Thalian Hall, Cameron Art Museum unveil replica of 1858 stage curtain

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Thalian Hall and Cameron Art Museum are set to unveil a newly completed replica of a historic stage curtain originally created for the theater’s opening night in 1858.

The unveiling will take place during Thalian Hall’s Annual Community Day on Saturday, April 25, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., giving the public a chance to view the working replica on the main stage.

The project stems from a partnership between Thalian Hall and Cameron Art Museum to conserve the original curtain, believed to be the oldest theater curtain in the United States. The original, which was used on the main stage from 1858 to 1904, is now preserved and on display in Thalian Hall’s old lobby.

According to organizers, the curtain has a long history. After being removed from the stage, it was lost, later restored and rehung, extended to fit the proscenium, and photographed in 1947. It was eventually lost again before being rediscovered and restored as an artifact.

The replica marks the first time in nearly 100 years that a working version of the curtain will be displayed on the main stage. It recreates the original design by scenic artist William Russell Smith using similar techniques.

Both the original curtain and the replica were previously displayed during the “Raise the Curtain” exhibit at Cameron Art Museum from February to July 2016. During that time, visitors could watch local artists create the full-scale replica while conservation work was performed on the original.

Virginia Wright Frierson served as lead painter on the replica, with Anne Brennan as project director. Brennan also assisted with painting alongside John Sharkey, a longtime decorative painter for Thalian Hall. Rand Enlow served as a consultant on the project.

Organizers say the effort involved artists, historians, curators, conservators, theater preservationists and volunteers working together to restore the look of Thalian Hall’s stage to its original appearance from opening night on Oct. 12, 1858.

Smith, a 19th-century scenic artist, designed the original curtain titled “Ceremonial Voyage to an Aegean Temple.” The painting depicts a sea voyage to the Grecian isles, featuring a temple to Apollo where an oracle would be consulted before the Olympic Games. Smith completed the large-scale work in his Philadelphia studio using a pulley system.