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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 1903)
Deceptions of the Modern Staae 1 1 1 list rat ions from Photograph, Taken In The Hoc Stall Ai list ri i I . i . I -- ' 7ir.? I. I j i r rrt-""77fi ai ( !'!!'! I i 1 i l I I V I 1 "::i r INI 'Kit N K A TI I TIIK STAUK AT TI I K liuVH TI I K ATI'. I;. SHOWING MOW IT WAS SIoi:D II' TO SI STAIN TIIK WKHillT or TIIK " 1 1 K N 11111" M A ( '1 1 1 N K It V. TOWINd AWA V TDK IT; i .;s on 1 1 1 " ! I TIIK I'llMlInT UM'i: V S I IN TASK I'll!! STAUK HAN I iS NHIIITI.Y mm ti tmmi rMB 4 L r in irra r s ir vi ai r : i mm. m i 1,1 Si t 1 llf 1 i ,1- wa'ini i Ulff 1 XU- ' IN TIIK ltlUCINC I.OKT AHoVK TIIK ST A OB. TI KKKI.Y i Iiihil;i. u Ii, ii ronsiiU'ri'.l I if I ii h an ahsOarl pi npiiMil Imi, 1 I Ki-itlii-i h.'iu Ifiini iilitwil nu iiiiii-Ii fur llii' aiiiiisi iiiciit iif man an fur I h' aini'liiiratiuti of liis oululil inn in ulln r illii'rtiipiin. No KK'at dmiovi'ry or Invent Inn Iiiim Ii ii hamlril fnrib fur K'iu'ral iiho tint Iiiih luM'ii iilinoHt liimn illaU ly iiiliiptiil fur tin piirpnfii'M of thi' HtaK that in I in lc win wIhti' tin' mirror In hclJ up to mil lire that cviiy man may hti tturrln all natniiH lull Ills own It may tio that from an exalt lltiiary st an. I point tin" iiioilorn Hlai'i rafl lias mailo I'll! nlllit if any iul aiirc iivit that of the ainiinla. 1ml In a piii'i ly mi rhanli al way tho prnKri ss Is Midi as oi Tasioiially asl onidios i vrli oil" who haH In i n familiar w ith tho thoator for many years. I'mlei takiiiK that tint a very little while iiko woiiH have heen eon siilered ehimerleal are now earrieil out with a Niin esH that Is all Imi inarvi loim "KeallHin" Iiiih tieen the keyiiotp of the art worhl for inure than two decides, mid while the ideal sl III has lis place and lis devotees, the worshipers nt the shrine of I he real have lieeome more numerous than were all I lie visitors to the f ine mil mi very Ii iik :ik- "ti the Mae we have l:ad lank ';is and haw mill diamaH, an ) almost every eonei Ivahle form of life's me i haiiieal niljimelx has lieen presented in a ' in-art leal" i-hape. Soim t inn s the realism h is I,, en earrled to an extreme, as, for ex ample. duriiiK the pi odin-l Ion of u sawmill play in a Council HlulTs theater u few years ,iko One of its ticeiics reipiiied that the horn lie liouud en a 1,'k' and fed ln' a liune Haw Ordinarily lie would lie res cued liy I he heroine, who threw oil the belt and slopped the machinery jusi in (line on the occasion referred to, the heroine mlsMil her ('III' of HomethltlK happened to delay her, for the machinery waa not flopped until the riKht arm of the hero had he. II severed "III full loW of the audell " Si, Ii naliMu l-i loo palpalile and uross to :iiii;i, I mn, h if any s ri "it- a't, iitioti It i. the realism that ,iib to ! without lowalini; tin1 moans In hnh It Is ih.it , ii in ni ls the tie udit of the spietator. No in, who ciT .-aw i' will formt the si i rin ci in in S i r I oi' - i'I, a ' r i a -,r. sctii i , hv i he liie r.iniiv liavciiport. ilia' awful lui'st ,, wild and tain which. scpi nh loiuadic fiitx a, ross the l,iv at Mcvuidri.i. and drove the Koinan ship ping into splintci.d w ic. ks on the shores. Willie the e,,:;,,ii. .le, of K U p t ItlVnlv.'l I he . ,1 ,,f sioiiu and wind ft'on t he tem ple V hee she a',. ll nllV II I 1 I iketl refllK. . All I he I. I I I le ; h. I,. III. I'.l of ' he tornado as r pr. du -e I Sharp licht niim Hash, d in vivi.l. jacued streaks. ihundT lumldi'd and , racked in mIi up , let eti.it ion . V 1 1 ' '" ' 1 !'" '''. un, hi- i-i 'j uiu ipmi i'Hiinv im.yi-v,y j. j mm Wyny- j, HIITT-MWir ' 1 f" J.. SLJit. i. ,, ... ) VNUOAIUNO TIIK M ACII I N Kit Y I'Olt " It K N 1 1 1 " Tt ' ' XT TIIK ItOYH TIIKATRH, OM.MH. Kills .low ii runway, and hv the rumtde of coverlets, and made older folk wish tin n a evci jouc Las eeu in luiun and peibape a sheet of Iron, the linhlninn eomes from pride did not prevent them from doitiK 'ho feared. The gcueral siipposiliou is that il me. til li and a cam ihe luli'liilis Ma-Ins and a calcium linht that Is hidden hy a screen with a slot In It. and the stately palms were 'howo, " before the blast by a lusty the 1 1 1 u ii. 1 r peals. ; lie former iiicteat-iiii! in ' Midi ai I aiif,, nn ni as that would be t. slate hand, who pulled a lope attached to vivid! p. It. .1. aid a id roar d at ' h and w in. I h .vv ! I St a ' i 1 v palms rueb-d back ra ill and Ii i I i" It . d. aid t h aid whl-tlcd bowed lo 'h ni rl, niilv to ! . bowid uti'ii Vnd ill ' H all coiil I I. li.ir.l i he invocation of i he iJUei'll - pi ' s'C' s, "Come, oh Tvhell'" Ni more thrill'iie . lie. n rone more artisti.