The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-14
THEOSOPHY ON THE STAGE
Mrs. Tingley Has Written an Occult
Play for New York Production.

ray Tor new OPk PRODUCTION.
New York. April 14-Mrs. Catherine
A Tfngley, the theosophist crusader
| who recently returned to New York
after a world girdling tour in the inter
est Of the cult, has just bIossomed out
! as playwright. Her play will be given
/ its first metropolitan production next
! tuesday evening at o'clock in the
| theater of the Knickerbocker Athletic
! club, Madison avenue and Forty ninth
/ street
Theosophists all over the country viii
pc celebrating on Tuesday, that being
| the anniversary of the birth of William
| Q. Judge, the dead leader of the move
/ ment.
As explained by Mrs. Mayer, who is
| stage manager and various other
things in connection with the produc-
/ ton, the play, which is entitled THE
| First Crusade" is intended to disclose
! TO the audience the work accomplished
by the crusaders whom Mrs. Tingley
| ehaperoned around the world.
the curtain rises on a family gather
ing, in which all the countries visited
by the crusaders are represented. To
emphasize the idea of all the countries
| being on loving and intimate terms, the
fifteen characters in the play are united
in circle by white cord, which they
hold at intervals. In this dramatic
attitude the characters are discover
ed"
The performers are clad in costumes
CHARACTERISTIC of the countries they
represent lis countries are England.
Scotland, Ireland, Sweden france HoI-
land, Germany, Switzerland Austria.
Italy. Greece, China, Japan, India,
Egypt ana America. America is rep
resented by Miss Marie FERN dressed
as the Goddess of Liberty"
Truth is represented by Miss Ralston.
a young woman of taller stature than
the others her height being intended
to call attention to the fact that Truth
or theosophy, is head and shoulders
superior to mere matters of racial diff
ference.
Truth will open the show by raising
America to her feet and addressing her
as follows:
stand up, my favorite child, because
through your fidelity to my messengers,
H. P. BlaVatSSy and w Q. Judge, I
have been enabled to proclaim to men
and women throughout the world my
teachings of wisdom For yours was
the crusade led by Katherine A. Ting
ley and 1t was made possible by the
heroic self-sacrifice of your first presi-
dent, William .. Judge, whose mem
Dry we are here to perpetuate on this,
his birthday anniversary. People of
every nationality are hOcSing to my
standard, and already the dawn is
breaking of that happy day when my
dominion shall reach from pole to pole
and all nations shall dwell together,
united by this cord of universal bro
therhood"
Following this sweeping prediction
comes an assurance of everlasting
friendship from England, Wnlcn MAKES
America blush and Truth turn pale, so
intense is it. Then Scotland steps up
and makes a speech of welcome, and
Ireland declares that Erin is awak-
ening and the light of your torch is re-
hected in the warm hearts of her sons
France modestly declares that we
but renew the link forged by our an
cestoTs' mighty upheavals of the past
After some grandiloquent phrases have
been uttered by each of the countries
represented, India and Egypt make
the two far lands into one and crown
America. who makes a. little speech of
thankfulness to the speechnakers.
Then America goes up to the bust of /
William Q. Judge, which has been be- !
nignly surveying the procedure, and |
places the garland upon its brow. After !
this the entire company assisted by 300 |
singers in the orchestra seats, will sing |
in chorus:
Dare to do right, dare to be true
You have a work thatn other can do" |
The final curtain will descend as the !
last words of the song are sung, and |
Mrs. Tingley will then address the |
gathering, explaining how she came to |
circle the globe, what she thinks of
theOsophy and what induced her to !
write nlaX