plates. The key to making glue is using indirect heat and never bringing it to a boil.
Hide glue as it cooks.
Reconstituted hide glue is further diluted with water throughout the painting process. The concentrated glue (in syrup form) is combined with an equal amount of water to make “strong size.” Strong size was often used to prepare the fabric of painting, sealing the surface to minimize paint spread. Again the ratio of glue to water depends on the quality of the product.
Strong size is best stored in a glass container.
In many cases, historic scenery was not primed with any color prior to laying out the composition. This is how I approach much of my distemper work; I seldom prime a backdrop with whiting or any color when using distemper paint. When one only uses strong size it allows each drop the possibility to function as a translucency. It also means that the scenery will roll, fold, and travel better.
Front view of painted detail for L’amant anonyme.Back view of same painted detail for L’amant anonyme.
In the distemper painting process, strong size is diluted with water to make working size, or “size water.” Size water is used throughout the scene painting process and continually mixed with pigment paste.
Strong size is diluted to make the size water pictured above.
Unlike contemporary scenic paint, there is no successive paint layer build-up with each paint application. Distemper paint allows each wash or glaze to completely penetrate the previous paint layer, reducing the overall thickness of the painted composition while keeping the color vibrant.
A view of distemper paint as it permeates the underlying layers; it will dry light. This painted detail of ivory draperies is from my Pirates of Penzance drop curtain.Same cream draperies once dry.
Furthermore, less distemper paint is needed to saturate the fabric as the colors are so vibrant, further contributing to the end result of very thin and very flexible painted fabric. The end result is similar to a dye drop.
HISTORIC AMBIANCE AND TRANSLUCENCIES
This was the approach that I used when painting the scenery for all three shows. Haymarket Lighting Designer, Brian Schneider, partially backlit the painted scenes for both L’amant anonyme and L’incoronazione di Poppea. Harkening back to an era of candlelit stages when lanterns were hidden behind the wings, sections of painted wings were inadvertently backlit. Our goal for Poppea was to recreate this historic ambiance with current theatrical lighting systems.
The mixing of distemper paint on a large scenic art palette adds variety throughout the painting process, extending reflective quality of each hue. I always add a complementary color throughout my scenic art process. For example, orange is always added to blue and red is always added to green. The addition of complementary colors adds a depth to the color palette otherwise unachievable under stage lights. Colors that a not identifiable under front light, blossom when backlit. Schneider’s lighting design reinforced this effect. Pictured below is the partially backlit with for L’amant anonyme.
Partially backlit wing (left) and backdrop with front light (right). Notice the color shift between the two. Backlighting reveals base colors that otherwise remain unseen when solely lit from the front.
My scenic design for Haymarket Opera Company’s L’incoronazione di Poppea utilized a classical garden setting to suggest numerous interior and exterior locales for the first and second acts. Painted fabric panels were added to the third act for palatial scenes and Poppea’s coronation. These panels were painted so that they could also be backlight and indirectly illuminate portions of the scene.
The addition of painted fabric panels for Act III for L’incoronazione di Poppea. Backlit painted draperies.Backlit painted drapery attached to painted wing.
The minimal color palette for L’incoronazione di Poppea was inspired by historical writings, artistic treatises, and extant scenery at Česky Krumlov Castle Theatre, Czech Republic, and Drottningholms Slottsteater, Sweden.
Painted detail from extant scenery at Painted detail from extant scenery atPainted detail from extant scenery at Česky Krumlov Castle Theatre in the Czech Republic.
The design utilized a limited number of colors that included yellow ochre, brown ochre, red ochre, vermillion, ultramarine blue, malachite, and van dyke brown.
Dry pigment and hide glue used for L’incoronazione di Poppea.
I purposefully omitted any black paint from my color palette as it diminishes the overall reflective quality of color under stage lights. Therefore, the darkest color incorporated into the distemper palette was a deep, dark brown (pictured above).
Over the centuries, the color palettes of scenic artists shifted to included new or popular colors. Regardless of an artist’s individual palette, the painting process remained the same. Generations of artists were united as the carefully prepared and applied distemper paint to stage settings.
