Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

a. General

An important feature disclosed by the foundations is that the theatre had no basement. Therefore, the whole fabric of the house was above the ground level. This fact is helpful. Turning to the longitudinal section on sheet 5 of the sketches, we see the vestibule level, the downward sloping floor of the front boxes and of the pit, the vertical rise of the front of the stage apron and the gradually rising slope of the stage floor. The slopes and relationships of these parts are all extremely conventional and are based on English precedent. This sectional line when considered in its relation to the stairs of the galleries and vestibule, to the ground floor where are the pit passages and to the ground level outside represents the solution upon which all the other elements depend and fall into their proper places. See also illustrations B, C, E, F.

b. The Pit Passages and the Pit

An interesting element now comes before us — the pit passages. These can be seen on sheet 1 of the sketches leading to the doors opening into the pit proper. This arrangement, so different from modern theatre custom, was conventional in the early English theatres. What transpired in these gloomy corridors during performances can only be left to the imagination.

The pit itself is a straightforward area having a stepped floor and continuous benches with narrow tops set 2'-0" from back to back. This spacing was conventional but is decidedly cramped when compared with modern usage. The benches were simply constructed of wood without backs or arms and were sometimes covered with cloth — usually green baize. Sheet 2 of the sketches shows the startling lack of aisles. The playgoers got to their places by walking on the tops of the benches or wriggling through the narrow spaces 7 between. The scene of an audience seating itself in the pit must have been one of magnificent turmoil.

The plans of Drury Lane and Covent Garden both show fan shaped pits with curving rows of benches. However, at Richmond and King's Lynn the pits were rectangular and the rows quite straight. The narrowness of the Williamsburg house in plan, as in the latter two instances, decided this matter.

c. The Side Boxes

Here we are following Richmond and King's Lynn — see illustrations B and C. The extreme narrowness of the side boxes can also be seen in Drury Lane and Covent Garden. The same type of benches as used in the pit are arranged in the boxes without aisles. Since seats in the boxes were preferred and were more expensive to take than others in the house, the bench tops were often covered with cloth and the back walls draped with stuff. The boxes on the stage or near it bore an intimate relationship with the actors, who for the most part played on the apron or forestage. The two boxes on the stage had rows of spikes on the front handrails to prevent this intimacy from becoming physical on the part of the audience.

The low partitions or divisions between the boxes extend only to the back of the front row as at Richmond. They are simply constructed of wood and are raked in plan to favor the sight lines.

d. The Front Boxes

The front boxes have depth with a fan shape in the arrangement of the bench rows and divisions in form somewhat modified when compared to Drury Lane and Covent Garden. The curving rear wall is to be noticed following simi1ar examples at Richmond, Yorkshire and Drury Lane. Lack of aisle space is once more apparent, see sheets 2, 4 and 5. Upholstery and hangings if used would resemble the treatment of the side boxes.

e. The Galleries

In this upper realm we follow the four theatres of precedent mentioned above. The benches ere arranged in long rows without aisles. They are of the same construction as those in the pit and boxes. A glance at sheets 1, 2 and 3 will show how the balcony stair ascends from its own entrance door and permits no access to the more expensive seats in the pit or boxes. The galleries are supported all around by posts in the manner of our English precedent but follow in their detail Virginia character. The Richmond Theatre is an important contributor because most of its box fronts, gallery fronts and supporting posts remain.

At this point our attention is drawn to the ceiling. It follows quite closely the system employed at King's Lynn raking up rapidly over the main gallery to accommodate sight lines for the "gods" on the upper benches. Over the pit it is level. At the sides and over the front of the apron it springs from the cornice by means of a pronounced cove. At a lower level it stretches flat across the area of the apron until it dies against the curtain line. The whole proscenium area is thereby given an emphasis by tieing in, architecturally, the pilasters flanking the apron. This feature no doubt aided the acoustics as well.

The posts just mentioned continue to the cornice at the side galleries but are omitted before the main gallery where the cornice and eave are left out to gain the necessary sight lines.

8

f. The Vestibules and other Subordinate Areas

On the ground floor: in accordance with our precedent the ground floor must include besides the area below stage a separate stair to the Gallery, another to the Vestibule on the first floor, a Pay Box and, of course, the Pit Passages. It is also to be noted that the managers rarely provided other than minimum circulation spaces but they were forced to provide enough control in order to collect the ticket money due them. The arrangement of these elements as dictated by the original foundations produces the solution shown on sheet 1 of the sketches. It was also found to be the most feasible of the various possibilities studied.

The foundations revealed an interior wall which is represented on the plan by the south wall of the pay Box. This occurred in a fortunate location in that it allowed the Pay Box to be placed strategically where it could serve the file of "gods" ascending to the Gallery by their own stair as well as control the people destined for their places in the Pit or Boxes. The space labelled Office is purely imaginary. Since Levingston was licensed to operate an ordinary in his house, he must also have purveyed refreshments in his Theatre — a practice quite usual in England. Perhaps this space may have been devoted to such a purpose. Could it have been that there were the headquarters for Williamsburg's counterpart of the orange girls? See frontispiece.

