Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-01-29
. rrrr urnlNn Tue SCENES.
The Tricks and Trsppiugs Of Fantasm" Ms
Seen by Reporter.

seen Dy u nepoieei'
There is probably no other company
now on the road that carries so much
scenery and in so many different parts
as FantaSma, which has occupied the
boards for the last two nights at the
Opera House A REGISTER reporter
stole steathily in through the stage
door Just before the play began Tuesday
night, glided innocently past divinity
in tights who sat poised upon scenic
section OF garden gate, and tackled
Mr.. Hugh Cavanaugh, the chief OF the
gang who juggles the scenery.
Yes" said Mr.. Cavanaugh, this
looks pretty rough and altogether tan
gled up in here just now, but II all
comes out in the wash, and shows up
all right 10 the audience. You see some
of the scenery is battered and broken,
and in some places torn, and on the
rear some mud and dirt, but it gets
there, my boy. Distance piles on the
enchantment, and gas and calcinms
cover 4 multitude OF sears"
There was gang Of some fourteen
men working like troopers behind aud
above. and all sides OF the stage, tying
and untying ropes, putting the TRICK
machines in readiness, sticking a door
in there, and = window here, and past
ing little moss or worsted grass at in
tervals about the boards. To the mex
perienced onlooker the great scenic
mess looked like an irremediable tangle,
and il looked as II there were ropes,
strings and cords enough TO MT out
couple Of full-rigged ships.
How many men does it take to oper-
ate this scenery" asked the reporter.
"Well, we have eight men on the floor
OF the stage, six men above, and besides
there are eight property men. and two
more on calcium lights. We put on
here in Wheeling "a pieces of hanging
scenery, bu. we have & more pieces
which we IAN not put on here on ac-
count of the limited space. To operate
all these pieces it requires 60 set lines,
and an almost endless number oil small
er cords in all parts OF the trappings
especially in the trick work. Outside
of the two carloads of scenery. 1t takes
lO6 trunks TO transport our effects. or
course with so much handling much
OF the scenery gets broken and
out of repair continually, and we carry
regular carpenters and mechanics with
MS all the time. You see that old man
there in blue Over-alls? Well, he's at
the head of the construction depart
ment. He makes all the fishes, alliga-
tors, whales, sharks, skeletons, demons
and donkeys. lie gets 500 month,
and he's corker. He can make a
whale while you wait.
what is the smallest stage that
you've ever put 'FantaSma' on" que
ried the scribe
"Well, now you'l SMILE" said the
scenery iiend. We've just been
ploughing through the Lone Star State,
and one night we struck a sort OF a
combination skating rink and theatre In
a town called Marshall. The stage was
only ~ feet wide and u deep, and you
can Just bet your pants the people didn't
see 'Fantasma' that night. They saw
few pieces of scenery damned in where
we could possibly work 'em, but they
hadn't seen a show for so long that they
didn't know the difference, and were
tickled to death. The entrance to the
rink was something like Sunday side
door to a New York saloon.
The scene behind those footlights
would have bothered the senses of a
front row habitue whose opera glass is
continually adjusted and as continually
used. There was so much to look at
that choice was difficult and comparison
useless.
The angel with the black eyes aud the
well-rounded limbs gracefully poised,
even while waiting for the signal TO go
on. The tall blonde. with the baby
stare in her eyes and the remnant OF an
old shawl thrown over her knees? or
the little girl with the tired look and
the soft brown eyes, who is fastening
her slipper, as she puts her foot upon
the lap of girl who is huddled down
close to one of the property boys seated
on box, leaning her head against the
scenery? Even the front row man
would be apt TO forgive the smell OF
the grease paint, the penetrating air OF
powder, and the cheap perfume, and
would perhaps be a little disenchanted
by the patches of white cosmetic, the
daubs OF rouge, laid on with marking
brush rather than a hare'S foOt-for
your stage Venus is made up Venus,
while the footlight's glare tells no tales
TO the man with the opera glass.