The Wilmingtonian. (Wilmington, Del.) 1882-188?, 1884-08-23
BEHIND THE SCENES.

the new scenes SAID Manager Baylls TO a
representative of THE WIMINaToNIAN on
Wednesday morning.
The worthy manager had evidently been
playing the role of scenic artist himself, TO
judge from his bespattered overalls and the
streaks Of yellow ochre and lac lake on his
under shirt.
''Come along, and l will show you.''
Responding to the invitation, the visitor
presently found himself in the mysterious
region which fast young men on ballet nights
will gladly give months salary to lounge
in. On this occasion the beautiful was
clearly subordinated to the strictly useful.
That is to say there were no pretty girls; no
fairies no transformation scenes; but in
lieu thereof rough tables Uttered with pots
of paint and huge brushes; while on the floor
was collection of certain indispensable
domestic articles, which are customarily
screened from observation as far as possible.
In these were mixed the colors presently to
dazzle the gaze of the patrons of the Opera
House in their application to drawing room,
scenes and the painted halls of "the best
class of people"
II the reader is bitten with the desire to
go behind the scenes, he is disinterestedly
advised to choose cool day for his visit, and
to provide himself with suit of old clothes,
a handkerchief and an odor case. For the
colors aforesaid, being compounded with
glue which decumposes in few hours in
warm weather, fill the air with stencil
only to be compared to the mingled odors
of the Sand Lot, Shipley Run, the cellar of
an oyster saloon, skunk and morocco
factory in full blast. The scene painters, or
''pot boilers as they are professionally
termed, are perfectly accustomed to the
atmosphere around them, bnt the visitor has
horrible anxiety as to whether his break
fast or dinner will ''stay down. under the
circumstances.
The artists at work on the new scenes
were attired as befitted their vocation-that
is to say in slop7jackets and over-alls The
! director is an aged man, who came to this
country from England in 1867 and has been
pretty well all over the States in the exer-
else Of his vocation. MIR. Hawthorne has
been at the business all his life and is a
pupil Of Tclbin, perhaps the greatest scenic
artist in the world. At least, so says, Mr.,
H., who has worked with Beverly and
Grieve, about the only rivals of Telbn in
painting" continues Mr.. Haw-
thorne, as he pnts finishing touch to
pitcher on the mantel-piece we all remem-
ber so well-scene- painting is an art in itself.
Many man who can paint freely and boldly
in oils, breaks down when he tries his hand
on a bit of a drop scene have had them
come to me and they have sat three to four
hours till they turned out a thing that looked
just beautiful. Next day they come round
again and find their work all in fog. You
see the colors dry much lighter than when
first put on, so we have to make allowance
: accordingly"
The visitor noticed, in effect, that the
G touch just laid on, and intended to represent
h half light, appeared darker than the deep
g shadow adjoining.
/ Approaching the china vessels before
alluded to, discreetly and warly by reason
of the all-pervading eflluvia, the process Of
mixing the colors was shown. The tints
:, are procured in powder and the gradations
y obtained with "whitening." Glue is the
n medium, while first tones are laid on solid
n and as rapidly as possible to secure iatness
u of effect The shadows are glazed over with
: transparent tones and the reflected lights
ON round objects put in with greater force
s than iii ordinary painting, in consequence
: of the necessity for securing rotundlty and
$ Transparency under artificial light.
IS 81 can remember the time'' said Mr.. Haw-
II thorne, +" when only five or six colors were
o available for scene painting. Now we
have almost too many. The auilne colors
= have proved very valuable for drapery and
81 they are strong and cheap A good deal Of
y the work is now done with transparent
IN washes"
q And so the chatty artist rambled on put
C. ting dab here and daub there, apparently
IT. to the injury Of the part operated on, but
IS evidently with correct anticipation OF
at the after result.
1g Mr.. Hawthorne is assisted in his labors by
OF Mr. Myers, of the Park Theatre New York
Of who, when asked how long the work would
take, said they expected to get through in q
week or ten days. He remarked that the
drop scene and the forest piece would not be
altered, except to receive a few touches an6
up repairs. They were well painted and the
"e work of a skillful artist, The interiors were
! condemned in the strongest terms by both
ad operators and it is these which have suffered
cr the greatest alteration. The bottom o
d. the familiar kitchen scene, which had beer
co painted in heavy color, has been lightened
and the brd.cage painted out On the man
tel piece number of china vessels and brt