The floor of this general area was most likely paved with brick or composed of tamped earth.

On the First Floor

Here is minimum circulation space. See the plans of Richmond and Drury Lane in illustrations B and D, respectively.

a. The Apron or Forestage, Doors of Entrance and Players' Galleries

In the Elizabethan theatre the auditorium surrounded the platform stage on 3 sides and as Mr. Southern points out in The Georgian Playhouse

"…the players would perform in the auditorium, not, as ours do [to-day], before it.

Next we should see that in order to enter on this 'peninsular' stage, the players had to use doors at the back and on either side. So much did entrance through a door become part of the tradition of acting that doors were built as regular features upon the Georgian stage, and the actors for well over a century used these doors for their entrances and exits instead of — save on rare occasions — coming on through the scenery…

"Above the doors [Elizabethan] were two side balconies whence those frequent and refreshing scenes on two levels, which diversified the drama of the time, were played … So popular were these scenes between a player on the stage and one 'up aloft' that we find all through the Restoration drama, and into the Georgian, frequent examples of scenes from windows and balconies, which, though they were manifestly the windows and balconies of the building referred to in the scenery, yet were usually played in openings built into the proscenium which was, equally manifestly, part of the auditorium."

In the period of the Restoration these elements strongly persisted, although they were somewhat modified. The typical playhouse was now wholly roofed over and the stage altered to include full sets of completely changeable scenery employing all the arts of the current vogue of artificial perspective. It is this pattern which governs the design of Levingston's playhouse.

b. Floor of the Stage

A definite slope is given the stage which begins at the front and rises to a point just before reaching the #3 groovers where it assumes the horizontal to the back of the stage. Its purpose was, of course, to heighten effects of perspective. It also makes necessary certain adjustments to the bottom of operating doors occurring in the shutters or flat scenes in #3 grooves so that they may swing clear of the slope when opening inward. See illustrations E and F and Sheet 5 of the sketches.

The framing which supports the floor boards has also to accommodate the frequent traps and is such that the floor boards will run from front to back of the stage.

13

c. The Wings, Flat Scenes and Grooves

The First Floor Plan, see sheet #2 of the sketches, shows the location of the bottom grooves in which the wings and shutters, or flat scenes, are to slide. The #3 grooves allow a minimum of passage space, 2'-0", between them and the stair to the dressing rooms below stage. The other dimensions are indicated on the plan. The #3 grooves are composite consisting of 2 long grooves for flat scenes and 2 shorter grooves for the wings. The flat scenes are in two halves, each half being 6'-0" wide. The #3 wings are each 3'-0" wide. The long grooves terminate 2'-0" short of the center line on each side providing a 4'-0" gap without grooves so that doors in the flat scenes can be opened or closed. The longer units of the flat scene grooves in #2 and #3 are fixed to the stage floor. The shorter units of these grooves are removable being held in place by pegs in the bottom of the groove beds which engage holes in the stage floor arranged to receive them.

The #2 grooves are similar except that they provide for 3 wings and 3 flat scenes.

The #1 grooves are different in that they provide for 3 wings only which are 2'-9" wide instead of 3'-0" as for the wings of #2 and #3 grooves.

A wide entrance is provided between #1 wings and the curtain line. This is masked with a permanent proscenium wing "booked" as shown on the First Floor Plan and labelled "P". See also Section D-D, sheet #8 of the sketches.

The inner ends of the wing grooves #1, #2, and #3 touch imaginary lines converging at a vanishing point located on the center line produced 40'-0" behind the curtain line and commencing at points about 1'-0" inwards from each side of the proscenium opening. These are lightly indicated on the First Floor Plan. Mr. Southern writes of this in his letter of May 6, 1952. "The rule for arriving at this was a tricky and undecided matter. Andrea Pozzo in the English translation of his book on Perspective (Vol. 1. 1707) gives a recommendation for making the distance of the vanishing point behind the proscenium arch equal to the distance from the proscenium arch to the front box, and I have followed him in my reconstruction, but I am well aware that other designers had different views and the matter was never definitive."

