The San Francisco call., 1909-10-07
LOCAL PASSION PLAY
A RELIOIOUJC EVENT
Franciscan Frars Refuse Many Offers for Drama Life
Death and Triumph of Savior
Written for The Cal
By CHARLES PHILLIPS
Editor of the Monitor

the play. As written there was pro-
vision made in the script for almost
as much music as a complete oratorio-
The many tableaux demanded choral
after choral: the whole action Of the
drama called for music. This detail
was soon put into the hands OF Rev.
Peter Huesses. a musician and director
of great talent. and volunteers were
called for TO make up the chorus- AT
the same time Father JOsaphat was
casting about for his actors. 1t was
all delicate task None could be
asked to participate who could not
give themselves unreservedly to The
spirit of the play and all must enter
into it in such spiritual way that
they would be willing TO make many
sacrifices to carry il to success. 1t was
at this point that the fathers had en-
phasized to them the vast difference
between the simple village life Of
Oberammergau or Brixleg and the COM
plex life of a twentieth century west
ern American city. There was no end
of volunteers Men and women, be-
coming well acquainted now with the
fathers plans. through the medium OF
the press. came forward from all
points to. offer their serviees-frora
oakland Berkeley and other neighbor-
ing cities, as well as from San Fran
cisco itself And in many ways the
fathers found their work lightened by
the splendid spirit OF these volunteers.
For numbers of them were professional
men-doctors, lawyers and busy
women; and all came forward mod
estly and generously saying: NO mat
ter what it may be. give me some lit
tie part in the passion play. Let me
do what / can.
The music forces were gathered to-
gether gradually and rehesrsaIs began
Father Huesges is a composer as well
as a director, and he has written some
beautiful scores for the play In the
main. however. the music is taken from
the masters. What part 1t plays In
the drama-what the work of Father
Huesges and his 150 singers fs-can
best be seen from enUmerating some
of the musical numbers included I'm the
presentation of the play. There will be
Pedestrians quartet. "POpule Mems
his mixed chorus "Lamentation." and
his chorus for men. 20 Bone Jesu'':
from Rossini's ''Stabat Mater: the al
lejuja Chorus" and the "Tenebrae
Fscta SUnt' from the Vatican Gradu-
ale; the "Consummatum Est chorus
from the OratoFiO, The Seven Last
Words by DR. p. Hartmann Won der
Lau Hochbrunn, o. F. NJ; Gounod's
''lIors et Vita; Wits quintet. Lam
entatiOn OF jeremiah; Santner's
'"Tantum Ergo; Mendelssohn's Praise
Ye the Lord: Albrecht's 20 Saluta ris''.
Handlers -sHaleIuiah Chorus from The
Messiah Stebleys Adore Te'; Quad
Praise the Lord and other numbers
by the same composer Father Hues-
ges' compositions include Father. Thy
viii Be Done" 20 Guam Tristis ct
Aflieta' and 'Magnihcat"
But the chief interest i'm the passion
play-snd by this time the public al
large was greatly nterested-centered
in the choice OF the principal players.
and first of all, of course. in the Christ
Finally the name of James Hans a
member OF st. BOniface's parish was
announced Mr.. Hans is a businessman
and an active worker in the church.
Inc name OF Miss Maria Waudra was
later snnounced as that of the one
CHOSEN to play the blessed virgin IL
goes without saying that the choice Of
these persons and of all in the plav
could not be, improved upon. For the
one point most emphasized by the
fathers IN every move made toward
providing the passion play has been
that 1t is religious and spiritual act.
molly and solemn in its nature The
careful preparations made in seIectins,
the actors and the unremittins care
winch IS exercised and viii be exer-
clsed until the play is a thing of the
past partakes much OF the nature OF a
retreat.
With the cast selected. the parts
given out and the music progressing
rehearsals Of the play began: and with
IT'S growth on the boards news of the
event began 70 spread. The Associated
Press got hold OF 1t. and the eastern
press began TO notice it, 1t was at thfs
point that the fathers were given the
pest or opportunities to prove 10 tha
public Just what IS the nature of the
san FRANCISCO passion playa drama
and spectacle wholly sacred and re-
hglous. For first one. and then another
western theatrical mana ger offered to-
buy IL. One proffered a large sun, ~
money for the simple use Of the manu-
script; still another would take the
play in hand and produce it for rovar-
ties. one would have liked to get it on
in Seattle. during the Alaska YUKON
Pacihc exposition Then New York and
washington maIagsrs began TO make
oners Later one Of the largest rail-
road corporations in America sought IN
get control or lt and made a most
tempting offer to exploit the play and
produce it on magnificent scale in a
specially built amphitheater But the
play remained and remains in the
hands of the FranciscanS
At first the fathers would not consent
to even play it outside of the parish
walls. but il has grown now to such
magnitude that it will be produced in the
San Francisco Coliseum the interior 81
which will be practically reconstructed
for the event. Seven thousand DeonIe
instead OF only 1900 may now witness
each performance. Three large stages
will be built, with a width OF 2s4 feet
the central one for the action OF tbe
passion, the side stages for. the ia
oleaux of the prophecies. eNcept in the
hrst entry Of the Christ and the vav of
the cross, when the one act will occuDv
all three stages The mechanical ar
rangements of the production will cost
about $10,O00 all of which has heen
pledged by friends OF the fathers. The
play will run eight evenings. from Oc-
tooer IL TO Il. allowing however. hut
Two complete presentations. for the
play Is II hours in length. Four even
lhgs OF three hours each will be re-