Scenic artists on a paint bridge using distemper paint. Published in Harper’s Weekly Magazine, Nov. 30, 1878.
Johnson wrote, “Opera has always been a spectacle, enveloping the audience in sight and sound. On the American early-opera scene, the audible aspects—the voices, the instruments, even effects like a thunder clap—are commonly governed by some sort of historically informed approach. Choreography and costumes, too, are often developed based on historical research. But one essential element is often left out of the equation: set design. That is beginning to change, thanks to the groundbreaking work of Wendy Waszut-Barrett.” I don’t necessarily consider my work groundbreaking, but I am trying to use the most effective paint for the scenic illusion.
FLOOR PAINTING AND FRAME PAINTING IN SCENIC ART
The backdrop and wings for L’incoronazione di Poppea were painted in the Continental Method, where the canvas is tacked to the floor. Paint brushes were attached to bamboo poles, allowing the artist to stand throughout the entire painting process; the idea is to NOT crawl around on the floor. This was a departure, as I used a vertical frame to paint scenery for both L’amant anonyme and Pirates of Penzance.
The scenic artist’s view when painting a backdrop on the floor.A view from my ladder when painting the second set of wings for L’incoronazione di Poppea at my studio.
Both frame painting and floor painting were adopted by early American scenic artists. The Continental method of scene painting was not popularized in the United States until the late-1920s. Prior to this time, the majority of American scenic artists utilized vertical paint frames. This is not meant to say that American scenic artists never painted backdrops on the floor. However, using vertical fames was more economically viable in many situations for both scenic artists and scenic studios, especially in a studio setting. Keep in mind that floor space was often at a premium, reserved for many tasks that needed to occur after the painting process was completed, such as netting cut openings or rolling scenery for shipping.
In early American Theatre, the demand for painted scenery was often greater than the supply of artists to paint stage settings. It was not until the mid-nineteenth century that a series of scenic studios appeared across the United States, mass-producing painted settings for touring productions and venues throughout North America. The mass-production of painted illusion at scenic studios in North America peaked between 1900 and 1910.
A photograph of frame painting at the Sosman & Landis Studio in Chicago, Illinois, ca. 1910.The scenic artist’s view when painting a backdrop on a vertical frame.
As the demand for scenic illusion waned after WWI, scenic studios shifted from painted illusion to three-dimensional settings, increasing their use of fabric draperies with painted ornament. In many ways the scenic art trade shifted from an art to a craft. There was less of a demand for scenic artists to paint pictorial realism for the stage. At the same time there was an increased demand for decorative paintings and stencil work on draperies, as well as three-dimensional scenery.
Scenery by ACME Scenic Studios, Chicago, Illinois, ca. 1928.
Throughout the duration of the twentieth century, frame painting became less popular for many live theatre productions. The exception was film backings where the demand for scenic illusion thrived. Much had to do with the extreme detail; painted details that were only achieved when holding a brush at arm’s length.
The Continental method is now the preferred method for most contemporary scenic artists producing scenery for the stage. In fact, many have never experienced the ease of painting on a vertical frame. It is truly unfortunate, as frame painting accommodates a scenic artist’s aging body, as your artwork remains at a comfortable height.
Drops and wings tacked to a motorized paint at for Pirates of Penzance.Moving a motorized paint frame is easily done with the push of a button! This photograph was taken when running painted draperies on the frame at Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota.
Frame painting can also speed up the entire process.
Below is a link to my time-lapse YouTube video that I posted Nov. 4, 2022. It shows me painting scenery for Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company’s “Pirates of Penzance” on a motorized frame. Over the course of three days, I painted one roll drop, one backdrop, one border, two shutters, and four wings.
Three-day time-lapse video, painting distemper scenery for “Pirates of Penzance”, Aug. 23-25, 2022.
I have always enjoyed life at a frantic pace, zipping from one project to another with brief respites in between. At college, I was compared to a hummingbird on crack. Now, I am more like an over-caffeinated bumble bee.
Painted detail from “L’amant anonyme.”
