The San Francisco call., 1909-10-07

II
X tertainment. which ordinarily
- would not have been heard of out
side of the parochial limits of the
church which planned ii, dramatic
production will be made in San Fran
cisco next week which has grown to
the stature of Americas first passion
play. For the first time in the history
of the country the story of our Saviors
life, passion. death and triumph will be
completely presented in dramatic form
under the auspices of church authori-
ties, with the character of the Christ
actually impersonated and with all the
embellishments and tableaux pro-
phetique which make for the grandeur
of the old world passion plays
The Franciscan monastery, church
and school of ST. Boniface were de-
stroyed in the great earthquake and
fire of 1906 The parish was prac-
tically wiped out, its people scattered
in all directions. Being a downtown
parish. its rehabilitation has been slow.
But the fathers lost no time in restor-
ing their property. and today church.
monastery and school are rebuilt. more
beautiful and substantial than ever.
the architectural work of one OF the
Franciscans themselves, the venerable
Brother Adrian. Among the details of
the restored buildings is a parish hall
in the basement of the church. one Of
the largest private theaters in the city.
But a heavy debt was incurred in
restoring all these ruins; and that debt
was the seed from which the passion
play was grown, and the basement
parish hall the fruitful soil in which it
was sown. Father Josephat Kraus,
one of the fathers OF ST. Boniface's.
began TO plan parish entertainments,
plays and concerts before the new
basement auditorium was completed.
and il was determined to make the
best use of that part of the building.
One or two little plays and other pro-
grams We're given. always with the
moving picture machine. the halls
proudest possession, rs the chief at
traction. (It was second hand ma
chine, but in perfect order) Then
came the idea of giving the Passion
Play" pictures on the machine. These
Passion Play" pictures had long been
popular in town, going from one parish
and playing for a percentage of the
returns. Here was a parish owning
its own machine. If the necessary
films could be procured the play
could be given with a good bit OF profit.
So tAat plan was taken up.
passion play picture show is
usually given with songs-'The Holy
City and a few other such appro-
pirate solos; and sometimes recita-
tions are added. The Franciscan
fathers began to plan their entertain
ment accordingly. Then came the
idea of giving a biblical play. q
sort of frame for the pictures In
had been successful in presenting such
scenic dramas as st. Cecilia" "Eus-
tasius," and others, even taking their
productions on the regular theater
stage. There seemed no reason why
they should not try it again. and there
was every reason for making the effort.
So bible story play was planned.
The play grew in Father JOsaphat's
hands From a simple eantata. such
a is often seen at Christmas time. il
became full fedged drama. 1t was
to be beautifully presented, for with
the moving picture machine at hand a
wonderful array of scenes could be
presented. One tableau after another
suggested itself, weaving into an i'm
pressive whole, and always blending
into the colored picture to be thrown
on the screen. II looked like a sue
cess from the beginning.
Then came the daring suggestion:
Let the character of the Christ be
actually seen, Let the players shown
on the Illuminated screen step down
TO the stage.
1t was hardly to be thought of at
first, and the suggestion was argued
from every point. Especially did the
fathers hesitate over the reproduction
OF the erucifxion. Would II be per-
missible? Was there any state law
forbidding the public impersonation of
the Christ? Who could be secured to
enact so difficult role? Would the
people of the parish accept it in the
proper spirit?
The consent of Very Rev. Father
Maximilian, the guardian OF the mon
astery, was secured. Since the play
was to be given within the walls of
the church, in an atmosphere purely
religious and reverential there seemed
no serious objection to the plan Father
Josaphat communicated with the state
authorities and found that no statute
forbade such a presentation. And so,
with the scripts of a number of Euro
pean passion plays in hand, with every
book and descriptive text available be-
fore him, he began to write the San
Francisco passion play.
Inc WTlIInS Oh the play was a Dig
task. The idea was to take the best
features of the old world plays-Ober-
ammergau and others-as a basis for
the construction of the new play This
called for an almost endless task of
translation. After the translating was
done the selection and elimination be-
gan, the weaving together OF con-
crete drama, made largely of parts
taken from various sources, yet with
many new scenes and elimaxes The
dialogue was made scripturaI, the
words of the bible verbatim being
used at every possible point The
fulfillment of the prophecies. as acted
out, and the prophecies themselves
were closely knit in word as well as
in picture by this careful adaptation
of the holy language. And so the pas
sion play was built, long and arduous
task, a slow but steady growth
The manuscript finally completed il
was submitted to Rev. p. j. Cummins.
chancellor of the archdiocese, for his
''nihil obstat," and remained in his
hands for some time. When IL was re-
turned to the Franciscan fathers. and
not until then. did they feel that the
passion play was really launched. The
work had only begun. And even yet.
nothing beyond big parish event was
cOntemD1afNd