The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-11
DRAMATlZiNG 'BEN-HuR"
Passages That Are Expected to Make In
tense Stage Pictures.

is be1ng dramat1Zed.
General Lew Wallace, its author. af-
ter nearly 20 years of refusal, has at
last consented that it should be made
a stage spectacle.
"Ben-Hur' is "a tale of Christ" It's
stage production will be almost a Pas
sion Play. Yet so reverently is IL be-
ing handled for stage purposes that 1t
is hardly possible that it can offend the
most sensitive religious sense.
For that reason one of the great
scenes described in the book will not
pc presented on the stage, The Cruel
fixion.
But the other dramatic scenes will
be given. There will be the .'chariot
race which is undoubtedly General
Wallace's masterpiece.
That thrilling scene in the circus at
Antioch is to be given with splendid
effect. Four-horse chariots are to be
driven across the stage.
On the largest stage in the world it
would pc impossible to present the
whole race in reality. But by means
of cinematograph views, or moying
photographs, one will appear to see the
whole contest while really seeing ac-
tual horses and charots only at the
start and finish. Where Ben Hur over
comes his rival and plunges him in the
Wreckage of broken chariots and strug-
Cling horses on the race course will be
one of the greatest stage spectacles
ever attempted.
AS different from this as could be
imagined will be the scene at the grove
Of the heather goddess, Daphne. Here
the wantonness of Roman paganism
will be contrasted with the purity of
the religion of Christ, which John the
Baptist was then preparing the world
to receive.
There are other intense passages in
the book which will make stage scenes
SO powerful as to be little short of
melo- dramatic, even though this is a
religious play.
One of these is the naval battle
against pirate ships, where the Roman
galleys, in one of which the hero of the
pay is rowing as a galley slave, are
plunged into the combat, His shin
meets another in terrific clash, and
then AL became darkness and surging
water to Ben-Hur."
AS profound contrast to these acts
as could be imagined will be one OF
the closing scenes 1t is the miracle
on Mount Olivet, where the mother of
Ben-Hur and Tirzah, his sister, are
healed Of leprosy by Christ This oc-
ours as the Nazarene is on His trium
phal way to Jerusalem.
There will be sound of the multitude
singing hozannas, the waving of palm
branches. and suddenly a pure, white
light falling like benediction on the
outcast lepers. In this subtle and deep
ly reVerent way the miracle will be
worked without bringing the sacred
character of Christ upon the stage.
There will be love acts. too, Rem
Hur's wooing of the sweet-faced Esther
the JeWess, daughter of Simonides. the
rich merchant of Antioch The beau
t1ful Egyptian Iras, THE Serpent of
the Nile" crosses the scene like a
SHADOW, and like a shadow disappears.
BESIDES these scenes in the Holy Land
there will be glimpses of Ben-Hur in
Rome and at his villa at Misontum,
with the charm Of classic architecture
and art.
The projectors of the great drama,
Messrs. Erlanger and klaw, are going
10 present 1T in New York next Sep
TEMPER. They expect that 1t will run
throughout the winter After that it
IS planned to present it in three other
cities only in this country, PHILADELPHIA.
Boston and Chicago
Inc greatness Of the scenes TO he
presented and the size of the COMPANY
required. will prevent it being produced
IN any but the largest theaters.
seVenty-five thousand dollars will be
spent in putting "Ben-Hur" on the
stage. The costumes alone will cost
tens of thousands of dollars. They will
pc as gorgeous as the Oriental scenes
IN which they are to appear.
Mr. E. Hamilton Bell has charge of
the costuming and scenery. Mr.. Bell
IL VIII be remembered, had charge Of
staging Richard III for Henry Irving
MIR. William Young, who is now en-
gagged upon the dramatiZation, is IA
nous for his dramatic successes In tha
-RaJah, "Ganelon" and ''Pendragon. )"
lie has wonderful faculty for hand
ing subjects with poetic sense, and Vet
with great force.
The final arrangements for dramatic
ing ben Hur' were made week ago.
AT that time William Young, the dram
aust, and Joseph Brooks, representing
the Messrs. Klaw and Erlanger. the
dramatic managers, called
upon Gen. Lew Wallace, at his home in
Charlottesville, Ind.
After one nights careful considera-
ton of the outline of the play and the
plans presented for staging 1.-THE
noted author and warrior gave his full
and hearty consent to the project. He
had persistently refused to do this be-
fore, though solicited to do so for near
ly 20 years
ben Hur" has been one OF the most
books ever published. Since
1880, when it was first issued by Har-
per Brothers, about 100000 copies of
them have been sold, many of them
high priced binding General Wallace
has received fortune in royalties on
the book. 1t would seem that he would
receive another fortune in royalties
from the play.
Mr.. Young, the dramatist, gives this
vivid impressionistic sketch of Gen.
Lew Wallace the venerable soIdier-au-
thor:
'I had never seen him previous to
our recent meeting, and knowing him
to be at least rs years of age, I had
naturally expected to find in his ap-
pearance some evidence of advancing
years; but it is no eXaggeration to say
that he might easily be mistaken for a
man of co. Tall broadshouldered and
erect, with a soldierly bearing and an
elastic step, prompt, yet pleasant of
speech, and with a keen, but kindly
eye. he is the embodiment of vitality
and forcefulness.
with these qualities sincerity is
associated. and so it is within
his case in a remarkable degree The
o,,tbhr of StIap IJ,IT' iuDrnScas wy, &c