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Our most prized possession:
a
rare surviving piece of 19th century Canadian stage art discovered!
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William
Gill’s 1892 Garden Scene was employed as a backdrop in the
Majestic Theatre’s final production, of Victor Herbert’s Fortune
Teller in 1929. Photo given to the Bicentennial Theatre by
Patrick O’Neill, MSVU -
July, 2002. [Courtesy
Public Archives of Nova Scotia; PANS - N1318].
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In 1929, one year after the Odd Fellow's
Lodge was recently constructed, Mrs. Harriet Claypool, a Musquodoboit
resident, purchased and donated to the Lodge the seats from an
old theatre in Halifax (The Majestic Theatre, formerly The
Academy of Music), which was being torn down to be later
replaced with the Capitol Theatre.
At the same time, along with
the seats, she purchased a large scenic drop curtain which had been used
as a backdrop for a final performance at the Majestic that same year.
Many
early theatre patrons remember the enchanting Garden Scene that
covered the front stage before show time and then was raised up
into the rafters by a system of ropes and pulleys when the show
began.
In 1983, when the Odd Fellows turned their
lodge over to the community for the nominal sum of $1.00, the
Bicentennial Theatre and Cultural Centre opened. During renovations, it was
determined the stage curtain (12'10" x 30'), which had hung
stage front for over 50 years, was in need of repairs. |
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The stage curtain had suffered
water damage from a leaky roof and various other indignities,
including being dropped on a piano during a previous move. Local artist, Roberta "Bobbie" Annand decided she
could give it a face-life for the newly renovated Bicentennial
Theatre. It became a labour of love for Bobby and we appreciate
all she did to keep interest alive in Gill's work of art.
Although we had dreams
of seeing that wonderfully relaxing garden scene once more stage
front, the Fire Marshall decreed it did not meet
modern day fire regulations as a stage curtain, and it was
relegated upstage and behind the cloth curtain.
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Not long after the curtain had been moved
upstage, forlorn and all but forgotten, did we discover that we
had a rare piece of stage art that had been painted in 1892 by
one of the finest Canadian scenic artists of the 19th century, William
Gill, of Halifax.
In the summer of 2002, Halifax Regional
Municipality, now official owner of the Bicentennial Theatre,
contributed extensively to the Gill Restoration Project and
necessary structural improvements to the building. 110 years
after William Gill had painted it on site at the Majestic
Theatre in Halifax, his drop was lowered from the rafters to
undergo major repairs and restoration by Michelle Gallinger.
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The restored Garden Scene has hung just
behind the proscenium since 2004 and may be viewed by chance or
by appointment. Further information and history of the Gill drop
is available by contacting the Theatre
Office.
Thank
you to Dianne
& Patrick O'Neill who, through their research,
enabled us to discover our rare gem, the William Gill 19th
Century Italianate Garden Scene stage curtain, and to James
Bordeau for his conscientious appraisal of the Gill
Drops, and for his understanding as to why the community
would want to keep the Garden Scene as part of the
heritage of our Valley.
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Photo
on Left: In
July 2007, Woody (Sherwood) Gill Pierce
travelled to Middle Musquodoboit to view the restored painting
of his grandfather, William Gill.
Shown
(L-R): C. Armstrong, R. Annand, B. Bell, Woody & Nan Pierce,
B. Buchanan.
Special thanks
go out to Roberta
"Bobbie" Annand and professional restoration
artist, Michelle
Gallinger, for their tireless work restoring our most
prized possession.
To learn more about the remarkable story of this wonderful
painting, and its artist, William Gill, please visit:
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/bicentennial.theatre/gill.html |
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