Eight Female Figures.
This elegant tableau represents Flora seated in a beautiful car drawn
by six fairies. The car is easily made of wood covered with paper or
cloth, and decorated with flowers. It should be five feet long, and
made in the form of a scroll, the largest part of which should be at
the back of the car. Cover the centre of the scroll which forms the
sides with crimson paper or cloth, ornamented with a border of gold
paper three inches wide, and a second border of artificial flowers.
Make the wheels of solid pieces of wood; the front ones, one foot in
diameter; the back ones, double the size; cover them with crimson
cloth, and ornament them with large gold stars; build a small seat at
the back end, and extend the floor of the car one foot out from the
back part, for the footman to stand on. The front of the car should be
built in the form of a scroll, and should sustain a small vase of
flowers on the top. Vases of similar shape, containing flowers, should
be placed on each side of the seat; a long rope, covered with crimson
cloth, should be attached to the front axletree. As only one side of
the car is visible, it will be necessary to decorate only one side. A
platform one foot high should be built on the front of the stage; a
second one, three feet from the first, which should be two feet high;
a third, in the rear of the second, should be three feet in height.
These must be covered with green bocking, to represent turf. Place the
car near the front of the stage, at the right corner; attach six
pieces of green ribbon to the crimson rope, for the fairies to take
hold of; six pink ribbons must be fastened to the waist of the
fairies, and held by Flora, who is seated in the car.
The young lady who personates Flora should be of good figure and
features, and rather small form. Her costume consists of a white robe,
cut low at the neck; sleeves five inches long, trimmed with flowers; a
belt of green cloth, adorned with artificial flowers, around the
waist; a crown, made in like manner, encircling the head; a small
bouquet of flowers fastened to the front of the waist. The hair is
arranged in short curls about the head; a side view is had of the
body, while the head is turned around to face the audience. The hands
are employed in holding the pink ribbons and whip, which is made of a
long, slender branch of the willow, with a few leaves on the extreme
end. The countenance expresses pleasure and animation.
Seven small misses personate the fairies, and their costume consists
of a short white dress, decorated with silver spangles. Strips of blue
ribbon, one inch wide, should be placed around the skirt, running from
the waist to the bottom of the skirt; these must be three inches
apart. The waist is made of blue silk, and trimmed with silver paper
and spangles. The hose are flesh color; shoes, white satin; the head
is encircled with a wreath of flowers; the hair should be arranged in
short curls, and small wings formed out of wire, covered with gauze,
and ornamented with silver spangles, are fastened to the back of the
waist. The fairies should stand in double files, one couple standing
on the first platform, one on the second, and one on the third; they
should be three feet apart, standing in the form of a half circle, so
that each will be seen. One hand should grasp the pink ribbon, while
the other is raised, holding a small bunch of flowers. The fairy
footman's costume is like the others, and the position is on the back
of the car, both hands upon the back of the seat, and at the same time
holding the ends of a long wreath, which arches over the head of
Flora.
The light should come from the side of the stage where the fairies
stand, where should be burned a small quantity of the whitish-blue
fire. Music lively.