The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-19
AN US Eff ENTS.
The Tricks and Changes. the Traps and Cess
binntieus Of Baba at Nibio'e Garden.

vi lnp OO,UvU people VINO nave Wtneeseu
the spectacular ~ ,ba" at Nibio's during the
A. month, probably not sixty-nve have the
faintest conception Of the modus operandi be-
meath the stage and far up in the flies, where ben
Sherwood aud his busy men work like double
breasted beavers from q to N every night The
stage itself Ia a marvel. pierced with holes and
slashed nv deep channeled outs, through which
appear tho festive fairy and the wondreue
trausformation and by which disappear the
homeless imp and the ianoble enome. There
are two "star traps," so called, because the
leather. hinged leaves which open upward when
pressed by the head OF the ascending sprite are
cut In the form OF a star. Underneath the trap
consists simply Of a frame in which is set
wooden box. On this, at the stroke OF bell,
the fairy steps. At the second stroke weight
OF $50 pounds Is set free, and by Its fall shoots
the $50 pounds OF fesh and blood up through
the star, which yields readily to the easiest
pressure. Roars OF laughter invariably follow
the disappearance OF the harlequin or
spirit down the trap, but In reality
it's . very simple procedure. The actor
presses his weight on two hinged boards, and
dropping through falls about ten inches on a
mattress laid on q hgn frame TO receive hin.
II will he readily seen that although this Is SIM
pie. as indeed almost all stage appliances are. II
raneement would not only upset alt show
eu. eeril the lIie Of ,he pe,fo!msr; in
scenes beautiful women rise slowly from
tue earth. aud on revolving pedest !:
baskets Of fruit and flowers. these trips con :
sist Of slender columns, on tue, pedestals OF
which the girls stand; Al the bell tue columns
tots reacn the stage floor they are capped by
the baskets. which apparently rest on tue fair
Hut the big traois a wonder. 1t weighs TWEEN
ty-two tons, aud 1900 feet OF lumber we're ueet
| In making IL. IL IL used IN the grand trans
| formation and carries the va
ried magnihcence OF that brilliant specta-
Gle. There are needed In It's msnipuls-
| ton two big shafts, two wheels, and a great
cog windlass. requiring the skill and strength
| OF ten trained carpenters, ana the personal
supervision OF Ben Sherwood besides. 1t Is a
| wonderful piece of mechanism. escn part ntted
and joined with tut the Use OF nail or a screw:
| stout wooden pins keep the Joints III place, aud
| a few iron clamps are also needed, bur IL eau oe
taken apart anu packed for shipment or storage.
as easily as TOW castle. lhe man cement very
justly prizes itself o. the great =" snip Scene"
rs IL Il ,iled. IL will be remembered
| "a silver SEQ, III well-rgged snip, the entrance
| OF which u invariably hailed Win applause.
| Presently the front fails AWAY. the sails disap-
| pear. the snip dssONes, and In It's III ce Is a
series of steps leading up TO terraced garden
scene ~ SURPRISING beauty, brilliant witt gas
aud gay with company. Ii looks rather different
| on Inspection IN tue cola gray ~ The afternoon.
! series Of boxes piled ON each other, with two
| levers by wnicn the upper can be turued over,
| forming the Steps. The salts are hVisted to tEc
| HES. tue sniD itself--p4Inted wood ana canvas
falls fiat on ne age the uox "a pulled over by
| ropes in the flies from tue steps, and the handi-
VIOLA qulcksteps Of carpen ers ana artists sup
ply, the Uriihance ana tue pageant. Mr. Ster
WOOD needs the Intelligent service OF thirty
eignt Carpenters TO conduct tnis one scene prop.
cry ami successfully 10 the finish Hundreds
OF ropes, puilies. bands and wheels maze The
galleries above hook ike the deck Of inan-of
war. How the men fearn TO distinguish
mystery expl inaule ouly on tue toeory that a
trade h n sr4de. Manager Arnold has hts littlt
army OF Sj reople on duiy nearly all ddy drill
ing. rehearsng, and preparing; nut the three
wiugs OF toe army nave very different duties Ia
y rfofm. those controlled Nv Business Man
axer Mack are literally men OF business Taos.
on the STAGE, uDdUr the e,e of Mr. Arnold ant
lie We're. us deputy have the care anC
CLUTTER Of the lights, the excitement Vi
tue scene and the applause OF the au
dencs to Cneer them but Bensut
sherwood and his men of bone and muscle dave
duNnIut tie depths Of the suocellar. where
tue cil,ium piUes are ran-ed the vast metre
records the flight Of gas; great wheeis III cog &c
cox long sha Is hold Immense bands; stron-
On ms support Tremendous weighs; in,rlc Il
mechanism peforms most uelisate duty. AM
! tricks made Simple are worked out Deiuw, O.
the delight OF thc N, stihed above. And lar up
too, ~ tue attic regions. wnera the great rpen
ter shop with from forty 10 hfty meu are al
wuek. nnd the p.int room win It's .r.ists, anC
tue tailor shop with ITS Wardrobe, are men o
def Ii comoining skill ana strength Tor Ia
t!e-sdre OF Tue people Ia the house. and Til
lrotoctioD Of tnOsc ou the stdge
"B,Os" IL awe Of tue II nd spectacics a.
whicn our people mani AZ extraordinary par
uriiy IL cu-t s5OVU 10 mount - ana start n
Already over b"Jp. gpe We seen II, nj 20
prosuccts lud,c e a long aud PROSPEROUS ru
ior IL. Enierrrse tare.y fats ia ne liue VI ,"G
I'll 9 enteIfI fu If. N.s are N critic. more n
l.ss, AMI Yet Ne believe II wuuiA puz4Ie ~ I
every IN pusani sp"ct ltur- AZ NlnI'- u tVii no,
II Is tue harlequin pops ~. or now n u t.
gnpme gOrs down. Inc problem looks hard
IA Tact 1t 10 sluple and trIte Ia ISOLATION
| l. took "a cunning head to design Ill tines
. | uick, and traps sud changes, nnd ~ require
the pluck Of the manager. nnd tie CASH
the capitalist 10 reduce theory TO practice bu
there n T.. "ul altogether IL forms one Of Ia
thu cest com biuatous II the beautiful ever pr,
duced, even ~ tndl nome Oi Theatrical beauty.