The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-03-05
PASSION PLAY IN WINFIELD.
Az IMITIIION or ORR t.uERGAU
IN PANTOMIIE.

Anthony Schmidt Rcrr, scented Crri,t ana
MARY Bri'y the Blessed Vi,g,n-The Pee
iorn,nnce In A'd ut "a. OF c Church.
Representation Of the passion cruclnvion.
death burial. and resurrection OF Cnrist was
given in pantomime In st. Mary's Hall. in Win
field. l.. l.. last night About three humid
spectators. mostly women aud young girls.
witnessed the production.
Father T. A. Schumack ~ College Point and
number OF other clergymcn occupied front
eeats The entertainment was intended as q
benefit for Father Peter DauIen Zach. who has
charge OF that parish. He is expected home
from the holy Land shortly. and his parlshion-
ers, by way OF n surprise. intend redecorat-
ing the church and parsonage out OF the pro-
ceeds.
Anthony Schmitt, who imrersonated Christ,
had charge Of tho production. lie was assist
ed to some extent by the Sisters Of St Mary
connected with the parish. The remainder Of
the cast was made w Of Young women from
the choir and members OF the church.
Miss Mary Kelly impersonatcd the Virgin
Mary. Miss Nellie Downing took the part OF
Mary MaRdalen. Miss Katie Murphy that OF
Veronica. Miss Annie Roch was st. John the
Evangelist and Miss barbara Becker was one
Of the angels that watched at the tomb.
Among the male impersonators were James
Becker. who took the parts OF Plate and st.
james: Peter Hammer who acted as Judas
Iscariot and Joseph OF Arimathea, and VIII
liam Lehecka. who was Nicodemus.
Tho company OF soldiers who guarded the
tomb were Conrad Hammlch. Captain Chris
topher lyman. George Hroch. and William
Becker.
Every seat In the hall was occupied, and
when the curtain rose on the first scene Of
Christ In the garden deep hush pervaded the
- -
OF. and spectators ANXIOUS to obtain good
views stood on seats and looked over the heads
%. 81 hs hs VA. ,sd to the
lights on the different scenes.
The garden scene depicted Christ in the
hts disciples. Peter jacob. and John. IL con.
eluded with the presence Of an angel. who
The betrayal Of chrisi by Judas is presented
IN the second scene. Christ is marched away
assist hs master, Then followed the scene
before PLATE and the scourging and browning
Christie condamnation came next and he
was led forth by the throng In the cross
third time Simon OF Cyrene came to his as
:, on the way Christ meets his mother and
Veronica hands Jesus her veil. on which tra-
ditlon says he left the imprint OF his counte-
The awful scene OF the crucinxion was then
produced. schmitt, as Christ was led In and
divsnsted o. MS gsrmSnts down to ths almost
The cross was lying prone. and he was
bound to It In that position. The curtain fell
and rose again In few moments In the In
terva the cross had been raised to an upright
position with its clinging victim. who writhed
AT the foot Of the cross. in costume. stood
the mother OF Jesus. Roman soldiers, and
others representing characters in the divine
tragedy. Miniature earthquakes and peais Of
as Christ died.
The scenes that then followed close on each
other was the taking OF Christ down from the
cross, the ep6alming OF his body and the
who. with her hair down her shoulders and .
silver urn and napkin, reproduced that scene.
The burial followed with Nicodemus and jos
seph among the throng that bore the body to
the sepuchre. At the opening OF the resur.
Suddenly there was great noise and they
fell away as IL smitten with blindness whom
Christ came forth and two angels made their
appearance either side OF the open grave.
Christie appearancet to Mary MAgdAlen and the
TRANSPORTATION concluded the performance.
=, With the exception OF those In the rear OF
the hall. the audience was orderly throughout
the entertain ment. Twenty-Five cents Admis-
sion was charged. and. although no attempt
had been made to advertise tho production,
persons living at considerable distances went
There were spectators present from Astoria
Newtown. Long Island City. Jamaica. and other
places.
II appears that tho entertainment was oon-
ceived by Schmitt who has seen the Passion
Play performed in Europe. Those who took
part in the performance had been rehsarsinR
for about two weeks. IL Is not known whether
an attempt will DO made to repeat the play.