Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-25
LIFE OF LUTHER ADMIRABLY DE-
PIcTED At THE ACADEMY.
DRAMATIC And LITERARY STORY.
brilliant stage Pictures and n
Powerful Descriptive Lecture Used
TO Describe the Life of the Great
RefOrmer.
Ref0rner.

as q whole, was triumphant success,
and IL is no exaggeration to say that the
announcements Of it. however fulsome
they may have seemed were fully borne
out.
The brilliant lecture Of Mrs. Monroe,
illustrated with fine stereopticon views;
the tableaux. which were well-nigh per-
feet in execution and the dramatic por-
tions Of the presentation were admirable
in all their details.
As lecturer Mrs. Monroe demon
strated thorough acquaintance with her
subject and a wide range OF knowledge.
Her delivery was clear. and her state
ments concise: she did not shirk the re-
sponsibllities that the treatment Of so
delicate and controversial a subject de-
manded. nor did she lose the attention
or interest of her audience
1T Is WE'LL PRESENTED.
As a stage picture. the five scenes were
constantly attractive. and reflected great
credit not only upon the participants,
but upon the stage management. Rarely,
If ever, has such a large crowd appeared
upon the boards Of the Academy In any
QFduldllC
~ be said that few better drilled choruses
have even been seen there.
Mrs Monroe's piece, which>is entitled,
"The Story Of the Reformation; or,
"The Life of Luther" possesses both
literary and dramatic merit and her
arrangement Of that story is novel, COM
plete, and engrossing.
With such a vehicle, and i'm aid Of
charity so wholly deserving as the Day
Nursery and Free kindergarten Of this
city it Is not to be wondered at that the
Academy was crowded last night. The
audience was not only a large one, but
a distinguished one TO boot. and includ-
ed those prominent i'm all walks OF life.
Down stairs there was hardly standing
room TO be had, and the galleries were
fairly-well filled.
The Old Dominion Sextette contributed
the opening number, and was followed
by an allegorical procession, intended to
! convey the advance OF progress. The
| costumes i'm this opening tabeau were
/ bright and effective, and a conspicuous
feature was the national flag, which
was borne i'm the procession, and draped
upon the dresses.
Following the procession came the
| first part of Mrs. MonrOe's lecture which
briefly told the story of Luther's
earlier years. An interesting scene
| from the Erfurth Monastery, presenting
Luther's choir singing round the en-
ragged abbot, came next, and then the
story Of Luthers life up to the time that
| he set out for Worms was told by Mrs
| Monroe.
THE TRIAL AT WORMS.
The niece de resistance of the whole
/ production was the scene Of Luther's
/ trial at Worms. The principal charac-
ters. Luther and the Cardinal, were taken
\ bv Mr.. j. Garland Pollard and Dr. ".
| RaIph Clements, respectively. Both gen.
tlemen exhibited dramatic talent in
marked degree. 1t was crucial test
of their ability, and they carried that
scene. which was intense and thrilling
on the high tide of success.
The stage grouping was particularly
| effective. The picturesque costumes OF
| the sixteenth century, the ermlne OF
ROYALTY. the ecclesiastical habits, and
the military uniforms maze up very
| brilliant scene.
The escape Of the nuns from the con-
vent. and the closing alegorlcal drill
were two pretty stage-pictureS, and the
closing years of the reformer's life were
graphically described.
The incidental music under the direc-
ton of Mr. Herbert l.. Rees was excel
Iert and the vocal solos and concerted
numbers merit the highest praise.
THOSE WHO TOOK PART.
The following ladies and gentlemen ap-
neared I'm the allegorical procession:
| Mabel C. Marcy Bessie NJ. Payne Nan
ME McCreery. Ethel Wood, Louise Kidd,
Nellie Birdsong. French shelton, Annie
Keesee. Carrie Miller ID. +. Mountcastle,
| p. p Gentry, j. J. McBain. +. NJ.
| Deitrick. c. c. Bowers. V. 5. Hardwicke
A. l.. Kelley, r. A. Lewis, j. r. Robin
son, Jr
The leading part in the Erfurth
monastery scene was admirably played
by Mr.. II. X. Terry, Jr. Mr.. l. ID. Briggs
was the leader OF the choir-men.
The chor-men were: Clarence w.
Thomas. Harry X. McCreery, Eugene IL.
! cloves. Walter c. Mercer. James =. Lay,
j. O. Sale, Jr. d. r. Wilbon, Jr, George
w. McCreery. c. j. Jones, r.. b. Minor,
w. f. Greenwood. Selden Wake, Charles
| Hunter. Arthur Scrivenor. 4. r. Toone,
G. NJ. Grant, Walter Crenshaw, G. n.
Wilson. j. c. Gooch, c. l.. Eubank, Sam.
Brockenbrough, OvertOn Sales, j. T..
Ryland.
The cast in the third scene-Luther's
Trial: or, the Diet of Worms-was as
follows:
| EmperOr-E. B. Sydnor.
Elector-J. Newton Johnston.
Cardinal-Dr. w. Ralph Clements.
Luther-J. Garland Pollard.
Albert-H c. Nicholas.
| Wilderneck,-A. Lee Thaw.
Palatin-Dr. a. b. Greiner.
Melancthon-B. T.. Boswell
| Erich-B II. Tabb.
Courtier-William ]. Harvie.
! Rishop-G w. Benson.
Pages-Masters Irving Knowles and
! Blnford Walford.
Priests, Princes, Knights. Courtiers-J.
II. Mercer. K. A. Lewis, G. r. Wilkes,
j. f.. Robinson. Jr, c. +. Mcdonald.
ID. Il. Alountcastle. j. w. Snead. +. NJ
Deitrlck. Allan +. Wilson, V. 5. Hard
wicke. r. c. Tabb, j. g. Mayo, c. c.
| Bowers, Lewis II. Taylor a. l.. Kelley,
James p. Valentine John Gibson. Jr.
Soloists-F. w. Cunningham and Wal
ter c. Mercer.
Emperors Guard OF Honor-Detach-
ment from Richmond Light Infantry
Blues. Lieutenant Pegram commanding.
Electors Guard OF Honor-Deeach-
ment from the Richmond Howitzers.
Lieutenant r. A. Williams commanding.
Cardinals Guard Of Honor-Detach-
ment from Walker Light Guard, Lieu
tenant A. W. Miller commanding.
Special Guard Of Honor-Detachment
from Richmond Grays. Captain c. GRAY
BOssieux commanding.
The following ladies appeared in the
fourth scene. the escape OF the nuns
from 4 convent
Abbess-Elizabc-h h v. Faris.
Alice-Mrs. ". ~ G. Mercer.
Anna-Nellie Richardson
Angelica-Fennle c. Pittman.
Varonica-Mrs. W. o. Shelburn.
Acknowledgment Knowles.
Margaret III. Jones.
Isabella-Louise Payne
! Catharina Won Bora-Mrs. Walter c.
Duke.