The first three shots are architectural studies dating from the time of the theatre's completion in early 1931. Within a year, to light the stage during Vespers, a valance borderlight was added, which broke the clean line of the house valance border. House Tormentors (legs) are shown here, and the drape which eventually covered the brass orchestra pit railing has not yet been installed.
The glow of the four-color Kleigl Brothers footlights can be seen here. The Hammond organ loudspeakers which sat behind the Taft crests above the exit doors left and right would not be installed until 1936.
Self-rising theatre chairs were not standard equipment in 1931, at least at the Taft School Bingham Auditorium. At the top left of the rear balcony can be seen the portal for the non-synchronous room, which was sealed in 1968. Because footlights were originally considered sufficient, the balcony had not yet been cluttered with stage lighting apparatus; except for the carbon arc follow spot in the booth, Bingham was not equipped with front lighting.
Perhaps the best description of Bingham appears in the 1938 catalog:
...as well as a production shot, the setting masked down utilizing the gold curtain for a teaser and the main drape for torms, ablaze from the footlights.
This shot dates from about 1956 and represents Masque and Dagger advisor Peter Candler's "backstage glamour shot," with my annotations. Candler had bought for a song all the lights and scenery from a Broadway flop after it closed on opening night, and with Skouras' donation of a CinemaScope picture sheet, thus was Bingham re-equipped.
Another Peter Candler shot, he smoking his pipe, whilst the boys grasp the overhauled Main Curtain, with Vallen track,
Here are Candler's boys on the overhaul team at the wire-guide fly rail. The Westinghouse switchboard can be seen in its cage.
In case anyone had any doubt, Peter Candler called the shots. Switchboard is partially visible, and atop its cage is a boy working the thunder sheet directly in front of the audience call chimes.
This photograph dates from the early 1950s when Bob Olsmtead (with script in hand) was faculty director. The magnificent Kliegl Brothers connector strip was removed in 1954, but re-installed in 1969.
Detail of connector strip:
The Westinghouse lighting switchboard shown here in 1932, with Peter Clark fly rail to the left. The switchboard was uncaged in 1970.
My sketch of the Switchboard:
From the 1972 catalog, backstage spring 1970, J.G. Taft gets a workout on the Westinghouse switchboard, (l to r) yours truly Bob Foreman '70, Peter Byerly, and Taft both '72. Control for the auditorium ventilation fan and the keys for the chimes can be seen on the wall beyond him.
The stage crew in 1970:
Stage plan, 1969:
Bingham Auditorium in 2013.
From the stage:
Below, the electrical specification for Bingham Auditorium prepared by Clyde R. Place who also served as consulting engineer for Radio City Music Hall.
For an index of other Taft School articles, click here.
Many thanks for the old photos to Alison Gilchrist, Taft School archivist and to Richard Cobb, Taft Master Emeritus. The color photos were taken by and reproduced with the permission of Blake Joblin, '2013.
January, 2014