Western Trips – Page 5 – Drypigment.net

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. The Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. Friday Morning, February 7, 2020.

I began our final day at the Tabor Opera House in a bit of a panic, as there was still so much left to catalogue. By the end of the previous day, we all realized that there was much more flat stock than anyone anticipated. There is nothing like thinking this is the last flat against the wall, and they just keep coming. My initial hope was that we could assemble all the interior settings, but soon realized that I would have to settle for three at most. Some of the settings were incomplete due to repainting too, so I was unsure if there were complete sets.

…and then there was the weather…

View out my front door after the first snowfall in Leadville, Colorado.

Leadville, Colorado, was in the midst of a huge snowstorm that would deposit up to to 51-inches of snow in neighboring areas. Just trying to get out of the house that morning was a challenge, as I waded through snow up to my knee to the car. I had been walking the half block to the opera house, but accepted the ride offered in anticipation of the weather the night before.

A few of us decided to meet a little early and photograph the grand tormentors that we discovered the Thursday evening, getting a head start. The grand tormentors matched the first piece we examined on Monday – the grand border. The classic red draperies framing the marble columns matched those documented earlier that week.

Stage left grand tormentor. Draperies were added to match the original red detail in the painted ornament below.

There are six pieces with the same red draperies: the two folding grand tormentors with doors; three grand borders, and the front drop curtain. All four elements are not of the same vintage. Before looking at the individual pieces, here are the technical specifications for the venue listed in Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide for the 1903-1904 Season: Width of proscenium, 30’-0”; height of the proscenium 24’-0”; distance from the curtain line to footlights, 5’-0”; height to rigging loft 41’-0”’and the depth under stage, 12’-0”.

Grand border that pre-dates the 1901 stage renovation by the Elks in Leadville, Colorado.

Painted detail on grand tormentor, pre-dating the 1901 stage renovation by the Elks in Leadville, Colorado.

The largest red-drapery grand border is over 44-feet long, much too large for the proscenium. This piece has five holes for operating lines. Common installation practices at the time for a proscenium this size, such as the Tabor Opera House, would only demand three holes for three operating lines.

The second matching border with red draperies is similar, but shorter; an appropriate length for the 30’-0” wide proscenium.

Shorter border with red draperies and grand tormentor. The red draperies on both of these are a later addition.

The third red drapery border is too small for the proscenium and the oldest. It has the similar red curtains, matching the two highly ornate grand tormentors that we photographed in the morning. These three pieces are stunning.

The front curtain (drop curtain) was initially created without the red draperies. Upon close inspection, it is obvious that the red draperies were added after the entire drop was complete. The painting style for the red draperies on the front curtain is quite crude in comparison to the rest of the composition.

It is a challenge to appropriately date all of the pieces. I think that the oldest pieces are the latter three mentioned, the matching ornate border and grand tormentors. These pieces were delivered prior to the that were addition of the fly loft The side doors allowed promoted action to occur downstage of the plaster line while a scene change was occurring upstage.

The painting of the matching border and tormentors are stunning, a much higher quality than the two other borders, yet the red draperies were also added here too. The tassels at the top of the tormentors are not of the same quality or technique as those incorporated into the bottom ornament.

Note the crude painting technique for the red draperies. It is incosistent with the rest of the quality on the side tormentors.

Note the quality of the gold and how it differs from the gold fringe on the red draperies.

I believe that the really long border, shorter border and draperies on the front curtain were added at the same time, 1902 or slightly later, but a scenic artist working on site at the theater after the delivery. These latter three pieces were painted to match the original tormentors. In fact, I think that the tops of the grand tormentors, the drop curtain draperies and the two borders (large and small, not highly ornate) were painted at the same time.

The quality of painting is all over the map at the Tabor Opera House. I am still stunned that we uncovered three distinct collections – 1879, 1888 and 1902. The 1902 scenery delivery included used pieces from an unidentifiable venue, but one previous to 1902. The 1879 collection (which will be catalogue later this spring) and the 1888 collection were created prior to the enlargement of the stage and addition of the fly loft. The 1879 and 1888 scenery were produced for a stage with grooves. The 1902 scenery was produced for a stage house with fly loft.

