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85-593: The Standard Theatre opened with 2,400 seats on September 23, 1900, featuring burlesque and vaudeville. It was built by Colonel Edward Butler of St. Louis, Missouri , at a cost of $ 250,000, for his son to present shows on the Empire vaudeville circuit. In 1901, a fire at the nearby Coates Opera House caused opera and comic opera performances to be moved to the Standard, featuring such performers as Sarah Bernhardt , Richard Mansfield , and Maude Adams . The theater's name changed to

170-460: A "Strip the Folly" fundraiser was held featuring Sally Rand , who had performed at the Folly. After seven years a full renovation was completed in 1981, including the construction of an annex on the site of the former Edward Hotel. In the Folly's centennial year of 2000, a new lobby, restrooms, and second-floor Shareholders' Room were added. In 2005, the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Folly's reopening,

255-486: A "drame burlesque" ( Matroco , 1777). Stravinsky called his 1916 one-act chamber opera-ballet Renard ( The Fox ) a "Histoire burlesque chantée et jouée" ( burlesque tale sung and played ) and his 1911 ballet Petrushka a "burlesque in four scenes". A later example is the 1927 burlesque operetta by Ernst Krenek entitled Schwergewicht ( Heavyweight ) (1927). Some orchestral and chamber works have also been designated as burlesques, of which two early examples are

340-401: A batten above the stage up to the grid, through loft blocks to a headblock and then down to the fly floor, where they are tied off in a group to a belaying pin on the pin rail. The lift lines and hand (operating) lines are one and the same. Typically, a lift line runs from the sand bag (counterweight) assigned to a specific line set, up to "a single loft block" above the fly floor and back down to

425-550: A combination of counterweight rigging and, at least some, hemp rigging. For example, theaters that incorporate built-in, grid-based counterweight fly systems often will also support additional, spot hemp system line sets for spot-rigging (to spot something, in theatre jargon, simply means to (re)position something). Manual rigging is also possible with hand (and drill-operable) hoists (winches), but relatively limited operating speeds preclude their use for most running applications. Automated systems are becoming more prominent. They have

510-450: A drapery or scenery line set, but converting a general purpose line set into an electrical line set is more involved. When a line set has a predetermined, relatively permanent, function it is known as a dedicated line set. Line set functions include: Line sets often suspend theater drapes and stage curtains such as travelers, teasers (a.k.a. borders), legs, cycs , scrims and tabs, as well as associated tracks, in order to mask and frame

595-400: A dynamite stick in a drainpipe on December 29, 1969. In 1974 the theater's then owners, Annbar Associates and Elk Realty of New York announced that if a new buyer could not be identified by the end of the year, the theater would be demolished to make way for a parking lot. A group of local historic preservation activists, including Joan Dillon and William N. Deramus III , formed a nonprofit,

680-445: A few line sets for the most frequently adjusted loads, such as electrics. Double purchase counterweight systems are sometimes used where the vertical travel of the counterweight arbor would be inadequate due to limited fly space or stage-level wing space. In systems of this type, the operating and lift lines are double-purchased so that the batten will travel twice the distance of the arbor. In other words, for every foot of arbor travel,

765-466: A few sets within a counterweight system, unless space issues preclude the use of a single-purchase system. The use of an arbor pit is an alternative approach to dealing with limited space for arbor travel. Electrical hoists (also referred to as winches) can facilitate coordination with cues , move extremely heavy line-sets, and significantly limit the required population of the fly crew. Despite those potential benefits, most hoists can fly line sets at only

850-405: A fraction of the speed that an experienced flyman can achieve manually. There are two general categories of motorized fly systems, motor-assist and dead-haul. Motor-assist systems very closely resemble standard counterweight fly systems described above, however a drum winch, typically mounted behind the locking rail below the arbor, is used to drive a steel cable purchase line. The purchase line

935-611: A manager's apartment was removed. Current seating capacity is 1,078 seats. Burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects. The word derives from the Italian burlesco , which, in turn, is derived from the Italian burla – a joke, ridicule or mockery. Burlesque overlaps with caricature , parody and travesty , and, in its theatrical form, with extravaganza , as presented during

