The Dickinson press., 1888-05-19
TN TIE FLY GALLERY.
HOW A SPECTACULAR PLAY LOOKS
FROM THE SKY.

Music and Applause Heard from Afar.
Men Who Roll the Curtain "A Iantas-
tic Group-Smoke from the Red Lights
of Nades.
sFollow me and You'll get there: hut I'll
tell you at the beginning, that you're going
into a strange region" This was the remark
of Frank Spaslsler. head ''nyman," rs liz
opened the rear door of the Grand Opera
stage and begun to climb tho narrow stairs
leadin;, 10 the lily gallery" which il, To-
Gated so lar above every other visible part of
the theatre tina: few people know that such Il
place exists. 1t was n curious looking place.
y long narrow shelf extending along on the
right silcof the stage, and rs one looked down
through the confusion Of ropes, borders and
flies at the crowd of half costumed actors
hurryins hero and there and everywhere
behind the scclrS. ii is really n new phase OF
the theatre and for the first night it is really
preferable t" Il seat in the orchestra.
Running through the center of the gallery
is the "tic rail" to which is fastened nh al
mos. innumerahle number of ropes run up
through the rigging lofts And attached 10
the various parts of the scenery that is tn be
raised and lowered during the play. y sailor
ought tn feel very much Mt h"inc in the lily
gallery. for the work and the way it is done
is very much like handling n ships sails.
MUSIC FROM FAR
\. dozen men nrc strung up along by the
side of the railing looking dnwnn at the prcpar-
ntiuls thai are being made OH the stage Tor
The first act. The orchestra strikes up the
overture, bu, it has such q strange. suhdurd
s,unl. that one can hardly imagine that it i,
tbe s;l,ne music that hr has heard i'll th" audi
%toriuin. Finally the stage is all ready, The
first warming whistle comes up through the
pipe, the two CERTAIN men 'lillig to thcir
places lay the large windla-s on which the
curiain rope is cooled, the hell strikes. mt
t!r.y begin mailing ard turning and hauling
rs ii thcir lives depended on the raridity of
their movements. Its q mighty nice thing
said u;lr of the curtain mon tn the reporter,
IT" 81, nu, there and watch that curtain roll
VI, an,l so gracefully. hut ii they knew that
thi, was what ,!iI it" twiping a flood of per-
>piration from his face II don't believe they
world enjoy it quite so much"
line curtain is sup. The heated breath from
the audience. the oIlor uf perfumes, the smell
nf cosmetics and stage paint. and all tho
+e,li;s of the place rise at once into the space
above the stage and at first it is almost
sitting to the person who is accustomed to
breathing the air of the intermediate IT,
gions.
IAN hands ready is TIL. command Of
"Caltuiu" Brown. and II dozen hare armed
men spring to the rope, ready to raise or
lower such parts OF the scenery as the first
&c, requires. ".Arch Sky up" he shouts the
audience below do TO. hear ii, of coarse and
nj different points along til" rail the ropes
arc seized and hauled in. hand over hand,
anil the sky is raised ont of sight. aud
then the rope is hitchcd over the rail pin and
The nlcn drop back OF the rail to wait the
next change.
\ BREATHING SPELL.
vt last comes n breathing spell for the men
in the flies. The four ac-obats are going
through their performance on the front part
ut the stage. while the fairy queen and the
devil, with their followers, are waiting lc-
mind tn scenes for their next appearance in
the lower regions. Locking down at them
from the llyman's perch they are indeed u
fantastic group. The chief of the Spanish
cavaliers llcs stretched out on his back bal
;,ncing the Queens pasicboarl throne on his
feet. One of the devils horns had just got
Misplaced and the fairy queen holds the
mammoth sandwich. which she is eating, be-
tween her teeth. while She reaches up on tip
toe and adjusts his ma jesty's dcmoniacal
head gear in just us free Il manner Us il she
were the DEVILS servant instead Of the great
queen Of the fairies.
Two whistles through the pipe, another
quick pull at tine ropes and the stage below is
instantly transformed into the regions OF
darkness. The spectators in the auditorium
see the horrible picture of Inat"s ontle stage
hut the poor fellows in the fly gallery set tbs
full force of it. The thick smoke from tbs
red lights rolls up through the scenery unit
the mon ut the ropes are almost sutrocatedll
the poisonous fumes. and are sometime:
forced to spell one another by going below
for fresh air.
The whole dramatic world is under the eye
of the aynlan. He ought tn be n good critic
for at all event, he has an opportunity of see
ing all sides of an actor and all phases of the
strical lifc.-Buiralo News.