Waszut-Barrett Travels – Page 14

Travels of A Scenic Artist and Scholar: A Railroad Scene for the Tabor Opera House, ca. 1886

*Train profile discovered in the attic of the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado*

From Sept. 21-27, 2020, I led a group of volunteers to document the nineteenth-century scenery collection stored in the attic at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. The wings, shutters, borders and other set pieces primarily dated from 1879 to 1890; each painted before the stage was renovated in 1902. One of the more interesting scenic pieces uncovered was a train. All that remained of the profile piece was the front end, with only a headlamp, chimney, cowcatcher (pilot) and boiler front remaining. The rest of the train was missing; the fabric likely removed and repainted for another setting over a century ago.

*Detail of train profile discovered in the attic of the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado*

There were many nineteenth-century melodramas with exciting railroad scenes, complete with painted tracks and steaming locomotives. A variety of productions included that terrifying moment when a train raced full speed toward the hero or heroine. Whether the performer was tied to the tracks, or lying unconscious on the rails, the victim was always snatched away just prior to the train’s passing.

*One of the many shows that featured a train scene*

On Dec. 30, 1886, Leadville’s “Herald Democrat” noted the train scene in the recent production of “Under the Gaslight” at the opera house. The review reports, “The opera house was crowded last evening to witness this great scenic melodrama, which so entertainingly depicts may phases of high and low life in the great city of New York…The exciting railroad scene was given in grand style and evoked the heartiest approbation.” The touring show featured Lew Morrison and his Dramatic Company. However, “Under the Gaslight” was just one of the troupe’s offerings. The company also performed in “Not Guilty,” “Celebrated Case,” and “Faust.”

It is almost impossible to determine the exact production that first used the painted train before it was relegated as part of the stock. There are clues, however, that help estimate manufacture date. First and foremost, the construction of the piece was with odds and ends, not finely planed theatrical lumber. The profile piece also incorporated remnants of a wood shipping container for the cut edge. A portion of a company name, stenciled for shipping purposes, remains – Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. This helps determine an approximate date when added to the roughhewn board. Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. means that the piece was created after 1884, and not before.

*Backside of the train profile at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. Note the partial shipping stencil with Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co.*

The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. has quite an interesting history, once running a regional office in Denver, Colorado. Founded by John Moses Brunswick, the J. M. Brunswick Manufacturing Co opened on September 15, 1845, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Although initially specializing in the manufacture of carriages, the firm soon turned their focus to billiard tables. Brunswick billiard tables were an immediate success, and soon the company expanded nationwide, opening regional branches across the country that included Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans. By 1866, the firm was renamed J. M. Brunswick & Brother, as Brunswick added family members to run their regional offices. Keep in mind that in the 1860s, there were three main billiard manufacturers in the United States: J. M. Brunswick & Bro; Julius Balke’s Great Western Billiard Manufactory, and Phelan & Collender. In regard to Phelan & Collander, the name changed to the H. W. Collender Company after Hugh Collender’s father-in-law (Michael Phelan) passed away.

*J. M. Brunswick and Bro. became J. M. Brunswick & Balke Co.*

By 1874, J. M. Brunswick & Brother merged with Julius Balke’s Great Western Billiard Manufactory, becoming J. M. Brunswick & Balke Co. The firm incorporated in 1879, and then merged with another competitor – H. W. Collender Company. In merging with Collender, Brunswick acquired Collender’s patented billiard cushions, but the company was not renamed for another five years. In 1884, the formation of Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company indicated a monopoly of American billiard manufacturers.

*Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. opened regional branches across the country.*

*Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. opened a regional branch in Denver, Colorado..*

As the years passed, the company manufactured many other products that included bar counters, saloon fixtures, bowling alley supplies, poker checks, cigar counters, beer coolers, refrigerators, chairs, tables, lamps, and other products. It remains unclear what was in the wooden shipping box that was used for the train profile at the Tabor Opera House. By the twentieth century the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. product line was further diversified, adding toilet seats, car tires, phonographs, WWII target drone aircraft, school furniture, golfing equipment and pinsetters. Such variety! The company again changed its name in 1960, becoming the Brunswick Corporation on August 10. For more information about the history of this fascinating company, visit: http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/brunswick-corporation-history/

For more information about the Tabor Opera House’s historic scenery collection, visit www.drypigment.net and keyword search “Tabor Opera House.”