For the arrangement of lines from the vanishing point affecting the heights of the wings, etc., see Section A-A (long section) sheet #5 of the sketches.

d. Lines of the Curtain and Fly Gallery

Broken lines shown on the stage area of the First Floor represent the curtain line running between the sides of the proscenium opening. At the sides and back of the stage they represent the projection of the fly gallery. These are raked back as they approach the curtain line to provide space for the booked proscenium wing. Ladders are shown at each stair in the back corners of the stage which give access to the fly gallery.

e. The Traps

The location of the 4 traps are shown on the First Floor Plan — the footlight trap, 2 corner traps and the grave trap. These are further explained under the Ground Floor Plan, sheet #1; Section A-A, sheet #5; Section D-D, sheet #3 and Section E-E, sheet #9 of the sketches.

a. The Fly Floor or Gallery

As already mentioned this is a working gallery providing access to the grid floor above and the catwalk as well as opportunity to operate the multitudes of lines of the upper scenery and the curtain, cloud chariot, etc. From the narrowed ends of the fly floor near the proscenium, small sets of steps lead to another working space over the proscenium. In the area over the stage the bottom chords of the trusses as indicated over the auditorium have to be raised in order to provide clear space for the upper scenery and to support the grid and catwalk. Structurally, therefore, the fly gallery must be suspended from the trusses. See also sheets #8 and #9 of the sketches. The rail of the gallery must be a strong member since working lines are often fixed to it in a variety of ways during the operation of the scenery and the groove arms.

b. The Grid and Catwalk

As explained above the grid is a working floor supported by the raised bottom chord of the trusses. At right angles to the chords of the trusses are laid several pairs of lighter timbers (not shown on the sketches). The center pair coincides with the center line of the flying system. The next pair are each above the two outer lines called the "long" and the "short". If needed one or two other pairs are placed at the extreme sides of the grid to take the descending ends of the 3 lines as they go down to be tied off on the fly rail cleats. Wherever required wooden pulley blocks span the paired timbers to take the lines from below. The areas between the pairs of timbers are floored with spaced boards to give access to any pulley. In general the grid is a flexible affair capable of rearrangement to adapt its parts to the varying demands of different productions. This is because it is the intermediate area where the lines from the motivating force of the drums are distributed to raise or lower, pull aside or swing into place the different pieces of the upper scenery.

The catwalk provides an intermediate working space between the fly floor and the grid. It has many purposes and occurs at what is often a 15 rather crucially busy area above the #3 grooves. It is particularly needed in rigging the cloud chariot which can operate in front or behind it. Access is by short ladders at each end from the fly floor. It consists of a simple wooden platform suspended by iron straps from a pair of raised truss chords.

e. The Drums

The lower drums, of which there are 3, work the lines of the borders. They are rotated manually by means of endless ropes from the working area above the proscenium. They are made of wood and the long shafts are hollow in section to save weight and provide stiffness. They are supported at each end by beams let into the roof framing while the bearings in which the drums turn are of metal.

The upper drum is single being used to raise or lower the cloud chariot or to provide movement, for other special effects. In the south fly gallery is a small winch to turn the drum by one end of a line. Another is attached to a counterweight rising or sinking in a chimney in the north wall and 4 others work the chariot. The lower drums have similar counterweights disposed as needed in either side wall.

d. The Rain Machine

The rain machines copied from an early example at St. George's Hall (Theatre), King's Lynn, England, is composed of a long hollow shaft of wood, octagonal in section, mounted between two stationary uprights. A series of nails are driven in a spiral pattern with the ends projecting into the hollow part of the shaft over which run a quantity of shot as the shaft is tilted up and down, see-saw fashion.

e. The Thunder Run

This device, adopted from an original at the Theatre Royal, Bristol, England, consists of a rough open trough of wood open at the top and arranged as a simple switch back. A vertical sliding panel working in an applied rebate is located at the bottom while another is near the top which can be raised by pulling a cord connected to it over a pulley thus releasing the cannon balls. The balls roar down the first incline and switch back through an opening in the common walls to the lower run over some steps to cause claps of thunder. It is hard to imagine a more completely satisfactory source of illusion! See illustration I.

f. The Wind Machine

A separate wind machine is needed but as it is a simple movable prop, it is not shown.

a. The Wings and Flat Scenes or Shutters

The wings, including the booked proscenium wing "P", and the flat scenes are of canvas mounted on wood frames composed of light members of scantling usually fixed together with typical mortice, tenon and peg joints. Diagonal and cross members are similarly joined to the principal members to afford stiffness to the piece. Where the wings or flat scenes have uneven edges representing foliage, objects, drapes or other projecting surfaces, thin boards are installed covered with canvas and cut to the needed profiles on which the scenery is then painted.

16

In connection with the wings and flats, Mr. Southern further suggests, "The heights of the wing grooves are governed by a line vanishing at the point 40'-0" behind the curtain line, and cutting the flat scene in the #3 grooves at its top, which is 9' high.