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1020-437: A manner, motor sizes can be kept relatively small. The use of a particular type of fly system in a theater usually does not preclude the use of other rigging methods in the same theater. A hemp fly system, so named for the manila hemp rope that was once common in theatrical rigging, is the oldest type of fly system, certainly the simplest type of system. Recent research shows that the hemp system, although known for centuries,

1105-419: A master of ceremonies. Comics who appeared in burlesque early in their careers included Fanny Brice , Mae West , Eddie Cantor , Abbott and Costello , W. C. Fields , Jackie Gleason , Danny Thomas , Al Jolson , Bert Lahr , Phil Silvers , Sid Caesar , Danny Kaye , Red Skelton and Sophie Tucker . The uninhibited atmosphere of burlesque establishments owed much to the free flow of alcoholic liquor, and

1190-564: A more controlled fashion. Counterweight rigging replaces the hemp rope and sandbags of rope line (hemp) rigging with wire rope (steel cable) and metal counterweights, respectively. Those substitutions permit the flying of greater loads with a high degree of control, but with a loss of flexibility inherent to most hemp systems. Flexibility is lost because most components of a hemp system may be repositioned, while counterweight system components are relatively fixed. Old " hemp houses" lacked counterweight rigging, but today most manual rigging houses use

1275-608: A premier performance venue by presenting, producing, and hosting a wide range of quality events for the community". The Folly produces a Jazz Series, a Kids Series, and "Cyprus Avenue Live!" performances by artists ranging from blues to rock and country. It hosts the Harriman-Jewell Series of classical performers, the Friends of Chamber Music series, the Heartland Men's Chorus , and KC Burlesque 's Kansas City Burlesque Festival,

1360-413: A relatively experienced crew. Peter Foy is known for his innovations in manual flying rigs, especially those used in theatrical productions of Peter Pan. Automated flying rigs, which synchronize multiple point hoists, are becoming more common as motor control systems become safer and more sophisticated. A permanently installed fire curtain line set, though not used for productions, is a typical element of

1445-963: A revival of burlesque, sometimes called Neo-Burlesque , on both sides of the Atlantic. A new generation, nostalgic for the spectacle and perceived glamour of the classic American burlesque, developed a cult following for the art in the early 1990s at Billie Madley's "Cinema" and later at the "Dutch Weismann's Follies" revues in New York City, "The Velvet Hammer" troupe in Los Angeles and The Shim-Shamettes in New Orleans. Ivan Kane's Royal Jelly Burlesque Nightclub at Revel Atlantic City opened in 2012. Notable Neo-burlesque performers include Dita Von Teese , and Julie Atlas Muz and Agitprop groups like Cabaret Red Light incorporated political satire and performance art into their burlesque shows. Annual conventions such as

1530-436: A theatrical rigging system installation. Building and fire codes typically require that either a fire/ safety curtain or water deluge system be installed to separate an audience from the stage in the event of a fire. Fly systems are broadly categorized as manual or automated (motorized). Manual fly systems are more specifically categorized as "hemp" (a.k.a. rope line) or "counterweight" systems. " Hemp houses" (a reference to

1615-511: A time, burlesque verses were known as poesie bernesca in his honour. "Burlesque" as a literary term became widespread in 17th century Italy and France, and subsequently England, where it referred to a grotesque imitation of the dignified or pathetic. Shakespeare 's Pyramus and Thisbe scene in Midsummer Night's Dream and the general mocking of romance in Beaumont and Fletcher's The Knight of

1700-697: Is Richard Strauss 's 1890 Burleske for piano and orchestra . Examples of theatrical burlesques include W. S. Gilbert 's Robert the Devil and the A. C. Torr – Meyer Lutz shows, including Ruy Blas and the Blasé Roué . A later use of the term, particularly in the United States , refers to performances in a variety show format. These were popular from the 1860s to the 1940s, often in cabarets and clubs, as well as theatres, and featured bawdy comedy and female striptease . Some Hollywood films attempted to recreate

1785-438: Is a basement under the stage, housing mechanical systems and backstage service spaces. The main floor is entered through a lobby and a box office area. The house contains three sections of seats facing a highly decorated proscenium arch. The house is flanked by balcony-level boxes, with the main balcony to the rear. The stage is provided with a fly loft , fly balconies, a scenery workshop, and ten dressing rooms. Interior decoration