The majority of 1879 wing and shutter scenery is in the attic of the Tabor Opera House. A few elements of the 1888 scenery by Frank Cox are stored on the stage, identifiable by the strap sheaves on the bottom of rolling flats, intended to accompany the original grooves.

The 1902 scenery is all on the stage and includes several interior settings. These set flats are interchangeable and lashed together. Some of the scenes have been repainted over the decades. The 1902 collection includes a yellow center door fancy, a pink center door fancy, a green Gothic interior, two plain interiors and a prison. The prison scene is back-painted on one of the plain interiors. In addition to these interior settings are large set pieces that include wood wings, rustic huts, garden balustrades and city buildings. Only three set pieces stored on the stage currently roll, dating from 1888; a tree profile and two city wings were constructed to slide in grooves.

Some of the scenery against the back wall at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

I will look at the other scenery tomorrow.

To be continued…

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

The volunteer crew returned to the Opera House after eating at the Silver Dollar Saloon on the afternoon of Feb. 6, 2020. The fancy door interior setting assembled that morning was slowly replaced with a gothic interior.

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar author, Wendy Waszut-Barrett, opening the functional door of the Gothic setting at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

Gothic interior setting at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1902.

Painted detail. Gothic interior setting at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1902.

As we “oohed” and “awed” each piece coming out of the pile, nothing could prepare us for the repainted flats. As we started to open one large tri-fold flat the group shouted in unison “Noooo!” The historic scene had been painted over with white latex, spattered with an array of colors. In other instances, the historic flat retained the original painted molding and cornices, but the walls were repainted with bright pink and dark blue stripes. Odd art adorned the repainted walls too, ranging from cupids and satyrs to old photographs and illustrations of an ear. One flat had been used for masking when painting something else brown. It seemed just tragic, and I feared that we would continue to encounter repainted piece after piece. I am sure that the individuals who painted over the original artwork had no idea of their significance.

Partially repainted flat at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. The pink and blue stripes are not original.

Partially repainted flat at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. It looks like the flat was used for masking when something was painted brown.

In the end, we were unable to set up the Gothic scene due to missing pieces and feared that the missing flats had fallen victim to an amateurs brush, yet there were piles of flats to go. With fifteen of us helping, we eventually uncovered a jungle scene, three sets of wood wings, street setting flats, cottages, rustic interiors, plain interiors, stone interiors and so on; all as originally painted.

Profile piece painted by New Orleans artists and architect Frank Cox, 1888, for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

Back view of profile piece painted by New Orleans artists and architect Frank Cox, 1888, for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

The greatest discovery, however, was a tree profile. Heavy and cumbersome, it overshadowed the Sosman & Landis tag discovery on the previous day. On the back of the tree flat was a cartoon depicting a scenic artist at work. The little artist, dressed in overalls and holding a brush included a caption: “Frank Cox Scenic Artist Jan 88.” This was a huge discovery, as it meant this 1888 piece was likely part of a collection that was added to the 1879 scenery.

Cartoon of the artist on profile piece painted by New Orleans artists and architect Frank Cox, 1888, for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

Painted detail. Profile piece painted by New Orleans artists and architect Frank Cox, 1888, for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.

Bottom rail of tree profile piece allowed it to roll in grooves on the stage. This was intended for the original 1879 Tabor Opera House. In 1901, the grooves were removed and a fly loft installed when the building was purchased by the Elks.

It was common for theaters to continually purchase scenery over the decades, replacing drop curtains, flats and backdrops. What is remarkable about this cartoon is that Cox became a very well known theatre architect. I have written about Frank Cox and the Cox. Bros. Studio in the past (see post # 310). Cox began his career as a New Orleans scenic artist, transitioning into theatre architect by the 1890s. In 1890, Cox was still working as a scenic artist, decorator and architect in the New Orleans area. He continued to work as a scenic artist throughout the remainder of the nineteenth century and was credited as delivering scenery to the Temple Theatre in Alton, Illinois (1899) and Klein’s Opera House in Seguin, Texas (1903-1904). I had never encountered any examples of Cox’s work until now.

