Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1922)

758 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 23, 1922 Selling the Rcture to the Public EPES WINTHROP SARGENT Hyman New Stage Set at Mark Strand Designed to Give Full Value to Color Although some of the Broadway managers seem to feel that this department might better give space to their productions than to those effected by Edward L. Hyman, managing director of the Mark-Strand Theatre, Brooklyn, there is a reason for the preference. The Broadway productions are made on a scale beyond the reach of the average outof-town house, and they are often of a nature to appeal chiefly to Broadway and its visitors rather than to a general audience. On the other hand we have taken a number of visiting managers over to the Brooklyn house and they have all remarked that the productions and effects here, while less elaborate, were far more enjoyable. It is for this reason that we are giving this description of Hyman’s new stage setting, which seems to be an adaptation of the “new art” ideas to a demand for “real” scenery. Uses Scrim The new set is designed to make more effective use of color, for Hyman regards color and music as much a part of his offering as the pictures he shows on the screen. He has established his house in the minds of Brooklyn patrons as a place of entertainment rather as the theatre in which this or that particular star or feature can be seen for a limited period. Patrons regularly attend the Strand, regardless of the featured picture, because they want to see the productions. They feel certain they will be well repaid whether or not they like the major offering, and the layman often frankly says that the feature was not to his liking, but “the show” was good. He goes away satisfied whether the feature be to his individual taste or not. A Valuable Asset In other words, Hyman makes his house the real star, and he often sells the house to those who do not desire the picture. This is a condition greatly to be desired, and the new setting which has been in use for a period of several weeks, contributes materially to the effect. The curtain to the production stage at the rear has been painted with an eye to lighting, and the colors “take” almost any color. The box set is but faintly seen through a scrim drape placed directly ovei' the canvas. On either side are large window openings for which a set of frames has been provided, varying the outline and bars from week to week and giving variety. Across the top is a canopy of scrim upon which lights can be thrown either from above or below. This is the most novel point of the setting. Works Elaborate Effects. Hyman has a larger battery of lamps than the average house, and can obtain more pretentious effects, but any house with three or four floods can suggest similar effects and work in the strips and borders for additional color, though Hyman has discarded the old-fashioned border strips. In general the idea is to split the colors by well-defined effects. To this end the orchestra, the windows, the canopy or ceiling and the production stage or the curtain to that stage are regarded as separate units. The orchestra, for example, may be flooded in one color, with a sympathetic or contrasting color on the production stage curtain, while a third color may be used for the canopy and a fourth for the windows. Light Rehearsals Help Whenever possible, Hyman holds a light rehearsal, usually after the regular performance, and sometimes these rehearsals last for several hours. At such times the lights are worked in various combinations and the results noted. Subsequently these combinations are typed out and copies supplied the various light men. As a result, Hyman knows just how to gain a desired color effect, and at the full rehearsal he has only to order a light combination by number and each man knows precisely what to do. The rehearsal is not unduly prolonged by experimentation. This is all done when there is more time. A sample combination reads, for instance : “Blue stage, green foot fronts and on production stage. Windows in orange. Entrance spots in magenta. Two medium green on ceiling. Orange flood on stage and tab curtains. Magenta X rays.” This is used for an overture, and the effect of the mingled lights cm the scrim are prismatic without being violent. More Elaborate A more elaborate effect is gained when there is a soloist on the concert strip in front of the orchestra. In this the two top entrance spots are thrown down on the orchestra with a magenta medium. The lower spots are thrown on the ceiling, that on the left, with a magenta medium, hitting the right side, while the right shoots over to the left in blue, the colors merging at the center. One of the windows is in magenta and the other in orange, while the footlights of the small stage are in blue to mix with a magenta flood from the operating room. Amber is thrown in from the sides to give more light intensity and a blue flood is thrown on the orchestra to mix with the magenta from the spots. Instead of working this out at rehearsal, Hyman merely orders “number nine” and all concerned known precisely what he wants. Work For Color It is not possible to give in type any suggestion of the richness of the effects gained through these mixtures of lights, but if you will get the stage hands to stay overtime some night and will do a little experimenting you will find that sometimes you can sell the spot lights where you can’t pull a dollar with a weak film. Hyman does it. You can do it. Try it some time. Untruthful Pointers Out in San Francisco, where “East is West” was put on for a three-week run at the Tivoli, one of the best stunts was corner signs with pointing arrows which stated that “East is West.” The standard was also lettered with the title and the addition of “Tivoli, Now.” A set of these was run along the business section of Market street and got considerable attention. They also used a Navy hook-up with the rather weak connection of “Constance Talmadge says ‘East is West.’ Join the Navy and see the world.” The rest of the poster was house stuff. THE NEW SETTING OF THE MARK STRAND THEATRE, BROOKLYN At either side can be seen the vague outlines of the transparent windows. The general veiled effect is due to the use of scrim over the painted canvas, which takes the lights yet still permits the design to show throug h. Designed by John Wenger.