Historic Drops to be Featured in  A Midsummer Night’s Dream

The ARC, Great River Shakespeare Festival’s new location, is home to a special collection of rare, hand-painted scenic backdrops. Originally used in the historic Masonic Theatre for elaborate Masonic Scottish and York Rite ceremonies, these historic artifacts have been preserved as a significant piece of regional cultural heritage. 

The backdrops feature elaborate, hand-painted depictions of landscapes, architectural interiors (like King Solomon’s Temple), and symbolic scenery. The collection is one of the most intact assemblages of early 20th-century fraternal scenic painting remaining in the United States. 

In 1909 the Winona Masonic Benevolent Society contracted with M.C. Lilley and Company to procure the drops. They were designed by Chicago's Sosman and Landis Company. The collection originally included 98 distinct drops that formed 59 complete scenes. Following the Winona Masons' relocation in 2017, the city of Winona undertook efforts to evaluate, salvage, and restore these vulnerable pieces of art. Ten scenes were restored. 

To celebrate this first year of performances in the historic Masonic Theater, GRSF will feature the forest and royal court drops in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The design of the production overall is inspired by Winona from 1900 to 1920, the time during which the drops and the Masonic building were completed and first used by the community. GRSF scenic and costume designers took inspiration from the people (and ghosts!) of Winona at this time, art nouveau aesthetics, and silent films. The Midsummer design also reflects the fascination that people had during the Victorian era in magic, fairies, death, and the characteristics that humans and animals share.

You can see high-resolution digital images of many of the historic paintings through the Winona OpenRiver Digital Archive.