New-York tribune., 1902-12-08
THEATRE IN Il CHURCH.
Mr. Bentley's Efforts to ProOide
Good. Wholesome Plays as
n AnlaLSen5ent

amusement.
The Rev. Walter e Bentley stood on a box in
his shirt sleeves performing manual labor in the
basement Of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
which he is having turned into theatrical aud
itoriuIn-
No." said he. 'ft isn't really a theatre. as you
can see The inspector was up here TO stop work
unless compiled with the law as to theatre
construction But he perceived that it was merely
hall; church basement arranged for dramatic
representations. Il will seat about three hundred
when il is finished. But the stage is going to be
a real stage as far as it goes with proscenum
arch and scenery and footlights- Mr.. Belasco's S
stage carpenter is coming up TO direct the COM
pletion. And look at that" he said with en-
thusasm. isn't that fine dressing room?
Plenty of professionals would be glad to get as
good one
The dressing room five feet wide and the
length OF the stage. ana lined with cupboards
enough TO delight any prop" mans eye; the
erstwhile repository of choir boys vestulents-
Mr Bentley was an actor himself before he
became clergyman, and he has a keen eye for de-
tails.
What are We going to play?" said he We'll
the manager Of the 'Everylnan' company has prom
ised come up here for a one night stand before
It leaves for England. He will bring the scenery
and everything complete Then our own company
viii present plays similar in character
Rachel one Of them, was written by well known
actor and will lend itself admirably to production
Then there is Joseph and His Brethren which
brought with me from England. It has been pro-
duced over there for years. under the auspices OF
the Church Of England, but it has never been seen
in this country. That brings in Pharaoh and his
spouse Joseph and the eleven brothers, and a
number Of dancers in sacred dance about twenty
in all
II think there are number Of such plays lying
about the country in the hands of writers who
have been unable TO find market for them Then
shall present some modern things Tor me sake
OF variety; perhaps something Shakespear1an, but
probably something lighter
MY company? Well, 1 shall call for volunteers
early in January. and the only difficulty viii be
that I will get many. Of course. with anna
+e,rs il is necessary to take young people. Older
persons have become too rigid No, don't thlnk IL
will require great deal Of time to train thern-
know just how to go about it. and know great
many actors and actresses who will give me lift
when need it Members of the company will all
he members of the church. but the performances
will be open the public
CHURCH AND ADJUSTMENTS.
Have ever done this before? No. not exactly.
always wanted to. but never was situated SO that
I could do it in just exactly this way AT balI-
bridge in Central New-York. where was for sew
erai years hired the opera house, and the Cnurch
dramatic society gave 'Othelo' and other plays
there There was young man who had been
pretty wild about town who brought under
the influence Of the Church through this channel
and he is studying for the ministry now
NV theory? Why it's very plain The Church
should touch the life of the people at every point
There should be nothing foreign to the clergyman
When there is il is because he isn't wide awake
The Church should direct all the amusements OF
the neonle not control theu1-that is a very diff
ferenf thing But the Church should recognize the
universal, natural demand for amusement ana
should supply that demand
In this church we are just orthodox as we
can he We have the regular church services which
minister to the religious lite of the people Tnsn nn
we have a lecture each Wednesday night ne
St agcs f Second ID socioogca the third literary
and the fourth IS connected with some trade or pro-
speak rnyself On the sociological nights we nave
sere! 4aaene or the various settlements. On
the fourth night member OF trace OF P.0, ,
add to this our social dance once month and our our
dramatic work. when we get It gong A nann1e on
win see that we touch the life OF the peopie o--
one il always observed prior to the "a
OF course the extremely restrictive ase pTofesf
against the license of the times when gaze
have f9 ehe bees 9ineed NTH urtan
"'But as license and repressletin one With empba-
SIS Lust as bad The provision of sane heaithin m "
a5nuseents Is ereh ne5nsh5 sS hss never gone either
extreme III has always occupied miooie grooi"-
STAGE GREAT TEACHER
.Ru. aside from all that, you can look at thai
thing from the standpoint OF the stage as wen
as OF the Church The stage is one of the great
.sr reaching agencies that has ever been given to
man: as great as school the press or the Daio
box The trouble is that the stage isn't taken sert
ousiv as these are. The Church doesn't TAKE !
seriously the people don't take IL seroaS19s 1se as
existing merely cater 10 the amnsemem,s 03 Tts
people but even if this be true the aruSeenes 1cs
of q neonie have fully important an lnusilct =;
in moulding their lives as anything eise ~ 9 c th
envronroenf There is no greater channel 1or tht
conveyance OF moral truths or hgn loeats 1 70 mai III
KIND than the stage But eT0ed Q, G0e by the little
window out In front II actors couJ . pe 5ifrar
and manage their own theatres II mgn1 ba he eooG
But the trouble is mat man , mno "a; - senss
actor can rarely do anything else m tnesfher
and business sense don't commonly 20 toseliiu.
Sir Henry Irving is wonder ana " MonGniS me- ain. In
The stage Itself doesn't reailze ts ose
worth TO The world IT is for the CnafEt - -
realize the value Of this teaching agency anu '
I'd and make OF 1t