"The wing grooves in #3 are 2 to 3 in. lower than the flat grooves… Thus #3 wings are approximately 8 ft. 9 in. high; the #2 wings are approximately 10ft; the #1 wings approximately 11 ft. 2 in.; and the proscenium wings 15 ft. The flats in #3 are 9 ft. high, and the flats in #2. are approximately 10 ft. 3 in."

b. The Borders

As shown in illustration I and as proposed for the theatre of 1716, there are two kinds — arched and flat. Both are simply constructed of painted canvas evenly hung from a rigid wooden member to which the 3 lines from the grid are fastened. The arched borders are cut out of 6'-0" wide canvas except for #3 where each leg will be 1'-0" longer. The flat borders are made from 5'-0" wide canvas which allows for uneven cutting of about 1'-0" deep along the bottom edge to simulate the profiles of clouds, etc.

c. The Drops

A typical drop consists of a rigid member supported by lines from the grid. Suspended from this by pulleys are 2 lines which are wrapped around each end of a long roller 5" or more in diameter and made hollow for stiffness.. The lines are gathered over one of the pulleys and continue to the fly rail, or other convenient place, where they can be fastened. If the lines are let out the roller unwinds downward, if pulled up the roller winds itself upward. Also attached to the top member is the cloth on which is painted a scene. Like the ropes the cloth winds and unwinds on the roller. That the drops were not an unmixed blessing may be seen from the following which Mr. Southern cites in Changeable Scenery from a letter printed in The Era, October, 1893: "Sir: Now that the opening of new theatres — with their up-to-date improvements — is an event of almost weekly occurrence, cannot some steps be taken by managers, scenic artists, and master carpenters to relegate to the limbo of oblivion that still surviving remnant of Noah's Arkaeology the lumbersome, cumbersome act-drop roller? It is expensive to produce and unwieldy to use. It is a source of danger to hats and heads where it descends. It is a snapper up of unconsidered trifles' in the shape of hats, cloaks. and swords when it ascends. Even the train of a lady's dress is not safe from its boa­constrictor-like clutches; in fact, nothing is sacred to the act-drop roller. At a matinee a few weeks since a lady, while standing with her back to the act-drop fiend, had her train taken up in it, and the public witnessed an effect not advertised in the programme …"

d. The Curtain

Conventionally the curtain was of green baize without decoration. It can be pulled up out of sight as in Section A-A or left partly exposed as in Section D-D. As already mentioned it was raised at the beginning of a performance and lowered only at the end — a matter of some dispute between scholars in years past and one which still flares up momentarily from time to time. As the curtain is raised it festoons upward by means of a series of 6 vertical lines which pass through rings fastened to the curtain. The lines are gathered together and pass on to a small winch nearby in the fly gallery — not shown on the sketches.

e. The Cloud Chariot

The cloud chariot was an extremely conventional prop of the 17 early 18th century English stage. Its purpose was to lower a god-like or otherwise decorative figure from the heavens into the view of the audience or to whisk a player up into the heavens from the stage. The chariot, shown in more detail in Section E-E, sheet #9 of the sketches, is made up of a simple platform of wood supported on vertical iron stirrups at each corner fastened in turn to lines worked from the upper drum. At the rear of the chariot is a flat piece cut in profile and painted to represent clouds which is somewhat higher than the figure or figures on the platform. Another piece of clouds is fixed to the front of the platform but cut in lower profile so that the audience can see the figure. The upper drum is so placed that the chariot can be lowered in front of or behind the #3 grooves.

f. The Vision Steps

Between the #3 grooves and the fly floor behind is a set of low steps constructed of well framed wooden members called vision steps. They are designed to hinge at the front of the fly floor and to swing up out of the way when not in use. The fly rail will be raised at this point or be omitted. When lowered the steps would be supported by lines from the catwalk or grid above so that the #3 groove arms would not be subject to an added weight they could not bear. The lines would also be helpful in raising the steps to the unused position.

Above the #3 grooves are 2 upper back flats hung and sliding in a set of upper grooves fixed to the bottom of the catwalk framing. These flats, or shutters, can be pulled apart to reveal a vision. The figure or figures of the vision will sit on the steps as the sight lines of the auditorium preclude a standing position.

a. Doors of Entrance and Player's Gallery

Although already explained one of the doors of entrance and a players' gallery are shown here in elevation. The door is a typical early 18th century 6 panel one with a full complement of hardware including a lock, keyhole and a sizable brass door knocker. The players' gallery has a balustrade with nicely turned vertical members.

b. Spikes

As in the case of the orchestra partition or barrier a series of spikes are installed along the front of each box on the stage.

c. The Tragic Carpet

The carpet was of green baize, laid on the stage floor where needed and was used for heroes to die upon.

a. The Footlight Trap

The footlight trap has been mentioned in part. It is shown here in elevation. The platform supporting the footlights is made up of boards like a long box for rigidity in its rather broad span between supports. The bottom board is heavier than the others and is cut out around the posts at the same time extending beyond them to take the working lines. The cutouts are closed off beyond the posts by battens nailed to the underside of the extensions. In this trap, as in the others, a strip of wood must be attached to the inner face of each post over the whole distance of the rise and fall of the platform. It will engage a slot cut into both ends of the platform to act as a runner to keep the platform steady during its movements. For a description of the foot­lights themselves see below under Lighting. The purpose of the trap was, literally, to lower the lights below stage or to raise them from below depending on the effects desired. When below the lamps could be tended without interference with the play or scene.