In 1894, Cox designed the New Lyceum Theater in Memphis, Tennessee. Thomas G. Moses provided the scenery for this venue, writing, “the architect insisted on my work.” At the time, Moses was not working at Sosman & Landis. It was only with Cox’s recommendation that Moses received the contract and not his previous employer Sosman & Landis.

In regard to the famous Cox family of scenic artists…

Frank, Eugene, and Clark Cox who operated a scenic and fresco business known as Cox Bros. in New Orleans. However, it was referred to as “Frank Cox’s Studio at New Orleans,” him being the eldest and most experienced. They had quite a large staff by 1891 that included the scenic artist Emile Nippert and stage machinist James A. Kee (Fort Worth Daily Gazette 11 August 1891, page 2). The Cox Bros. studio was located in the Grand Opera House of New Orleans. Frank withdrew from the partnership in 1896, but the partnership continued to operate under the same name of Cox Bros., despite Frank’s public declamation that the firm was dissolved. Eugene and Clark published a rebuttal, wanting to make it “thoroughly understood” that they would continue to operate the scenic and fresco business under the name Cox Bros. By the way, there appears to be no immediate familial ties to the Jesse Cox Scenic Studio of Estherville.

Returning to the tree profile piece, Frank Cox also put his name on the front. “Carved” into the painted tree is “F. Cox, W.M. and J.C.”

In terms of “W.M.”, scenic artists that I know of who were working at that time include W. Marshal, William Minor, William Mitchell, and William Morris. In terms of “J.C.”, scenic artists that I know of who were working at that time include J. P. Cahill, John A. Collins, John Constantine, J. H. Connolly, and Jesse Cox. It will be fun to uncover where the artists may have been working in 1888.

I’ll do that in my spare time (hahaha).

To be continued…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Interior of the Sosman & Landis Studio, 1910.

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

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

Kansas City Scenic Co. Kansas City, Missouri.

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

Her is the link to give:

https://www.taboroperahouse.net/donate

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

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

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

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

To be continued…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stage hardware for suspending ceiling drop over interior sets.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To be continued…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The crew that handled the scenery in the morning.

The crew that removed damaged battens that morning.

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

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

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

Tack that secured painted scene to sandwich batten.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stage left example of what failed stage right.

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

To be continued…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To be continued…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: Our last day in Santa Fe, June 28

Our last day in Santa Fe, June 28

We successfully sent my folks off on their return flight to Minneapolis and then decided to drive the Turquoise Trail one last time.

Scenery along the Turquoise Trail, south of Madrid, New Mexico

This is the road that I traveled daily during the Scottish Rite scenery evaluation during 2002. It passes through some lovey old mining towns that included Golden, Madrid and Cerrillos. The area is a popular place for film and television production with past shows including The Nine Lives of Effego Baca (1959); Bearcats (1971); Thomasine & Bushrod (1974); Convoy (1978); Outrageous Fortune (1987); Young Guns (1988); Sparks, The Price of Passion (1990); John Carpenter’s Vampires (1998); Hi Lo Country (1998); Three Wise Guys (2005); The Hitcher (2007); Beer for my Horses (2008); Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden (2012); 2 Guns (2012); We’re the Millers (2012) and Edge (2014).

Inside the Cerrillos Mining Museum, owned by Todd and Patricia Brown

The Cerrillos Mining Museum and Petting Zoo has always one of our favorite spots. During 2002-2005, this was one of our daughter’s favorite stops to feed alpacas, goats and chickens. Today, our son was able to experience it for the first time and loved it just as much as Isabelle.

Information about the owners of the Cerrillos Petting Zoo and Mining Museum, Todd and Patricia Brown

The owner of the mine, Todd Brown, transforms three types of local turquoise into jewelry – white, blue and the popular Cerrillos green. We have always left with some lovely stone that has been transformed into a earrings, a necklace, or money clip. Brown is also a Scottish Rite Mason who happened to be in the store today and not working in the mine; it was nice to catch up as we first met each other during the scenery restoration. His museum also has some very interesting Masonic artifacts that belonged to James Patrick McNulty (1847-1933), mine supervisor of the American Turquoise Company, once located five miles north of Cerrillos.

