Chapter XXIII: A Miniature Theatre

Probably nothing can be found which will make a more interesting entertainment for a winter evening, than a miniature theatre patterned as nearly as possible after a large playhouse. The construction of the stage, and preparation of miniature scenery, properties, and mechanical effects, furnish good work for disagreeable weather when it becomes necessary to remain indoors, and there is plenty of it, and of great enough variety, to occupy the attention of a number of boys.

Very little material is necessary, outside of what generally can be found in the attic, cellar, and woodshed, so that the expense incurred by making the theatre amounts to almost nothing. A gilt picture-frame makes

=An Excellent Proscenium= for the front of the stage, and, as it will not be marred in the least, you can probably borrow one for the occasion.

On the opposite page is shown a miniature theatre completed, and in Fig. 317 will be seen the proper construction of

=The Stage Framework=, which is made of narrow boards and built upon two horses the width of the picture-frame. Make the horses as shown in Fig. 317, one two feet six inches high and the other two feet nine inches high, using two-by-fours for the tops and narrow boards for the legs and braces. After constructing the horses, cut four boards seven feet long and nail two to the ends of each (_A_ and _B_, Fig. 317), after which cut two pieces to reach across the tops and nail them in place as shown at _C_. Then set the horses five feet apart, with the lower one in front, and screw three boards to the tops as shown at _D_, _E_, and _F_, and three narrow strips to the top of the framework as shown at _G_, _H_, and _I_. Strips _G_, _H_, and _I_ form what is known as

=The Gridiron=, or supports from which the scenery drops are suspended, and should have a row of tacks driven into each edge, as shown in Fig. 317, upon which to hang the drops. By fastening the framework together with screws, it may be taken apart after a performance and packed away for another time.

=The Stage Floor= rests upon boards _D_, _E_, and _F_, and is made of laths laid close together, parallel to the front of the stage. The laths should not be nailed in place, as it is necessary to have the stage floor movable.

When the work has proceeded thus far, set the picture-frame between the uprights of the front frame so that the opening comes on a level with the stage floor, and fasten it to _A_ and _B_ with nails driven through screw-eyes placed in the back of the picture-frame.

=The Drop-curtain= should be made of white muslin, and measure in width several inches wider than the opening in the picture-frame. Hem the two side edges of the cloth, and sew brass rings on to them two inches apart. Then tack the top and bottom to strips of wood. A scene may be painted upon this curtain, but you will find the result probably more successful if you paste a picture of some sort upon the cloth, as suggested in the illustration of the completed theatre.

In Fig. 318 we have a view from the stage of the arrangement by which the curtain is raised and lowered. Two heavy wires should be slipped through the rings on the curtain, and their ends fastened to four screw-eyes placed in the uprights at _J_, _K_, _L_, and _M_. These form the curtain guides. Bore two holes in uprights _A_ and _B_ above the picture-frame, and run a broom-stick through them for a roller, after which make a crank similar to that shown in Fig. 319 and fasten it to one end. Place two screw-eyes in the crosspiece at _N_ and _O_ (Fig. 318) and slip two cords through them, tying one end of each to the top of the curtain and the other end to the roller. By turning the crank the string will now wind around the roller and raise the curtain. It will be necessary to screw a button on to upright _A_ at _P_, as shown in Fig. 319, to lock the crank when the curtain is raised. We often had two and three drop-curtains upon our miniature theatres, which made it necessary to have additional rollers and guide-wires.

The greatest precautions should be taken

=In lighting the Theatre=, to have all wood surrounding lights covered with tin, and not to use candles or matches around inflammable substances. Figure 320 shows a satisfactory arrangement of

=The Footlights.=--A piece of tin the length of the picture-frame and ten inches wide should be procured for these and bent into the shape shown in the illustration. Drive tacks through the bottom of the tin about two inches apart, and stick a short candle upon each. Then fasten the tin below the picture-frame as shown in the drawing of the completed theatre, and paint it black upon the outside.

FIG. 324.

FIG. 322.

FIG. 323.

Details of Floodlights.]

=Floodlights=, which are used to throw light from the wings on to the stage, may be made as shown in Figs. 321, 322, 323, and 324. The case for the light is made in the same manner as the dark-room lantern, described in Chapter XI, and illustrated by Figs. 176 and 177, except that the door is placed in the side instead of the back and no glass or paper is fastened over the front opening (see Figs. 322 and 323). Make the opening four by five inches, and fasten two grooves, formed by nailing two strips of wood together, as shown in Fig. 324, above and below it, in which to slide glass plates for the purpose of throwing

=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.