Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-02-01
LIVING PICTURES.
WEIGivE OUR READERS A PEEP
BEHIND THE SCENES.

BEHIND THE SCENES.
A Practical Recipe for Producing
the Desired Result-Where Art
Plays Its Part and Nature. Sup.
pIies-the Rest.
The living pictures have unquestion-
ably been tine great drawing card of
the Calhoun Opera Company this
year. Although their operas have
been presen ted by capable people with
every attention to completeness and
in a manner well pleasing to the pub.
lie, yet after all it is the "pictures"
that have drawn the crowds and filled
the managessd pockets. They are
new, in the first place; they are pretty,
too, and the people like pretty things.
Seen from the darkened auditorium
nothing can be more idyllic than the
Calhouns' Psyche's Mirror"-a mas
terpiece OF harmonious coloring, grace
full posing and appropriate lighting.
From behind the scenes Psyche at
the Mirror" is discovered to consist OF
one graceful young lady, a background
such as is found in photographers
studio, an old soap box against which
the slab OF canvas rock leans confid-
ingly-and many lights.
1t is by the combination of these
commonplace materials that the ar
tistic dreams" are produced, for all is
not gold that glitters and even living
pictures" are scarcely what they seem.
As the occasion may arise when the
amateurs of Olympia shall decide to
enter the field of competition now
monopolized by professional living
pictures, few hints which may be
jotted down as q recipe may not be
out OF place. The ingredients for a
living picture, which may of course be
seasoned to suit the taste, are roughly,
q frame, say ten feet by six, fringed on
the inside with incandescent lights
and fianked by two calciums to coun-
teract all shadows, a few selected
backgrounds and the necessary acces-
sories; shapely and pretty girls who
understand the mystery of posing; q
thorough knowledge of lighting and
the harmonizing of colors. and an
artistic perception enabling the direct
ing genius to comprehend the mean
ing of the masterpieces of art which
he undertakes to represent.
TO produce "The Greek Slave"
which is one OF the Calhoun master.
pieces. take one pretty girl. of the
poetic style, drape her with two pieces
OF light green cloth-one for q turban
give her a aower-pot TO hold. pose
her in front Of Grecian background,
turn on the lights, pull back the cur
tains and wait for the enraptured au-
dience to say" oh! ~
OF course this is the intensely prac-
tical recepite, with all the poetry
squeezed out. II. however, the colors
OF the calcium are ill-chosen, or if the
model fails in grace or beauty, or if
the colors of background and fore
ground and costume do not harmonic,
or half dozen other ifs, the picture is
spoiled.
The Calhoun Giving pictures" are
all produced under the personal di-
rection OF Mr.. Kirkland Calhoun, who
is good deal OF an artist in his quiet
way. The company carries panoramic
backgrounds. hundreds of incandes-
cent and four calcium lights, first
class accessories and half q dozen
pretty professional models, who have
from childhood. breathed in the very
atmosphere of art.
1t is by failing to comprehend the
poetry of the pictures they strive to
represent that some managers have
produced decidedly vulgar living pic
lures; these have offended good taste,
but it is altogether unlikely that the
discerning public will condemn these
beautiful pictures because they have
been cartooned.
OF the ladies contributing chiefly to
the success of the Calhoun pictures
are Miss Oracle Rawarth, Miss Belle
Lorraine, Miss Dora Williams, Miss
Amandita Rivers, and Miss Jennie
Barton. Miss Rawarth was posing
originally with Killarney in New York
last spring and enjoyed the distinction
of being the only American born girl
in the original gallery at the Garden
Theater. She is the possessor of un-
common beauty of both face and
form, and withal . young lady of more
modesty and hard common sense
than are to be found in the general
make up of the average young lady of
nineteen, to which charming age she