The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-26

stage, scenery and properties can be got
out of the way, and the room made ready
for dancing, in twenty minutes. Not a nail
Will be driven, not "a mark or a scratch
made upon anything.
For small halls. that sometimes have a
stage, but more often do not, the same
scenery serves. These places are of course
of different size. but the artist circum-
vents this difficulty, by making his pros
cenium fronts on the telescope principle,
thus making them easily adjustable TO all
ordinary variations. He also keeps in stock
a number Of curtains of varied size and de-
sign; his scenery varies In height from
eight feet, for small houses, 10 twenty
feet, for little theaters and halls. He can
generally pick out almost everything the
stage manager of the private amateur
performance wants; and what he has not
he gladly makes and adds to his stock
The back parlor of the house Is general
ly the one given up to the action of the
play. The stage which the scenic artist
has brought with him Is a foot and half
high; IL is made in sections, 30 that 1t Is
easy to handle and quickly adjusted just
back of the folding doors. The frames of
the doors forming a permanent prosen-
ium.
Just back Of this comes the frame up
on which the drop" curtain Is adjusted
this rs the second, or artistic prosceni-
UNI 1t is a square, the drop curtain form
ing one side, while the three other sides are
formed by an open framework. from which
are suspended the drops for the various
scenes as also the borders, which finish
out the picture overhead. on the sides are
the wings; also supported from frames
so that not any part of the construction
comes in contact with the wall or cell
ing. This frame can be put up and taken
down without driving nail, or making
a single scratch or blemish.
The artist brings his row OF foot-Ights,
which are adjusted on a line with the door
frames, and connection Is made with the
Little refectors are between the audience
and the footlights, and a chain between
the lights and the players. the same as in
a theater.
AS each act rs finished, and the scenery
comes off, II II is not TO be used again that
night, Il is showed up as near the back
parlor windows as possible. The instant
the curtain is rung down on the last act,
tho scenic artist and all his assistants work
with vim TO get the stuff out of the
room. They do not bother just now 10 pack
IL up; they can do that at their ease later
on. Men In the back parlor pass the
stage, scenery and properties through the
windows 10 their assistants In the yard
until every piece is out of the room; then
they go down stairs, pack II up and re-
move II, through the basement. Before the
members of the cast have removed their
grease paint and stage costumes, the floors
are ready for the dancers.
Many of the properties of the stage, such
as roast turkeys, ducks and the like. are
made Of papier mache. But this not now
nearly 10 the extent that it formerly was;
the tendency of the age being to the use
of the real thing. Many of those OF the old
schools think this Is a mistake, as the art,-
fetal props" like the made up face of the
actors, show 10 better advantage under
the strong calcium or electric lights.
Ruth Everett.