Wardsboro Curtain Call

In early April 2014, members of Wardsboro Curtain Call traveled to West Paris, Maine to transport a set of historic hand painted scenic curtains to Wardsboro: this curtain set was a gift to Wardsboro from the Grange in West Paris. These curtains were painted by Troy, NY, artist Charles Huiest around 1890 and include a country scene, a street scene, a "grand drape" landscape scene, two "ears" (side panels), and a "teaser" (valance).

In preparation for the curtain installation, the stage was cleaned and cleared of debris. The back wall has been painted a dark green to help better show off the curtains. Kevin Sabin generously donated the sanding and refinishing of the stage floor.

During the week of September 22, 2014, Chris Hadsel, director of Curtains Without Borders, and her associates MJ Davis and Michele Pagan, led volunteers in cleaning, repairing and installing the scenic painted curtains. The conservation work began Monday, September 22, at 9 a.m. upstairs in the Town Hall. By end of day Thursday, September 25, the installation was completed for the country scene, the street scene, the grand drape landscape scene and the teaser. Each curtain has been carefully cleaned with brushes and dry sponges; all split seams are mended; all holes and tears are patched. All patched areas have been expertly painted to perfectly match the curtain section. Header boards contain installation hooks securing the curtain to the ceiling; new bottom rollers have been made for each curtain from aluminum downspout, batting and cotton stockinette. Twenty-four different volunteers worked over the span of the week on all the necessary tasks.

On November 25, 2014, Robert Brier of Upper Valley Audio Visual installed all the necessary hardware and a set of new velvet front stage drapery - see pictures of these beautiful new curtains in the Photo Gallery.

The Town of Wardsboro has been awarded a Vermont Arts Council Cultural Facilities matching grant toward the project of improving the town hall stage area. In addition to helping enable the conservation of the historic painted scenic backdrop curtains, this grant enabled the purchase and installation of new velvet front stage drapery. Wardsboro Curtain Call is very grateful to the State of Vermont and the Vermont Cultural Facilities Coalition for this grant.