b. The Proscenium Opening

In the proscenium opening are shown 2 elements of the scenery — the curtain raised to a partly exposed position festooned on its 6 lines and part of the booked proscenium wings "P" which are painted to resemble decorative curtains pulled aside.

c. The Players' Galleries

The players galleries are shown in section. These are fully explained elsewhere.

d. The Rain Machine

The rain machine already explained is shown here in elevation with its working ropes; vertical supports on the bed braced by knees.

e. The Thunder Run

The thunder run, also in elevation, is indicated by broken lines.

f. The Drums

The 3 drums operating the borders are shown in elevation with their endless ropes including the beams, framed into the roof structure, which support the bearings of the drums. The upper or cloud drum is also shown.

a. On the Left

The booked proscenium wing "P" and the partly exposed curtain are again shown. The curtain in this position can occur with the flat but not with the arched borders. The wings #1, #2 and #3 are shown and how the borders relate to them. Some idea can be gained from this diagram of the perspective resulting from the placing of the wings on lines converging at the vanishing point.

b. On the Right

On the right of the center line the fixed proscenium wing "P" remains in place. The curtain, however, is pulled up out of sight so that it will not interfere with scenes employing the high arched borders. The wings 19 repeat those on the left side but the borders assume quite a different character and introduce new elements. The first arched border, is shown complete as far as the center line. The 3 working lines from the grid are indicated and how they are moved by one of the drums. Another line to the same drum is shown attached to a counterweight in its chimney in the side wall. As the border rises the counterweight sinks and vice-versa depending on which way the drum is revolved. In order to show all 3 of the working lines the upper portion of this border is continued by dotted lines on the left hand side of the center line broken off just below the fly rail.

The counterweights are cast iron disks 2 or 3 inches thick having single slots from the center outwards. The required number for a given weight are slid onto a vertical iron bar fastened to a line at the top and provided with a bed or stop at the bottom.

When the arched borders are used the projecting upper arms of the grooves must be raised to prevent their intrusion upon the scene. The way is then clear to pull back the upper flats above #3 grooves to disclose a vision or other special effects or to leave them closed to expose the scenes painted on them.

a. The Grave Trap

The grave trap is shown in elevation. The top and bottom of the platform are made rigid by cross bracing. The working lines, pulleys and drums are self explanatory.

b. The #1 Wings

The #1 wings are shown in elevation as they rest in their grooves. The upper groove beds are supported from the underside of the fly floor by braces and stiffeners. The wing grooves, as shown on the First Floor Plan, are twice as long as the wing itself which provides space to pull the wing out of the scene and to push the next wing in line into the scene. The pushing or pulling on and off is done manually and no doubt will require soaping of the grooves to facilitate the operation.

c. The Cloud Machine

On this section is shown the cloud chariot and its machinery already described above. To the left of the center line the platform is shown by solid lines with the front and back cloud pieces indicated by dotted lines. On the right the delineation is just the reverse. The winch operating the drum from the fly floor is shown, the 4 lines from the drum to the chariot via the grid and another line from the drum to the counterweight.

a. The Wings and Upper Groove Arm

At the left side of the center line are shown in elevation the #3 wings in the on and off scene positions as well as their upper and lower grooves. Also shown are the grooves of the #3 flat scenes or shutters and how the projecting upper groove arm is pulled out of scene when arch borders are to be employed. This is accomp1ished by hinging the arm to the fixed portion 20 of the upper grooves and raising the arm by a line over a pulley fastened to the catwalk and thence to a cleat on a special member of the fly rail. When in its down position the groove arm is further supported by a diagonal line to the fly rail. The fixed part of the upper grooves has added support by a vertical line to the catwalk. Because lower in height than the wings in #1 and #2 grooves the framing supporting the upper groove beds below the fly floor is more elaborate.

b. The Shutters in #3 Grooves

Mention has already been made of the purpose and character of the upper and lower shutters in #3 grooves. They are shown here in their on and off scene positions. The movable extension of the lower groove bed is shown while the upper groove arm is indicated in its down position. The projection of the shutters beyond the grooves in on scene position is apparent whereby a working door or other opening can be put in the scene if called for in a play.

c. The Catwalk

The catwalk appears in this section in elevation. The ladders at each end from the fly floor are indicated as are the metal straps supporting the walk from above.

a. Stairways

The stairways are illuminated with simple chandeliers and wall sconces.

b. Vestibule

The vestibule is illuminated by simple chandeliers.

c. The Passages

The passages are illuminated by small sconces.

