The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-09
srAoE SCENERY IN PRIVATE HOUSES.
1t Is Adjustable and Can He Taken Down
Quickly and Easily.

Although nil -appointcd theatres keep
competent scene painters. stage mnchinists
and carpenters employed the year round. ther"
is such an ever increasing interest IN amateur
theatricals given in private houses ana smalI
bal,s as to give employment to several men
who furnish everything needed in n theatre
in the way Of scenery. costumes and proper
ties and bv properties il meant furniture.
nrmor. and. in fact, every loose article. from u
sheet of writing paper 10 n steam launch, that
may be called for to dress. the stage or as
sist the actors Ia the play.
A grent many Of the props" are made ont
Of PAPER machc and various other substances.
but not so many as formerly. or late years
there is a demand for the real thing In stage
settings. But this is a mistake. The imitn-
ton shows up better under the glare OF tho
electric or calcium light, Just as n made-up
complexion on tho leading woman's face looks
more real than would her natural skin under
tn" same circumstances.
There are also frequent calls for these New
York dealers in scenery and stage properties
to- 70 into the smaller cities where there Is not
sufficient business to warrant the employment
Of such talent permanently. One man in the
business says that he has furnished houses
from Florida and Texas in the South to Wood
vile in the extreme northern part OF New
HAMPSHIRE and across the continent all the
way from New York to San Francisco with
complete outfits for their stages. But their
specialty lies with halls that have only a
stage. and sometimes not even that. but no
scenery at all. and in private houses. where
amateurs are ambitious to strut their Drlef
season an the boards
For this line of business they keeps com-
pp is,s L 1sHek . of nr ss HiS aEd s!nsl to Inn l51hG Gi rrEmi,
Hartman andthe Liederkrahz. Otrours" these
places Infer in size and facilities TOR putting up
scenery but prnsccnium fronts I. the dealers
In stage scenery ar" made on the telescope
plan, SO I" speak: 50 that they are readily nd-
Unstable to thu different sizes. They also keep
n number OF curtains to suit each place. This
stock scenery varies from eight feet in height
to twenty feet.
When it comes to putting stage scenery in
private houses th" times are few and far pc
IS required wNhont aiding 10 their stock. for
amateurs have a way Of digging, w unheard;;
of or iG5s s},n gl"yS Which ,ht . TG1"irG r srfneEy of
SOM" OF her ]rnni'ly lerE!"xing heslEn; Clubs
Up IN its gymnasium. A, other ines tho
IN its eii1ltS and ma. AMONG it, members u
mum Der ut rNcc"dinglv clever performers. uses
the lcnoX lNceun or the new Music Hall.
The quest, on Of stage scenery a private
houses Is IA simple enough matter. The, room
selected for the stage is usually tho hark par
and is made in sections, so that il is easy to
handle, is placed Immediately back of the slid
manrnt proscenium. Back OF this comes the
stage carpenters prosrenium. forming n second
frame. upon which is adjusted the drop"
curtain. forming one side Of a square.
the other three sides beng formed by an
open framework from which are suspended the
drops for the backing OF the various scenes.
as also the " borders y that finish out the pie
ture overhead. On the sides are the wings.
also supported from the frames, 50 that not
any part OF the arrangement comes in contact
with the walls or ceilings. thereby avoiding all
possibility ot nnrring their decorations. The
foOtlights are on II line with the door frame in
the back parlor. protected with retiectOrs be-
tween the audience and the lights. with "A chain
between the lights and the players. as in Il
theatre, The gas connection is easily made bv
means OF a rubber tube. The whole thing can
be put in position in n couple OF hours, and
when finished is really a complete little theatre.
As soon a. II scene comes of the stage. il it
is not again required. it Is placed near. the
rear windows. and once the final curtain is
rung down it is passed through the window to
the back yard below. followed as rapidly as
possible by piece after piece OF the remaining
parts. till all is out OF the room.
The room can he cleared and ready for the
dancers In Just twenty minutes after the cur
tam falls; But to do this all hands must hus-
tie and devote themselves exclusively to get
ting the room cleared. Later they can pack
the stuff up at their leisure and remove it
through the basemen way.