The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-01-10

Paper Read Before the ChGutGlLQud C1fcte.
66THE Stage as An Educator"
and "The Stage and its Peo- !
ple," are the names of two
papers which it has been my
good fortune to hear read before this
circle during the past year or so. AS
both of these papers were contributed
by able, intelligent and conscientious
writer's, men whose knowledge of the
stage and it's surroundings cannot be
questioned, shall ask my hearers to
take into consideration the fact that
the information l possess on this mat
ter, was gathered together during a
period of several years as "super" in
few of the principal theatres Of New
York City, the result being that l may
be mistaken in one or two of my
statements.
The author and manager, when
about to place new play before the
public, have many matters of vast i'm
portance to look after, before they can
safely apply that magic word success"
to the production. Tho the star (E:ale
or female) may be popular, possessing
great ability and personal charm; the
stage carpenters, scene painters, prop
erty men, electricians and utility men,
experts in their line, the play could pot
that least heard of~but important per-
son. the costume designer.
The ordinary theatregoer Especially
the men) consider dressmaking kind
of mystery, the women being more in
terested, altho they seldom appreciate
the effort expended, or even under
stand the methods employed in Great
ing theatrical costumes. The majority
of the public have no idea of the i'm
mense Importance of this particular
person. While he may lack many of
the accomplishments of genuine art
ist, he must possess fertile imagina-
tiOn, marvellous inventive ability and a
facility in combining colors almost
beyond comprehension, for in the race
for successful sensations, the actress
both star and cAorus girl, is adorned iE
creations that would have made our
Pilgrim Fathers sit up and take notice
You all know that any artist can
draw fashionable, snappy, up-to-date
girl, but place his picture beside the
costume plate made by a designer of
stage dresses. and you will find it to be
dull and uninteresting, compared with
the charming bird of paradise that the
stage artist has created; and tho the
latter may be poorly drawn, it will look
all right when some dainty actress
trips into the lime light adorned with
its exaggerated proportions.
When preparing costume plate the
designer usually submits a rough
sketch of his idea to the manager ot
the production in view, who approves
it with any alterations or suggestions
that occur to him, and the design il
then put into color and worked in de
tail. The picture is usually fifteen by
twenty inches in size and is executed il
water colors, that medium being con
sidered better than others, as it admit.
of rapid execution, and great brilliancy
of color. Gold, silver and bronze cOIors
are also used, and the parts of the cos
tune to be made with jewels are indi
Gated by applying glue and sprinkline
small particles of brass filings, called
"flitters," upon it while moist. Tht
glue drying on the picture holds thes,
metal bits in place and the effect o.
sparkling brilliancy is produced, which
not only offers the suggestiop to th'
costume maker that great orn en-
tation is required, but also looks brigh
and attractive when the plates ar,
framed and displayed in the lobby O
the theatre during the run of the play
But this is not all; besides his abilit.
to draw, invent and color, the designe
who wishes to become leader in hi
profession, must have access to larg
amount of copy. In historical produc
tiOns where costumes must be reason
ably correct, the only pictorial recor'
of the people of the time, exists il
engravings buried in old books. Eur
thermore, costumes of foreign coun
tries, correct military and civil uni