The Mormons and the Theatre; or, The History of Theatricals in UtahLindsay, John S. (John Shanks)
Religion
The Mormons and the Theatre; or, The History of Theatricals in Utah
Lindsay, John S. (John Shanks)
Latter Day Saints; Theater -- Utah -- History
Weiniawska, the Polish violinist, gave a concert on the 12th. George
Waldron and his wife drifted in and played a few nights up to the
17th. Then W. O. Crosbie and his wife, Arrah Crosbie, and James A.
Vinson, drifted in from the northwest and were given a few nights.
"Jim" Vinson was featured in the play of "Quits" and "Billie" Crosbie
in some favorite farce, supported by Arrah and the stock company. Both
Vinson and Crosbie made a very favorable impression which resulted in
them being engaged by the management for the following season. It
looked as if all the other theatres in the West had closed and the
actors had come trouping to Salt Lake to get summer engagements. Now
comes Carrie Cogswell-Carter and the available stock to the front.
They opened on the 26th and played till the 30th, and the season
closed.
CHAPTER XVIII.
SEASON OF 73-74.
The season of 73 and '74 was somewhat later than usual in opening. The
reasons were, Clawson and Caine had renewed their lease of the
theatre, and having done so well with it financially, they were not
content to "let well enough alone," but felt that they should make
certain imaginary improvements that different wise-acres had
suggested, and embellishments commensurate with the liberal patronage
they had received during their previous lease of the house.
Accordingly some radical changes were made which cost a plenty of
money and made the managers scratch their heads many a time before
they were all paid for. As an example of how much costly mischief one
interfering "know-it-all" can accomplish, the managers were persuaded
by their prospective new stage manager, "Jim" Vinson, that the stage
of the theatre did not have sufficient pitch or slope from back to
front. It had a slight pitch one-eighth of an inch to the foot, or
about eight inches in its entire depth, which was just perceptible,
but not sufficient to be particularly noticeable or to render it
uncomfortable to walk on or to dance on. But the wisdom of the new
stage manager was paramount, and that immense stage whose huge
supports were built into the solid stone walls, had to be cut loose
from its bearings and the front of it lowered until it had
three-eighths of an inch fall to the foot, a slope that made it
uncomfortable to walk on, indeed, entering in a hurry, one was quite
inclined to slide on. It made it awkward too for stage settings. Every
piece of scenery that was set up and down the stage or at any angle
save that paralleling the front curtain, was thrown out of the
perpendicular that is so essential to make the scenery look well. At
the very time that this alleged improvement was being made, the
pitching or sloping stage (once thought to add perspective to the
scenery) was obsolete and all the new theatres in the country were
being built with level stages. It cost hundreds of dollars to make
this change and instead of being an improvement it was a positive
detriment, is still, and always will be. So much for the advice of a
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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