Figs. 322-324.
Details of Floodlights.
Colored Lights upon a scene. The slides consist of old four-by-five camera plates with colored tissue-paper pasted upon them, and are operated in the same manner as magic-lantern slides. The light should be mounted upon a standard, such as is shown in [Fig. 321], consisting of a seven-foot pole fastened at the lower end to a board and braced with triangular blocks, as shown in the illustration. It should be so attached to the pole that it can be adjusted to any desired height, and to attain this two pipe-straps should be fastened to the back of the box, as shown in [Fig. 322]. First nail two vertical strips in place as at A and B in the drawing, and to these screw the two iron pipe-straps. When the straps have been attached, slip the end of the pole through them, and place a screw-eye in the box, another in the pole near its upper end, and a nail in the side of the box. Then attach a cord to the screw-eye in the box, and, after running it through the screw-eye near the top of the pole, twist it several times around the nail in the side of the box, which will hold the box in that position. One of these lights should be made for each side of the stage. In addition to them, you may have occasion to use
Spotlights to throw more light upon one portion of a scene than another. Bicycle lamps will be found handy for this purpose.
If your house is wired for electricity, several miniature incandescent lamps can be procured for the footlights, while larger lamps can be used for all the other necessary lighting.
As the work of making scenery, properties, and mechanical effects is not in the same line as the construction of the stage and its framework, it has been treated in the following chapter.
Before setting up the theatre for a performance, it is well to spread a large cloth over the carpet, to catch anything that may drop from the stage. Then, with all the framework fastened together, hang draperies on each side and above and below the proscenium arch, [as shown] in chapter heading. This will conceal everything but the proscenium opening.
Admission Tickets and programmes should, of course, be printed with a printing-press if you have one; otherwise with rubber stamps.