VII

THE INDOOR SKY

THE plaster dome or horizon, if it is properly constructed and
lighted, is an effective way to represent nature's skies. But to
try to obtain a worthwhile impression with it on small stages
that have insufficient depth for the lights to diffuse properly
is a waste of time and money. The dome or "horizont"-to use the
German form of the word that enthusiasts seem to prefer--is
constructed of angle or T-iron, wire mesh and plaster. In shape,
it resembles the soundingboard of a bandstand. The plaster
coating is stippled while it is still soft to give it a rough
surface. The illumination is done from above and below; and some
beautiful blends are produced as the colors from the two sources
of light meet and diffuse into each other in the middle of the
dome.
 The dome generally is installed as a permanent fixed affair,
which makes it impractical. Settings then have to be designed to
meet its requirements; and hanging space is curtailed as the top
must have quite an overhang--explaining the "dome" part of the
name--so that the gridiron is masked. Anything that takes up room
on a stage when it is not in use causes trouble and is frequently
such a handicap that disadvantages outweigh its value as an
occasional effect. Devices of this kind, although they are
striking and effective, lose their novelty in time, and
ultimately have to be discarded in favor of something more
appealing to popular fancy.
 There really is nothing strictly new happening in the theatre;
it is all repetition. But if a certain time elapses, the old
tricks are forgotten and they can be embellished a little to live
awhile once more. The horizont has been known for about half a
century, so it is not precisely new. Its handicaps are well
recognized in the "commercial" theatres and that is why so few of
them use it. There is, however, a strong and rather reasonable
prejudice against "innovations."
 The scenic artist, when he designs the settings for a
production, has to consider a great many things in addition to
the artistic impression he wishes to create. He is held to
certain rules affecting the mechanical side that he cannot afford
to ignore. One of these is that the production must be designed
so that it may be transported and installed anew in a short space
of time.
 Productions scheduled for a metropolitan run generally are
played before out-of-town audiences first for the purpose of
correcting those defects that could not be foreseen in the
workshop. Of course all departments labor to anticipate trouble;
but when a new production arrives at the tryout theatre to be set
up for the first time, there is always a lurking fear that
something may delay the play's opening. As the designer does not
care to be held accountable for expenses incurred by such
postponement, not to forget the certain wrath of the producer, he
ordinarily avoids innovations the success of which he is not
sure.
 But returning to the horizont theme, the ideal, "commercially
approved" background for an exterior setting is a cyclorama drop
which stretches from the stage to the gridiron. No color is
applied to it; but there is sprayed on a light coat of whiting
containing very little size, to keep the dust and dirt out of the
texture of the canvas. With such a cyclorama we have obtained
effects that compare very favorably indeed with those that can be
produced on the plaster dome or horizont.
 In David Belasco's production of "The Merchant of Venice" we
used a cyclorama of this type. In the last act it was studded
with stars. The stars were small tin boxes each housing a 6-volt
lamp of two candle power, attached to the back of the "cyke" with
hook and eye. The hook was soldered to the box and the eye was
sewn to the canvas. Wires carrying the current were held by a
trick line and were fastened to the top cyclorama pipe. To hold
the wires against the canvas, pieces of white tape, spaced three
feet apart, were sewn to the drop on a line with them. Great care
had to be exercised so that there would be no strain on the
canvas to cause it to wrinkle or pucker.
 On the front of each box, directly center, there were a number
of crossed slits, each slit three-sixteenths of an inch long,
making the shape of an asterisk and punched into the tin with a
small chisel. Inside each box, and behind these slits, was
fastened a glass prism one inch in diameter, formed like a cut
diamond. The pyramid-shaped end was placed toward the slits while
the lamp in the box was at the center of the rose-cut end. Thus
the light was projected by the prism at many different angles.
Astronomy lent its aid to the preparation of this cyclorama,
because I laid out the "sky" from a chart of the heavens. If we
try to make stars at random we will find upon completion of our
work that they form just numbers of squares and triangles.
 An opening must be punched in the cyclorama for each star. A
hole one-quarter of an inch in diameter is large enough provided
we center it accurately with the slits in the box; and to do this
the boxes are hung on the cyclorama and the lamps lighted. The
point of light is marked from the front with a crayon or pencil;
the box is lifted off the hooks; a hard wood block is held back
of the canvas; a quarter-inch punch is placed over the mark,
given a turn and the hole is cut. Inside the box, between the
prism and the lamp, I placed small sheets of light blue gelatine
varying in number. For stars of the first magnitude I used one
sheet and in some I used as many as five sheets.
 The white cyclorama gave a splendid demonstration of the
relativity of color. There was no light projected on the
cyclorama; but the stars made it appear blue and gave it a depth
that was seemingly infinite. Here the audience became an adjunct
to the scene, lending itself to the deception. The spectators
even caused these stars to twinkle, for their slightest movement
brought the light rays to their eyes at different angles.
 Such a cyclorama makes a fine background when it can be hung
permanently; but for many reasons it is impractical to take on
the road. For one drawback much time is required as a rule, to
clear the hanging space in the theatres. In some of the old
houses it would take two or three hours to get the border lights
up to the gridiron, because the cables there are usually short
and would have to be disconnected. Another difficulty is the
white surface. Dirt marks show plainly and ruin the effect. A
dirty line rubbing against it causes a smudge that looks like a
shadow when lighted.
 White will take any color that is projected on it with light.
Gelatines used for the color mediums may be obtained in any hue
or gradation. When a white surface is used less experimenting is
necessary to obtain good results, for the color projected does
not then have to be matched with a pigment color of the surface.
Most of the pigments used to-day are dull and lifeless,
especially noticeable in the blues for painting skies.
Fireproofing solutions are partly responsible for this, being
composed of alkalis that bleach the color.
 The only excuse that can be given for the use of sky borders is
that a masking of the upper region of the stage is necessary and
sky borders are the simplest and most expedient way to do it. But
by no stretch of the imagination can it be said that sky borders
create an illusion of sky. When sky borders were first used in
theatres the edges were straight. Later they were arched. Then,
to soften the edge, several graduated layers of gauze were sewn
to the bottom; and while this certainly helped, the effect
remained far from satisfactory. The edge is there and no method
of lighting can correct it.
 These borders constituted a main reason for the introduction of
the plaster dome and the high cyclorama. But, as I have stated,
these also have their faults which preclude their universal
adoption. As to the borders, however, while with the apparatus we
have to-day we can actually paint with light, and a flat surface
will lend itself to this almost as well as one that is curved,
there is hardly room to place all the apparatus that would be
needed thus to light four or five sky strips.
 Several special kinds of glass give virtually the same effect as
lenses in front of a reflector, providing light beams of given
widths. These will depend on the curve of the reflector, the type
of glass used, and the distance between the source of light and
the object it illuminates. I painted a sunrise on a cyclorama
with such reflectors, using bands of light of various colors.
 On the scene I had a high ground row which was set about eight
feet away from the cyclorama. For this I used ten reflectors
fitted with a glass that at this distance gave a band of light
about two feet wide. In front of the glass I used gelatines of
various hues. As the sunrise was supposedly in the tropics my
colors were quite vivid. The gelatine sheets I employed were
originally white. On these I had painted the various colors,
which were aniline dyes "cut" with alcohol and mixed with copal
varnish. Here and there would occur a band of light wider than I
wished to have it; so I narrowed it by blocking the top and
bottom with blue, applying the color in a series of light and
dark streaks. Each reflector, I may add, was controlled by a
dimmer, making it possible to bring on the light in a succession
of color blends that varied constantly during the change.
 Use of special glass in front of the reflector is not new. The
glass is well known in the commercial field and is used commonly
for automobile headlights and decorative work particularly in
shop windows, where bands of light are needed. However, my
application of it was new.
 The principle is that of refraction. The prismatic