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1870-416: Is common terminology between the two industries. For example, the stage is referred to as a deck in the manner of a ship's deck. Other expressions and technology that overlap the nautical and theatrical rigging worlds include: batten, belay, block, bo'sun, cleat, clew, crew, hitch, lanyard, pinrail, purchase, trapeze, and trim. In a typical hemp system, a "line set" consists of multiple hemp lines running from

1955-555: Is fed to fixed electrics from terminal boxes at the grid deck via multicable. Single and double-purchase cable cradles mounted to lift lines can be used to drape the multicable, prolonging its lifespan and reducing the likelihood of conflict with adjacent line sets or lighting instruments. Pantographs are also used to drape the multicable feeding dedicated electric line sets. Dedicated electrics typically employ truss battens (pipe over pipe) to facilitate cable snaking and to maximize lighting positions. In large professional theatres, such as

2040-401: Is mounted to the top of the arbor, before rising back up and terminating below the head block. In addition, the opposite end of a double-purchase operating line terminates at the fly gallery, off-stage wall, or stage deck, instead of the underside of the arbor, after passing through a block mounted at the underside of the arbor. The additional blocks result in the arbor moving at half the rate of

2125-416: Is predominantly red and gold. The exterior is largely unaltered, but the interior has been substantially renovated. In 1923, the lobby was reduced in size, moving the box office and eliminating a secondary box office for the balcony, while the balcony itself and a gallery level were replaced by a single larger balcony, reducing seating capacity . Plasterwork in the upper levels was replaced at this time, and

2210-421: Is still performed in revues and sketches . Tom Stoppard 's 1974 play Travesties is an example of a full-length play drawing on the burlesque tradition. Beginning in the early 18th century, the term burlesque was used throughout Europe to describe musical works in which serious and comic elements were juxtaposed or combined to achieve a grotesque effect. As derived from literature and theatre, "burlesque"

2295-746: Is still terminated at the top and bottom of the arbor, but a rope lock is not used on the motor-assist line set. Weight on the arbor helps balance the batten load so that hoist motor size can remain relatively small. It is often feasible to retrofit a standard counterweight line set to become a motor-assist set. Dead-haul systems fly the entire load placed on a line set without the assistance of counterweight. Therefore, dead-haul motor sizes are relatively large. Hoist (winch) motors are either fixed speed or variable speed. Fixed speed motors are used at heavy-load and/or slow-speed line sets (e.g., electrics and orchestra shell line sets). Variable speed motors are used at line sets requiring dynamic motion that may be viewed by

2380-467: The Philadelphia Academy of Music , an electric may take the form of a flying bridge (catwalk) that provides a walkable platform for electrician access to fixtures and effects. Flying bridges may also be used for followspot positions. It is not uncommon for the panels, known as clouds, of an orchestra shell to be flown. Larger, multi-use theaters that cannot have a static shell often make use of

2465-634: The Vancouver International Burlesque Festival and the Miss Exotic World Pageant are held. Fly loft A fly system , or theatrical rigging system , is a system of ropes, pulleys , counterweights and related devices within a theater that enables a stage crew to fly (hoist) quickly, quietly and safely components such as curtains, lights, scenery , stage effects and, sometimes, people. Systems are typically designed to fly components between clear view of

2550-607: The Victorian era . The word "burlesque" has been used in English in this literary and theatrical sense since the late 17th century. It has been applied retrospectively to works of Chaucer and Shakespeare and to the Graeco-Roman classics. Contrasting examples of literary burlesque are Alexander Pope 's The Rape of the Lock and Samuel Butler 's Hudibras . An example of musical burlesque

2635-444: The fly crew to raise and lower the batten. Automated rigging sometimes uses weights to help balance line set loads in a manner similar to manual counterweight rigging. Otherwise it relies solely on the motor power of an electric hoist to fly a line set. Together, a series of parallel line sets regularly spaced up and down stage, commonly at 6 in (150 mm), 8 in (200 mm), or 9 in (230 mm) centers, comprise

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2720-499: The manila hemp once most commonly used to make the ropes) exclusively use the centuries-old tradition of ropes, pulleys and sandbags to fly theatrical scenery in and out. Hemp rigging incorporates many nautical rigging techniques and equipment (e.g., block and tackle ), and was once thought to have stemmed from the nautical rigging. However, recent research has shown that this is not the case, Counterweight rigging evolved separately from hemp rigging and generally handles scenery in