-. nor one m re nalisiic. was cvir pre M'tited. and the methods were so sim ple thai ei e nines! laughs w In n they are thought of wind m.idiiue is a box ever which silk is drawn, so that it niav he brilslnd. with tile effect of a "swi h Ihv thunder was made by the rolling of ihe ti, is" in such a way that the audience each repetition couldn't see it, and the trees were re lurmd hv means of springs to an upright position wheii ver the pull was relaxed Clouds were bits of painted canvas, swutiK back aid forth across the line of vision, aid ih. rain and hail were similarly pro di I on. if the most ralistic storm scenes I. aw hi im; us. d en the siaue is ! tint in the play which Mrs Minnie M id tern 1'isk- has wen sin h a s the pr. s. nt Mason. "Mary of Macdala" 111 manv vv.ivs this is an improvement on the I i.i v . n port sierni s. one. r Is sup posed to ii present the atmospheric and 11 s, isiui,' distiirl ance that accompanied the oriii itivioti of Jesus Christ. Win ii the curtain rises on the final scene if the trace, v. the spectator., slitlnc in a doom i n -Ill-ended audit, riiiui. are con fronted by an inky pall, for all lidus ate down, aid i v i n the vacn.si mi'line of th" s'ai;.' s. ttini; is not dis, ct nil,;,- Then there comiM a .puck. Mm. linn tt.ish. iM'iminat ills" for a moment towcrim; cr.ics and a dc p far rea. hmu ravine. Almost at the s une nisi, mi a peal of thunder is heard not the roll ,f sheet iron that has si I . ; t; simu late I heaven's artillery in ihe th. atrie ..lo but a sharp, cutting peal the real "deep i i as an csp.c'allv . i . id tlish lidi's up the entire scene, aid ,s In .). Is to tin ravine and m at. av cti.s out, ' oh. Thou Who hasi ih. linl ::iin m Thy tiap. ha-t Thou not one ho': for mo "' 'lore comes an . -i i ! la' orv tla. I., almost dudinc. an I a p al .is of '111111 let' When the . lotl.ls III .in limn i ra, U t i v i r null! u . f the 1 1 ,ii . ! .1 . th. Iluhttlllii; III . i as. s l n I l ; I! la':. l!. itnal triumph m ditriti'.- thunder p. als -n -i l.-u llv .ml ih -.-..im I'c.leiai.s in lis nirv i'I-- rum ileal.:' til- who have sei i. Vaiv of M.mdila" wul have pr. b.ihly li e 1 a tr, it ctat j'lltini; up atainst tin- skv lite I'.. lul l ih:s. ju-i before the cur tain rises, a man with a st.Teoptoscopo- an m-irimi.il! .Mi. rum but liol. f i . tu t !m ordinary st. r opt i. on . r m if, : i. rn lak. s his place The s' . r. ,, t, seep. c. ii' i (lis ,, ( -can - II. pott, r i a b I II 111 I'dlt. all I 'la o, er.ltol. by pi. 1, ais h:- haul be tor.- t !i . n.-. slri's otY the lith' until lie wi-h.p ! '.,d'i e a tl.ish Tin n : : , klv t . v i t at, I r. 1 i. -i;m his hand he 1 1 : uni i n. .- 'h. wh ! of ih, b.i, ' !l. p. in 'hi-. . ae p I ' t . pros, n a : itht sky In 'li:s wav tie . 1m tv -h. . t ' idi 1 1, i "t ma v to si inula' . d Hut the rcmaikable feature of the 1 : ) i dread-hotted thunder," such as has caimed niiin effect is that it tak. on the form of A.NolHKil (ild.Ml'SK Ob' TI.K UlCCI.Nt; I.OKT. PIIOWI.NC. MOW "IHtol'S" ANH ' 1 l"K I 'ICRS" A.:K IIANliLKD. sous who have sun the play .vill recall that after the ciiu ili mn. Judas, almost cra.e.l wi:h iiKony, turns in llarau, seeking lo know if ho is susp.ci.il as the b.tra.ver of the .Na.ar. lie. "Uidst Ihuu hear his name?" he asks. As Ilaran answers " "I'is whisiered hid name is Judas" there comes a Hash that causes many eyes to close involuntarily and at the same time a terrific crash of thunder breaks over the theater. Here, at the very moment that the Unlit from the stereoptoscope is thrown on the drop, a man in the wins bonus together the points of two call, ons, win, h nr.