Courtesy Tabor Opera House
LEADVILLE — Starting next week, the Tabor Opera House invites the public to join a hands-on workshop to catalogue the Tabor’s 1902 drop curtains and stage sets. The workshop will bring new life to draperies and settings that have been housed in the theater for nearly 120 years.
Leading the project is artist, designer and historical consultant Wendy Waszut-Barrett, Ph.D. She specializes in painted scenes and decor for opera houses and similar stages. Workshop participants will learn about the significance of the drops and sets and the detailed processes needed to restore them. Then attendees will bring each piece onto the stage to be studied and photographed.
“The Tabor has many historic pieces still in use today, and these many artifacts are what makes it unique,” said Mary Ann Graham-Best, president of the Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation. “With the community’s help, we can preserve these original drops and stage settings and enjoy them in our future performances.”
The free workshop runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday, Feb. 3, to Friday, Feb. 7, with lunch provided at the Silver Dollar Saloon. Participants are asked to come Monday for an orientation, if possible, but they can attend whenever able.
Advance reservations are requested. There is space for up to 10 people each day. To sign up, contact Graham-Best at president@taboroperahouse.net or 970-331-9874.