LOUVRES
 From left to right the first is a 1000-watt projector with
louvres designed to restrict the light to a small area where
intense illumination is required. Next is a 250-watt reflector
with louvres that cut the spill light from the sides only. Third
is another 1000-watt projector with louvres widespread. For the
first see also page 82.

shape of the glass diverges the direction of the ray of the
reflector.
 To-day it is not necessary for us to struggle with makeshift
devices to produce light effects. Modern electrical science has
made possible an application of the basic principles of light far
wider than at any other time. Almost any apparatus may be made to
fit any purpose; we merely have to decide what is needed and how
we wish to apply it.
 If we would only be content to build on the knowledge we have
instead of sweeping it all away in favor of novelties, we would
progress more rapidly. We do not discover anything new. All ideas
are applications of basic principles which have been in existence
from time immemorial; and they derive their apparent novelty only
from the manner in which they are presented.
 Many schemes have been tried at different times to evolve some
simple, effective and inexpensive system of stage settings and
lighting. But most of these efforts have been of such
revolutionary nature, at such variance with prevailing custom,
that they have not compensated for the honest values they have
repudiated.
 An audience does not readily respond to things requiring
explanation. Anything demanding conscious thought on their part
is bound to confuse them. We cannot hope to create illusion, or
to hold an audience, if we divert their proper attention with
something they do not readily understand.
 Up to the present time there has been no stage lighting method
devised that can be adapted to suit all purposes. But this may be
a blessing in disguise, as it keeps stage lighting from becoming
a mere matter of scientific formulae. It should be esteemed and
approached as an Art, employing electricity as a means of
expression, and forcing those of us who profess to be artists to
expend constructive thought.
 Nothing gets over the footlights to an audience as speedily as
thought. Audiences are quick to perceive the presence of whatever
intelligence has devised or conceived. Correct thinking forms the
basis of their perfect understanding. But that thinking should be
free. In seeking new methods it is not good policy entirely to
cast aside ideas of the best theatre minds of the past.   
"Experience is a better pilot than theory,"