Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-30
BUILDING FAIRY LAND
Beautiful Scenes Being Painted for
the Spectacular Play.
THE PRETTY FAIRIES CARNIVAL.
Costumes of Silver and Gold Now Being
Made for the Actors. !.
REHEARsALS OF MARCHES AND SONGS

Few persons who have been reading
about the preparations for the great juve-
nile entertainment to be given September
0, 10 and II, for the benefit of the Homeo-
pathc Hospital, are aware of the great
amount of labor necessary for the produc-
tion of spectacular play Of
the proportions of "The FAIRIES
Carnival" But few times in the history
of the stage have operas or other plays re-
quiring 1000 people in the cast been under
taken, and probably the most successful Of
these was the great Juvenile event of the
Crystal Palace few years ago. The enter
tainment to be presented here is therefore
unique on this continent, and from present
indications it will be worthy of all the
labor and money that has been expended in
its preparation.
A trip to the Central Rink and the Du-
quesne Theater, where the costumes, scenery
and stage trappings necessary for the multi
plicity of gaudy characters and fairyland
dreams are being prepared, is intensely in
teresting. At the rink long line of sew
ing girls were found busily engaged making
the costumes for the 400 guards"
These dazzling garments are being made
in seven colors, beautifully and richly
trimmed in gold and silver, and hanging
upon the walls, over chairs and in the nimble
hands of the sewing girls there seemed be
half acre of them.'
SOME OF THE FANCY COSTUMES.
In addition to these, 400 or 5O0pure white
fairy dresses and several hundred butterfly
costumes in yellow, with variegated wings
beautifully jeweled, are being made. The
entire rink presents a novel scene, all sug-
gestive of the playhouse. Along the west
side of the building corps of prop
erty men were found adding the
gold and silver and stage jewels
| to Job lot of 400 spears, shields and other
| implements of stage warfare. Under the
! calcium lights these richly trimmed cos
| tunes and shields and spears will present
| gllttering spectacle never before witnessed
/ in this eitv At the lower end of the hall
is a row of life-like frog heads,' and there
are enough of the green monsters
to stock river. Here was also
\ found a tailor at long table, cutting
| through immense thicknesses of cloth. He
was cutting out the peculiar costumes for.
the "criekets, ;, ''graSshOPPers, butter
gauzing the wings of the fairies.
Scattered about the hall were calcium
light reservoirs, huge chests of fancy
costumes, rolls of scenery and an
endless variety of trappings, which
gave the place the appearance
of the outfitting point of big circus. The.
costumes of the Queen Of the Butterflies, Puck
and Moth, the Miller, are being made by
celebrated New York costumer, and will be
as fine as ever exhibited in this city. The
n L. 4 -, ell
and the Queen of the Butterflies in gold. The
working force at the rink yesterday was
greatly increased by the addition of large
number of the ballet girls from the
'Iast DAYS of Pompeii," who volunteered
their services in sewing gold braid trim
ming on the costumes.
THE SCENIC ARTIST AT WORK.
Across the way at the Duquesne Theater
John johnson, the well-known scenic artist,
is busiIy engaged on the fairy land scenery.
He is now at work on the big central scene,
which is nearly finished. 1t will be over
100 feet long. presenting a dreamland pam
orama-a fairy grOttO, the center of which
is an arch of beautiful foliage, leading from
which are inviting labyrinths of twining
vines and bright blooming flowers.
Mammoth green leaves are pictured so
naturally on bending stalks that one can al
most imagine the fairies hiding under them.
Much of the scene is the original concep-
tion of Mr. johnson, and it has received
many fattering comments. The entire
scene is being foiled in the most elaborate
and expensive manner, and the artist is
making his best endeavors to excel all pre-
vious attempts in this line.
The classes have made wonderful progress
in the drills and marches, singing and dane
ing Prof. Otto Sherr leader of the Gen.
trail Turnverein, has induced large num-
ber of his regularly drilled pupils to take
part in the operetta. Tomorrow afternoon
the butterflies will rehearse and at $50
the principals, On Tuesday at o'clock
the fairies will meet for practice and at $50
the ''guards. The entire company will |.
come together on Wednesday at 4 P. NJ. :