2805-460: The sextet , 'Chi mi frena in tal momento?', from Lucia di Lammermoor by Donizetti . Victorian burlesque, sometimes known as "travesty" or " extravaganza ", was popular in London theatres between the 1830s and the 1890s. It took the form of musical theatre parody in which a well-known opera, play or ballet was adapted into a broad comic play, usually a musical play, often risqué in style, mocking

2890-724: The "Century" in 1902. The Century featured acts from the Empire burlesque circuit, including Al Jolson , Fannie Brice , and Eddie Foy . In addition to theater acts, the Century featured prizefighting and wrestling, with appearances by Jack Johnson and Jack Dempsey . Johnson stayed in the manager's apartment, as hotels refused to rent him a room. The Shubert brothers bought the Century in 1923 and renamed it "Shubert's Missouri" after extensive renovations by Shubert architect Herbert J. Krapp . The Shuberts booked dramatic productions including Shakespeare and O'Neill plays. The Marx Brothers performed I'll Say She Is for three weeks in 1923-24,

2975-506: The "Rondo-Burleske" third movement of Symphony No. 9 by Mahler , and the "Burlesque" fourth movement of Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1 . The use of burlesque has not been confined to classical music. Well-known ragtime travesties include Russian Rag , by George L. Cobb , which is based on Rachmaninoff 's Prelude in C-sharp minor , and Harry Alford 's Lucy's Sextette based on

3060-551: The Burning Pestle were early examples of such imitation. In 17th century Spain, playwright and poet Miguel de Cervantes ridiculed medieval romance in his many satirical works. Among Cervantes' works are Exemplary Novels and the Eight Comedies and Eight New Interludes published in 1615. The term burlesque has been applied retrospectively to works of Chaucer and Shakespeare and to the Graeco-Roman classics. Burlesque

3145-405: The Lock . Low burlesque applied an irreverent, mocking style to a serious subject; an example is Samuel Butler 's poem Hudibras , which described the misadventures of a Puritan knight in satiric doggerel verse, using a colloquial idiom. Butler's addition to his comic poem of an ethical subtext made his caricatures into satire . In more recent times, burlesque true to its literary origins

3230-690: The Ouverture-Suite Burlesque de Quixotte , TWV 55, by Telemann and the Sinfonia Burlesca by Leopold Mozart (1760). Another often-performed piece is Richard Strauss 's 1890 Burleske for piano and orchestra . Other examples include the following: Burlesque can be used to describe particular movements of instrumental musical compositions, often involving dance rhythms. Examples are the Burlesca, in Partita No. 3 for keyboard (BWV 827) by Bach ,

3315-528: The Performing Arts Foundation, to raise the money to purchase and restore the theater. The theater was offered for sale for $ 950,000. Performing Arts Foundation raised $ 350,000 in contributions and through negotiation convinced Annbar Associates to offer the remaining $ 600,000 of the purchase price as a donation. Following the Folly's listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974,

3400-451: The UK) by hoisting it with lift lines (typically synthetic rope or steel cable). By hanging scenery, lighting, or other equipment on a batten, they in turn may also be flown. A batten is said to be "flying in" when it is being lowered toward the stage, and "flying out" when it is being raised into the fly space. Battens may be just a few feet in length or may extend from one wing (side) of the stage to

3485-411: The addition of gags and 'turns'." In the early burlesques, following the example of ballad opera , the words of the songs were written to popular music; later burlesques mixed the music of opera , operetta , music hall and revue , and some of the more ambitious shows had original music composed for them. This English style of burlesque was successfully introduced to New York in the 1840s. Some of

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3570-550: The arbor. When the system is properly balanced, an unassisted operator (flyman) can lift the batten and its arbitrarily heavy load from the stage ("fly it out", in theatrical jargon), completely above the proscenium and out of view of the house, sometimes to heights in excess of 70 feet (21 m). Some large theatres, such as the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center) , have more than 100 independent, parallel counterweight line sets, while smaller venues may only have