I frequently wonder if my life’s theme is “damage control.” Although, I always plan ahead, preparing for any obstacle that may come my way. Last fall, I anticipated the brewing of a perfect storm – a tropical depression that had the potential to develop into a hurricane. My parents were battling several health issues at the time. I became hesitant to schedule any extended out-of-state projects until everything was under control. I delayed international projects and accepted “in-state” projects in their stead.
I gave myself a six-month window (Dec. 2021 to May 2022) to “wait in the wings” – just in case my help was needed at home. Thank goodness I decided to stick close by… In the past two months, my mother, father, and mother-in-law, have all visited the ER. I am glad that I listened to my intuitive hunch. I started writing this post in the hospital today, as we waited for more test results for my mother-in-law.
In addition to battling the geriatric health care system, I also juggled several work projects. Two of which included scenic designs for Haymarket Opera Company’s “L’amant anonyme” (Chicago, opened June 17) and Opera Louisiane’s “Tales of Hoffman” (Baton Rouge, opening tomorrow – June 24).
Fortunately, I only had to build and paint the scenery for “L’amant anonyme,” as “Tales of Hoffman” was constructed and painted by the New Orleans Opera shop in March 2020. As with many other 2020 shows “Tales of Hoffman” was cancelled and recently slotted for a new venue. Unfortunately, changing venues mid-stream is never easy. I am thankful that the same scenic artist for Hoffman, Nathan Arthur, was still on board.
By the end of April this spring, I began painting scenery for “L’amant anonyme” with traditional materials and historic painting methodology. Distemper painting (dry pigment paste and diluted hide glue) is extremely therapeutic – at least for me. Painting to classical music helps me find my center, and frequently lowers my own blood pressure. Who knew?
My dry pigment palette; the same containers that I learned to paint from at the University of Minnesota.My dry pigment palette; the same containers that I learned to paint from at the University of Minnesota.
Although the set-up is painstakingly slow, the scenic art speed and fast dry time makes up for any slow start. I rented the motorized paint frame at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. All told, was on site a total of 18 days. My first day on site included the load-in and set-up of the space. The second day was setting up my wet palette, making size, and positioning the first three pieces. By the third day, it was off the races.
Backdrop and one of two foliage wings.Painted detail from the foliage wing.Painted detail from the backdrop.
I had a total of three borders (5’x36’), six wings(18’hx18’w), one backdrop (18’hx24’w), and four profile pieces (4’-0” x 5’-6”) to paint. It was the combination of the subject matter (foliage and draperies) and traditional painting methods that made everything go lighting fast.
All four foliage wings.Two foliage wings and painted tormentors.The grand border.
In eleven days, I completed three borders, six wings and a backdrop, before loading out of the space; there was another rental in for a week. I returned a few weeks later for a few days to load-in, paint, and load-out the four profile pieces (two trees and two statues).
Painted panels that were attached to frames for profile pieces.
Keep in mind that I had also painted the model with distemper paint – so I knew the color combinations that I was aiming for…
Nothing like practicing when everything is small and manageable. It was also my own design, so I wasn’t laboring over “getting it perfect” for someone else. I was able to take a few liberties, ones that you can seldom do when it is someone else’s design, unless they really, really, trust your instincts. By the way, everything was designed to be easily transported from Minneapolis to Chicago in our SUV. This design also marks the first of Haymarket Opera Company’s stock scenery collection.
Model for “L’amant anonyme.” (1′-0″ : 3/8″ scale).Set under work light after install.Photograph taken during the first dress rehearsal.
I worked closely with the Lighting Designer, Brian Schneider, for both productions. Thankfully, we speak the same language. Translucencies were incorporated into both designs – but very differently. “Tales of Hoffman” utilized both backlighting and projections to indicate a time-travel theme (1880s, 1920s and 1960s).
LD Brian Schneider and Wendy Waszut-BarrettBrian in action during the light hang and focus.The drops were lit from a variety of angles, including the back to illuminate the transparent sections.Front detail on backdrop.Looking at same detail from behind the drop to show translucent area.