Lifetime membership card for James P. McNulty in the AASR Scottish Rite

James P. McNulty and his wife in later years

McNulty supervised up to fifteen men, six days a week on Turquoise Hill. In the early boom years, McNulty and the American Turquoise Company supplied most of the gem quality turquoise on the American market. Another place that that we enjoy to see is the Opera House, once used as a Masonic Lodge.

After the Turquoise trail, we ventured east to Glorieta and Pecos.

The Pecos River in Glorieta, New Mexico. The river is extremely low due to draught

It was at Glorieta Pass where a Civil War battle occurred 1862. Known as the “Gettysburg of the West,” Union forces stopped the Confederate strategy to seize the Southwest’s major supply base at Fort Union, with Colorado and California next in line if they were successful. The Texas vanguard captured Santa Fe on March 10, but after two days of battle at Glorieta Pass, US Troops and Colorado Volunteers burned poorly guarded Confederate supply wagons, causing the Rebels to retreat from New Mexico within two weeks. We knew about this scenic site as Andrew heard the story on his way to the reopening of Union Lodge near Wagon Mound. He was invited by Dan Irick last week. Irick is the President of the Santa Fe Scottish Rite Temple Building Foundation who handled many of the administrative duties for the book. He is also a Past Grand Master for the State of New Mexico and Dinky the Shrine clown. I believe that Dan’s retelling of the story may have been a bit more animated than my own account.

Sadly, the Pecos National Forest was also closed due to extreme fire warnings, limiting our ability to travel up into the mountains where the air was much cooler. Instead, we returned to Santa Fe, had a lovely dinner at a local New Mexican restaurant called Maria’s, and went to see a movie – “Jurassic World, Fallen Kingdom.” Dinner was better than the movie. Returning to the Scottish Rite, I signed forty more books for the Valley and started packing.

Signing forty more books for the Valley of Santa Fe before packing our car on our last night

Long, long, long day. We depart early and head to the Scottish Rite in Salina, Kansas – now the property of the Salina Innovation Foundation.

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: My Folks, June 27

My Folks, June 27

The shadow thrown by me and my dada, walking back from Tsunkawi ruins near White Rock, New Mexico

My parents have supported me over the years in every endeavor that I attempted to accomplish. Whether it was remodeling our first home or second one, they were there to hang sheetrock or build a stone wall. This is not to mention helping babysit their grandchildren while I completed a PhD and traveled all over the country for various restoration projects. Many times they accompanied me on so that I would not be separated from the kids for very long.

They were both very excited to join me in Santa Fe for the book signing last Sunday. Although travel has become increasing difficult over the past few years, they hopped on a plane and headed to New Mexico, arriving on June 21.

Unfortunately, the altitude was an extremely difficult adjustment for my mother, coming from an area 830 feet above sea level and trying to adjust to more than 7000 feet above sea level. My father-in-law, John Menzel, also found it difficult to manage high elevations about fifteen years ago. He had climbed mountains all of his life, visiting the highest point in every state after immigrating from French Switzerland. In his 80s, he was unable to handle the high altitudes. My own father, seemed to adjust to the higher elevations with only mild fatigue, so he was able to join his grandson on many of the scenic hikes.

For those who have never experienced altitude sickness, please keep in mind that the symptoms may include dizziness, headache, shortness of breath, chest pain, disorientation, confusion, nausea, extreme fatigue and sleeplessness. My mother did fair until after the book signing on June 24. Although we took my dad on one more excursion today, venturing to the Tsunkawi Ruins and Overlook Park in White Rock, we returned to find my mother in physical distress. The remainder of the day was spent preparing for an immediate return to Albuquerque’s lower elevation after a visit to urgent care. The difference in her wellbeing after dropping the 2000 feet to Albuquerque was immediately apparent. They both return to Minneapolis today, but it meant so much having them here.

To be continued…