Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-22

EAf4Kh the most successful dramas based
- on stories told in the Old Tesla
ment or New Testament were then briefly
reviewed, supporting the proposition that
human Interest is still as keen in the re-
ligious aspect OF life as ever and that such
Illuminating expositlons as is possible on
the stage serves to bring home the human
aspects Of the sacred drama as no other
means can. In this the theater is coming
nearer than ever TO a realization of its
most important function II the stage
does humanity any service aside from the
unimportant one OF furnishing amusement
II educates and directs the trend Of thought
along ethical lines. Those who take the
theater seriously insist. that this is the one
purpose of the drama worthy OF considera-
tion. II is admittedly true that here ideas
are 30 presented as TO take a firm hold on
the receptive mind and that here notions
OF right and wrong conduct are conveyed
that may be given in no other way To the
credit Of the theater be II said, the ethics
OF the drama have invariably been high:
sometimes the methods employed have
seemed questionable, and reasonable
doubt might have existed as to the ex-
pediency of some Of the means employed
but even the dirt" drama, in it's last
analysis, bore a message OF aiming at
higher and better things.
-
At the very outset the methods Of the
stage were intended to facilitate the In
culcation Of moral principles. It is prob
ably true that the germ Of the theater as
we know Il may be found in the temples
OF gods forgotten before the Christian era
The original idea was to convey by SYM
bolism lesson of gravity and weighty
import such as could not be directly inn
parted. The, rites Of the Egyptian and
Chaldean priesthood, for example, INDUCED
at times, when the initiation OF neophytes
into the sacred mysteries OF the religion
practiced called for an exposition of the
solemn conceptions Of life and death, of
the relation of morality to immortality, and
the progress OF the sou1 after Il had left
the body and had taken up its Journey
through the shadows to the Judgment seat,
were undoubtedly the earliest Of scenic
productions. The Greeks, whose religion
was more simple and less involved with
the mysticism OF the dreaming races of the
south, gave the theater a more practical
turn, and through II inculcated lessons
whose import had to do with ordinary Of
fairs Of life. Such morals as adorned the
tales told by the Grecian actors are still
serviceable and are used with as much
regularity now as then, and are received
with probably the same degree of sim
The development OF the theater along
with the other arts Of civilization has in
no degree lessened its vitality as a place
where ideas are Illuminated and from
which flow currents OF thoughts that d.
rectly affect the destiny Of the race By
reason of their influence on immediate
society. Ethical thought fnds expression
In the drama, and notions of right and
wrong, of personal responsibility and of
NawlaN aTAaN
illustrated by example, so that whatever
healthy influence the theater has must be
for good. Some managers, pursuing too
closely the pecuniary aspect OF the drama,
have given to the public plays whose
morals have seemed distinctly dispropor-
toned. and these have had a harmful infiu-
ence. II is not enough that the william
should suffer In the end He is generally
undone by some expedient 80 trivial that
any thoughtful person might have avoided
IT, while the facility with which he pur-
sues his course OF wrongdoIng is so plainly
shown It offers attractionS to the weak
minded often too strong TO be resisted.
Such managers are doing harm to them
selves and TO the theater, for all such In
fuences are for evil and must necessarily
react on the stage.
But this discussion is drifting away from
the original thought and is getting into a
condition that is likely to be burdensome
IN the summertime. Postponing the mat.
ter until the weather has settled down tc
a supportable theatrical temperature, the
following will be quoted from last Sun
days Chicago Tribune:
There appears TO be a growing interest
among managers in plays OF religious i'm
port According to announcements as &c
some OF the most talented and popular
players on the American stage WIFI ven.
reotly founded on Biblical subjects OF
are entirely religious in their ~, aspect aRS
that the outcome Of these experiments viii
be awaited.
Tyrone Power will appear in a play
Corelli novel. "Barabbas," by the authores'
herself. The period is that during the III,
Mr. Power will be that OF Barabbas, th'
thief a character which win be. found t
will be remembered as the creator Of {
Judas OF great strensth and distinction i
Barabbas should find a role equally suit
able and effective
Of Ells Whsee SH Wile as 'G and I uscomb
searelle, will be presented in this city Il
September. II tells in lyric form II,
maiden, who rose from obscurity to be tn
bride OF Ahasuerus. king of Persia, AM
L win 0f marx Mrs WeoEs rst eontrbu
tion TO the stage, and although tentativ
productions OF the work have been mad
In San Francisco and Boston, the metro
politan verdict is yet 10 be passed. TIL
cast will be headed by Elizabeth Kennedy
who will appear Esther, and Charlie
Dalton who will be the king. Music in
cldentai TO the action has been written b.
Mr. Searelle, who IL an English composer.
The long threatened production OF 'Pil
EF1n's Progress "a definitely announces
for next season. henrietta Crosman is Z
create the part OF Christian. Ample oppor
tunity will be offered In this case for
great scenic production, and Charles Froh
man anticipates success as pronounced a
that achieved ny Ben Hur."
Wright Lorimsr has passed three pros
porous seasons presenting The Shepher
King" which IL dramatic from the stor
of David. AS Mr. LOrimer has yet TO ap
near in the west in this drama, he doe
not expect 20 make another production
TIN the season following. For that tim
ne has in readiness a play founded on IN
Meanwhiie Edward A. Braden. undo
whose direction ''Barabbas" will be pro
duced. is Arranging for the presentation Q
ssrhe Light Eternal" In which Martin y
Merle pictures the conflicts between tn
Christians and the Romans In the time o
III III. sothern-and presumably JUL
Aiariowe-in "John the Baptist Is an an
nouncement held by the Shuberts for
later date Little Is known of the play
its author or the general scheme OF IN
production, but that Mr.. Sothern Is 10 hav
a biblical play OF his own has been told
hfa Intimate friends. II IL said that durin