23

d. The Pay Box and Office

The lighting of the pay box and office are not indicated.

a. The Hoops over the forestage

The hoops are explained above under Auditorium.

b. The Footlights

The footlight lamps are simple and are made of tin. Each lamp has a reflecting portion and an open trough for the oil although candles could be optional. The front of the trough faces the stage and is square in form. The rear is curved and extends upward to screen the flame from the audience and to reflect the light toward the scene. In the trough a cork disk floats on the oil and is pierced to receive a wick. It is possible that the outer surfaces of each lamp were painted in color leaving the inner surfaces bright.

c. Lighting in the Area of the Scenery

Generally speaking the lighting of the scenery of the stage is not brilliant. Mr. Southern suggests "I believe that lighting of the scenic part of the stage in a theatre of this date in a small town would have been quite remarkably dim. Here is an astonishing note from a MS on the Ipswich [England] theatre, from which I have taken the sketch of the footlight device — 'Before the introduction of Gas, the stage and House were illuminated by oil Lamps and Candles in the various rooms … Behind each of the front "wings" were placed three lamps and two behind the back wings, but none were in the borders'."

The disposition of the lighting units in this area is not shown on the sketches for the reason that they are rather constantly changing in position and number of flames during the progress of a performance according to the demands of the scenic effect. That flexibility must be a principal characteristic is obvious so that the lighting equipment is composed of a series of simple sconces in combinations with, perhaps, some special fixtures all of which can be arranged as desired to produce the variety of illumination required.

d. Below Stage

The lighting of the dressing rooms is not shown on the sketches. It would be composed of candlesticks and sconces arranged to suit the needs of the occupants as in the case of the pay box and Office.

e. Among the Trap Machines

In the working space certain sconce fixtures are shown. No doubt there would have been a few more portable ones in the form of lanterns for the mechanics to move about to suit their needs. These are not shown.

24

f. In the Upper Working Spaces

In the other working spaces — above the proscenium, on the fly gallery, catwalk and grid — both movable and stationary fixtures would be needed to light the sundry tasks performed there. These have not been shown on the sketches.

a. The Curtain

As mentioned the curtain is of green baize.

b. The Booked Proscenium Wing and Border

Mr. Southern has this to say about the colors of the proscenium wing and border "… In fact they seem to have been traditionally red in later periods, although Hogarth shows them as a sort of blue-green in his Beggar's Opera painting. The curtain itself was of course green. I think it might be interesting to consider breaking away from the later custom and making our wings and border here of blue-green painted drapery with gold fringe …"

c. Balance of the Scenery

The painting of the other scenery must be a matter of future study. It is apparent that much added research plus considerable experimentation will be involved depending on the quality of the lighting effects.

a. The auditorium

The woodwork of the Auditorium with the exception of the floors will be painted a medium light green with accents picked out in lighter and darker tones of this color and in gold here and there — particularly at the sides of the proscenium or forestage. The benches throughout will be of natural wood finish as will be the wood floors. The plaster walls and ceilings will be whitewashed but the proscenium ceiling will be painted to imitate raised ornament in several colors. Any decorative painting, as on box fronts, will likewise simulate ornament in relief. The chief concentration of decorative painting will be at the proscenium where it was conventional to have some show. The back walls of the boxes will be hung with cloth of a color between pink and crimson — preferably a moreen well watered. The side galleries or green slips will have green cloth hung on the walls. The panel molds of the gallery fronts might be merely painted realistically as was so successfully done at the Richmond, Yorkshire theatre. The inside face of box and gallery fronts, however, will remain in a natural wood finish. The combination of the bright red moreen and the green tones of the painted surfaces will produce an effect of the utmost charm heightened by the glistening branches and the accents of gilded and painted ornaments.

b. Stairs, Vestibules, Passages, etc.

There w1ll be no painting other than the whitewash on plaster work in general. The doors might be an exception.

a. General Remarks

The managers whenever possible overcrowded their seating to get the added admission money. We can safely imagine that Levingston would seek the extra shilling as avidly as his brethren in England. Accordingly the capacity of his house is figured on the basis of 18" of seat width per person.

Seats in the pit	6 benches @ 13 persons =	78
	5 benches @ 9 persons =	45
		123	123
In the Side Boxes	2 benches @ 22 persons =	44
10 benches @ 4 persons =	40
		84	84
In the Front Boxes	12 benches @ 4 persons =	48
	6 benches @ 3 persons =	18
		66	66
In the Main Gallery	6 benches @ 17 persons =	102
	2 benches @ 16 persons =	32
	2 benches @ 15 persons =	30
		164	164
In Side Galleries	2 benches @ 22 persons =	44
	2 benches @ 25 persons =	50
		94	94
	Total:		531
	Guess Extra:		130
			661

Note: This total does not include playgoers on the stage or standing at the head of the gallery stairs, on the pit stairs and in the passages to the front and side boxes which must have occurred. The number would be anyone's guess. A figure of 130 persons is suggested, giving a grand total of 661.

b. Admissions

Unfortunately we have no record of Levingston's scale of admission charges. However, we do have those for a typical performance in the Second Theatre at Williamsburg of 1751; boxes 7s 6d, pit 5s 9d, gallery 3s 9d. The usual scale in London is said to have remained fairly constant during the 18th century at boxes 5s, pit 3s, gallery 1s, although provincial theatres often had lower scales as shown below for Richmond. If the Second Theatre rates are thought of in terms of Virginia currency the sterling equivalent the legal rate of exchange would be approximately boxes 6s, pit 4s 3d, gallery 3. It 27 can be seen, therefore, that the Virginia theatre was somewhat more expensive to attend than the exchange would justify.