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: My Visit to the Castle Theater in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic

Attached are some photographs from my trip to Český Krumlov in 2016. Enjoy. I also posted about a drop at Český Krumlov yesterday. Here is the link: https://drypigment.net2020/11/05/travel-of-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-my-visit-to-the-castle-theater-in-cesky-krumlov/

*Backdrop hanging in the Castle Theatre Museum at Český Krumlov.*

*Painted detail. Backdrop hanging in the Castle Theatre Museum at Český Krumlov.*

*Seam detail. Backdrop hanging in the Castle Theatre Museum at Český Krumlov.*

*Edge detail. Backdrop hanging in the Castle Theatre Museum at Český Krumlov.*

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: My Visit to the Castle Theater in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic

I am in the midst of compiling hundreds of pages of documents concerning the scenery collections as the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, while organizing a move seventy backdrops from Richmond, Virginia, to Tucson, Arizona. In other words, I need a mental break from this project and American politics.

Attached are some photographs from my trip with Andrew Barrett and Rick Boychuk to Český Krumlov in 2016. Enjoy.

*Backdrop at the Castle Theatre Museum, Český Krumlov, Czech Republic.*

*Painted detail. Backdrop at the Castle Theatre Museum, Český Krumlov, Czech Republic.*

*Bottom batten. Backdrop at the Castle Theatre Museum, Český Krumlov, Czech Republic.*

*Seam detail. Backdrop at the Castle Theatre Museum, Český Krumlov, Czech Republic.*

*Backdrops hanging at the Castle Theatre Museum, Český Krumlov, Czech Republic.*

*Backstage at the Castle Theatre of Český Krumlov, Czech Republic.*

For additional information about this magnificent theatre, visit: https://www.theatre-architecture.eu/en/db/?theatreId=140 and http://www.castle.ckrumlov.cz/docs/en/zamek_5nadvori_bd.xml

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: Boott Mills Standard Sheeting for Stage Scenery at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

On June 19, 2018, I first examined the historic scenery collection in the Tabor Opera House attic. It was rumored to be the original installation from 1879, and I wanted to find something that supported this speculation. I was traveling with my family from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Santa Fe, New Mexico. In Santa Fe, I was scheduled to participate in a book signing event for the “Santa Fe Scottish Rite Temple: Freemasonry, Architecture and Theatre,” published by the Museum of New Mexico that spring. Here is a link to the book: https://www.amazon.com/Santa-Scottish-Rite-Temple-Architecture/dp/0890136335/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=waszut-barrett&qid=1604502787&sr=8-1_. The book signing was scheduled for June 24 at the Santa Fe Scottish Rite, so we only had a few days to linger on trip there.

While traveling across the country, I documented historic scenery at several venues, including the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. We pulled into Leadville on June 18, having scheduled a quick stop at the Tabor Opera House, before heading to Twin Lakes and Independence Pass. The next day was my 49^th birthday, and I decided to treat myself to a morning in the attic at the Tabor Opera House. Although this greatly excited me, I did not ask my husband and son to join me, as their excitement for historic theatres was rapidly waning. In the attic, I carefully shifted flats piled against a far wall, encountering a surprise as each layer was unveiled. My husband and son were scheduled to pick me up at noon, so I had only a few hours to get a sense of what was hidden below piles of dust and debris.

In addition to marveling at the painted compositions, I examined the back of many pieces for clues. Often, there is more information on the back than the front. I look at fabric weave, construction techniques, mill stamps, studio stencils and basic graffiti. A “Boott Mills” stamp appeared several times on the backs of both borders and wings.

*Boott Mills Standard Sheetings stamp on the back of scenery at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, ca. 1879-1880.*

One particular piece caught my eye – a stage right wing. Additional information on the Boott Mill stamp included “Standard Sheetings. FF. 40 yds.”

*Back of a grand tormentor, once stored in the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.*

*The same grand tormentor lowered from the Tabor Opera House attic to the stage floor.*

The painted composition and construction indicate that the wing functioned as a grand tormentor in the 1880s. It was part of a pair; the stage left wing now missing. The wing was constructed to roll, unlike other wings in the attic. Also, the corresponding shutters for the wings that did not roll, commercial flat sheaves dating from 1888. The rolling hardware on the wing was unique, using a sash pulley to roll the unit. Unlike flat sheaves, sash pulleys were readily available from local suppliers for standard building construction. Keep in mind that when the Tabor opera house was built, all of the materials where shipped in by stagecoach; the railway had yet to reach Leadville. On January 22, 1880, the Denver and Rio Grande was the first railroad to reach Leadville, with the Tabor Opera House officially opening in November 1879.

*One of two sash pulleys at the bottom of a grand tormentor (wing). Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado.*

Furthermore, the quality of the fabric, the frame construction, and hardware of the extant wing, all indicate that this piece was part of the original collection, prior to the arrival of the railroad in Leadville. Regardless of the exact manufacture date, the wing pre-dates most other attic scenery that was painted and signed by T. Frank Cox in January 1888.