3655-433: The arbors and limit their horizontal play during vertical travel (movement). The top of the arbor is permanently suspended by several wire rope lift lines, made of galvanized steel aircraft cable (GAC). The lift lines run from the top of the arbor up to the top of the fly tower , around the head block, across the stage to evenly spaced loft blocks, then down, terminating at the batten , a load-bearing pipe that spans much of

3740-605: The audience (e.g., drapery and scenery line sets). Scenery hoists commonly allow travel at rates of hundreds of feet per minute. Digital control systems incorporating computers or programmable logic controllers (PLCs) have become commonplace as well, bringing their advantages of high accuracy, safety and repeatability to fly systems. Battens are linear members to which live loads may be attached for flying. Battens were made of wood originally, but today they are typically steel pipe. Loads mounted to battens include lights, curtains and scenery so they may travel vertically, be raised up into

3825-504: The audience and out of view, into the large space, the fly loft, above the stage . Fly systems are often used in conjunction with other theatre systems, such as scenery wagons , stage lifts and stage turntables, to physically manipulate the mise en scène . Theatrical rigging is most prevalent in proscenium theatres with stage houses designed specifically to handle the significant dead and live loads associated with fly systems. Building , occupational safety , and fire codes limit

3910-462: The audience would readily recognize. The house stars included Nellie Farren , John D'Auban , Edward Terry and Fred Leslie . From about 1880, Victorian burlesques grew longer, until they were a whole evening's entertainment rather than part of a double- or triple-bill. In the early 1890s, these burlesques went out of fashion in London, and the focus of the Gaiety and other burlesque theatres changed to

3995-483: The auditorium's original color scheme was restored. Plans are now under way, and approval has been granted by the Kansas City Landmarks Commission, to install a marquee sign that closely mimics the original Folly signage. The Performing Arts Foundation of Kansas City, d.b.a. The Folly Theater, is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation whose mission is "to preserve Kansas City's oldest historic theater as

4080-404: The batten is set when the sand bag reaches the fly floor in its descent (adjustable) and the proper "In/Low" trim for the batten is established when the line set (previously tied off to the pin rail) is fully extended (adjustable). This makes it unnecessary to "spike" or "mark" either the line set or the lift line. The Hemp system relies on being slightly "batten heavy" to allow the load to travel to

4165-426: The batten to rise. The combined weight of the arbor and its counterweights initially matches that of the batten so that when the batten is not being raised or lowered, it will tend to remain motionless at any arbitrary elevation above the stage. As more weight is added to the batten (in the form of curtains, scenery , lighting equipment , and rigging hardware), the system is rebalanced by adding more counterweights to

4250-441: The batten travels two feet. This often results in the arbors remaining well above the stage deck, leaving the otherwise occupied wing space usable for cast and crew. In a conventional counterweight system the operating and lift lines terminate at the top of the arbor after passing over the head block. In a double-purchase system, however, after passing over the head block the operating and lift lines pass through another block, which

4335-414: The bulk of most fly systems. Theatrical rigging systems are made up of hemp, counterweight and/or automated line sets able to serve various functions. Line sets are typically general purpose in function, meaning they can perform any number of functions which vary depending upon the requirements of a particular theatre production. For example, a general purpose line set can usually be quickly transformed into

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4420-430: The chair, and is flown out to the height of the electrics, to focus lighting instruments. Flying rigs are used to fly scenery or performers in a more elaborate fashion than typical line sets. A flying rig typically allows horizontal as well as vertical movement by paying out individual lift lines to varying lengths and/or through the use of tracks. Flying rigs usually involve specialized equipment and techniques operated by

4505-573: The early 20th century, there were two national circuits of burlesque shows competing with the vaudeville circuit, as well as resident companies in New York, such as Minsky's at the Winter Garden. The transition from burlesque on the old lines to striptease was gradual. At first, soubrettes showed off their figures while singing and dancing; some were less active but compensated by appearing in elaborate stage costumes. The strippers gradually supplanted

4590-641: The enforcement of Prohibition was a serious blow. In New York, Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia clamped down on burlesque, effectively putting it out of business by the early 1940s. It lingered on elsewhere in the US, increasingly neglected, and by the 1970s, with nudity commonplace in theatres, reached "its final shabby demise." Both during its declining years and afterwards there have been films that sought to capture American burlesque, including Lady of Burlesque (1943), Striporama (1953), and The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968). In recent decades, there has been

