The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-09-05
ST. AIoysius association.

Church took place last Monday evening, IN
nresence of q crowded house. The ST.
Joseph,s Hall. was handsomely filed, in
spite of the hot weather, and by an audi
ence which gave evident marks of pleasure
derived from the exhibition, We may IN
deed consider this series of dramatic repre-
seutations as o success It.was certainly
manly as we'll as Jealous effort on Tie part
of the young gentlemen composing the AS
ISOLATION to undertake. SO serious an en-
saaement during season of intolerable
heat like that just passed, and deliberately
to put down all the qualms of difhdence fof
the sake of good cause.
We hope that the zeal of our young
friends will not stop here, but that they
will continue, on occasion, to invite the pup
lie to n dramatic entertainment which snail
he at the same time attractive and innocent.
We believe that such affairs may be so con
tiucted as to forward the objects of the AS
ISOLATION without including any harmful re-
suits. Frequent appearance before the
public gives certain case OF manner very
desirable not only in social life, but in public
affairs,-wAere any one is constantly liable,
as in this country, to be called on Tor his
opinion. In country OF exclusively
popular institutions, like this, it is de-
sirable that all men of intelligence should
be able to express their views publicly in
clear and unembarrassed language, and it
is certainly desirable that Catholics should
not be behind others in this respect.
/ BY keeping strictly and conscientiously
to the rules of the Association, all the bad
/ results usually connected with such occu-
| pations will be avoided. No improper or
| doubtful associates will be admitted to
their company, no matter how valuable
their alliance might be in an artistic point
of view. No penchant for the regular
stage can be acquired, from the fact that
its evil characteristics are kept constantly
in view and rigidly guarded against, and
from the fact that the acting which is done
is with an Interior and higher view of i'm
provement.
Neither do we see why these exhibitions
should pot be made q source of improve
ment to the public as well as to the Asso-
citation. By wise selection of pieces,
much information, moral, historical, geo.
graphical and scientific, can be impaired.
Prominent men of past generations can be
brought visibly on the stage; the dreE :,
---~t~...e, or rnr n1sIant people and nj
other ages can be reproduced and the ply
steal phenomena of other climates and re-
gions represented in the scenery and appli-
ances so effective on the stage of day.
Of course it viii take money to do all
J this, and such a scheme can be built up to
something like perfection only by slow and
patient steps of progress but if anything
like permanent success is contemplated
money must be freely spent on the stage
machinery. The costumes and the scenery
! are fully half the charm with most of tho
audience in any theatre Think of Richard
HI. put on the stage in the every day cos.
tune of our streets or parlors, and with Mt
scenery to help the illusions of place and
time. 1t is evident that we would soor
yawn over even Booth or Forrest i'll beaver
hat, bob-tailed sacks and doeskin pants
If, therefore, these entertainments should
be continued, we would suggest that Ger
/ tam percentage Of profits should be re-
tanned and scrupulously applied to thu
expense of better outfit. There woult
be momentary diminution of the funt
collected for some special work of charity
but the general cause of charity and yea
would gain largely by the investment.
: If this is to be the last, however, of these
: representations, we cannot close our notice
without a tribute to the peculiar dramati
talent displayed by every member of thu
Association. The after-piece of " Monsieur
Tonson" gave much wider scope for act
ing on the occasions to which we maxi
5 special reference here, than the graver ant
more philosophical drama of "The People
lawyer" and consequently was given will
more spirit. Indeed, it would have BEEF
: difficult TO find some of the parts bette
filled on the regular stage, and we, there
=, fore, reiterate our opinion with more conf
dence, that there is talent enough in, tn
Association to make their efforts highl,
= entertaining under the proper conditions