There is a second factor to consider about the orphaned wing. The painted composition dates from later than its original construction. The painting matches a complete interior setting that was also stored in the attic, with some flats showing signs of repainting. Repainted scenery was commonplace throughout the nineteenth-century. Wings, shutters and borders were “washed down,” effectively removing the water-based paint from an existing flat before being repainted with a new scene. Scenic Studios also advertised shipping painted scenes for existing frames. This saved the travel and expense of an artist working on site at a theater, as well as the expense of new frame construction. Repainting existing scenes avoided the exorbitant costs associated with purchasing an entirely new stock scenery collection.

*The grand tormentor and matching interior set pieces at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.*

*Four flats on the stage floor at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. These match the grand tormentor with the Boott Mills stamp.*

*Painted detail on grand tormentor (wing) at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.*

As far as the history of Boott Mills…

Boott Mills was established in Lowell, Massachusetts, along the Merrimack River. Located twenty-five miles northwest of Boston, Boott Mills initially operated with hydropower, a waterwheel powering the line shaft that ran the length of the factory floor. Leather belts that operated each loom were attached to the line shaft. Steam engines soon replaced the original water turbines, and mill operations later transitioned to electricity.

The Lowell area boasted an extensive group of cotton mills, built alongside power canals constructed during the early nineteenth century. Boott Mills was situated near the Merrimack Canal, the first of many power canals in Lowell. By the mid-nineteenth century there were approximately 150 mills operating in Lowell, an astounding number that specialized in a variety of products.

Prior to the Industrial Revolution, most American mills were designed to produce a turnkey product, specializing in only one aspect of textile manufacturing. Raw Cotton had to be cleaned, spun, carded and wove into cloth. Once the cloth was completed, the material was shipped to other companies that manufactured specific products. Later, cotton bales arrived at a mill and were turned into cloth in the same location, going through the process of cleaning, spinning, carding, rolling and weaving on site. Technological advancements in the weaving industry resulted in the power loom. The power loom was responsible for the mass production of textiles.

In America, Paul Moody developed the first successful power loom by 1816, working for Francis Cabot Lowell at Waltham mills. Moody later ran the Merrimack Manufacturing Co. in Lowell. Kirk Boott (1790-1837), namesake of Boott Mills, was the first agent and treasurer for the Merrimack Manufacturing Company. Boott later built his first mill, initially constructing four buildings in 1835. Over the decades, Boott Mills expanded into a massive complex, shifting from hydropower, to steam, and finally electricity for operations. Like other companies, Boott Mills constantly incorporated new technology to increase overall output.

Ira Draper improved Moody’s design, allowing a mill worker to operate two machines simultaneously. By the mid-nineteenth century, improvements continued and now one mill worker would operate a dozen of machines, greatly increasing the amount of product produced at a mill. As with most factories, profits increased substantially as worker wages stagnated. In short, mill workers assumed more responsibilities for the same wage, allowing overall production costs to decrease while profits dramatically increased.

As with other industries, the textile industry transitioned from an economic system of independent craftsmen to a factory system of mass-produced goods where the role of craftsman was often reduced to that of common laborer. This shift in the textile industry was accelerated during the post-Civil War era when much of the textile industry moved south. New mills were established in areas where labor was much cheaper and cotton more accessible. This meant that southern millworks collected greater profits, investing additional funds in newer technology. Many northern mills did not have the equivalent returns to equip their factories with comparable machinery. By the 1920s, northern mills, including those in Lowell, began to close as they were unable to compete with their southern counterparts.

Boott Mills ceased their operations in 1958, and by the 1960s unemployment in Lowell was among the highest in the country. Throughout the economic downturn, many of the Boott Mill buildings remained standing a decade after the factory closed. By the 1970s Boott Mill buildings became part of the Lowell National Historical Park. For more information about the Boott Mills Museum, visit: https://npplan.com/parks-by-state/massachusetts-national-parks/lowell-national-historical-park-park-at-a-glance/lowell-national-historical-park-museums-and-exhibits/lowell-national-historical-park-boott-cotton-mills-museum/

The Boott Mills Museum features a Weave Room and several informational exhibits. The Weave Room is a scaled-down reproduction of a mill factory floor, complete with working looms. The machinery on display are primarily Draper machines, dating from the early twentieth century. The Weave Room still manufactures cloth for dish towels that are sold in the gift shop. Here is a lovely video of the looms working: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/From_line_shaft_to_power_looms.ogv

Other Boott Mill buildings were converted into shops, apartments, condos and offices.

I have already contacted the Boott Mills Museum to confirm the mill stamp usage dates on the Tabor Opera House wing, and am currently awaiting a response. This post at www.drypigment.net will be updated once I have any additional information.