4675-407: The first burlesque performance revival of The Folly Theater. The Neo-Palladian facade uses Carthage limestone and red pressed brick, with an adapted Palladian window centered in the facade. Rather than a fully glazed infill within the limestone Palladian framework, the lower portion of the unit uses three arched windows with an entablature over the center window dividing it from the lunette under

4760-400: The floor/deck. Because the ropes are flexible there is physically no way to move/push the sandbags "Out" if the weight on both sides is equal. Another hand line, known as a jack line, may be used to lift the sandbags if they are heavier than the batten load. (UNSAFE condition) The jack line, which runs up to a loft block and back down to the trim clamp, is tied off to a belaying pin adjacent to

4845-430: The fly floor. A trim clamp or a "Sunday" (a circle of wire rope) is used to attach this sandbag to the "line set" to balance the load placed on the batten. The sandbags are usually filled to weigh slightly less than the load, making the line set "Batten Heavy". When the flyman wishes to fly a batten (scenery or lights) "In" (i.e., to the floor/deck), the flyman unties the "High" trim and allows the batten to travel "In" while

4930-418: The fly space (flown out) or lowered near to the stage floor (flown in) by its associated line set. Battens typically stretch the width of the stage, parallel with the proscenium wall, and are maintained level (parallel to the stage deck) regardless of elevation. When a batten is flown all the way out (close to the grid) it is at high trim. When it is flown all the way in (usually to about 4 feet (1.2 m) above

5015-415: The fly system in this way. Before being flown the cloud is sometimes pivoted to a vertical orientation to minimize the space it requires for storage in the fly loft. A less common use for the fly system is the use of a focus chair system. This is a system where a small chair with fall protection equipment is suspended from a track that runs the length of a batten to which it is mounted. An electrician sits on

5100-410: The full extent of the arbor's travel (movement), respectively, thereby enabling an operator to pull the operating line up or down to move the arbor. When the arbor is raised via the operating line, the lift lines slacken, which causes the batten to lower under its own weight (and the weight of its load, if any). Conversely, when the arbor is lowered, the lift lines increase in tension, which in turn causes

5185-721: The grid or draped from a fly gallery, or permanently wired with connector strips (specialized electrical raceways ). There are normally at least three electrical line sets provided above the stage, with one just upstage of the proscenium wall, one mid-stage, and one just downstage of the cyclorama . Additional electrics are typically desirable. Permanently wired electrical line sets are known as dedicated electrics, fixed electrics or house electrics. In addition to providing dimmed and switched outlets for lighting fixtures, connector strips may provide low-voltage controls (e.g., via DMX512 and Ethernet taps ), for data being sent to lights and other devices, as well as microphone jacks. Power often

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5270-435: The grid. The arbor's vertical position is controlled by means of a rope known as the operating line, hand line, or purchase line. The operating line forms a loop by running from the bottom of the arbor down to and around the tension block, through the rope lock, up and over the head block and back down (alongside the lift lines), where it terminates at the top of the arbor. The head and tension blocks are located above and below

5355-510: The lift and operating lines. In order to compensate for the reduced arbor travel, the loaded arbors must weigh twice as much as the batten load, resulting in arbors that are twice as tall. The additional mass on the arbor increases inertia, and the additional blocks increase friction, resulting in linesets that are more difficult to operate. In addition, double-purchase linesets are more expensive to install and maintain. For those reasons, double-purchase line sets are generally avoided, or limited to

5440-608: The long run convincing the Shuberts to continue operating the theater. After 1928, business began falling off and the theater was used for touring shows on an intermittent basis until it closed in 1932. After a tax sale it eventually reopened in 1941 as "The Folly", featuring striptease . Performers included Gypsy Rose Lee and Tempest Storm , and Chesty Gabor before the Folly closed in January 1974. The theater began showing "adult" movies in 1969, apparently prompting an unknown person to plant

5525-441: The most common fly systems in performing arts facilities today. In a typical counterweight fly system, an arbor (carriage) is employed to balance the weight of the batten and attached loads to be flown above the stage. The arbor, which carries a variable number of metal counterweights, moves up and down vertical tracks alongside an offstage wall. In some lower-capacity fly systems, cable guide wires are used instead of tracks to guide

