Theatre Design & Technology - Oct 1974 - 37

secretary of the United Scenic Artists, L. U. 829, to the author,
July 16, 1970, and "Scene Painters Planning a Guild," New
York Times, August 12, 1923, Sec. 2, p.1.
Urban's career quickly became overshadowed by those of Jones,
Bel Geddes, and Simonson, although early evaluations of his
work hailed him as nearly messianic in importance. See:
Dorothy Lawrence Mann, "The New Stagecraft: Illustrated by
Josef Urban's Imagi native Setting of Shakespeare," The
Craftsman, XXX (May, 1916), 168-68; Kenneth Macgowan,
"The Myth of Urban," Theatre Arts Magazine, I (May, 1917),
99-109, 132, 141, 142; Kenneth Macgowan, "Profiles: Caprice
Viennois," New Yorker Magazine, II (June 25, 1927),21-23;
Otto Teegen, "Joseph Urban," Architecture (N.Y.), LXIX (May,
1934),250-71; Harry and Janine Mahnken, "Joseph Urban: An
Appreciation," Educational Theatre Journal, XV (March, 1963),
55-61.

2

3

"Urba n Plans Guild of Scene Painters," New York Times,
August 9, 1923, p. 16.

4

"Scene Painters Planning a Guild," p.1.

5

Holograph letter, June 29, 1923, Design Course, SC-7, USAA
File. Norman Bel Geddes Collection, Hoblitzelle Theatre Arts
Library, University of Texas at Austin.

6

Carbon copy of typewritten letter from Bel Geddes to
Simonson, August 9, 1923. Design Course, SC-7, USA A File, Bel
Geddes Collection. Courtesy Edith Bel Geddes.

7

Carbon copy of typewritten letter to Charles E. Lessing, August
17, 1923. Design Course, SC-7, USAA File. Bel Geddes
Collection.

8

Typewritten letter from Volz, marked to the attention of Bel
Geddes' secretary, Grace Hoopery, Design Course, SC·7, USAA
File, Bel Geddes Collection.

9

Design Course, Lecture Seventeen, p. 23, SC-4, K-26, Bel Geddes
Collection.

10

Letter from Armstrong, July 16, 1970.

11

"Scenic Artists Unionize to Insure Just Wages." New York
Times, March 29, 1925, Sec. 9, p. 10.

12

Letter from Armstrong, July 16, 1970.

13

Holograph letter from Millia Davenport to the author, June 9,
1970.

14

Letter from Armstrong, July 16, 1970.

15

Frederika D. Borchard, "World Theatre at Aline Bernstein's
Fingertips." Christian Science Monitor, March 30, 1951, p. 4.
Although this version is somewhat romanticized, the facts were
substantiated by Mrs. Peter Cusick, Bernstein's daughter, in an
interview in New York City, October 4, 1969.

16

Aline Bernstein, "Theatre Takes Stock," Theatre Arts Monthly,
XXIV (May, 1940), 367.

SHORT COURSE . ... Cant. from Page 26

An important element of the class was the use of my
own work and that of the students to illustrate ideas,
techniques, and methods. One source for this was the
exhibit of forty-five of my stage designs for plays of
Czech, English, American, and French origin which were
displayed in Santa Barbara at this time. Furthermore, as
practical examples of my work as a scenographer, I
designed sets and costumes for the opera Dido and Aeneas
by Henry Purcell and sets for The Visit by Friedrich
Durrenmatt. Both plays were constructed and the lighting

~

THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

done by students under the leadership of myself and
Donald J. Childs.
In addition to the class and program for Sa nta Barbara
students, talented students were selected from other
University of California campuses for a Master Class which
was held at Santa Barbara. In preparation for this class the
students prepared set designs for their interpretation of
DUrrenmatt's The Visit. They brought their designs and
models to the Master Class for criticism and discussion. In
addition to this cross-comparison, their attendance at a
performance of The Visit provided another example. They
also had an opportunity to observe the work of the Santa
Barbara class, the scenography exhibit and slides, and to
work with samples of technology of natural latex.
During the final weekend of my stay in Santa Barbara,
designers from other University of California campuses
were invited to a seminar to discuss the philosophy of
teaching scenography in Czechoslavakia and to observe
the work of the class in Santa Barbara, a concrete
illustration of this approach to the teaching of scenography.
As can be seen, the program for such a short course was
very rich. The students worked in the course with great
interest and left a sol id impression on me by their
enthusiasm and industry.
*
SCA R F JOINT . ... Cant. from Page 28

one of two ways. Either cut the guide rails initially to have
notches as shown in Figure 6-B, or install a stop block
across the jig as shown in the drawing. This will have to be
coordinated with the width of the new masonite faceplate
on the router. When done correctly, this will insure you of
a perfectly square top end on your scarf.
Now adjust the router depth unti I the shallowest cut at
the top of the scarf joint is exactly as deep as the amount
of wood left at the bottom of the scarf. Once you have
this depth set you may want to remove one of the stop
blocks on the router faceplate momentarily and route a
notch in the side guide rail (Figure 6-A). This notch will
let you set the depth exactly on later applications. Be
sure to re-install the stopblock.
The faceplate stopblocks have one disadvantage. Because
they stop the bit from cutting into the sides, and because
the bit is round, inevitably there will be two little tabs
left on the top of the scarf. These can be easily cut away
with a mat knife or a chisel.
Do the other half of your scarf joint in the same way
and they are ready to be joined. Use glue, pressure and
some kind of alignment and then put screws in from the
shallow side into the thick portion. Reverse the procedure
and do the same at the other end.
Once the jig has been set up and adjusted for a particular stock width it is almost fool proof. Even a faculty
member can do it.
*

OCTOBER. 1974

37
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Oct 1974