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: The Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado. Step Unit for Julius Cahn’s Production of “David Harum.”

A small step unit was uncovered at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, while I was on site from September 21 to 27, 2020. It was clearly identified as part of the setting for Julius Cahn’s production of “David Harum.” A shipping label from the Globe Express Company noted the intended delivery from Leadville to “David Harum Co. c/o Tabor Grand Opera House, Denver, Colo.”

*Step unit for Julius Cahn’s production of “David Huram,” ca. 1901-1905*

*Step unit and shipping tag for Julius Cahn’s production of “David Huram,” ca. 1901-1905*

*Shipping tag on step unit for Julius Cahn’s production of “David Huram,” ca. 1901-1905*

Why or when the “David Harum” step unit was first placed in the attic of the Tabor Opera House remains a mystery. Was it simple a touring piece left behind, never forwarded to the next venue? The piece likely dates from 1901-1905; my estimation based on newspaper advertisements, the shipping labels and actual construction of the piece. For over a century, this scenic orphan was hidden in a pile, disguised under a layer of dust, until this fall.

It is hard not to consider the history of the step unit. When it first toured, how many thousands of people witnessed a favorite stage personality pause on this very piece? How many stages provided the foundation for the step unit before it was abandoned in Leadville? Although many questions remain unanswered, “David Harum” was an extremely popular piece during the first half of the twentieth century. I knew nothing about this production until my visit to the Tabor Opera House this fall.

There is a famous line from the show that accompanied many 1905 advertisements for the production: “Do unto the other feller the way he’d do unto you. But do it first.” The line was delivered by Harum, a small-town banker from the 1890s. The simple character captivated western audiences, especially when the show toured the western states. Edward Noyes Wescott’s 1898 novel was dramatized for the stage by R & M. W Hitchcock in 1900. At the time theatre critics commented, “There were many misgivings as to the possibility of making a successful play from a story which was so thoroughly a character sketch” (Carbonate Chronicle, 24 June 1901).

*From the “Aspen Daily Times,” 28 March 1905.*

*William H. Crane as “David Huram” in the touring production by the same name in 1903.*

The initial touring production starred William H. Crane. Crane continued in the role for a few years before being replaced by William H. Turner. “David Harum” first appeared in Leadville during 1900, then starring Crane. By 1901, Julius Cahn was linked with the touring production of “David Harum” and by 1904, Cahn’s “David Harum” featured William H. Turner at the Elk’s Opera House in Leadville. That February, the “Herald Democrat” reported, “Mr. Julius Cahn will present W. H. Turner in the dramatization of Westcott’s widely read book, “David Harum,” at the Elk’s opera house next Thursday evening. The play is now nearly three years old, and since its production it has been a phenomenal success. For sixteen weeks it ran in New York, for six weeks in Chicago, for two months in Boston where it proved to be a record beaked in point of attendance, and for six weeks in Philadelphia” (February 7, 1904).

The show returned to Leadville again the following year. On March 12, 1905, an article in the “Herald Democrat” stated, “Mr. Cahn personally superintended the getting up of the production, and paid much attention to its cast…its success has been extraordinary” (March 12, 1905).

On March 24, 1905, and advertisement in Leadville’s “Herald Democrat” announced:

Elk’s Opera House. Wednesday, March 29. Julius Cahn Presents DAVID HARUM.

The Play That Won’t Wear Out. The Epic of the “Hoss” trade. Quaintly Delightful. An Excellent Company.

WM. H. TURNER as David Harum. Mr. Cahn utilizes the same production here as see at the Garrick Theatre, New York. DAVID HARUM SAYS:

“Do unto the other feller the way he’d do unto you.

But do it first.”

Prices: 50, 75 and $1.00. Advance sale

opens Sunday, March 26, as West’s Cigar Store.

*Advertisement for “David Harum,” from the “Herald Democrat,” 24 March 1905 when it toured the Elks Opera House (Tabor Opera House) in Leadville, Colorado.*

Another “Herald Democrat” article reported, “Nearly all of the familiar sayings, quaint philosophy, and amusing incidents of the story are in the play. One of the best things in the book and one of the best things in the play is the horse trade, which takes place in the opening act” (Feb. 19, 1905).

The first act setting was later described in detail: “The opening scene of the play is an exterior. On one side is Aunt Polly’s house with its trellis-covered veranda and old-fashioned garden. On the other is David’s bank, and in the background is the big barn. In this act Harum sells the bulky horse to Deacon Perkins – the horse that would “stand without hitchin’ ” (Herald Democrat, Leadville, 12 March 1905). David’s horses were kept in the barn.