Figuring Levingston's capacity at the above rates the total receipts for a full house of 150 places in the boxes, 123 in the pit and 258 in the galleries are 139£.19s.19d or 140£ in round figures.

Mr. Southern has given us some figures on the Richmond, Yorkshire theatre. It is considerably smaller than Levingston's house, having an auditorium approximately 25' wide by 25' deep whereas Levingston's is about 29' wide by 46'. He says "…Richmond is small, but it was said to house 'near 40' at 3/ boxes, 2/ pit and 1/ gallery. I cannot see any more than a total of 263 allowing modern standards of comfort. But this gives only £24.15.0. (81 boxes, 70 pit, 112 gallery.) To get near the specified figure we have to add 50% seats to each part of the house — which is incredible crowding, but that is what they seemed to do. The dim light, the overcrowding and the general manners must have explained something of the reputation of the Georgian theatres!

"Bristol [England — a surviving theatre of mid-18th century] holds somewhat under 700 to-day, therefore I suppose that if Williamsburg stood somewhere between Richmond and 18th century Bristol in population your seating capacity is not unreasonable."

c. Control and Sale of Admissions

Again we have no record of how Levingston managed his admissions. In England playgoers were admitted by tickets or by odd money. (See Theatre of 1716. Notes by SPM) Tickets were often crude brass checks about the size of a 25¢ piece. They bore no seat number nor were the seats in the auditorium numbered. The checks were good for all parts of the house well into the 19th century. Special occasions or benefits were honored with printed tickets. When admitted for cash, refunds were made to early leavers or the prices reduced for late comers. Well-to-do people usually sent servants well ahead of time to occupy their master's seat or seats which they gave up to their master upon his arrival — otherwise it was first come first served. From American accounts of the mid-l8th it appears that admission by ticket was the favored method put on sale in taverns or at the playhouse itself at certain hours. The shortage of currency and the customary American manner of dealing by barter, commodity script or credit may have made it necessary to sell tickets in advance at taverns or places where such transactions could be accommodated conveniently with money scales at hand to compute the value of foreign coins.

a. Methods

In both England and America it was customary for members of the company to circulate in a town passing out playbills and crying the performance. In England this was usually done by two players, one a drummer and the other a trumpeter. Sometimes the whole company would parade. Presumably this 28 this custom came to America. In any case it is certain the actors distributed handbills in person so that it is difficult to believe they would not have introduced a little ballyhoo to attract attention. This method of advertising by handbills, some of which would of course be posted, explains the lack of theatrical news in the newspapers which causes such difficulties for modern students of the early theatre.

Whether posted or passed by hand the playbills always carried the words Vivat Rex at the bottom.

a. The Prompter

In England the prompter was descended from earliest theatre custom and placed himself at the first entrance on the actor's left hand. This side was therefore called the "prompt" side and the opposite side "O.P." His primary duty was, of course, prompting but he also was armed with a bell, a whistle and a wand which he used "to direct movements on the stage and changes of the scenery and, by a blast from the whistle, the raising or lowering of the curtain. It appears that his counterpart was to be found on the American stage — whistle and all.

b. Stage Hands

The stage hands, if they were to be visible to the audience in carrying out their various duties, would be dressed in green livery.

a. Type of construction for Categories #1 and #2 (operating theatre)

The building will have to be of semi-fireproof construction (section 302) which can be accomplished without appreciable loss of authenticity. The building is classified as a 3 story structure not to exceed 35'-0" in height.

30

b. The Floors and Stairs

The ground floor, main or first floor and gallery are considered separate floors. Each floor having a capacity for 100 or more people must have exits discharging directly to the outside (section 401.) The gallery and ground floor meet the requirements but the first floor does not. The letter can be revised without undue loss of authenticity. It is also to be noted that no winders were permitted on stairs. All of the stairs shown on the sketches must be revised in this respect.

Every such space must have 2 exits each served by a stair if stairs are necessary. Thus another stair must be provided for the gallery and another for the main or first floor which can only be accomplished by an exterior stair serving both. Further, an outside stair will have to be of incombustible material. Here, then, we encounter a serious compromise with authenticity. It is true that outside stairs were sometimes used in early English theatres but if so there were no inside stairs to the same space.

On the ground floor it may be that added exits should be provided through doors in the exterior walls opposite the doors to the pit. If so this can be accomplished by making hinged panels in the weatherboards without undue loss of proper appearance.

