‘Final Curtain’ brings Charles Henry to life on stage

By BILL LOCKWOOD
SAXTONS RIVER, Vt. — Main Street Arts in Saxtons River is presenting “Charles Henry’s Final Curtain” continuing  Nov. 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. and 18 at 2 p.m. It is an original musical set in 1915 that tells the story of an itinerate entertainer and scene painter with local roots. The actual Charles Henry depicted in the production painted the scenic backdrops used on the stage. This production is an excellent show with good writing, music, direction, and performance. 

The theater in the recently renovated Main Street Arts building is the original Saxtons River Odd Fellows Lodge. The Odd Fellows still meet there. In the late 1800s and early 1900s Charles Henry, who was born in nearby Guilford, and his family toured Grange halls and lodges in New York, New England, and especially Vermont where they would provide entertainment, and Charles would also paint scenic drapes that provided backdrops for the various acts. The Lodge in Saxtons River was one of his frequent stops. After he stopped touring a dozen or so of Henry’s well done drapes remained in the Saxtons River building. It is the largest known collection of his work. Main Street Arts began using the theater space for musicals and plays in the late 1990s. A number of those musicals were Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, and Henry’s drapes were often the perfect backdrop for the action. Main Street Arts Artistic Director David Stern says, “We are the only place where they have been in continuous use.” He also notes that it is an “eerie fact that we are really here. This is literally where he was.”

Some years ago Cass Morgan moved to Saxtons River to be near her relatives. Morgan has had an impressive career as a performer having been in 11 Broadway shows debuting in “Hair” in 1970. More recently she was one of six writer/performers who collaborated to create the musical “Pump Boys and The Dinettes.” That show was produced by the nearby Weston Playhouse three years ago where Morgan also debuted, wrote, and played the lead in her “Road to Where.” Morgan learned of the curtains and the story of their creator and was totally intrigued. Intrigued enough to write a production about them. Morgan is credited with the original concept and writing book and lyrics, but she collaborated with Sarah Knapp on book and lyrics and music is by Steven M. Alper. Morgan and Stern share the bill as directors. 

Seven of Henry’s original curtains are used in the current production including several pastoral scenes, a city scene, a snow scene, and this theater’s “grand drape”, a pastoral scene with an intriguing horse and carriage approaching. The “grand drape” hangs at the front of the stage and welcomes theatergoers as they enter. Morgan notes that Henry’s drapes were more common to small rural venues rather than places like the Bellows Falls Opera House that was a popular stop on a larger scale vaudeville circuit of the times. It is not known that Henry ever painted a backdrop for that size house. Morgan says that in more rural areas traveling shows like what the Henry family presented where just about the only form of entertainment the locals could access.  The final curtain in the title does not, as one might think, refer to the last drape painted by Henry, but is about his last performance — his final curtain before he retired from touring to become manager of the Vergennes Opera House. Morgan describes the story she tells as depicting both the reality of Henry coming to terms with his giving up his way of life and the family’s reality of having to sell their show to the audience. The story has quite a bit of depth, set when the U.S. was on the verge of great change with its entrance into World War I. Morgan sees her play as a musical “that becomes vaudeville from time to time” though she sees Henry’s style of vaudeville as being “more for small spaces.” Stern said “vaudeville has been a huge learning curve for me.”  He and Morgan have certainly achieved how vaudeville should be played in an old Odd Fellows lodge. 

Vaudeville can easily become melodramatic, but here it is played so it doesn’t. Despite the fairy tale backdrops and excellent period costumes the characters come off as real people, and as the story progresses you really care for them. Ron Bos Lun excels in the lead role of Charles Henry that carries the show. Bos Lun says, “what a privilege to play this complex and wonderful character, and working with David and Cass who found much more depth in it than I thought at first.” And the directors have assembled a supporting cast that is excellent as well. Not only are those playing Henry’s family notable, but the lesser characters like the theater manager played by Falco Schilling, and the singers and dancers who appear as vaudeville acts all carry the show at the same level. Of note too were the two excellent musicians Ken Olson and Amy Kahn who both also took their turns on stage as well as in the pit. Olson echoed Bos Lun’s feelings about the directors saying, “It was really cool to get that insight”, and he added, “It’s fabulous music.” I agree about the music, a great mix of period appropriate songs that really tell the story well. Sad, winsome, and patriotic, it’s all there. My favorite was “Darkness to Daylight” sung by Henry. It sets his character from the start.

The first Saturday night audience included Charles Henry’s great grandson Joe Humeston who lives in Southberry, Connecticut. He said, “It’s marvelous, and the actors did a fabulous job. I’m amazed at the art. It filled me in on a lot of family remembrance.”

Kudos to Main Street Arts for preserving and bringing to us this bit of New England and local history.