The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-10-03
MAKING STAGE SCENERY,

How Modern Ideas Have Revolutionized
 This Branch of Dram stic Art.
 The making of stage scenery and &C., cessories has not only been a business of much magnitude, but it has devel- oped largely peculiar inventive genius, made unique field for the exercise of superior artistic talent and facility, and brought into play high order of me- chanical skill. This entirely independ- ent of the regular artists and artisans of the great playhouses.
 From one studio in New York, de- voted to the painting, modelling, and fabricating of such scenery and furni- ture, large proportion of the travel ing theatrical companies of the country obtain the equipments for their produc- tions, and so completely have the ex- perience and observation of the artist who owns this studio and directs it's affairs subordinated space and the bulk to the requirements of stage setting. that the entire scenic outfit of a com pany, drops" wings" "borders." and even furniture may be carried in or dinary wardrobe trunks. It has made the once appalling items of express charges, carriage, extra baggage, and freight of no importance for a trunk or two may now do the service of an intinerant troupe that it formerly re- quired special baggage cars and scen- cry trucks to do, and these expenses ran very high up into the hundreds of dollars for the season.
 The invention, if such it may be called, is simply the substitution of aniline dyes for mineral pigments in the colors used on the canvas. The thin but brilliant aniline tints become virtually part of the canvas itself. The scenery can be folded without in- jury to its effect, and made to accom- modate itself to the convenience of the manager in transportation, and manip- ulated to the capacity or resources of the stage upon which it is to be used :: whereas canvas spread with color in the old-tlme way would quickly part with its decorated surface, and become a mottled and meaningless expanse of cloth, if not kept in circumspect posi- ton in transit by cumbersome frames and unbending braces.
 The process of equipping "show" with it's scenery and stage fitting has not only economized in space and cost or transportation, but 1t has economized in the charges for canvas and settings to such an extent that scarcely town or village large enough to boast of its own nall or an opera house" has not its gay and comprehensive comple- ment of stock, scenery and stage &C., cessories. To this system of theatrical outflttlng is also due the great in- crease in the number of travelling shows Of all kinds, and so, perhaps, it may not be said to have added much to the public benefit.
 To one who has an hour to snare nothing could be more interesting than a visit to this unique studio and dra- matic outfitting shop. Anything that any stage carpenter can do with. all his facilities, we can do here, and give him points," the attendant will say and the space and the chatter of the hammer and the swish of the plane are sufficient to convince one that he knows what he is talking about. He tells you that in the workshop. The art departments are up stairs. Up one flight we'll known modeler is fashion ing in deft hand beautiful design. Taken and cast in bronze 1t would ex- cite admiration and command price, but 1t is simply design for a mould into which plastic papier-mache is to be pressed and manipulated. to become later the ornamentation and furnishing of stage interior, which in its shin-