Some revisions will be necessary to the existing stairs even if an outside stair is added. They must be 44" wide (ours are 40") between walls and of incombustible construction (section 404.) They must have 2 hand rails which would not be authentic but the width can be adjusted with propriety. They must be enclosed and have no openings other than "necessary doors." Thus at the ground floor entrance to the gallery stair the pay box window and door must be eliminated or arrangements made for automatic closers on fusible links either of which can be done. The stair from the ground floor to the main floor must be enclosed with fireproof construction as must all stairs. This can be done by closing off the corridor to the pit passages on the ground floor with a fireproof door operated by an automatic closer on fusible links plus another enclosure and door at the top of the stair on the first or main floor. These revisions are within the limits of propriety. On the ground floor the other pay window presents a problem as mentioned above. It would not be advisable to eliminate it and no doubt special permission would be necessary to employ a fireproof panel on fusible links.

c. The Exit Doors

The audience exit doors must be 3'-8" wide. The concealed pit doors and the stage doors must be 3'-8" wide (section 411.) The They must be fireproof and swing out. Such revisions can be made. In the case of hardware panic bolts or panels are required. A compromise here may be possible with special permission. Exit signs, directional signs and artificial lighting must be provided for the first two elements ^of which would be ugly and completely unauthentic (section 412.)

d. The Seating

Since the Theatre of 1716 had no aisles the seating presents a serious note of unauthenticity. The seating as shown on the sketches is based 31 on 18" laterally per person with backless, armless benches set 24" from back to back. The law requires a minimum width or seat of 18" set not less than 30" back to back. The seats must be fixed with arms and backs. The maximum number of seats in a given row between aisles is 16 and from an aisle to the wall it is 8. In the pit there must be a center aisle and a cross aisle between the top landings of the pit passage stairs which must be 34" in width. In the side boxes the back bench will have to be omitted and an aisle provided for each box. In the front boxes aisles will have to be provided as well. In the main gallery a center aisle and a cross aisle are required as are aisles in the side galleries. The longitudinal or center aisles must be at least 44" wide and cross aisles at least 34" (section 801.) Such concessions if made would be a serious loss to the correct character of the auditorium.

Computing the capacity of the theatre upon these requirements we get:

Pit	80
Front Boxes	45
Side Boxes	30
Main Gallery	116
Side Gallery	36
Total	307

For comparison the capacity of the auditorium of the present Reception Center is 400.

e. The Stage and Related Elements

The stage must be separated from the auditorium by fireproof partitions and doors or openings in them must seal themselves automatically (Section 801.) This barrier must extend from the foundations to the roof. It would mean the addition of a fireproof partition with fire doors in the basement, at the stage end of the players galleries and in the roof space above the front of the proscenium ceiling. All horizontal areas between these partitions must be fireproof to provide a continuous baffle. This would introduce unauthentic features only in scheme #1.

The curtain must be of incombustible material mounted on a rigid steal frame riding in steel slots at each side of a minimum depth of 12". It must overlap the top of the proscenium opening by 2'-0" and by 18" minimum at each side. When raised the curtain must lower automatically in case of fire. It is obvious that our theatre cannot accommodate this feature without a rectangular tower some 22'-0" wide rising about 2'-0" above the ridge of the roof. This creates an impossible situation unless permission can be procured to run the curtain downward in a shaft in such a way that if fire occurs it will be raised automatically to close the proscenium opening.

Over a stage there must be smoke ventilators or a tower of metal with shutters which open automatically and instantly in case of fire. It must also be possible to open these manually. They must have a total clear area of 1/8 the area of the stage or, in our case, 92 square feet. It may be possible to satisfy the code by putting a series of panels hinged to fall outward in the east or stage gable since there are approximately 154 feet of surface available. The shutters would have to be fireproof — possibly on the outside made of metal 32 shaped to resemble weatherboards. However, this solution would need to be submitted to the Fire Marshal for approval. If not feasible, the situation would be impossible because the alternative would be a massive fire tower protruding above the roof.

Doors in the outer stage walls must be fireproof and self closing. All other doors must be similarly equipped. The windows in the outer stage walls will have to have self closing shutters inside. This presents difficulties for scheme #1.

The dressing and other rooms must be of fireproof construction including the doors. Exits from these spaces may be common but must be separated from the stage or other spaces by fireproof partitions and doors. The stairs must be separated in the same way and will have to be at least 3'-O" wide with no winders. This will encroach on the work area of the stage but can be handled.

No combustible scenery material of any kind will be permitted in the area of the stage and, of course, the use of candles or any flame exposed lighting fixtures is forbidden anywhere in the house. The stage must have a sprinkler system. This would have considerable effect on scheme #1 and some on scheme #2.

There are several regulations governing the design of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems but they do not appreciably affect the appearance of the theatre.

f. Other Objections

Other objections may come to light upon completion of working drawings of the favored scheme since the Fire Marshal's office obviously cannot give final interpretations or approvals on the basis of preliminary drawings of a project when in the form of sketches.