5610-483: The most frequent subjects for burlesque were the plays of Shakespeare and grand opera. The dialogue was generally written in rhyming couplets, liberally peppered with bad puns . A typical example from a burlesque of Macbeth : Macbeth and Banquo enter under an umbrella, and the witches greet them with "Hail! hail! hail!" Macbeth asks Banquo, "What mean these salutations, noble thane?" and is told, "These showers of 'Hail' anticipate your 'reign ' ". A staple of burlesque

5695-415: The new more wholesome but less literary genre of Edwardian musical comedy . American burlesque shows were originally an offshoot of Victorian burlesque. The English genre had been successfully staged in New York from the 1840s, and it was popularised by a visiting British burlesque troupe, Lydia Thompson and the "British Blondes", beginning in 1868. New York burlesque shows soon incorporated elements and

5780-556: The one used for the line sets lift lines, either at the same, or a secondary, pin rail. Pulling on the hand lines of a hemp set flies a line set out. Pulling on the jack line flies a line set in. Hemp systems can be easily configured for spot rigging , where lift lines must be frequently relocated. They are much less expensive and easier to install than counterweight fly systems, though somewhat more difficult to operate. First introduced in Austria in 1888, counterweight rigging systems are

5865-498: The other. A batten is suspended from above by at least two lift lines, but long battens may require six or more lift lines. In manual rigging, a line set's lift lines support weights opposite their connections to the batten in order to balance the weight of the batten and whatever it carries. The lift lines are reeved through a series of pulleys, known as blocks, that are mounted above the stage to fly loft structure. An operating line (a.k.a. hand line or purchase line) allows riggers on

5950-400: The potential advantages of relatively high precision, speed and ease of control, but tend to be significantly more expensive than manual systems. Hoists of various types (e.g., line shaft, chain motor, etc.) are used. A conventional counterweight system may be automated by the incorporation of a motor and controls, in what is commonly called a motor-assist system. By using counterweight in such

6035-509: The principal arch. The street level is heavily rusticated limestone with three arched entrances and wrapping a short way around the right (east) side to form an additional arch. The east wall contains small limestone-framed ventilation openings near the top, as well as emergency exits and a 19-foot (5.8 m) high opening for stage scenery. The building is 125 feet (38 m) deep, 70 feet (21 m) wide and 65 feet (20 m) high. The interior structure mixes steel and wood construction. There

6120-420: The sandbags travel "Out" toward the grid. When the flyman wishes to fly the batten "Out", he pulls down on the operating lines (leaving them tied off at the pin rail at "Low" trim) and the batten flies out as the sand bag descends to the fly floor. This arrangement allows the flyman to control the speed of ascent and/or descent and provides greater safety for people on the stage below. The proper "Out/High" trim for

6205-426: The singing and dancing soubrettes; by 1932 there were at least 150 strip principals in the US. Star strippers included Sally Rand , Gypsy Rose Lee , Tempest Storm , Lili St. Cyr , Blaze Starr , Ann Corio and Margie Hart , who was celebrated enough to be mentioned in song lyrics by Lorenz Hart and Cole Porter . By the late 1930s, burlesque shows would have up to six strippers supported by one or two comics and

6290-504: The spirit of these performances from the 1930s to the 1960s, or included burlesque-style scenes within dramatic films, such as 1972's Cabaret and 1979's All That Jazz , among others. There has been a resurgence of interest in this format since the 1990s. The word first appears in a title in Francesco Berni 's Opere burlesche of the early 16th century, works that had circulated widely in manuscript before they were printed. For

6375-866: The stage and provide backdrops. Line sets are sometimes dedicated to particular draperies, such as the main (grand) curtain and main border (valance) that mask the proscenium opening, but drapery locations can often vary. In many stage productions, theatrical scenery is mounted to line sets in order to be flown in and out so as to quickly change set pieces during the course of a performance. For example, painted soft and hard flats (e.g., muslin drops) and are commonly used to depict settings. Also, three-dimensional sets (e.g., box sets ) may be flown. Electrical line sets, commonly called electrics, are used to suspend and control lighting instruments and, in many cases, microphones and special effects equipment as well. Electrics may be temporarily "wired" with drop boxes (electrical boxes with outlets) or multicable fanouts dropped from

