that will support itself. Two pieces must be used at each side, laced or hinged together so that they may be placed at an angle to one another. The crosspiece, which forms the top of the proscenium, may be fastened to the inner edge of the uprights. The curtain, FIG. 5.-PROSCENIUM WALL, CUTTING OFF THE STAGE FROM THE AUDITORIUM. too, may be attached to these uprights, and thus the entire proscenium merely stands on the floor, like a huge screen. The frames may be made exactly like ordinary scenery, the process being described on pages 123 seq. They may be covered with some sort of building board, or with canvas or other cloth. They may be painted attractively, just as any scenery would be painted; or they may be colored to approximate the walls of the room in which they are to be used. This arrangement may be put up in a few hours, and often taken down in a few minutes. Stuart Walker's Portmanteau Theater was nothing more nor less than a series of frames of this sort, which he was able to set up in a ballroom, or a hall, or on the stage of an ordinary theater. An interesting account of his device will be found in the Introduction to Portmanteau Plays, by Walker.3 Stuart 2. A Temporary Proscenium of Draperies.—If storage space is at a great premium, a temporary proscenium of draperies is sometimes an advantage, for it can be rolled and stored in a very small space. It consists of three pieces, two long ones to fill the space from the ceiling to the floor on each side of the opening, and a short one to make the top of the proscenium opening. These draperies are exactly like that form of window curtain known as Dutch, the short top curtain forming the valance. The material used will depend upon taste and the amount of money available. It may range from velvet or velour to denim or cotton poplin. Monks' cloth is a very beautiful material, but if lights are used behind it, it needs to be lined. In fact, a lining of some sort may be necessary whatever material is used, in order to make the proscenium absolutely opaque. Outing flannel is a substitute for velvet that is often used on 3 Stuart Walker, Portmanteau Plays (D. Appleton & Co., New York, 1917). the professional stage, and it makes excellent curtains. The curtains had better be supported by a heavy wire (A), stretched from wall to wall, up against the ceiling. It may be fastened at each end to hooks (C, C) in the walls or in the ceiling. A turnbuckle, which can be secured in almost any hardware store, may be used at either or both ends of the wire, to keep it taut. The curtains may be hung on rings, or may FIG. 8.-METHOD OF TIGHTENING WIRE WITH have a hem through which the wire runs. It had better be weighted at the bottom, or in some way fastened down so that it will not swing at any gust of wind. The customary way of putting a weight in a curtain is to run a chain inside the bottom hem. The chain may be of any size, but had better be covered with canvas first, so that it will not so easily wear through the curtain. A curtain weighted with a chain may be easily arranged in artistic folds. The curtains may be plaited, and fastened to a batten, if preferred. A second wire (B), placed an inch or two behind the proscenium curtains, and six or seven inches above the bottom of the top curtain makes the best support for the opening curtain. It, too, may be made rigid by the use of turnbuckles. The entire proscenium will thus hang from two wires (A, B) which depend on four firmly fastened hooks (C, C, D, D). The hooks may |