- r. spool I e I y at tached to the negative and positive poles of u battery. The resultant spark or Hash re inforces the .licet produced by the si.re optoscope. The imprcssivcn. ss of the lithltiitiK lis play is increased by the thunder, which Id this case is also the period ion of stage mechanics. At an elevated point on i he slate a box with three compart in. ni s has b. . n built. Kadi of the compartments is divided ioto three sections, wnli doors passing from one mio ih,. other. From the box itself a small door opens on to a runway of hardwood that extends to the opposite side of the state. At the end of the ruuway there is a little alley, heavily padded, and at intervals alon the runway are placed upritht points of wood. In each of the lower sections of the box there is an ithtei n-pouid cannon ball and the upper sections are tilled With eol Mes! otieS. When the modern J..ve i.-hes iii i li under he .simply opens ihe Intl.. ,oo: and allows one of the cannon balls to roll down the runway, the project int points ptoducing the uneven, jarrint effect of a broken peal of thunder. As the first ball is released l.rt ...... 4 v. 1 : .. . ., i..l . - 'Ml.' llUlli I II t Bt'lUllU M'l'llOII laKes lis place, ready for the next peal. Where an especially noisy crash is desired some of the cobblestones are released at the same time as the cannon ball. and. in conjunction with it. clatter down the runway. At the bottom the ball and s on.s enter the I i t tie padded alley, falling noiselessly, an, I are Blithered up by a boy, who returns them to the box, so that the storm may be i on t mu. d m.b liiiia l . I-', ; h. minima' ,t t and most terrific crash, s not only ate the can non ball and cobbles; ones r, b as, .1. but upon "horror's hi ad horrors a, umuli'e" by means of the sinniltaiu ous bia'mt of roll from a drum and ihe firint of a doublo barreled shotgun Into an airtight m.'al cylinder. Vs th" S'at. i- d tk Id- Ul.ll, at th. St. r.--optoscopo and the "thunder, r" are signaled this is effect, d by means of au electric cur- nt Dashing along a line nt tine wire, but and the Inter in v. In in. in e wnh dang, reus tor use ,n a nark and crowd., ti .lu las is .its crtied. stage. lol' the 'Mary of Magdala " nlnrill t.n i holographs of lighining uud. r v.iivug ,. minions of light aid .loud w. re obuiu. 1 1 'f i ji li of iin.se a ira, i: t w.u- mad. on a thin i upper plate ill. .-aine Mo ua the oid.n.uv gl i.-a plate ii.-ol in a si. r. avtnon 1 h. n lame th. nio.s; iliilirtil' part ot the vvoik. A hole was dli.l. ,1 into . a. h . opp. a p. ate al the .Mieine i dgc oi tie Il.u-li maik. nid with a ke.u-idged s.nv th, liic Vl ight was I.I.: Ihr.niga 'lit copp, r. Tie .! t dltli. Uit hole waa in g.ttitig a iTe.ni i.i , .lg. , lor the moot i u ti m i . .-una 1 iaggi.1 loss ill th. pla'. wouid b agg. rati d on the si I' I . 11 ,r 'lie,,. tli.l.- ,. s' i;.g lb. illusion. A hail' ,;... n oi lu .ie att.tup had lo be ma,: wrh .a h ol th. pla'. a la I re the i in. I, s, t v a - sal i -ta. i .,; il v I produced. In producing ihe vivid ila.-h. tinr, lol,-. tie- op. later pla, . s on, of I h, copp. r pl.r in the s' . r, , ptos, p., k..p.ng hi- hat,! OV. ! I lo 1. !;s Ul.! ll his i lie , ,1... s Tie a I .- 'V 11 ' 1 v i . v . ng an I I . ; la i i.g his hand ' h t! dl i:. t!i,s ii.s'.ui e a smgh l.i., ,,f th.n 1th:. .-.I., .- all 'he r. st is i. sist.d 1 tie "!' e, ., , "i p. I is I'loj. . ! d I. ' . sk dlop .,' ' la- ': a, k In several instances such flashes are re inforced and made more vivid by another otitrivance, which, though simple in itself, 1 v an s ot , dialotu, ' ll.l 1 , lie I-'. I! It ht'r -h,, ll-h's A ' a r h. I i. h. v ,,, n la' t r , ' hs I" .lli Is that lie tie 1 h. '11 at. v ' i 1. is r. ' 'etl s.,-1 !' ! local I'. ih.,ps or tir. tin s in ,-h and - a .- i ' ,.p r ,,,! -lit tiV. ill m b 1 ui th. point a!o ol of i" crash, h . aid a : s'a'ion. him 'he tie about v. 1. and ,- . i'h.T. the act. f 'to- . ff.-cta ' t teers may ti.- pr.ttie.st 'bird act of w I - ' many a child t bury its bead under the such death-dealing bolts and forked flashes adds to the blindingly realistic effect. Per- i Continue,! on Seventh Page.)
