Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-12-13
PAs1ORE5 PLAY
OF ANCIENT DAYS
Reproduced in San
ia Fe-..C Creditably
Acted.
pIpTu nl ruRlcT nHIIn
BIRTH OF CHRIST CHILD
And Shepherds of Bethlehem
Foundations For Odd
Stage Settings.

0SUhC oVAkH6cs
A fine performance Of "The Pas
torres" was given last evening in the
hall Of Prudencio Garcia in precinct
No Is, that was witnessed by about
two hundred people. The Pastores
are survival of the miracle plays Of
the Medieval Ages and their rendi-
ton is one of the noteworthy sights
annually around Christmas time in
Santa Fe. For weeks, those who par
ticipated have been practicing and
have been making the costumes for
the gala performance which will take
place on Christmas Eve when the bon
fires are blazing in front of almost
every home and add to the pictures
queness of the scene, such as can
perhaps, be witnessed nowhere else
in the United States. The play CIV
en- is known as "The Pastores," or
Shepherds, and consists of a two-act
representation of scenes attending the
birth of Christ interviewer with strug-
giles between good and evil with the
, final conquest of good. The play is a
very old one and is no doubt an imi.
tatlon of those brought to this coun.
try from Spain in the early days, when
King Philip was sending European
civilization to the natives of new
Spain.
Origin Of the Pastores.
It suggests the Miracle and Morali-
ty plays that became popular in Eng.
land during the reign Of Henry Plan.
tagenet, and that Hudson says were
developed simultaneously and indie,
pendently in Spain. These plays were
given for the purpose of instructing
the common people in Bible history
and in the lives of the saints and
martyrs, concerning which they were
woeiully ignorant. Printing from
movable types was unknown In those
days and books were rala and eXpen.
sive so that few per"o1S outside O.
the clergy could real. and, as it vcs
not customary 10 del var sermons to
the people it was difficult to educate
them. Through the medium of scenic
representation, however, even the
most unanlightened could be reached
Given in "OIden" Times.
During the twelfth and th'"toarth
centuries. series Of plays, often last
ing week. were given, first by the
clergy and later by town guilds. They
were acted on movable stages that
were wheeled into the open spaces OF
the town where vast audiences could
congregate to hear and see. The
stages were often in two tiers or plat
forms, the upper one being used for
the performance and the lower one fol
dressing room, though sometimes
the lower one represented hell from
which the devil burst forth when his
cue came.
"The Alteration"
Henry Hudson thus describes one
of these plays known as "The Adora
ton of the Shepherds" which forms
one of the Townely series, probably
written about 1850, and which is moi
unlike the Pastores given here. "Aftel
soliloquy by the first shepherd on
the uncertainty of human life, the sec
ond enters and picks quarrel with
him; then the third arrives on horse
back, parts them, and tells them he
never saw any one act SO but tine
fools OF Gotham" thereupon they al
become friends again, eat supper to
gether, drink ale, sing songs, and &c
to sleep While they are asleep, ar
angel announces to them the birth O
Christ. and they, waking, seq the star
The third shepherd refers to Isaial
and other prophets, and quotes Virgil
though not correctly; the second oh
jects to this display of learning, ant
they hasten to Bethlehem. and make
their offerings.
The playtis being given every eve
ming from now until Christmas in
private hall where several hundre,
persons gathered to see 1t last even
ing. At one end of the room stoo
an altar decorated with candles, pa
per flowers, evergreens and tinsel or
naments. In front Of it was spread
large rug where the Pastores were tt
stand in two rows. Benches wer
placed at the sides of the room, run
< ming lengthwise and in the rear leav
ing broad empty space down tn
center. They were filled with demur
black-shawled women and rosy cheek
ed babies, the men and boys STANDING
at the rear.
The costumes were quite elaborate
The shepherds usually are dressed i
white with knee breeches and blouse
having rufflen sailor collars. Thei
stockings were striped in colors an
from their right shoulders hung tin
pillows eaborately trimmed with rit
bon and lace. Each held In his, righ
hand shepherds staff draped in pin
tarletan and hung with bells and tir
sci. the whole surmounted by "a silve
cross Each year there are some W
riations in the costumes dependin
upon individual fancy.
st. Michael was small boy dresse
in pink and blue with a gilded, sta
tipped crown on his head aDd swor
In his hand. From his shoulder
spread white wings covered wiz
feathers, and golden stars gleame
about him. Gila, the housekeeper q
cook Of the shepherds, was q wee init