The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-01-12

terfeited on the stage as moonlight scenery.
And yet there is nothing which requires more
work. The artist begins the task by painting
a moonlight scene. In daylight such a scene
is a CHASTITY sight. 1t is done in cold grays
and greens, in which Prussian blue and burnt
lumber play an important part, and the lights
are put in with white slightly tinged with
emerald green. The strong moonlight of the
foreground is produced by 9 calcium light
thrown through a green glass. The fainter
light upon the scenery at the back OF the
stage is obtained from s'green mediums'-a
row of argand burners with green chimneYs.
These are placed upon the stage just in front
Of the main scene, and are 'masked in" from
the view of the audience by q ground piece.
A row of them is often suspended from the
flies in order to light the top Of the scene.
This upper row is masked in by s'sky bor-
ders.' Thus a soft green light is thrown
over the entire distance, while its source does
not meet the view Of the spectator. A usual
feature of stage moonlight scenes is water,
because it affords al opportunity for the in
duction Of the cripple" "a charmingly natural
stage effect. The main scene in q moonlight
view is always painted on q ''drop"-that is,
a scene made like the curtain let down be-
tween the acts. The position Of the moon
being determined, Immediately under it, be-
ginning at the horizon, a number OF small,
irregular holes are cut in the drop. These
are then covered on the back with muslin and
painted over on the front to match the rest of
the water. Behind these holes is placed an
endless towel, about eight feet in height,
running around two cylinders, one at the top
and one at the bottom. The lower cylinder
has a crank by which the towel is turned. In
this towel is cut a number Of holes similar TO
those cut in the drop. A strong gas burner
is placed between the two sides of the towel.
When the machine is turned the flashing Of
the light from the passing holes in the towel
through the stationary ones in the drop pro-
duces a fine ripple. 1t is always better to
turn the towel SO that the holes pass upward,
as that helps to make the mimic WaVelets
seem to dance up toward the sky. Instead
of q towel a large tin cylinder has been used,
but it is cumbersome and noisy. 1t is neces-
sary to turn this towel with great steadiness
otherwise the ripples will go by fits and starts
and entirely lose their natural appearance.
Stars are easily put into the sky. Each
twinkling orb consists Of q spangle hung up
on a pin bent into a double hook. The slight
est motion of the drop causes these stars TO
shake and the flashing Of the light upon them
produces the twinkle.
One of the most beautiful effects produced
upon the stage is the change from day to
night or from night to day. Of these the
former is the more striking, and a description
of it will serve to explain the principle Of
both. In order to produce the proper effect
the back drop is made nearly double the
height Of the usual scenes. The upper half
of it is painted to represent q sunset sky and
the lower half to represent moonlight. It is
hung SO that the upper half alone is visible.
The scenery Of the distance is then painted
upon a separate piece, which is ''profled, ;"
that is, the irregular line Of the horizon made
by trees, mountains or houses, is sharply cut
out with a circular saw. This piece is placed
Immediately in front Of the sky drop. a
few feet further il front is hung what is
known as a cut gauze drop. This has sides
and top of canvas painted as the case re-
quires, while the center is filled with fine
gauze, which lends an aerial effect to the
distance. Red "mediums" are employed to
give a soft sunset glow to the scene. At the
proper moment, the back drop is very slowly
and steadily hauled up, while the red medi-
ums are slowly turned off and the green ones
turned on. The moon is made in the night
half of the sky drop, and rises with it. When
it rises above the distant horizon the green
mediums are turned on to their full power,
and the green calcium light is brought into
play. The effect Of this change, when care
fully managed, is always very beautiful, and
is sure to draw forth applause from the audi
ence.
An ocean Of heaving waters is made in
this way: Each bounding wave is cut out
separately. The first row is set up with q
distance of three or four feet between each
billoW and the second row Is set 50 as to
show in the openings left by the first. Small
boys furnish the motive power. The waves
are rocked back and forth, not from side to
side, and the effect is very good. The noise
of water rolling upon q beach is we'll initiated
in a simple manner. A box Of light wood is
lined with tin. By putting two or three
ounces Of bird-shot into this and causing it
10 roll AROUND. the desired sound is produced.