The “Herald Democrat” noted, “The second act, which is laid in Harum’s bank shows the old chap as a businessman. The act contains the incident of the counterfeit five-dollar bills, the tussle with Bill Montaig, the village tough, and the securing of the mortgages on the Widow Cullom’s home” (Feb. 19, 1905). The setting included the counting room in the back office of the bank.

The third act was placed in Aunt Polly’s sitting room on Christmas. The action included the telling of Harum’s visit to the circus with Billy P. Cullom and the engagement of Mary Blake and John Lenox. After Christmas dinner the act ended with the comical uncorking of a champagne bottle.

Act three setting for “David Harum” when it toured the Elks Opera House (Leadville) and Wheeler Opera House (Aspen) in 1905. From the “Aspen Daily Times,” 26 March 1905

Of the 1905 production in Leadville, the “Herald Democrat” reported, “The company, which is under the direction of Julius Cahn, contains a number of clever character actors, and unless the indications are very much astray they will be greeted by a crowded house for Mr. Cahn will utilize the identical production seen at the Garrick theatre, New York City” (Feb. 19, 1905)

On March 29, 1905, the “Herald Democratic” reported, “The presentation of “David Harum” which is to be made at the Elk’s Opera House Wednesday, March 29, should prove highly diverting…The success of the play has reached an extraordinary pitch, and, judging from the things said of the work, there is no reason why results should be otherwise. The play is clean, it is wholesome, its atmosphere is redolent of the country and its humor is of the healthy kind…In dramatizing “David Harum”, every effort was made to return all of those things which made the book so entertaining. The play is remarkable in one way, and that is, that it has been said again and again by competent critics to be an improvement upon the book. As a rule many dramatizations have failed to thoroughly catch the spirit of the novels from which they were taken. This is not the case, however, with “David Harum,” and it is the most satisfying comedy of its class now before the public. Wm. H. Turner has the role of “Harum” and his work has been praised highly.”

On March 28, 1905, the “Aspen Daily Times,” provided a little more information about the leading actor in the production, William Turner. The article reported, “On Tuesday evening Julius Cahn presents at the Wheeler Opera House “the play of book plays,” “David Harum.” Mr. William H. Turner will be seen as “David. Mr. Turner has been under Mr. Cahn’s management for the past twelve years, during which time he has appeared in many notable Metropolitan successes, scoring personal hits in many productions among which are remembered, Rufus in “Held by the Enemy,” Mr. Austine in “The Faint Card,” Mr. Watkins in “Sowing the Wind,” Black Michael in “The Prisoner of Zenda,” John Wotherby in “Because She Loved Him So,” and Dr. Pettypont in “The Girl from Maxims.”

The story of “David Harum” remained popular for the next fifty years, standing the test of time and translating to film. The first film adaption occurred in 1915, but Will Rogers later starred in the 1934 version.

*The first film version of “David Harum,” starring William H. Crane, 1915.*

The second film version of “David Harum,” starring Will Rogers, 1934.

By 1936, “David Harum” became a radio serial that lasted until 1951. “David Harum” even became the name of an ice cream sundae, consisting of vanilla ice cream, crushed strawberry, and crushed pineapple, whipped cream and a cherry.

Who knew that such a small scenic piece could tell such a large story.

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: The Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado. Cut Shutters Painted by T. Frank Cox, 1888.

The predecessor to cut drops were cut shutters. I had never encountered any until my trip to the Tabor Opera House last month. As an added bonus, the back of each piece was covered with cartoons by scenic artist and architect Tignal Frank Cox.

*Cut shutters at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.*

*Cut shutter on floor before it was raised up.*

*Painted detail. Cut shutter painted by Frank Cox for the Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado.*

Leadville’s Tabor Opera House was built by H. A W. Tabor in 1879. Two years later, he opened the Tabor Grand Opera House in Denver, Colorado. The renowned Silver King fell on hard times and lost both of these priced possessions. In Leadville, his opera house changed hands a few times during the 1890s.

The Tabor Opera House was renamed the Elks Opera House when the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (B.P.O.E.) purchased the building in 1901. Immediately after the purchase, the building was renovated. Part of the stage renovation included adding a fly loft, so that new scenery could be raised out of sight. Previously, the Tabor Opera House used wings, shutters, roll drops and borders.

