Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-23


designed and built his own play house and who
manages his own shows.
True to tell, the theater is nothing more than
Q midget stimulation Of the real article, while
the performers made Of metal and actuated
by electricity, but, Notwithstanding, their acts
are entertaining, while the scenic and lighting
effects pleasing. In fact, for schoolboy
show the Dexter theater and its theatricals
are vertable vows" in the parlance of that
profession.
This theater does not specialize in punch
and judy shows. Neither does it feature hid
den hat tricks. modern magic, sleight-of-hand
nor legerdemain. It fosters stock companies
with regular changes Of program and frequent
shifts in the acts and acting personnel
Young Dexter is experimenting constantly
with his electrified theater, seeking to improve
the shows even as are the managers OF
theatrical reality.
THE stage of this schoolboy's homespun
= theater is made of ordinary cardboard, but
you would never recognize the material as such,
it is SO skilfully camoufiaged with brilliant
paints and decorations. AS you view the stage
from an appropriate distance the effect is that
of an imposing proscenium arch, with the velvet
curtains folded back in proper position, and a
plethora of stage scenery gay as the colorS OF
the rainbow ornamenting the theatrical setting.
Altogether there are dozen different pieces
of scenery made of cardboard and decorated
with gaudy bits Of Christmas papers and the
cOlored Autographs and pictures cut from maya
zines and mounted appropriately. All this
scenery is portable and can be shifted about
quickly in imitation of activities In the profess
sional theater Young Dexter devotes his spare
time to the design and production of additional
scenery as we'll an the origination of new
acts and mechanical or electrical actors
The lighting effects on this lilliputian stage
are of particular interest to the average
nv
of his wits and his knowledge of electricity, has
linked together an artificial illumination set-up.
controlled by a trio Of switches and one
rheostat which viii surprise you when you see
it. The rheostat was salvaged from an old cleo
trio fan and was geared for its new and novel
duties The dwarf-size stage is equipped with
colored lights such are used on the ordinary
Christmas tree. Thus different lighting effects
are secured in the homemade theater at the
desire of its owner.
Exterior lights standard footlghts and flood
lights well as overhead illumination are all
provided in this clever little theater, which
demonstrates the efficiency of the juvenile
mechanic as an imitator. The use OF the
rhsostat permits of dimming the stag lights
gradually in stimulation OF sunset, for example,
and is securing other unusual artificial light
effects.
ne stsge is so built that it can be dis
mantied Cor repairs or improvements William
Dexter has concealed two-inch electro
magnet salvaged from q discarded electric
door bell underneath the stage that it ID
invisible from the auditorium where the spec
tators supposed to be seated. This electro
magnet gives animation and physical activity
to the actors who perform their tricks featS
and stunts on the stage above. 1t is provided
with a simple control switch purchased at q
Decent store and q black connecting cable.
The junior Snowman hides the control switch
in his pocket during the performance, while the
black cable is not visible against his dark suit
THE actors are accommodated in special
- booths or dressing rooms, awaiting their
curtain calls. That Is to say, the actors for act
number one occupy the first booth, and SO on
down through the program. This handy ar
rangement aids the schoolboy Snowman in shift
ing quickly from one act to another. Small
printed cards bearing the names of the actors
are in view on the stage during that act and
are then changed for the next one.
The actors, consisting of daacers boxers.
Jockeys bathing babies, tap dancers and the
like. are made of tin, copper, wire and from
large round-headed tacks. All these perform
erS have been manufactured out of scrap ma
terial-odds and ends which the youthful pro-
Queer collected in his juvenile treasure chest,
as amateur mechanics have the habit of doing.
The actors are really cut-out metal figures
painted gay colors and mounted rockers
similar to those which which the ordinary
child's hobby horse that travels is equipped.
For example, two Of the actors represented
boxers With arms extended and fists clenchec
tightly. These boxers are pushed on the stage
from opposite wings And as soon as they
come into full view of the audience, the the
ater manager announces their names weights
and the number of rounds which they will
fight. Then the bell for the first round
sounds, young Dexter presses the switch hid
den in his pocket which controls the electro
magnet. It forthwith actuates the boxers
mounted rockers so that they dance and
prance about the stage, raining blows at each