6460-488: The stage deck) it is at low trim. Loads are attached to the batten in various ways. Most lighting fixtures, for example, utilize a C-clamp to rigidly secure the light onto the batten, in conjunction with a safety cable that is looped around the batten to prevent the light from falling should the C-clamp connection fail. Non-traveling curtains (e.g., borders) often employ cloth ties, similar to shoestrings, that are hand tied onto

6545-512: The structure of the popular minstrel shows . They consisted of three parts: first, songs and ribald comic sketches by low comedians; second, assorted olios and male acts, such as acrobats, magicians and solo singers; and third, chorus numbers and sometimes a burlesque in the English style on politics or a current play. The entertainment was usually concluded by an exotic dancer or a wrestling or boxing match. The entertainments were given in clubs and cabarets, as well as music halls and theatres. By

6630-734: The theatrical and musical conventions and styles of the original work, and quoting or pastiching text or music from the original work. The comedy often stemmed from the incongruity and absurdity of the classical subjects, with realistic historical dress and settings, being juxtaposed with the modern activities portrayed by the actors. Madame Vestris produced burlesques at the Olympic Theatre beginning in 1831 with Olympic Revels by J. R. Planché . Other authors of burlesques included H. J. Byron , G. R. Sims , F. C. Burnand , W. S. Gilbert and Fred Leslie . Victorian burlesque related to and in part derived from traditional English pantomime "with

6715-404: The types and quantity of rigging permitted in a theatre based on stage configuration. Theatrical rigging standards are developed and maintained by organizations such as USITT and ESTA (now PLASA). The line set is the fundamental machine of a typical fly system. The function of a typical line set is to fly (raise and lower) a slender beam (typically a steel pipe) known as a batten (or a bar in

6800-440: The width of the stage. If the loft blocks are mounted to the grid deck, at the loft block wells, the system is called a grid-mount, or upright counterweight rigging system. If the loft blocks are mounted to roof beams (loft block beams), the system is called an under-hung counterweight rigging system. Under-hung systems have the advantages of maintaining a clear grid deck surface for spot rigging and facilitating crew movement across

6885-420: Was intentionally ridiculous in that it imitated several styles and combined imitations of certain authors and artists with absurd descriptions. In this, the term was often used interchangeably with " pastiche ", " parody ", and the 17th and 18th century genre of the " mock-heroic ". Burlesque depended on the reader's (or listener's) knowledge of the subject to make its intended effect, and a high degree of literacy

6970-531: Was not much used. The hemp system gained popularity first in the United States in the mid nineteenth century. It soon gained popularity in England, as it was inexpensive and provided a great deal of flexibility for moving scenery. Hemp systems are also known as rope line systems, or simply as rope systems. Stage rigging techniques draw largely from ship rigging, as the earliest stagehands were actually sailors seeking employment while on shore leave. Because of this, there

7055-425: Was taken for granted. 17th and 18th century burlesque was divided into two types: High burlesque refers to a burlesque imitation where a literary, elevated manner was applied to a commonplace or comically inappropriate subject matter as, for example, in the literary parody and the mock-heroic . One of the most commonly cited examples of high burlesque is Alexander Pope 's "sly, knowing and courtly" The Rape of

7140-526: Was the display of attractive women in travesty roles , dressed in tights to show off their legs, but the plays themselves were seldom more than modestly risqué. Burlesque became the speciality of certain London theatres, including the Gaiety and Royal Strand Theatre from the 1860s to the early 1890s. Until the 1870s, burlesques were often one-act pieces running less than an hour and using pastiches and parodies of popular songs, opera arias and other music that

7225-736: Was used, and is still used, in music to indicate a bright or high-spirited mood, sometimes in contrast to seriousness. In this sense of farce and exaggeration rather than parody, it appears frequently on the German-language stage between the middle of the 19th century and the 1920s. Burlesque operettas were written by Johann Strauss II ( Die lustigen Weiber von Wien , 1868), Ziehrer ( Mahomed's Paradies , 1866; Das Orakel zu Delfi , 1872; Cleopatra, oder Durch drei Jahrtausende , 1875; In fünfzig Jahren , 1911) and Bruno Granichstaedten ( Casimirs Himmelfahrt , 1911). French references to burlesque are less common than German, though Grétry composed for

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