Similar renovations were occurring all across the United States as this time. For example, in 1903, the “Idaho Springs News” reported a similar project: “The opera house will have a new stage and new scenery with which to greet the public at the opening performance. The stage will be enlarged, to be 40 feet high by 40 feet wide by 26 feet deep, which will enable the management to present all scenery carried by the companies. By the increased height the scenery will not roll but slide up. This mean larger shows for the public. The work is now under way” (4 Sept 1903). Two decades earlier, in 1883, the same renovation occurred to the Salt Lake Theatre. Henry C. Tryon, scenic artist for the Tabor Grand Opera House, ventured south and led the stage and scenery renovation. For more information about Tryon and the Salt Lake Theatre’s renovation, see today’s post (https://drypigment.net2020/11/02/tales-from-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-part-1101-henry-c-tryon-and-the-salt-lake-theatre-renovation-1883/)

In 1902, new scenery was purchased from the Kansas City Scenic Co. for the Elks Opera House in Leadville. Fred Megan, a future business partner of Thomas G. Moses, represented the Kansas City Scenic Co. and secured the contract for new scenery. Kansas City Scenic Co. then subcontracted some of the project to Sosman & Landis in Chicago. The scenery delivered to the Elks Opera House was a massive collection; a substantial investment for the Elks’ new theater. During February 2020 I documented the Kansas City Co. and Sosman & Landis Co. scenery purchased for the renovated stage. This was the first phase of my project. I was hired to complete a condition report, historical analysis, and replacement appraisal for each scenic piece, as well as writing a collections care and management program for the collection.

When the new scenery was installed at the Elks Opera House, all of the older scenery was tucked away in the attic where it would remain for the next century. Occasionally, a piece or two would make its way to the stage floor, but it was not an easy task. Larger pieces needed to be lowered through a small attic door, forty feet above the stage.

*Cut shutter on stage after it was lowered from the attic.*

Several pieces were painted by the well-known theatre architect T. Frank Cox. Cox began his career as a scenic artist and spent over a year in Colorado. In January 1888, Cox painted several scenes for the Tabor Opera House, including these two cut shutters. What is wonderful about these pieces is that they carry his signature and several cartoons. In 1889, Cox traveled throughout Colorado and also marketed himself as a “lightning artist,” producing a series of rapid sketches on the stage.

*Signature by Frank Cox on the back of the cut shutter.*

*Cartoon by Frank Cox on the back of a cut shutter at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, CO.*

Cox’s cut shutters were placed mid stage at the Tabor Opera House; down stage of two exterior shutters. Shutters rolled together, a perfect solution for theaters that did not have room to raise backdrops out of sight. Wings and shutters slid on and off the stage in grooves to form scenic illusion on nineteenth and twentieth century stages across the United States.

*Two exterior shutter also painted by Frank Cox. These were the backing for the cut shutters.*

*Front view. Flat sheaves were placed on the bottom of shutters to help them effortlessly slide in top grooves during scene changes.*

Back view. *Flat sheaves were placed on the bottom of shutters to help them effortlessly slide in top grooves during scene changes.*

For more information about the historic scenery collection at the Tabor Opera House, visit www.drypigment.net and keyword search “Tabor Opera House.”

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar – The Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado. Painted Shutters by T. Frank Cox, 1888.

The Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, was renamed the Elks Opera House when the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (B.P.O.E.) purchased the building in 1901. Immediately after the purchase, the building was renovated. Part of the stage renovation included adding a fly loft, so that new scenery could be raised out of sight. Previously, the Tabor Opera House used wings, shutters, roll drops and borders.

*Shutters painted by T. Frank Cox for the Tabor Opera House in 1888.*

Similar renovations were occurring all across the United States at this time. For example, in 1903, the “Idaho Springs News” reported a similar project: “The opera house will have a new stage and new scenery with which to greet the public at the opening performance. The stage will be enlarged, to be 40 feet high by 40 feet wide by 26 feet deep, which will enable the management to present all scenery carried by the companies. By the increased height the scenery will not roll but slide up. This mean larger shows for the public. The work is now under way” (4 Sept 1903).

*Front curtain for the Tabor Opera House by scenic artists at the Kansas City Scenic Co., 1902*

*One of the interior sets produced for the Elks Opera House by Sosman & Landis, 1902.*

*A shutter that has been wrapped in plastic and prepared for lowering to the stage floor. Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado.*

*Lowering a shutter from the attic to the stage floor at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.*

From September 21-27, 2020, I led a group of local volunteers for the second phase of the project, documenting the historic stage settings in the attic of the Tabor Opera House. Each piece was lowered to the stage floor and photographed. The most challenging pieces to lower were shutters, measuring 10’-0”w by 16’-0”h. Several pieces were painted by the well-known theatre architect T. Frank Cox. Cox began his career as a scenic artist and spent over a year in Colorado. In January 1888, Cox painted several scenes for the Tabor Opera House, including these two country shutters.

*Two shutters painted by Frank Cox that were lowered to the stage floor at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado*, *Sept. 2020.*

These shutters formed the backing for the stage setting. Rolled together, shutters were a perfect solution for theaters that did not have room to raise backdrops out of sight. Wings and shutters slid on and off the stage in grooves to form scenic illusion on nineteenth and twentieth century stages across the United States.

