Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-08-09

antonT ,,o.,,o, ,rt ,o Mr.
author OF the Book of Mormon
pro-" which Is to see light for the frs
p"' On Monday next. Mr. Bean, whose
p" o,ber names-orestes Utah-indl'
wv ,bot his parents united q love OF
'' .,osslc with a love Of country-ha
% his time remained considerably
mo background. His play, its seen
)" 40 costumes, its accessories and the
p" .rs who win produce Il, have all
p' "a due share Of booming before
u.s.. rs" pnblIc, but the young man whose
.,,n turned out the work which made
:" ,,e other things possible. has rath-
been lost sight of in the hurry burly
Of PREPARATION
n, Beams answer to the inquiry,
-, him at once into a reminiscent
,ao5 lie is a young man-only 2S-of
.,,lclerical appearance, rather atten-
,d smooth faced. somewhat old
,'.,lored in his manner of speech, but
,u elucated, with flow OF language
40, Nmes forth in stream-but a
..n msasured one, and evidently pos
,,se two hobbles-rather odd ones
>. ! unned-the stage and the Book
=, Mormon. His sincerity Of purpose,
n, enthusiasm, no one who talks with
tin can for a moment doubt
81 was raised In the town of Rich
e,5' said Mr.. Bean, "and from the
time my father put the Book OF Nor
nan into my hands and told me to read
n almost lived on its contents. |
.mply deyoured its pages. and then de-
vosred them over again, | was a stu
1spt Of the Brigham Young academy Of
Provo and at the age Of Is | was a
teacher there in the preparatory school.
That was in 1892. l taught two years,
end then returned to Richheld, to take
charge Of the district school there. II
vas then ! first saw In the Contributor,
ne little story OF Corianton by b, II.
Roberts. My intimate knowledge Of the
Book OF Mormon, from which the story
VAS taken made II take decided hold
mon my fancy. | had always dabbled
n amateur theatricals more or less.
and conceived the idea of adapting
NJ Roberts story to the stage.
vrote II during the three years l was
,aehng in the Richfield district school.
A little dramatic company we had went
"a a transforming tour Of the state.
ud this only increased my love for the
SAGE SO one day, with the manu-
sHpt Of 'Corlanton' in my pocket,
IT out for New York with the supreme
hiat that would find a manager to
Wiuce II, | landed in the great me-
togoIs with just rs cents in my pock-
Il lost no time In going to head
quarters the office of Charles Froh-
nan. left my play with his reader.
I9'eph Humphreys, who is said to read
Z plays a week hunting for a possible
tTel amid the literary chaff that Is
poured in upon him. | was asked to
Niurn In week. | did so, and Judge
q ny delight when he shook my hands,
congratulated me, and told me / had
sHtten a play which had given him
more pleasure than anything he had
rad IN year. He had sent 1t to Mr..
Hohman, marked approved, he said.
but In the same breath he told me that
At trohman would never produce IL, |
INST, for the reason that he limited all |
Dis productions to modern plays, next |
uaI i would be risky for Frohman to
announce play with Book of Nor
non origin. My interview with Froh-
'Ah confirmed this, but though | was
lappoinied, | do not now regret the
'0sion. Frohman's advice to me was
80 back to Salt Lake, obtain "Mor-
non capital organize Mormon"
Nlnpany produce the play in the Nor
non theater, advertise 1t as taken
lVm The Book Of Mormon, then said
r. Hyou succeed. you will have a fu-
'a'e The doors OF eastern theaters
'M ny open to receive you. left him,
Wy Of hope and eL,hysiasm over the
Nv idea' but as my worldly posses
was had dwindled down to nil, I had
v Diego the carrying out Of my plans
~ could earn enough to get a rail-
~ ueket for home. ben Hur" was
"Slng produced. and / was lucky
'-'-'a 10 get a small part In that
~ remained with Il a whole sea-
= and then came home. | at once
~ Ay idea before Prest. Snow. He
4''y gave me four hours OF his time
I. ~ afternoon at Saltair. and read
'Vlanlon' to him from beginning 10
~ Ne showed his interest by naming
'"urlllee, consisting of John T.
sue sue David Mckenzie and Bishop !
D'''ey' to read the play, and when
w made favorable report, he gave
: approval to my plan for raising the
qua Necessary to give proper pro-
gctlon.
a., won't weary YOU" said Mr.. Bean,
"a asad smile, by telling you Of the
-''sehes' the snubs. the discourage
.Ns that that period Of my labors
,,''ed- ] was turned down on the
1]' aand and on the left. by those
y N'u no time, no money or no de-
" Touch a theatrical venture and
esafded the whole thing as
Ia" But found some good
, ' too. whom | shall never for
= Wesley k. Walton, r. X. Thomas
=. joseph E. Taylor prominent among
- Ihe late Prest. Cannon. too.
i. '"e many cheering words. and he
''u 70 me Keep on working. my