THE STAGE
A great deal more attention is being directed--in this country, at
least--to the improvement of the physical requirements of the stage than
heretofore. During the past few years, numerous writers[10] have made a
systematic study of theaters abroad and at home, and revealed the fact
that on the whole our theaters, both before and behind the curtain, are
antiquated, ill-equipped, and fall far short of the infinite
possibilities which have been made realized in certain cities of Germany
and Russia.
[10] Hiram Kelly Moderwell, in his "The Theatre of To-day"
(Lane), and Sheldon Cheney, in his "The Modern Movement in the
Theatre" (Kennerley), have rendered signal service in this
field. The first book contains a thoroughly systematic account
of practically all the new theatrical experiments.
Revolutionary experiments in lighting, as well as in the disposition of
stage settings, have, during the past ten or twelve years, opened up
fields formerly undreamed of.
It is not the purpose of this chapter to describe at great length these
innovations; the reader is referred to the books of Moderwell and Cheney
mentioned in the footnote above. A few elementary suggestions, however,
which may be used by skilled and intelligent amateurs, will prove
suggestive to the average director and stage manager.
It is likely that by far the greater number of amateur plays will be
performed on a stage which is already built and equipped. In such cases,
all the stage manager can do is to use his own scenery and at least have
a voice in the matter of lighting. Still, many plays are performed on
improvised stages, in private homes, clubs, or schoolrooms, or
out-of-doors. This allows the stage manager a little more leeway, and
often he may modify the size of the stage to suit himself, and introduce
some innovations of his own.
To those who are in a position either to build or temporarily construct
their own stages, this chapter is primarily addressed.
We shall now proceed to a consideration of a few of the more important
innovations on the modern stage. The first of these is undoubtedly:
=The Cyclorama.= This is "a white or tinted backing for the stage, built
in the form of a segment of a vertical cylinder. It may be constructed
of canvas or of solid plaster.... Now, if made of canvas, it is more
usually kept, when not in use, on a vertical roller, at one side of the
stage, near the front, and carried around behind the stage, unrolling
from its cylinder the while, until it connects with a similar cylinder
at the opposite side of the stage. It hangs from a circular iron rail,
and almost completely encloses the stage, rising to the required
distance.... It can be rolled up on its original cylinder when it is not
needed, leaving the stage once more approachable from all sides.... The
chief uses of the cyclorama are evident. It presents a continuous dead
white or tinted background, which, when played upon by the proper
lights, gives a striking illusion of depth and luminous atmosphere....
But perhaps the chief value of the cyclorama, from the standpoint of the
stage artist, has not yet been mentioned. For the new device changes
altogether the problem of lighting. Ordinary sunlight is, as we know,
not a direct light, but an infinitely reflected light, bandied about by
the particles of air and by the ordinary physical objects on which it
strikes. The mellowness and internal luminosity of ordinary sunlight is
wholly due to this infinite reflection. It was the lack of this that
made the old stage lighting, with its blazing direct artificial glare,
so unreal. The cyclorama, and especially the dome cyclorama, permits the
stage to be lighted largely or wholly by crisscrossing reflection. The
mellow and subtle lighting which makes it possible was altogether
unknown under the older methods."[11]
[11] Moderwell's "The Theatre of To-day." John Lane Company.
The construction of a cyclorama, either of cloth or of plaster, is
rather difficult, but there are certain simple substitutes which may be
used to secure some of its elementary effects. The following system has
been used by some amateurs with signal success.
First take a wooden rod, or better, iron pipes, curved to the desired
shape.
Fasten this framework either to the ceiling of the "loft" or, if that is
too high, to the wings. On the rod hang curtains of burlap, or some
similar material, or else two or three thicknesses of cheesecloth, so
that they fall in simple folds. The color will depend on the sort of
play to be produced and the kind of lights used. As a rule, dark tan,
green, or dark red are the best colors, and can be used on many
occasions and for nearly every sort of play. Whether the "cyclorama"
thus improvised be permanent or temporary, this is one of the best
possible backgrounds. In out-of-door scenes, it gives a suggestion of
distance.
[Illustration]
In Constance D'Arcy Mackay's book on "Costumes and Scenery for Amateurs"
the author describes how a "desert and oasis" scene can be made from the
simplest means:
"A plain sand-colored floor cloth. A backdrop or cyclorama of
sky-blue against which very low sand mounds appearing as if at
great distance, with palm trees, also made small by distance.
These mounds and palm trees should be painted low on the
backdrop, since a vast stretch of level sand is what is to be
suggested. It would even be possible to use a plain blue sky
drop, and run some sand-colored cambric into mounds across the
back of the stage, so as to break the sky line."
It is not necessary, though, to _paint_ the cyclorama: darker cloth,
made to represent mounds, thrown across the lower part of the cyclorama,
would be equally effective. Further examples of what can be done with
the cyclorama will be cited in the chapter on "Lighting."
Another of the recent innovations which is of particular value to
amateurs is the system by which the proscenium opening can be made large
or small, according to the demands of the play. Usually the proscenium
looks like the following diagram.
[Illustration: AN ORDINARY BOX-SET. FROM DUMAS _FILS'_ "THE MONEY
QUESTION", PRODUCED AT TUFTS COLLEGE.
(Courtesy of L. R. Lewis).]
Suppose one scene of a play calls for a large courtroom filled with
people. Obviously, all the stage space is required. But suppose that the
next scene is a small antechamber. On the average stage the discrepancy
is at once observed, and the effect is more than likely ridiculous. Even
if the sets used are "box sets" (that is, with three walls and not mere
conventional screens or curtains), the effect of great size can easily
be obtained in the first scene, and smallness in the second, by means of
the device about to be described. This applies, of course, to plays
where the same set must be used for both scenes. If, however, a
different set is used for the antechamber scene, the new device is
imperative.
[Illustration]
First, construct two tall screens (on a wooden framework), made either
of painted canvas or draped cloth, of some dark and subdued tone, and
place them on each side of the stage, just behind the proscenium arch,
as in the diagram:
[Illustration]
These screens can be easily set closer to the center of the stage,
thereby diminishing its size on the sides. Then the "grand drapery"
above, which hangs down from behind the top of the proscenium arch, and
which should be of the same color and material as the side screens, is
lowered. This process makes, from the inside, a smaller proscenium arch.
Many of the German and some other stages have added a fourth side to
this frame, by "boxing" the footlights:
[Illustration]
This last, besides giving the effect of a detached picture to the set,
prevents the direct rays of the footlights, when they are used, from
shining up into the gallery.
To return to the smaller scene made by the inner proscenium arch, it
will readily be seen that the cyclorama--if there is one--or back wall
of the set, or else the curtain, must usually be brought forward a
little. The advantage of the inner proscenium becomes apparent when such
a play as "The Merchant of Venice" is performed, and the absurdity of
using a stage of the same size for the Portia-Nerissa scene in the first
act and the casket scene, is forcibly brought to our attention.
=The Revolving Stage= and =The Wagon Stage=. These are fully described
in the books which have been referred to. They are both extremely
valuable, but as yet too complicated and expensive to be seriously
considered for amateurs.
The introduction of simpler scenery and simpler lighting does away with
much that was difficult to manage under the old system, and a few
well-trained amateurs should be able to set and attend to almost any
production without having recourse to the revolving stage and the
"wagons."
As much space as possible should be kept clear behind the curtain;
occasions are likely to arise when the entire stage may be used, and
manipulation of scenery on a full stage is a difficult task.
A few suggestions as to lighting and its relation to scenery and color
and action will be set forth in the next chapter.