New-York tribune., 1921-03-27

Modern Tendencies
lin Scenic Vesting
OF the Theater

Mr.. Alderman has served long and
interesting apprenticeship in the crea-
tion Of scenery fer plays that have
made theatrical history during the last
twenty-five years. He was educated in
the Georgia School of Technology and
had art instruction at the Julian
School and Beaux Arts in Paris and in
the Hoffe School in Munich. Return
ing to this country he was first asso-
ciated with the cid Lyceum Theatar,
when Daniel Frohman was its guiding
genius. Afterward he was employed
at the Empire Theater during the
regime of Charles Frohman's immortal
stock company.
Branching out for himself he forged
TO the front and to-day his work is
being represented on Broadway by no
less than five attractions, among them
being "The Broken Wing" now run
ming at the Forty-eighth Street Thea
ter.
Mr.. Alderman as early as 1912 say
the coming of the modern decorative
art into the theater of this country,
an art that had been in vogue for
some time in Germany, Austria, Rus
sia and to a degree in France and
Italy. Feeling that the time would
come. when scenic painting and thea
ter decorations would respond to the
modernist movement and, in order to
be fully prepared when this moment
came, he again went abroad to study
The new method, which is simple
one, arrives at an effect that formerly
required great quantities of scenery,
but which could be done in a more
artistic and effective way with a few
set pieces, some drapes and some new
lighting effects" says Mr.. Alderman.
I'm the early days of the theate1
scenery was given no consideration in
the production of plays. The ancient
Greeks depended for their background
on nothing other than what nature pro
vided. Whether or not the audiences
were satisfied with what the author
provided through the medium Of actors
leaving the scenic environment to b,
created through suggestion, has no
been settled even to this day.
I'm the course of time a backdrop or
curtain, usually of somber hue, was
employed TO keep the minds and eyes
OF the audience from straying further
than the limits of the stage before
them. From time to time more ad-
venturesome playwright and producer
added bit of decorative effect, and
thus we trace the evolution of stage
settings.
"Then came period when great
artists like Raphael, Watteau, Boucher,
ServandOni and Standfield were eager
to accept commissions to execute the
atrical scenery. Even SO great an artist
aS Alma Tadema in recent times con-
tr1buted sanvases to the theater that
delighted .ne eye and helped materially
in the successful production of plays.
The interest in scenery became ap-
parent and the desire for absolute fidel-
ity of detail was made condition
v,to mt ~ -,t~
by the public. The reaction gave rise
to the freak movement in scenic decora-
tion. The aesthetic in art has it's ad-
mlrers where the canvas is small and
the galleries are frequented by those
who are thoroughly conversant with it's
aims and are in sympathy with it's
effects. But not so in the theater, where
the audience is mixed one, recruited
from every social stratum.
The scenic painters art is as exact
as that of composer of music. There
is harmony of color that is as pune
tilious as that of music. The jarring
note. in music offends the ear. the
larring note of color insults the eye.
With music the interpreter is second
ary to the work of the composer. The
scenic artist providing the scenery
for play presents a product that is
but minor detail to the work of the
playwright as interpreted by the actor.
The scenic artists work, however, must
lend itself and blend into the effects
created by light manipulation, and any
scheme of color or form that is not
a mirrored reflection of nature falls
short of the purpose for which the
scenic artist was employed and de-
tracts In consequence from the value of
the play to the audience.
hat is the modern tendency in the
Lneater SO far as scenery is concerned {?
70 my mind it is toward the modified
DacKground. The moment scenery gets
beyond background it becomes
scenery, no more, no less-just painted
canvas. Yet scenery can be colorful
without offending the eye or detracting
from the actor in his work in delineaf,
ing the character he is called upon to
play or interpreting the intent of the
author by the intonation he gives the
ilnes ne is asked to speak.
AS regards the carrying to extreme
the perfection OF detail, why not elect
tne spectator to become part of the
performance by permitting him to use
nas reasoning process in completing
the detail mentally through the garn,
Of suggestion of detail without carrv-
ing 1T to an extreme? That has been
. sne trouble with our reactionary scenic
Mtlsts. They have made scenery and
color the principal feature of the en-
sfextainment, leaving the story of the
4 paSwrlght and the acting as the back
ground. In Europe the suggestion Of
erect, which is to my mind the modern
trend, has been held by the great stage
9frectors and dramatists over there as
more highly satisfactory and far bet
ter than mass production. This has
oeen created through the use of false
&koscenlums or, as they are termed in
HMxope, portals. Through this medium
! AsSsntion is centralized on the artist
& a#4 not on the scenery.
S5sx mother modern tendency in the
#sssSsser mas been to delegate to the
4 1870 artist authority to decorate the
& with the essential drapes, rugs.
a.ure, objects Of art and other
& s.sles sss:s} demanded by the play. This
result IN higher degree Of The
Astic IN productions, eliminatino the
nance Of offending those who have ,ue
s-apd taste. s'''s' VINO nave
s'anosner trend Of the times is to i'm
s v3ve the lighting of stage productions
present methods have made little
Y & no advance from what obtained
h fSgn zS gas was the illuminant in the
Uur modern footlights. even
4 ~ electricity is EMPLOYED. are
|y9z one pace forward from what
& used IN theaters fifty years 400
& " shock You to know that there
! 43k perfect theater in Amer;ca to-
nat is, theater that gives To