“L’amant anonyme,” however, was an 18th century period-inspired design. I used a combination of transparent washes and opaque washes, while incorporating Jean Honore Fragonard’s color palette from his painting, “The Swing.” The highly saturated dry pigments are perfect for scenic art translucencies. As I worked on tree trunks and foliage, their increased areas of opacity helped accentuate the transparent areas of sky and foliage. The scene was intended to glow and accentuate Stephanie Cluggish’s costumes.
Photograph from first dress. Costume design by Stephanie Cluggish. Pictured are Erica Schuller and Michael St. Peter.Photograph from first dress. Costume design by Stephanie Cluggish. Pictured are Nicole Cabell and Geoffrey Agpalo.
The show opened with a wonderful review in the “Chicago Times” that reported, “Commitment to period-appropriate details like those shaky yet era-specific natural horns – is an unalienable Haymarket signature. It’s also behind some of the more mouth-wateringly sumptuous details in this “L’Amant anonyme,” like Wendy Waszut-Barrett’s awe-inspiring hand-painted sets and Stephanie Cluggish’s intricate costuming, perched at the intersection of historical fidelity and whimsy.”
Showing transparency of wings, borders and backdrop. Original placement of profile pieces (dancers needed more room).Showing opacity of painting under work lights.The creative team (left to right) – Craig Trompeter (Music Director and Conductor), Sam Leaply (Production Manager), Brian Schneider (Lighting Designer), Wendy Waszut Barrett (Scenic Designer), Adrienne Bader (Stage Manager), Chase Hopkins (Creative Producer), Stephanie Cluggish (Costume Designer), Sarah Edgars (Director/Choreographer) and Megan Pirtle (Wig and Make-up Designer).
My next Haymarket Opera Co. project is Monteverdi’s “L’incoronazione di Poppea.” It opens in September.
From August 9 to 24 I painted a grand teaser (border) and two grand tormentors (legs) at the University of Minnesota in Duluth for the Sanderson Arts Centre in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. The three pieces form a portal, reducing the proscenium opening from 50 feet wide to 25 feet wide for more intimate performances, with trim heights ranging from 14 feet to 18 feet. Although the design was finalized and all materials ordered in June, the project became delayed when the paint space became unavailable due to COVID-related concerns. At the beginning of August, the space was again available for my original timeframe, now only a week away. Everything shifted into high gear as I planned for an Aug. 9 start. The rental was only possible if I worked there completely solo and constantly wore a mask; so, the unloading of supplies, setting up the space, unfolding drops, snapping lines, and handling bending sticks was just me. Keep in mind that the sizes of the scenic pieces were 54’w x 12’h (teaser) and the two torms at 19’w x 20’h 9 (legs); still doable by a single person, but just unpleasant.
I left Minneapolis on Sunday, August 9 at 6:15AM in the morning. By 9AM I was unloading all of my supplies into the humid shop and jumped into the project. The days were a blur of 12-hr. to 14-hr. days. I finished the teaser on August 19 and the two torms on August 21. August 22 was a day for tweaking, with my final day in the space reserved for clean-up. The drops shipped on Monday, August 24. I returned to Minneapolis last night after my fifteen-day absence. In regard to the logistics of the project, the border was painted on the main stage floor and the legs on the motorized paint frame. Being able to paint all three pieces simultaneously was the plan, as I could shift from one piece to another, allowing for ample dry time. It also meant that I was able to shift position constantly, something that is incredibly helpful when physically doing a long stretch.
I can’t wait to see how to pieces look in place as this is a permanent installation. More later.
Design by Wendy Rae Waszut-Barrett for the teaser and tormentors.Painted teaser that is 12′ high by 54′ wide.Stage right tormentor that is 20′ high x 18′ wide.Stage left tormentor that is 20′ high x 18′ wide.Painted detail, stage-left tormentor.Painted detail, stage-left tormentor.Painted detail, stage-left tormentor.Painted detail, stage-left tormentor.Painted detail, stage-right tormentor.Painted detail, stage-right tormentor.Painted detail, stage-right tormentor.Painted detail, stage-right tormentor.Completed teaser.Painted detail from the teaser.Painted detail from the teaser.Painted detail from the teaser.Wendy Rae Waszut-Barrett in front of the completed teaser.
