The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-04-03


bits of acting seen In New York in
many a day.
As in most trades and professions
there are many technical terms used in
connection with the stage that are an
derst0od by few outside the business
Jack Bones. the popular stage manag-
er. of the Star, who has been with that
theatre ever since it was built, ex-
planned a number of expressions the
other day that are commonly used in
his trade, and that are interesting to
those who only see the other side of the
curtain.
Before a production is put on" or a
company arrives I'm the theatre. the
stage manager receives lists of what
is required on the stage. These are
called plots" There are scene plots.
prop plots cline plots" and light
plots" The scene plot" describes
what scenery is required for each act
or scene; the prop plot" enumerates
the various properties. which include
furniture. tableware. pictures, bric-a-
brac, firearms and all other articles that
may be used in the sketch. play or pro-
duction; the light plot describes
everything in connection with the light
ing Of the stage. and the line plot
calls for a number of Tines" or ropes,
necessary to have in readiness for
hanging the scenery. Each piece of
scenery has its own name. There is the
drop curtain, which with everyone is
familiar, overlapping the top of which
there is generally a ''proscenium bord-
er." Back of the drop curtain is hung
] the grand border back of which are
] located the "tormenters," or stationary
wings" which mark The "frst en-
l ST los sfG
cry, hanging" and "set." Hanging
/ scenes, or those suspended from the
flies" and raised and lowered as oc-
/ casion demands, are called drops" the
scenery that is set on the stage are
/ flats" fThe borders include a Sc
/ ries of short. hanging scenery at the
/ top OF the stage. which shut off the
flies from the audience. while
wings" are the narrow strips of seen
! cry placed on each side Of the stage.
! There are pieces of scenery built to
combine the qualities of both the Dor
ders' and the wings these are known
as leg drops owing to their shape
and formation. A scene formed by US
/ ing only a back drop and wings to
match is known as a plain set" while
one composed of a number of flats
/ dashed together is known as a box
I set
The strips of wood to which hanging
/ scenery is fastened are known as bat
/ tens" and the ropes by which they are
/ suspended from the fly loft are called
/ lines" The stage hands whose duties
| are confined to the fly loft are Fly
men" Each batten has three lines,
which are distinguished i'm this manner:
The rope nearest the fly loft is the
/ "short line" then comes the center
| line" and the extreme rope is the long
/ line" When the lyman" receives an
/ order to trim your short" he knows
! that the line nearest TO him is out of
! gear and he proceeds TO remedy the
I fault There are a variety of lights
used on a stage. The most familiar
ones are the "fOotlights, which are Of
/ primary Importance: then come the
/ border lights, or those suspended
from the "fiies,' protected by a semi
/ circular reflector to cast the light di-
rectly down on the stage. Side lights,
are those used on the sides of the
proscenium opening and bunch lights
are clusters of incadescent electric
lights, generally enclosed within a re-
| fiector, and are used to illuminate the
| interior Of a dwelling not shown on the
stage, as behind doorways. strip
lights" are rows of incandescent lights
arranged on a strip Of wood that can
be hung or placed in position to add
| realism to a bit of transparent scenery.
Flood lights" and spot lights are
electric calciums. the former arranged
i'm a round or rectangular box, with a
metal or glass reflector to shed light
on the entire stage; the spot light has
! a condenser lens attached which en-
ables the operator to concentrate all
his light upon one spot or person
That discussion as to the best metn-
| OGs of theatre construction should con-
tinue is only natural There is not an
element that enters into the compost
ton of these buildings that is not some
where being talked over i'm a lively
manner. In one place it is a question of
the size of exits. In another experts
are debating whether asbestos or iron
| curtains are best. What is the best
character of light for stage use is like
wise a bone of contention. Concrete
floors are argued for and against, ar
mored wood doors discussed versus iron
doors; but above all this. the one plain
element OF safety comes out of the
i! agitation of words. and that sample
exit facilities. Whether the exit be
over a concrete staircase of one OF
hard wood; whether the exit be through
an iron door or wooden door. is
fnmaterial. as long as the exit is a
plain. straight exit With no circuitous
route. and leads directly into the
street.
Alfred Reisenauer. pianist, has a ro-
nance The jolly and gifted BerlineT
found il in New York before he went
to Chicago to triumph over local music
lovers.
And so pleased was he that he told
OF it. Whether or not the lady in the
case But conjecture should not be
given TO free q rein This is the man 5
side Of it.:
I'm the little time I was in New York
1 have had one of my queerest expert
! ences. I do not know as 1 quite dare
| tell it. Wen. wiIl-but first let me