*Flat sheaves were attached to the bottoms of shutters.*

*Painted detail. Shutter by Frank Cox for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1888.*

TABOR OPERA HOUSE, LEADVILLE, COLORADO: Horizon Setting, ca. 1888.

From September 21-27, 2020, I led a group of local volunteers to document historic stage settings in the attic of the Tabor Opera House (Leadville, Colorado). Below are two horizon shutters and corresponding side wings. There were three sets of wings to accompany each set of shutters.

*Two horizon shutters and three side wings at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.*

When the Tabor Opera House stage was renovated at the beginning of the twentieth century, new scenery was purchased from the Kansas City Scenic Co. The Kansas City Scenic Co. subcontracted some of the project to Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio in Chicago.

The older scenery, especially that painted by T. Frank Cox and associates in 1888, was stored in the Tabor Opera House attic. The old scenery sat for over a century, until last month when we lowered most pieces to the stage floor. Each piece was lowered thru a small opening high above the proscenium wall, stage right side.

*Door to the stage floor, approximately 40′-0″ below.*

*View of pin rail and attic door from the stage floor.*

*Cut-down wings attached to an attic wall at the Tabor Opera House.*

Unfortunately, when some of the wings were placed in storage the height was reduced so that they could be tacked up to an attic wall. Each piece was cut down from 16′-0″ to 10′-0″. Of the original six wings, two had their bottoms cut off and three had their tops cut off. One wing had both the top and bottom trimmed.

*Horizon wing with 6′-0″ cut off at the top.*

*Horizon wing with 6′-0″ cut off from the bottom.*

These pieces are a delightful look at American theatre history. Shutters created backings for nineteenth and early-twentieth-century stage pictures. Serving the same function as a backdrop, they slid together. Flat sheaves were attached to the bottom of the shutters to help them effortlessly roll together. Once joined, the centre seam was barely noticeable from the audience. Scenes were easily shifted, and often double-painted. The back of each shutter and wing holds another composition.

*Flat sheaves attached to the bottom of shutters and wings allowed each piece to easily roll on and off stage during scene changes.*

Shutters and side wings were a perfect solution for theaters that did not have enough fly space to raise backdrops out of sight. Shutters masked the upstage area and wings masked the side stage area, while each supported painted illusion on the stage.

Wings and Shutters were standard stage settings for many American nineteenth and early-twentieth century stages. The Tabor Opera House shutter scenes are painted on linen fabric and tacked to pine frames. The scenic paint was a mixture of pure color (dry pigment) and diluted animal hide glue.

For more information about the historic scenery collections at the Tabor Opera House, visit www.drypigment.net and keyword search “Tabor Opera House.”

*Painted detail of sky and water on shutter.*

Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado: European Street Scene Shutters, ca. 1888.

From September 21-27, 2020, I led a group of local volunteers to document historic stage settings in the attic of the Tabor Opera House (Leadville, Colorado). Below are two shutters, dating from 1888. Shutters created backings for stage picture when rolled together, forming a perfect solution for theaters that did not have room to raise backdrops out of sight. Shutters paired with side wings to mask the off stage areas. Wings and shutters slid on and off the stage in grooves to form scenic illusion on nineteenth and twentieth century stages across the United States.

The scenes are painted on linen fabric and tacked to pine frames. Pure color (dry pigment) was mixed with a binder of diluted hide glue and applied to the linen.

Two shutters that form a European Street Scene at the Tabor Opera House.

Painted detail on shutter at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

The shutter was stored in the Tabor Opera House attic when the stage was renovated from 1901-1902. In 2020, the shutter was documented and lowered to the stage floor.

Lowering a shutter from the attic to the stage floor.

Flat sheaves were attached to the bottoms of wings and shutter, allowing them to effortlessy roll on and off stage.

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar – The Richmond Scottish Rite, October 24-26, 2020

Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

It has been a busy month, and I am currently in Richmond, Virginia. The Richmond Scottish Rite Theatre appeared on my radar again last month. The timing was less than ideal, since I was packing to leave for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. On September 17, I received word from Art DeHoyos that the Richmond Scottish Rite was selling their building and had no plans for the historic scenery collection. I immediately contacted Rex Hutchens, as a few years ago we tried to purchase the Winona Masonic scenery collection in an online auction.

