The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-08

ed off by monkeying with the electrical
dynamOs running against somebody
who is late to his cue" wandering in
to the wrong dressing room or being
stepped on by somebody in hurry.
Everybody is in a hurry on stage
Mr.. SiegriSt saved at least one lie at
least 20 times last night
Now you stand there, Mr.. Siegrlst
would say and the reporter would try
to, but somebody always came along
the next minute and pushed him some
where else.
But the Brownies people are all ladies
and gentlemen and if they had to knock
a man down with a brace" or the ham
die Of slap stick to get him out OF
the way they never failed to apologize
afterwards.
The first big quick change last night
was from the fairy palace to the raft
scene in mid-Ocean- The drop at the
first entrance went down on the palace
scene and while the Brownies gallOped
across in front with the different prop
critics" for the raft(nOne of which were
used of cOurse) a least so men were
busy setting the storm at-sea" scene
back of it. The palace" was dragged
cut so quickly that the reporter doesn't
know vet where it went and in another
second fence enclosed the stage on
three sides in a semi-circle and the blue
painted cloth, with sprays of white on
It to represent foam, hoated to the stage
floor in the center. On the front edge
of this was placed the raft, which was
simply a rocker fiat on top and large
14
the left, or nOrth,a man was getting in
to the fiery dragon with green eyes, etc.
A dozen men and boys lodged in under
the sea cloth" and prepared to make
it roll with their hands
Here" called Mr.. Siegrist, you lie
right down there in the sea behind the
raEt. The audience can't see you and
you can see it air and he grabbed the
reporter and threw him down where he
would do the least harm and see the
Yo11 have road +his 70 e+a,. el,,., - -
pened.
The Brownies jumped on the raft. the
lights went out, the drop went up the
raft rocked on the reporters foot the
dragon started after him, the Brownie
dude jumped overheard, (Onto the re-
porter, the big eagle came swinging
EoWn ana MT Ine newspaper man in
the head, was hooked to the dummy
dude and went up again amid the
flashes Of lightning and the applause Of
the audience, the curtain went down
and the reporter crawled out tattered
and torn and Sea-Sick
During the dark changes of scene, in
which everything is a big, thick, black
blank to the audience, it has doubt
less often wondered how the stage
hands could see to do anything and do
it right AS matter of fact the stage
IS as light to the people on it as a
bright moonlight night.
When the dark change was made
from the enchanted island to the in
terror of DragOnfels castle Mr.. Siegrist
ana the journal man stood on the
north side Of the stage.
Suddenly somebody blew a whistle
and the scenery began to walk off in
different directions.
Now come across with me. said Mr..
Siegrist
(Which way?'' asked the reporter.
Right across the stage said Mr..
Siegrist.
Not on your life" said the reporter.
"'They can't see you said the stage
manager.
But it's as light as day here" said
the reporter
Never mind that said Mr.. Siegrist
the audience doesn't know it" and he
grabbed an arm and pulled the fright
ened man across. The latter expected
the gallery, which he could see plainly
under the electric glare, to set up a
shout on seeing persons in citizens
garb walking about through fairylsnd,
but it didn't. It didn't see them.
The flying ballet was more difficult
and required more mechanism than
the audience saw OF course the -aU-
dience saw the wires. but that wasn't
all to it.
Beneath the dresses that the girls
who danced it wore was a harness that
fit and supported the body. Immedi-
ately at the center of the back between
the shoulder blades was plate with
bolts on it,
At the end Of the two wires which
hung down a few inches apart to each
girl was q smaller plate These two
plates were bolted carefully together
by Mr.. Siegrist.
Three girls only appeared in this
ballet. More on the ordinary stage
with a chorus in front might compli-
cate things, and it wouldn't look we'll
for the flying fairies to be humping into
each other, now would it2" said Mr.
Siegrist. The girls got the flying eff
feet from the pendulum motion, and
were raised and lowered, one or two or
all three at times by the men at the