Special Events

Shelburne Farms, Shelburne, Vermont
September 23 to October 22, 2006

An exhibition of historic painted theater curtains will feature the work of Charles W. Henry, Vermont’s foremost painter of theatrical scenery. There will be examples of his best curtains, along with flats, teasers, information about the Henry Family Troupe, and the nature of rural entertainment in Vermont between 1880 and 1915.

The exhibition is free. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

The theater curtains exhibition is held in conjunction with the Shelburne Farms annual art exhibition and sale, which also takes place in the Coach Barn. Admission to the Shelburne Farms Sale is $5 (free to Shelburne Farms members), but admission to the theater curtains exhibit is free.

Funding for the exhibit was made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding was provided by Lois McClure, the Vermont Council on the Humanities, the Vermont Council on the Arts, the Vermont Community Foundation/Walter Cerf Fund, and the Windham Foundation.

Grand Opening Symposium Saturday, September 23, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
The public is invited to an afternoon of entertainment and edification with speakers on the history of vaudeville and the Henry family, music, and a gala reception. Seating in the Shelburne Farms coach barn is limited.
To reserve your seat ($5 contribution) for the symposium and reception, call 863-4938 or chris.hadsel@gmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE CULTURAL CUSTODIANS
OF
VERMONT’S PAINTED THEATER CURTAINS

FLETCHER FREE LIBRARY, PICKERING ROOM
THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, 2006
And
VERMONT STATEHOUSE, FEBRUARY, 2007

An exhibit of photographic portraits of Vermonters who are invested in the preservation of their local historic and cultural heritage will take place in the Pickering Room at the Fletcher Free Library throughout October. Each portrait features a person or a group of people with a strong community presence. They are posed in a traditional but modified setting that features a historic, painted theater curtain in their own town. Each sitter holds an object that identifies his or her role in the community.  For instance, the Town Manager in Westminster is shown holding ledgers and town maps that rest on one of the original town benches in front of the Grand Drape.  

            This series of black and white photographs was taken with a 1930’s Rolleiflex camera. They mimic vintage portraits, but make use of the historic theater curtains found in Vermont town halls, opera houses, and grange halls. The subjects have all taken part in the restoration project that has stabilized 110 of the known 175 painted curtains in Vermont.They are the cultural custodians, young and old. 

There is an established tradition of posed photographs that incorporates romanticized backdrops going back to the late 1800’s. The use of painted backdrops eventually became a signature in photographic portraiture. Traditional poses in front of elaborate backdrops ranged from promotional materials used by actors, to weddings, to tourist souvenirs.  Many backdrops in photographers’ studios resemble the painted theater curtains that have been found in Vermont. 

For more details, contact Wylie Garcia: (802) 338-8251

Lamoille County Curtains – One Day Open House
One day only!
Visit curtains in Lamoille County on September 24, 2006
Sites include:
Hardwick Town House, Hardwick
Hyde Park Opera House, Hyde Park
North Hyde Park Community Center, North Hyde
The Old Town Hall, Johnson
Jeffersonville Elementary School (curtain from the Jeffersonville Town Hall)
For more details, contact Addy Smith: a.smith@nekarts.org