In regard to the Richmond Scottish Rite, I was well aware of the potential sale, just not the timeline. Immediately after receiving the information from Art, I was on the phone with Rex, asking if he was still interested in acquiring a collection. After chatting briefly with him about the compositions, I contacted the Scottish Rite Secretary in Richmond to get more details, leaving a message. When I headed west to Colorado on the morning of September 19, I had little hope that I would ever see the Richmond scenery, or that it would find a new Scottish Rite home.
I did not think about the Richmond Scottish Rite again until Rex called last Sunday, October 18. By Thursday, October 22, I was on the road again. The plan was to arrive in Richmond the next day; it was an eighteen-hour drive. I would catalogue the collection over the weekend, from 8AM-6PM each day, and depart on Monday. I needed to determine the scope of the collection and whether the drops would withstand the move. If everything checked out, I would come up with a transportation plan based on the impending sale of the building. Fortunately for me, I had slide collections from both Larry Hill and Lance Brockman, taken when they documented the drops a few decades ago. Prior to my departure I created a drop inventory based on the slides.

One of the slide images by Lance Brockman.

In addition to the slides, I knew that Toomey & Volland sold scenery to the Richmond Scottish Rite in 1920. From 1920 to 1921 the Richmond Scottish Rite enlarged their existing building and renovated the stage area. This meant that the Richmond Scottish Rite either acquired a new collection from Toomey & Volland or purchased additional settings for their existing collection. Regardless of what was purchased in 1920, the entire scenery collection was moved to a new building by 1968.
The move meant that the collection was possibly reduced at this time. In the case of the St. Paul Scottish Rite, their move to a new building meant that the collection shrunk in size by one-third. For example, if a setting consisted of a leg drop, cut drop and backdrop, either the leg drops or cut drops were removed, effectively reducing the number of line sets required in the new space. This same thing may have happened in Richmond; meaning that the excess scenery was thrown out during the move, or it was tucked away somewhere in the building.Within ten minutes of arriving at the Richmond Scottish Rite, I had answers to many of my questions. There were only 49 lines hanging in the air, and most of the original sandwich battens had been removed; replaced with jute webbing at the top and pipe pockets at the bottom. Heaving a sigh of relief, I contacted Rex and explained the situation. Over the course of the day I shared photos with him and began to plan for the future move.

Scenery by Toomey & Volland for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Richmond, Virginia.

Because of the limited number of drops, there was more time to play with lighting while documenting each scene. All was fun and games until the Secretary mentioned that there were about four drops tucked away above the stage left storage area. No problem. I was ahead of schedule and would have ample time on Sunday afternoon to unroll the drops, as well as fully documenting the unique rigging system. When I arrived at 8AM on Sunday morning, I asked to see where the four rolled drops were stored…

…and this is when everything changed.

There were many, many more drops stored above the properties room, stage left. Unfortunately, they were beneath a dozen lighting instruments, chairs, and storage racks. This was not a simple hand-them-down-and-unroll-them project. In a glance, I knew that this would tack on an extra day, and it would be dirty work. Now cataloguing a collection of hanging scenery is an entirely different task than lowering and unrolling drops that have been compressed for a few decades. First of all, there is a dirt factor. Within minutes of handling rolled drops that are a century old, your clothes, hair, neck, face and hands are covered in black soot. The drops require gentle handling or clouds of dust float everywhere. Needless to say, I was not appropriately dressed for the task at hand, nor was the crew.
This project required many hands, and there were five of us: Michael Powers, Richard Finkelstein, Bridgette Dennett and Sarah Phillips. Bridgette and I handed down the drops to Sarah (on ladder), then Michael and Richard. After a few drops, I realized that we needed a sixth person, so I tracked down Paul, our Scottish Rite host that morning. Thank goodness he was willing to help. The addition of Paul meant that Sarah was able to stay on the ladder, while Paul, Michael and Richard placed drops on the stage floor. Slowly, and carefully, the drops were placed from the upstage wall to mid-stage; twenty-five in all.

Rolls of scenery by Toomey & Volland for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Richmond, Virginia.

One of the drops that was stored above the properties room at the Richmond Scottish Rite.

Meanwhile…

The stage lights had also malfunctioned, so while Michael was dealing with that issue, Bridgette, Sarah and I unrolled each scene. Richard photographed each piece from the top of a ladder, as he able to adjust the skewed perspective. While he was doing that, I climbed halfway up the ladder to photograph entire composition, then took detail images from the floor, catalogued the scenes, and labeled each drop for transport. Several top battens were broken, which meant it was not an easy unroll and re-roll task. However, we finished the project by 6PM.

Tomorrow, Richard, Michael and I will finish documenting the remaining scenes that are still hanging. Michael and I depart on Tuesday for the two-day drive home. It has been a challenging, but delightful time, as we have had the opportunity to photograph the settings under various lighting conditions. I will return to my blog “Tales of a Scenic Artist and Scholar” next week.

To be continued…